Heat Wave Coming - Battery Health Tips to Remember

[SnBGC]

I will look into ventilating my garage, but that isn't going to happen in the next day or two (car is scheduled to arrive then - was an unplanned purchase when I started to have problems with my 2010 Subaru Outback). I'm really just concerned about keeping the battery pack sufficiently cool in my hot garage, hoping the 110v outlet will provide sufficient power for that task. From your answer above, it sounds like it won't. I'll give it a try and schedule EVSE installation if 110v isn't enough for cooling the battery (and look more closely at EVSE recommendations here).

I was hoping to put EVSE installation off for a bit because I'll be able to charge at my workplace in a covered ramp garage, as long as I get to work early enough to plug in. The ramp garage stays much cooler than parking a car under the South Florida sun, so alone is strong motivation for to get up earlier and get a parking spot there! And hopefully it will be cool enough to be safe to use the level 2 chargers at work during the day.

Thanks,
Elle

According to the manual......the car will condition the battery even on 120v. It will supplement shore power with energy from the HVB when needed. Should be minimal so it won't really impact your day to day range too much. Give it a try. You should be fine.

Many potted style mobile EVSEs (such as the one that ships with your car) may overheat when used in warm spaces that lack airflow or when left in direct sunlight. Make sure it's shady where you place the body of the EVSE and if possible, place a fan to keep it cool when charging. I can't imagine 120v causing too much heat but those things will usually trip the thermal limiters when charging at 240V in warm spaces.

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[ElleD]

I recommend that you plug into 120V even at home. That way you can set a departure time so the car will pre-condition the cabin AND the HVB. If you have free charging at work, then set a departure time for when you get off work as well. Do those two things and you will be totally fine. Especially if you have the larger battery.

I believe you have to save your charge locations in order for the departure times to work.....I could be wrong though. Hard to remember the vehicle specific details sometimes....

Thanks, I'll give it a try. I do not have the larger battery, but my commute is short and I'll charge (and precondition) during the day at work, so hopefully the trickle charging at home will be sufficient for pre-conditioning the cabin and the HVB so that my battery is protected in my garage during the hot summer months.

None of this is in the advertisements, really glad to have this forum to help me avoid costly mistakes.

 

[ElleD]

According to the manual......the car will condition the battery even on 120v. It will supplement shore power with energy from the HVB when needed. Should be minimal so it won't really impact your day to day range too much. Give it a try. You should be fine.

Many potted style mobile EVSEs (such as the one that ships with your car) may overheat when used in warm spaces that lack airflow or when left in direct sunlight. Make sure it's shady where you place the body of the EVSE and if possible, place a fan to keep it cool when charging. I can't imagine 120v causing too much heat but those things will usually trip the thermal limiters when charging at 240V in warm spaces.

Thank you, I need to download the manual and read it tonight.

I will set up a fan to blow on the EVSE that comes with the car. Frankly, I'm a little freaked out about plugging a car into a regular outlet, fingers crossed.

 

[SnBGC]

Thanks, I'll give it a try. I do not have the larger battery, but my commute is short and I'll charge (and precondition) during the day at work, so hopefully the trickle charging at home will be sufficient for pre-conditioning the cabin and the HVB so that my battery is protected in my garage during the hot summer months.

None of this is in the advertisements, really glad to have this forum to help me avoid costly mistakes.

Ford wouldn't advertise it because you really don't have to worry about it very much at all. The software in the car is really pretty good about taking care of the HVB so you don't have to mico-manage it. Some of us here are just more anal than the general public and we get into the weeds a little bit more than Ford expects.

Honestly, you can just drive it and if the car needs you to change your behavior then it will usually tell you with one of the dash notices.

The departure times will REALLY help. You will be more comfortable and so will your car. I recommend you use them for work to home and home to work. The car allows two schedules per day.

 

[SnBGC]

Thank you, I need to download the manual and read it tonight.

I will set up a fan to blow on the EVSE that comes with the car. Frankly, I'm a little freaked out about plugging a car into a regular outlet, fingers crossed.

The early 120v EVSEs that Ford shipped with the Energi and BEV Focus and Transits had an issue where the plug could melt and catch on fire. They recalled all those devices and now supply EVSEs with a thermal limiting feature for safety. That is what people are complaining about here on the forum. Really, they should be happy the devices function in that way because it does it for safety.

You are fine to plug that into a 120v outlet provided that circuit isn't powering anything else substantial. A dedicated circuit is best.

If you want to take away all concern about the EVSE getting hot and derating then when time allows, purchase and install a dedicated 240v EVSE. A 32A unit will be just fine. Check out the various EVSE threads, pick a brand and have it installed and then you won't give this issue another thought. Most of those aftermarket brands are very very reliable.

 

[devmach-e]

I totally understand why you say this. But, the car will shut off after 30 minutes.

