Ford 48amp Charger vs other makes?

[highland58]

If I could put in my two cents...

I personally went with the ChargePoint Home Flex for a couple reasons, and here they are:

1) Price: $650 vs $800

2) Availability: Now vs Later

3) Mounting (biggest deciding factor for me): ChargePoint Home Flex has a place for externally mounted conduit, and also NEMA 14-50/6-50 (replaceable, same port). The Ford Connected Charge Station has to be mounted to a wall with the supply coming directly from behind. I am mounting this to an exterior brick wall, and right behind it is my kitchen. My house was built in the 1940s and I am NOT opening that can of worms. I am going to direct feed it via conduit from the basement, as the new panels are directly underneath.

4) Ease of use with other vehicles: ChargePoint app is universal. Do I need to use the Ford app regardless of vehicle make/model? That's a "most likely", and if this is a rebranded Webasto charger, will it work with a native Webasto EVSE app instead of Ford's? These questions haven't been answered by Ford. My husband is getting a Mini Cooper Countryman PHEV, I don't want to use the Ford app for his Mini Cooper. I don't want to run into any handshake/charging issues down the line.

5) Cable Management: ChargePoint cable can wrap around the unit itself, while the Ford unit has to have a separate mount. I like how contained the ChargePoint unit is.

6) Aesthetics: I like the way the ChargePoint looks a lot more. I'm weird like that, but there's a reason I won't even consider a Clipper Creek, Grizzl-e, Siemens VersiCharge, or even Juice Box... I just don't think they look good. And yes, that's enough for me. But I had other reasons as well, clearly. If we didn't care about aesthetics, we would have been fine with Ford's original compliance car design.

7) The Chargepoint supplies a green night light in the garage

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[generaltso]

7) The Chargepoint supplies a green night light in the garage

Unless it’s plugged in. Then it’s blue

 

[Garbone]

Thanks for all the input folks.
I read a bunch of the links and have a better handle on what I think I need.

I pretty much set to go with something like this 32amp plug in job.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FNZBR5...olid=2HO87O0ZBLXFB&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Florida being a lightening intensive state my thought is it will be a better investment to have a 14-50 outlet and be able to swap out my charger in a hurry. An additional $400 seems like a lot of scratch for 16amps.

 

[timbop]

Thanks for all the input folks.
I read a bunch of the links and have a better handle on what I think I need.

I pretty much set to go with something like this 32amp plug in job.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FNZBR5...olid=2HO87O0ZBLXFB&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Florida being a lightening intensive state my thought is it will be a better investment to have a 14-50 outlet and be able to swap out my charger in a hurry. An additional $400 seems like a lot of scratch for 16amps.

ehhhh, I dunno about those cheap chinese EVSEs. Not sure what "CE ceritified" means, but I don't think I would trust it. The 30% tax credit is still available in 2021, so something like the grizzl-e classic is only a little more money and it is UL certified.

It's OK to go cheap with an iphone cable, but not a EVSE that can burn your house down or jack up your $50k car

 

[Papa T]

Thanks for all the input folks.
I read a bunch of the links and have a better handle on what I think I need.

I pretty much set to go with something like this 32amp plug in job.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FNZBR5...olid=2HO87O0ZBLXFB&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Florida being a lightening intensive state my thought is it will be a better investment to have a 14-50 outlet and be able to swap out my charger in a hurry. An additional $400 seems like a lot of scratch for 16amps.

Unless I'm missing something, you may want to save that money. The solution you have linked is pretty much identical to the Ford Mobile Charger that comes with the Mach-E. At least as far as output and charging are concerned.

I might have missed where you want an alternative solution to the Ford Mobile Charger, but it does come included with the car.

Ford Mustang Mach-E home charging: First look, on par with Tesla - Electrek

 

[shutterbug]

ehhhh, I dunno about those cheap chinese EVSEs. Not sure what "CE ceritified" means, but I don't think I would trust it. The 30% tax credit is still available in 2021, so something like the grizzl-e classic is only a little more money and it is UL certified.

It's OK to go cheap with an iphone cable, but not a EVSE that can burn your house down or jack up your $50k car

CE is EU's certification, similar to UL. However, most/many homeowners' insurances actually require UL certified equipment. Also, CE is self-certification and had not been tested by an independent party.

If you simply want to save money, stick with the included mobile charger. You'll have 11 months to decide if you want another one and still be eligible for tax credit.

 

[Garbone]

Grizzl E looks nice.

 

[DBC]

The stated charge times on L1/L2 for the Leaf assume flat charging. They are all stated in kW/h per hour or time to full charge. Unlike DCFC, nothing is stated about that changing with SOC.

Taper might be the wrong word. With DC charging for some vehicles it's more like falling off a cliff. However you describe it, with existing chemistry the rate of charge drops as the battery nears 100% rated capacity. Of course if you don't charge to 100% the taper/drop may not happen.

 

[DBC]

Florida being a lightening intensive state my thought is it will be a better investment to have a 14-50 outlet and be able to swap out my charger in a hurry.

