TOU charging, how is it controlled?

[DesertRat46]

So my power utility just came out with a TOU program. I signed up as night charging is now $.10 cheaper than now
So I set up in the Ford app to start at 9:00 pm.
My question is my charger has no Wi-Fi.
So will TOU work?
So what controls TOU?
Is it Wi-Fi charger, Ford app, my Internet connection?

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[Kamuelaflyer]

Go out to your car, launch the charge app on the main screen and verify that your schedule is showing properly. Do the schedule all over again using the car if it’s not the schedule you created in the Ford App. The Ford App often hiccups when it comes to telling the car your desired schedule.

After that you’re pretty much golden as the car knows the time. It won’t request power from your EVSE until the schedule time with the following exception :

If you plug your car in before your scheduled time and the car decides it cannot reach target charge within the scheduled time, it will immediately start charging and continue to charge until it either hits the target charge OR until it decides that it now can reach target charge within the scheduled time.

 

[DesertRat46]

Go out to your car, launch the charge app on the main screen and verify that your schedule is showing properly. Do the schedule all over again using the car if it’s not the schedule you created in the Ford App. The Ford App often hiccups when it comes to telling the car your desired schedule.

After that your pretty much golden as the car knows the time. It won’t request power from your EVSE until the schedule time with the following exception :

If you plug your car in before your scheduled time and the car decides it cannot reach target charge within the scheduled time, it will immediately start charging and continue to charge until it either hits the target charge OR until it decides that it now can reach target charge within the scheduled time.

 

[DesertRat46]

My TOU is 9:00 pm to 4:00 pm the next day, so that's more than enough time to change my Mach E. So I shouldn't see that error message?

 

[rhougey]

My TOU is 9:00 pm to 4:00 pm the next day, so that's more than enough time to change my Mach E. So I shouldn't see that error message?

I am on the 9:00 pm to 4:00 pm off peak plan as you seem to be, every day all year long. My EVSE is a “dumb” GrizzlE Classic. It has no clock, timer, programming or wifi. The charger in my car is programmed (if the car is plugged in) to begin charging at 9:00 pm. So it begins charging at 9:00 pm and usually finishes long before sunrise. Depending on the day or my plans for the next day the target charge is set for somewhere between 80%-100%. Of course, your results may vary depending on your state of charge when you began charging, and your rate of charging. There is no error message.

 

[KennyMc]

So my power utility just came out with a TOU program. I signed up as night charging is now $.10 cheaper than now
So I set up in the Ford app to start at 9:00 pm.
My question is my charger has no Wi-Fi.
So will TOU work?
So what controls TOU?
Is it Wi-Fi charger, Ford app, my Internet connection?

You have Southern California Edison, correct? What is your rate structure and what plan are you on? I am on TOU-D-Prime which is a special plan for EV owners. My Winter rates were:
12:00am - 8:00am = Off Peak $.24
8:00am - 4:00pm = Super Off Peak $.24
4:00pm - 9:00pm = Mid Peak $.56
9:00pm - 12:00am = Off Peak $.24

Summer Rates:
12:00am - 4:00pm = Off Peak $.26
4:00pm - 9:00pm = On Peak $.54
9:00pm - 12:00am = Off Peak $.26

What is this $.10 night charging discount you talk about?

 

[AtomicInternet]

As stated, your charger provides power at all times.
Your car decides when to accept it.
So as long as the clock in your MachE is correct, you'll charge during off-peak.

Be aware: a few times I was under 10% charge so the car started charging immediately. It charged for about 30 minutes, then stopped at 20% and charged the remaining 65% during preferred time.

 

[AZBill]

If you do not set a departure time, which I never do, it will always honor the set charging times. I get random charging error mesages in the Ford app if I plug in prior to the scheduled start time, it still charges properly at the right times. This message seems to be a bug in the software and I have had it for many months now.

 

[Charge_Rob]

If you want to learn how Preferred Charge Times work, check out https://go.ford/chargetimes

The TL;DR is that it prioritizes getting to your Target Charge by the end of the next day, charging entirely within the set windows if it can.

 

[DesertRat46]

You have Southern California Edison, correct? What is your rate structure and what plan are you on? I am on TOU-D-Prime which is a special plan for EV owners. My Winter rates were:
12:00am - 8:00am = Off Peak $.24
8:00am - 4:00pm = Super Off Peak $.24
4:00pm - 9:00pm = Mid Peak $.56
9:00pm - 12:00am = Off Peak $.24

Summer Rates:
12:00am - 4:00pm = Off Peak $.26
4:00pm - 9:00pm = On Peak $.54
9:00pm - 12:00am = Off Peak $.26

What is this $.10 night charging discount you talk about?

No I'm on IID night rate is $.135
Regular rate is $.235 here.
Edison does provide power here in the desert, but I'm in Imperial irrigation district IID.

 

[shutterbug]

If you do not set a departure time, which I never do, it will always honor the set charging times. I get random charging error mesages in the Ford app if I plug in prior to the scheduled start time, it still charges properly at the right times. This message seems to be a bug in the software and I have had it for many months now.

If it can't complete the desired charged charge level within desired charge time it will stop and resume charging next day. I've set my charge time from 2 AM to 3 PM. So if I plug in at 2 PM, it will charge for an hour, stop, and resume at 2 AM.

 

[allenj444]

Go out to your car, launch the charge app on the main screen and verify that your schedule is showing properly. Do the schedule all over again using the car if it’s not the schedule you created in the Ford App. The Ford App often hiccups when it comes to telling the car your desired schedule.

After that you’re pretty much golden as the car knows the time. It won’t request power from your EVSE until the schedule time with the following exception :

If you plug your car in before your scheduled time and the car decides it cannot reach target charge within the scheduled time, it will immediately start charging and continue to charge until it either hits the target charge OR until it decides that it now can reach target charge within the scheduled time.

Please excuse my density, what is TOU and EVSE?

 

[Kamuelaflyer]

Please excuse my density, what is TOU and EVSE?

TOU = Time of Use. Many utilities have variable pricing depending upon when you use power.

EVSE = Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment. We all call them chargers, but the reality is the charger is part of the car. The EVSE supplies AC power to the car. The car converts that to DC to charge the High Voltage Battery (HVB).

it wouldn’t be fun if we didn’t have an over abundance of TLAs (Three Letter Acronyms)

 

[allenj444]

TOU = Time of Use. Many utilities have variable pricing depending upon when you use power.

EVSE = Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment. We all call them chargers, but the reality is the charger is part of the car. The EVSE supplies AC power to the car. The car converts that to DC to charge the High Voltage Battery (HVB).

it wouldn’t be fun if we didn’t have an over abundance of TLAs (Three Letter Acronyms)

HAHA Thanks so much! CobbEMC in N Ga has a TOU, totally free charging between 12midnight and 6AM.

I cant get enough of all the tech jargon for my '25! Exciting times! Much appreciated!

 

[kamorela]

Please excuse my density, what is TOU and EVSE?

Here's a handy acronym reference, good for most abbreviations but not all. You can add/modify yourself.

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