FORD MOBILE CHARGER IS NOT MEANT FOR DAILY USE!!!

[Thunderbuck]

There are like 20 warnings in the owners manual for the charger, and none of them say “not for daily use.”

If this were to be for limited use (like a spare tire), they’d likely say so.

It definitely seems like Ford intended this for daily use.

Now if we want to debate the “quality” of the product……… that’s a whole different debate. And based on the number of charging faults I and others have had, it’s safe to say there are better alternatives.

I agree that the mobile charger seems to be robust enough for daily use. That's not my point.

Ideally I'd like to have a hardwired L2 charger at home and keep the mobile charger for when I'm on the road, is all. If my home charger fails I've got the mobile for a backup.

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[CT3]

Emmm...I've been using my portable charger mounted with the supplied bracket for a year now and have had zero issues. It's on it's own 48A circuit.

Always gets me to 85% by around midnight if I start at 7:00 PM.

I may swap it out for the Pro charger that comes with the Lightning when I get that though.

Mike

I have had no problem with the Ford charging cables

 

[Blusteed]

Been using the Ford Mobile Charger in my garage since I got my car in November, and once in a while would get a charge fault, so started tracking when it happened. Had my Nema 14-50 installed professionally, but the electrician pointed out that I only have 100amps coming into my house. In tracking I noticed that charge faults seemed to coincide with running certain high-power appliances in the house that are on the same panel- like cooktop, microwave, toaster oven, etc. Since then I've made sure to charge when the rest of the family is either not home or asleep, and haven't had any issues. Coincidence?? Maybe these chargers are particularly sensitive to power drops? I'm sure there are some bad units out there, but for some of us, the problem may just be in the feed.

 

[BigMach-E]

Yes, I believe that we aren't taking into consideration the home electrical set up in the equation. I had a professional installation of my NEMA 14-50, really good work, I have worked with the electrician before. Only issues I have had with the FMC has been simple slipping of the plug going into the charger, reseated it, good to go.

 

[Ming]

I got my car back after only 24 hours, and they claimed to have fixed the issue, as well as finished 21P22 software updates.
they didn't replace the mobile charger, but said they pulled code p1a3c, and performed TSB 22-2057 to address the issue by updating OBCC module software. however, if I understand correctly, OBCC is off-board charging module, for DC charging. they charged my car to 100% (from about 65%). I'll try my charger again after I drop the SOC to <80%.

I've charged the car twice with the old mobile charger, and haven't gotten charge faults. So far now I'm treating it as fixed. The charger still gets yellow light, but at least can finish the charging.

 

[RobGibb]

Thought I would add my setup to this conversation, has been working well for 4 months.

I park on the street outside my house so I needed something on the front curb. Installed it in an irrigation box in the ground.

As I can generally charge overnight I only went with a 20 amp.

 

[db4z]

I have been using my mobile charger (evse) a couple times a week for about 5 months with occasional faults but last night I couldn't get it charge more than a few mins at a time without a charging fault. The light on the Ford box is always blue but the car charge ring next to the port would turn orange. I also tried turning off the breaker for a few mins to power cycle and checked the 14-50 pigtail was fully seated.

Therefore, I've since switched to a cheap adjustable evse (set to 24A) I bought for traveling and it has been working fine with the same 14-50 outlet. I will note that my garage probably never gets below around 80-85F now that it's basically summer, but I would hope the mobile charger was designed for higher ambient temperatures than that. Finally the 14-50 plug and the j1772 connector never get more than just a little warm to the touch.

 

[Mach-Lee]

Thought I would add my setup to this conversation, has been working well for 4 months.

I park on the street outside my house so I needed something on the front curb. Installed it in an irrigation box in the ground.

As I can generally charge overnight I only went with a 20 amp.

You are definitely not supposed to install an outlet or the mobile charger below ground level! If it rains the outlet might fill up with water and you'll have electrified the ground nearby. You'll waste electricity heating water at best, and electrocute someone at worst. I really hope you have a GFCI breaker on that outlet bare minimum, the whole setup is still dangerous even with GFCI.

It will work until it doesn't, hopefully no one is hurt in the process. If the city or a lineman sees that, they might pull your meter. I'm scared to think if a kid sees that and decides to investigate when it's wet inside, that could be a horrible tragedy.

Build an above-ground box so all electrical connections are above ground. Lock the box so it cannot be opened when the cable is in use or while it is stored. Mandatory GFCI beaker. That's the minimum to make it passably safe.

 

[JSeis]

I’ve used mine daily for nearly a year. The only issues were testing to see if it’d trip a 30 amp breaker (it will eventually trip as its max draw is 32 amps). Once I switched to a 40 amp breaker-no issues in about 190+ charge cycles. None. And it’s upside down. The only reason to go with a 40 amp charger is slightly quicker charging which I may do. But then I’m upgrading to larger copper feed, a 50 or bigger breaker, more $$.

 

[Mach-Lee]

I’ve used mine daily for nearly a year. The only issues were testing to see if it’d trip a 30 amp breaker (it will eventually trip as its max draw is 32 amps). Once I switched to a 40 amp breaker-no issues in about 190+ charge cycles. None. And it’s upside down. The only reason to go with a 40 amp charger is slightly quicker charging which I may do. But then I’m upgrading to larger copper feed, a 50 or bigger breaker, more $$.

