Mobile charger 32A connector

[deme]

Hi

Just got a 2022 Mach-E and I was expecting to get 7kW from the included mobile charger using the 32A connector. Since I could only get 4kW I started to search online and it seems that for most of Europe the connector is limited to 20A and only the one for UK is rated at 32A.

It seems I can order the UK one but can someone confirm if the 32A plugs are identical for UK and the rest of Europe? Just to be clear, I'm talking about the 32A connector, not the normal 16A plug which I know it's different in UK.

Thanks

LE - I added pictures of the connectors. They seem identical but I would like to be sure before buying the one for UK.

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[Hightone]

Hello,

There is a smaller blue version that is rated for 16a which you can get on accident, as long as you have a 32amp single phase connector and have a 32amp fuse at home everything should work.

I believe the connector you need is MENNEKES CEE Wall socket 32A - 230V - single phase

 

[deme]

Hello,

There is a smaller blue version that is rated for 16a which you can get on accident, as long as you have a 32amp single phase connector and have a 32amp fuse at home everything should work.

I believe the connector you need is MENNEKES CEE Wall socket 32A - 230V - single phase

Hi,

No, I got the correct one with the larger connector. It seems that this one is limited only to 20 amps in EU according to Ford's parts store and the 4,1 kW I'm getting are consistent with that. I ordered the UK version, the connector seems to be the same (the standard is the same in UK as far as I could find out) but on Ford's site clearly states 32A instead of 20A.

The charger is clearly identifying the connector and limits the intake current. It should arrive next week and I'll see if I'm getting the full 7,2kW that the charger is capable of.

 

[Maquis]

The blue band on the cord is the identifier of a different rating. So they are not totally identical!

Ford did something similar in the US. The standard 240V cord is rated at 32A, but when purchased with a Lightning instead of a Mach-E, it is only 30A which allows it to be powered by the truck to charge other vehicles. The 30A cords are marked with a yellow band.

 

[deme]

The blue band on the cord is the identifier of a different rating. So they are not totally identical!

Ford did something similar in the US. The standard 240V cord is rated at 32A, but when purchased with a Lightning instead of a Mach-E, it is only 30A which allows it to be powered by the truck to charge other vehicles. The 30A cords are marked with a yellow band.

Yes, they are rated differently, it says so in the part description, one is 20A and the other one 32.

I was asking if the plug itself is different, because here the spec for this type of outlet say 32A so I was trying to understand if there is anything more than just a setting in the charger when it detects the UK connector instead of the EU one.

I guess I'll see after I get the part. Right now my money is on a stupid EU regulation which does not apply to UK because they left. It would make no sense for Ford to limit their chargers only in EU, giving us a 7.2 kW charger and then limit it to 4.1Kw and put a 3.6kW connector as well.

 

[vikingman]

The limitation has nothing to do with politics. The norm for industrial connectors is described in detail here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_60309

Looks more like a “lost in translation” issue as other language/country Ford webshops list the “UK/Ireland” version to be limited to 20A as well (for the same part number).

They all seem to be limited to 20A, except those meant for lower currents (basically all non-IEC60309 adapters). Charger limitation perhaps?

 

[deme]

The limitation has nothing to do with politics. The norm for industrial connectors is described in detail here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_60309

Looks more like a “lost in translation” issue as other language/country Ford webshops list the “UK/Ireland” version to be limited to 20A as well (for the same part number).

They all seem to be limited to 20A, except those meant for lower currents (basically all non-IEC60309 adapters). Charger limitation perhaps?

Nope.

I just picked the UK connector from the dealer and now it's charging at 7kW. The description is therefore correct, the EU ones are limited to 20A and the UK one is working at 32A. The plug itself is the same CCE 230V 32A.

SInce it makes no sense for Ford to do this (much easier to have only one plug from a cost perspective) and given EU's love for overregulating stuff, Occam's razor would point us to a regulation of some sort. If they did it or why, I have no idea.

What is clear is that with the UK connector the included mobile charger is using 32A and you can get 7kW charging at home with no extra expenses. 32A CCE outlets are not very common so chances are you're not really able to use it often away from home. I have at work and I'm using them but that's about it.

 

[vikingman]

Well that’s cool ?

Would be interesting to understand the technical reasons behind all the regional differences (even Ford seems not to know, judging from the web site discrepancies ?)

An electrician told me that Norway doesn’t have a live/neutral single phase setup in all regions- could that explain why they also get a special adapter ?

We bought a 400 volt / 16A charger (even featuring a programmable current limiter) instead of the Ford one to avoid drawing 32A on a single phase.

 

[deme]

Well that’s cool ?

Would be interesting to understand the technical reasons behind all the regional differences (even Ford seems not to know, judging from the web site discrepancies ?)

An electrician told me that Norway doesn’t have a live/neutral single phase setup in all regions- could that explain why they also get a special adapter ?

We bought a 400 volt / 16A charger (even featuring a programmable current limiter) instead of the Ford one to avoid drawing 32A on a single phase.

It may be. It's strange that there is a separate part number for Norway although it has the same 20A limit. Maybe also the plug differs.

I only have single phase at home because I never had the need for more. I can get it if necessary but i figured I should first see if the included charger is enough at least in the beginning.

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