More importantly, I didn't buy a $60,000 car to keep it plugged in 24/7 so that it could warm or cool itself. When I get home from a drive, if it's within my off-peak charging hours (peak is 11-7 Mon-Fri), then I don't care if it uses house current to heat or cool the battery. HOWEVER, the car should be able to heat or cool itself while unplugged if it needs to.

I'm a little surprised that the Mach-E doesn't do any thermal management when unplugged. The Bolt EV I had would condition the battery while unplugged, as well as plugged in. The temperature at which it would do this were different when unplugged than when plugged in, and didn't run as often, but it did manage to do some thermal management.

 

[available_username2]

I'm a little surprised that the Mach-E doesn't do any thermal management when unplugged. The Bolt EV I had would condition the battery while unplugged, as well as plugged in. The temperature at which it would do this were different when unplugged than when plugged in, and didn't run as often, but it did manage to do some thermal management.

It seems kind of ridiculous. Where are people getting this from? This isn't in the manual...

 

[67 Stang Convertible]

I'm on a charging schedule. Can I use the mobile charger to provide cooling or does it have to be 220?

Wouldn't the mobile charger still be affected by the car's charging schedule?

 

[macchiaz-o]

Wouldn't the mobile charger still be affected by the car's charging schedule?

Yes.

 

[Pregrid]

That seems like a lot of do’s and don’t’s to me. Do I really have to think about all of this? Geez! I thought I was buying a car.. I just want to get in and go, come home and plug it in so I can go again tomorrow. I don’t have to think about any of this with a gas car.

 

[yngwenli]

That seems like a lot of do’s and don’t’s to me. Do I really have to think about all of this? Geez! I thought I was buying a car.. I just want to get in and go, come home and plug it in so I can go again tomorrow. I don’t have to think about any of this with a gas car.

I would say the majority of people (maybe 80%+?) don't think of any of this really. Maybe the admins can share numbers, but with the number of cars sold vs members here, and many people here even without a car, anyone here is in a very small minority who thinks about any of this stuff.

eg: As a guy, do I read forums about jewelry, shirts or clothes? Totally not. I just buy the cheapest stuff and wear it till it has holes and get something else after.

Repeat the MME for people who don't care about cars/EVs and just figured they want to save on gas.

 

[SnBGC]

That seems like a lot of do’s and don’t’s to me. Do I really have to think about all of this? Geez! I thought I was buying a car.. I just want to get in and go, come home and plug it in so I can go again tomorrow. I don’t have to think about any of this with a gas car.

No. You don't really have to do anything special. You can park and plug and not give your car a second thought. If that process worked for you with a gas car then you must have owned some fantastic cars.

The excessive heat here in Phoenix affects gas cars too. If you don't check the vehicle then your life may be in danger if your vehicle breaks down on the side of the road.

If you are a CDL driver, the pre-trip inspection takes about 45 minutes. That is with a diesel burning engine. Looking after your equipment is kinda important IMO....

 

[4sallypat]

My opinion I say none apply to me even though I live in the hot desert southwest with 4 years of EV experience.

• Set a charge schedule so your car only charges at night (10 PM - 8 AM recommended), do not charge during the heat of the day. Can't do that - I charge after I get home from work. My incoming F150 Lightning will need to start charging during the day as it takes a longer time to charge to full.
• Keep battery charged between 15-85%, do not charge to 100% unless absolutely necessary. Very high or low charge levels put more stress on the pack in extreme heat. That's a myth - brought on by some recall by GM battery fires. I always charge mine to 100% - there are SOC buffers built in to prevent overcharging or even getting close to 100% in individual cells.
• Park in the shade as much as possible. I recommend window shades or ceramic tint. Tinting won't do much for the truck, just the inside. Shade parking if I can find it.
• Consider leaving the vehicle on while you go into a store (take all keys with you and be sure the doors lock). Vehicle will not shift from park without a key present, and will shut off after 30 minutes. I would never do that in urban, crime ridden city. Why would I leave the vehicle turned on to draw power from the EV battery??
• Plug in as soon as you arrive at your destination so the battery pack can cool itself with shore power if necessary. Only if I can find an available charger at a decent $ rate - at work I have access to a free charger, but no shade/roof.
• Ventilate your garage in hot weather so the heat can escape rather than building up inside, especially while charging. Charge outside if temps are cooler. Sorry, but leaving the garage door open causes not only 4 legged creatures to slip in and I have to hire an exterminator; but the 2 legged predators that will steal from my garage living in urban city.
• If you leave at a regular time, set a departure time (different than remote start) so your battery pack can cool before driving. Sorry, I can't do that - I leave a different times daily.
• Departure time cools the battery pack, unlike remote start which is focused on cabin cooling. ? I never use cabin cooling...
• Drive conservatively, using less regen is advised in hot weather to reduce pack heating (Whisper mode uses less regen). I use 1PD all the time and rely on regen when I drive my EV.
• Avoid DC fast charging if possible. Don't have one nearby.
• Consider reducing your EVSE charge rate setting to 32A or less to reduce charger heat load if you desire less fan noise or have charging errors. That won't work for my incoming Lightning - I have an 80A EVSE on order and will be using my current 48A EVSE charger in the meantime. 32A charger will take forever on my Lightning.
• Do not set climate temp below 70ºF and use recirculation mode in extreme heat/humidity to reduce cabin cooling demand (leaves more capacity for pack cooling). I never turn on cabin heating or cooling - summer I roll down the windows or winter use seat heaters.
• Expect that your Ford Mobile Charger may start to have charging issues (amber light) in the heat due to a poor thermal design, using an aftermarket wall-mounted EVSE is recommended. I don't use a Ford mobile charger daily - that will be in my frunk for travel. I use a 48A now and will get an 80A later.
• Some features may be unavailable (BlueCruise) and performance may be limited in extreme temps. Don't have BlueCruise (incoming Lightning Lariat base & ordered MME Select base).