Sounds like you replaced your breaker without upgrading the wires. You now have a fire risk. The breaker has to be matched to the wire size. If you go up to 40A you have to replace the wires with bigger at the same time. Can't just use existing wires with bigger breaker.

A 30 amp breaker is supposed to trip at 32 amps because you are overloading the wires the breaker is protecting. Put the 30A breaker back in and use a 24A or less EVSE until you get around to upgrading your wires.

 

[Mach1E]

Thought I would add my setup to this conversation, has been working well for 4 months.

I park on the street outside my house so I needed something on the front curb. Installed it in an irrigation box in the ground.

As I can generally charge overnight I only went with a 20 amp.

Yikes.

Along with the warnings above, one of the warnings in the owners manual is to not store the charger outdoors.

Also the Ford charger is rated for 32 amps, not sure how you’re wired to 20 amps.

 

[woody]

Our Clipper Creek is in a covered carport, so it is somewhat sheltered but exposed to blowing rain and snow, freezing, heating, etc. here in Maryland. 4-1/2 years, multiple brief power outages. It's a "dumb" charger but I've never even had to reset it.

I agree 100%.
My Clipper creek has been in use five years now. Absolutely no problem. Ever.
May be dumb, but it works. (the more this and that involved leads to greater opportunity for failure [plenty of that in this forum]).
In order to do any trips I will be forced to purchase a Clipper Creek AmazingE FAST in order to be certain I have a charger, since the Ford chargers are not reliably functional.

Unfortunately Ford has not thought out the EV process (software, chargers, updates, etc.).
I know the excuses, but they are no longer valid.
Many new cars in my day. NONE of the problems with the MME. Should I not be retired, I would not have been able to deal with all of the MME nonsense.
Most folks are not willing or used to all of the hoop jumping with any product, much less one of this expense (you pay for X, you should get X, not .8X).

 

[woody]

You are making a judgement on something that actually works opposite as you described based on a small number of complaints. It's easier to get people pointing out issues and/or searching for advise on an issue in places that are meant for this type of conversation. It's easy to see a pattern or "issue" when people with the same experience are looking as well. This no way indicates that it is not meant for daily use, which it is and others have commented to that point. The only way to tell would be a proper check on the representative population of owners. I never take anything I see on the forums, such as "widespread issues" as that unless there is definitive evidence.

First, I believe the vast majority of forum members are honest. I consider their "issues" valid.
I used the Ford provided charger, level 1, once as a test. It tripped the breaker almost immediately. This is the same breaker I have been using for five years with my Chevy provided level 1 charger and continue to use with no problem.(MME, Bolt, Volt) It may be a combination of "things", but the Clipper Creek (level2) and the Chevy level 1 have worked for over a year with my MME.
Second, I think there is sufficient evidence to indicate the Ford charger's unreliability in only a little more than a year of of use.
Third, I will bet on Clipper Creek and my Chevy chargers with 5 years of reliable track records. They may be "dumb"( as sated earlier), but they work.

(I have installed a NEMA 14-50 at one of my final destinations in the land of very limited charging stations and [currently] require a reliable charger)

 

[JSeis]

Sounds like you replaced your breaker without upgrading the wires. You now have a fire risk. The breaker has to be matched to the wire size. If you go up to 40A you have to replace the wires with bigger at the same time. Can't just use existing wires with bigger breaker.

A 30 amp breaker is supposed to trip at 32 amps because you are overloading the wires the breaker is protecting. Put the 30A breaker back in and use a 24A or less EVSE until you get around to upgrading your wires.

The AWG 8 copper is rated for 40 amps. I’d go AWG 6 most likely if I put a 40 amp charger in or bigger if we end with a Lightning. Works fine now.

 

[RobGibb]

You are definitely not supposed to install a 14-50 outlet or the mobile charger below ground level! If it rains the outlet might fill up with water and you'll have electrified the ground nearby. You'll waste electricity heating water at best, and electrocute someone at worst. I really hope you have a GFCI breaker on that outlet bare minimum, the whole setup is still dangerous even with GFCI.

It will work until it doesn't, hopefully no one is hurt in the process. If the city or a lineman sees that, they might pull your meter. I'm scared to think if a kid sees that and decides to investigate when it's wet inside, that could be a horrible tragedy.

Build an above-ground box so all electrical connections are above ground. Lock the box so it cannot be opened when the cable is in use or while it is stored. Mandatory GFCI beaker. That's the minimum to make it passably safe.

Fill up with water? Have you installed an irrigation box before?

Yikes.

Along with the warnings above, one of the warnings in the owners manual is to not store the charger outdoors.

Also the Ford charger is rated for 32 amps, not sure how you’re wired to 20 amps.

That other guy sounds like my wife...

Of course there's no water in the box...

Of course it has a lock.

Of course it has a GFCI.

Of course I could get into trouble..

It went all through the wet/cold winter no problem.

I think it's rated up to 32amp. Why couldn't you go less?

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