Unless I'm missing something, you may want to save that money. The solution you have linked is pretty much identical to the Ford Mobile Charger that comes with the Mach-E. At least as far as output and charging are concerned.

If you simply want to save money, stick with the included mobile charger.

These suggestions are the obvious answer.

Additionally, if you are concerned about lightening strikes the last thing you want is a cut rate EVSE. A well designed EVESE charge cord is designed to take the damage of the lightening strike in order to protect the battery pack and charger on the vehicle. The last thing you want is a poorly designed/built EVSE that doesn't do this. The cost of replacing even the most expensive EVSE will be a fraction of what it might cost if the charger and/or battery in the vehicle is damaged.

 

[SteveJo]

3) Mounting (biggest deciding factor for me): ChargePoint Home Flex has a place for externally mounted conduit, and also NEMA 14-50/6-50 (replaceable, same port). The Ford Connected Charge Station has to be mounted to a wall with the supply coming directly from behind.

I think I'm going with ChargePoint as well for most of the same reasons and it's ability to also handle 60 amp service. In re the FCCS, the parts diagram seems to reveal cut-out potential in the cover for bottom hard wiring.

 

[jdmrc93]

I think I'm going with ChargePoint as well for most of the same reasons and it's ability to also handle 60 amp service. In re the FCCS, the parts diagram seems to reveal cut-out potential in the cover for bottom hard wiring.

That's a big maybe. You "may" be correct, but I don't want to take that chance.

 

[Fat Mach]

If I could put in my two cents...

I personally went with the ChargePoint Home Flex for a couple reasons, and here they are:

1) Price: $650 vs $800

2) Availability: Now vs Later

3) Mounting (biggest deciding factor for me): ChargePoint Home Flex has a place for externally mounted conduit, and also NEMA 14-50/6-50 (replaceable, same port). The Ford Connected Charge Station has to be mounted to a wall with the supply coming directly from behind. I am mounting this to an exterior brick wall, and right behind it is my kitchen. My house was built in the 1940s and I am NOT opening that can of worms. I am going to direct feed it via conduit from the basement, as the new panels are directly underneath.

4) Ease of use with other vehicles: ChargePoint app is universal. Do I need to use the Ford app regardless of vehicle make/model? That's a "most likely", and if this is a rebranded Webasto charger, will it work with a native Webasto EVSE app instead of Ford's? These questions haven't been answered by Ford. My husband is getting a Mini Cooper Countryman PHEV, I don't want to use the Ford app for his Mini Cooper. I don't want to run into any handshake/charging issues down the line.

5) Cable Management: ChargePoint cable can wrap around the unit itself, while the Ford unit has to have a separate mount. I like how contained the ChargePoint unit is.

6) Aesthetics: I like the way the ChargePoint looks a lot more. I'm weird like that, but there's a reason I won't even consider a Clipper Creek, Grizzl-e, Siemens VersiCharge, or even Juice Box... I just don't think they look good. And yes, that's enough for me. But I had other reasons as well, clearly. If we didn't care about aesthetics, we would have been fine with Ford's original compliance car design.

Good post! I currently have a Clipper Creek HCS-40 and will likely keep that at least for now. I hadn't really thought about how ugly that sucker is, but I have it mounted on the inside upper corner of my garage on the other side of the wall from the breaker panel, which is outside. I ran the charging cable through a hole in the wall with a holster and cable cradle mounted next to my car.

I wouldn't be opposed to upgrading to the ChargePoint in the future since I already have an account and a friend works in manufacturing there. Do you know if that grommet could be removed at the end of the charge cable where it meets the housing? I would want to install the same way and feed that cable through the wall. The panel side cable looks a bit short but that would be easy enough to re-do in my application.

 

[SteveJo]

That's a big maybe. You "may" be correct, but I don't want to take that chance.

I would probably make the same decision, erring on the side of caution. What I wouldn't do, however, is make this definitive statement:

The Ford Connected Charge Station has to be mounted to a wall with the supply coming directly from behind.

 

[jdmrc93]

I would probably make the same decision, erring on the side of caution. What I wouldn't do, however, is make this definitive statement:

The issue is that Ford's release of documentation has been lacking. I should be able to look at a complete manual of the device prior to purchasing. If 100% of their marketing material shows that it has to be mounted a certain way, then that will be my assumption, full stop. I was also told by my dealer that that is the case.

 

[SteveJo]

The issue is that Ford's release of documentation has been lacking. I should be able to look at a complete manual of the device prior to purchasing. If 100% of their marketing material shows that it has to be mounted a certain way, then that will be my assumption, full stop. I was also told by my dealer that that is the case.

I agree the Ford is derelict in not providing more install detail and that all the marketing material I've seen has shown back-side wiring. However, this does not prove it "has to be mounted" that way, and even the sharpest dealer on earth could also be assuming facts not in evidence. Logically, Ford shouldn't limit the FCCS installation options like this, as they'd only lose customers like you and me. More likely it's a communications issue right now. Bottom line, Joe, is we're just gonna hafta wait a little while longer to know 4 sure.

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