 

[breeves002]

My opinion I say none apply to me even though I live in the hot desert southwest with 4 years of EV experience.

• Set a charge schedule so your car only charges at night (10 PM - 8 AM recommended), do not charge during the heat of the day. Can't do that - I charge after I get home from work. My incoming F150 Lightning will need to start charging during the day as it takes a longer time to charge to full.
• Keep battery charged between 15-85%, do not charge to 100% unless absolutely necessary. Very high or low charge levels put more stress on the pack in extreme heat. That's a myth - brought on by some recall by GM battery fires. I always charge mine to 100% - there are SOC buffers built in to prevent overcharging or even getting close to 100% in individual cells.
• Park in the shade as much as possible. I recommend window shades or ceramic tint. Tinting won't do much for the truck, just the inside. Shade parking if I can find it.
• Consider leaving the vehicle on while you go into a store (take all keys with you and be sure the doors lock). Vehicle will not shift from park without a key present, and will shut off after 30 minutes. I would never do that in urban, crime ridden city. Why would I leave the vehicle turned on to draw power from the EV battery??
• Plug in as soon as you arrive at your destination so the battery pack can cool itself with shore power if necessary. Only if I can find an available charger at a decent $ rate - at work I have access to a free charger, but no shade/roof.
• Ventilate your garage in hot weather so the heat can escape rather than building up inside, especially while charging. Charge outside if temps are cooler. Sorry, but leaving the garage door open causes not only 4 legged creatures to slip in and I have to hire an exterminator; but the 2 legged predators that will steal from my garage living in urban city.
• If you leave at a regular time, set a departure time (different than remote start) so your battery pack can cool before driving. Sorry, I can't do that - I leave a different times daily.
• Departure time cools the battery pack, unlike remote start which is focused on cabin cooling. ? I never use cabin cooling...
• Drive conservatively, using less regen is advised in hot weather to reduce pack heating (Whisper mode uses less regen). I use 1PD all the time and rely on regen when I drive my EV.
• Avoid DC fast charging if possible. Don't have one nearby.
• Consider reducing your EVSE charge rate setting to 32A or less to reduce charger heat load if you desire less fan noise or have charging errors. That won't work for my incoming Lightning - I have an 80A EVSE on order and will be using my current 48A EVSE charger in the meantime. 32A charger will take forever on my Lightning.
• Do not set climate temp below 70ºF and use recirculation mode in extreme heat/humidity to reduce cabin cooling demand (leaves more capacity for pack cooling). I never turn on cabin heating or cooling - summer I roll down the windows or winter use seat heaters.
• Expect that your Ford Mobile Charger may start to have charging issues (amber light) in the heat due to a poor thermal design, using an aftermarket wall-mounted EVSE is recommended. I don't use a Ford mobile charger daily - that will be in my frunk for travel. I use a 48A now and will get an 80A later.
• Some features may be unavailable (BlueCruise) and performance may be limited in extreme temps. Don't have BlueCruise (incoming Lightning Lariat base & ordered MME Select base).

A few things you have wrong. Sure you don't have to do any of this but any minor mitigation can help the pack longevity.

There are SoC buffers built in but that doesn't mean charging to 100% indicated SoC (even if its 95% actual) isn't hard on the battery. There's lots of studies that show high SoC (even 90%) is harder on the battery and lowers longevity. Ideal SoC is between 30% and 70% in my professional engineering opinion from years of lithium battery research and pack design. Granted all of my projects are small in size (sub 1kWh packs) but the same chemistry principals apply. Why would Ford tell you to not charge past 90% indicated if it didn't make a difference?

Tint can help the pack temperatures because if the cabin above the pack is hot it will not be able to dissipate heat into it as well. Cooler the cabin the more heat the pack can dissipate upwards into it. IT may be negligible but I'm honestly not sure.

Sure a 32A charger will take forever but if you have the time who cares. If you don't have the time then charge faster.

 

[Rt1AWD]

Why there is no way to "prepare for driving" manually. I have no hard schedule but usually I know an 0.5-1 hour in advance when I'm driving

Why there is no way to set up configuration to keep batteries in safe condition at the expense of charge level?

Why the car does not keep the battery cool while charging?

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