Charging My 2022 Ford Lightning At Home - With Costs & Data

[@pstoneking3418]

Not sure why the forum would say don't use fords mobile charger on a daily basis. Slow charging is the absolute best way to charge a lithium battery. DC fast chargers are very hard on the life span of lithium batteries.

[@CoderMan]

I think they are referring to the build quality of the charger. However I've been using it since August with zero issues. Agree a fast charger all the time is not a good plan.

[@xsterawesome]

You can adjust the power output on the Ford 80 amp charger so you don't need a hundred amp breaker, you can hook it up to your existing 50 amp and set it to draw 40 amps, if you want to meet code or higher if you don't care😎. Alternatively, often they oversize the wires to those 14-50Rs, so, if you open the breaker panel and the wires sized right for the short run you can probably drop in a 60 amp breaker and draw 48 amps.

[@CoderMan]

Interesting! I didn't know you could adjust the output. I may have to look into getting that charger for the back feed ability. The wire run was #6 which (I am no electrician) I believe is good for up to 55 amps but I'll definitely look into that too. Thanks!

[@xsterawesome]

@Coderman The inverter to back feed is $4,000 and the Ford 80 amp evse is about $1,300 if I recall correctly, I'm not sure if I recommend buying either if you don't already have them, but that is a good price for an 80 amp evse if you plan on upgrading down the road. By NEC number #6 copper wire it's good for up to 65 amps depending on ambient temperature, you're probably fine putting a 60 amp breaker in considering it's semi-indoors (probably not going to reach 140°F especially while charging at night). Additionally, per code a continuous load like an evse can only draw 80% of the circuit capacity meaning your number 6 wires are beyond good if you follow the rules and set it to 48 amps. As far as backup power with my truck I plan on just putting an Old Fashioned 30 amp generator Inlet on my house and running a cord out of the truck bed it may be only 7.2 KW, but that's good enough for me and I don't really need the extra convenience of it automatically turning on backup power but I may buy the equipment down the road.

[@kristopherbuchanan974]

⁠​⁠​⁠you did pretty well in your explanation, however from reading it, it sounds like you are saying the wire itself is only rated for 80% of the rating. If so this isn’t accurate. It rated at 65 amps @75 degree celcius breaker (assuming copper)The wire itself is rated that regardless and capable of carrying that current indefinitely without damage(any derating or adjustments from temperature on the wire size is calculated from the actual conductor rating, meaning if it is a 90 degree rated wire your allowed to start at that current level, which is generally higher, and make your adjustments from there). If for example your breakers have no markings noting a temperature rating you must use 60 degree celcius current rating. You will always be able to use a 60 amp breaker on #6 copper unless your calculations and adjustments bring the rating of the conductor current down below 60 amps starting from the wire manufacturer current rating not the 65 amp 75 degree rating. This is sometimes only a minor discrepancy but saves from having to repull unnecessarily larger conductors if they start adjusting at 65 vs 85amps for example. Now the breaker itself is limited to 80% unless stated and manufactured to run at 100% (standard breakers usually aren’t)

[@xsterawesome]

@kristopherbuchanan974 I'm referring to us electrical code, on continuous draw applications (an EVSE) you have to derate the whole thing to 80% of the weakest link. So If you have wire that can handle 100 amps going through a plug socket rated for 50 amps you can only legally draw 40 amps continuous, however, if you remove the plug socket and hard wire with the same wire you can continuously draw 80 amps.

[@kristopherbuchanan974]

@@xsterawesome that isnt correct, sorry to say. you derate on the wire based on the wire actual rating. In other words, lets say you have derating of 60 % you wouldn’t derate the wire from 75 degree table at say 65 amps. You find the actual rating of the conductor material used and derate from that. The 80% is for the chart to use for maximum current allowed for wire selection size after derating. Like if for example my 6 wire is derated to 45 amps from 85 amps ( arbitrary numbers here) the largest protection you can use would be 45. Now if it worked out to 80 amps the largest you could use would be 65 amps because the chart allows only allows 65 amps at 75 degrees. Code allows for this because the conductor is rated to handle it without damage or excessive heat. Most typical breakers limit to 75 degrees, therefore the whole system is limited at the current maximum even though your wire might be rated 90 or even 150 degrees celcius. No offense is intended here just passing on some knowledge for the sake of anyone wanting to know. Of course the current usage on 65 amp breaker would be 80% of that. This is us code btw

[@kenmcclow8963]

I would set your charge limit to 80% to prolong the life of your battery unless you need the range every day. I had a 6-20R plug put on the side of my house and I bought a charge cord from Amazon for $300, so my car charges at 240v at 20 amps. That puts 11 miles per hour into my Tesla with a 70kWH battery. It may charge the Lightning a little slower but I won't know for another 5-8 months. This speed has been fine to charge the car while I sleep and doesn't stress the house at all. I pay about $35-40 per month to charge the car and I drive about 1000 miles per month not counting any trips. My car is over seven years old with 102,000 miles and only appears to have lost about 5-6 miles of range so far. I found if I charge to 100% once a year or so it will rebalance the cells and can bring back the 10 miles of range I thought I had lost. I am hopeful the Lightning will last as long since I am getting the 240 mile version with 98kWh.

[@CoderMan]

I definitely will change my charge limit going into winter since I don't drive too much. During the spring/summer months we travel around more and chargers aren't exactly everywhere just yet, but more added everyday. I'll likely get the pro charger soon and change it to 80%. I'll also lower the charge speed since we only have 100 amp at home for the time being.

[@genesherwood5446]

NO. nO No. read your Manual it’s Digital and also available on your Trucks screen. Charge to 80% only when using DC fast. Any other time with AC charge to 100. If Ford wanted you to charge to 80% every time, that’s the limit they would have set. 80% is a Tesla sheep see sheep hear sheep follow thing. Manual answers all questions.

[@juniorvazquez207]

Sweet truck! I receive my Lightning next Thursday. Needless to say I'm counting down the days.

[@CoderMan]

Awesome! Overall it's been great. I think you'll enjoy it. Let me know your first impressions.

[@juniorvazquez207]

@@CoderMan certainly! It's a 2 hour drive to NJ from CT. So my first impression will be a long one on the way back. Lol

[@clintwedel5704]

Here in Kansas our electric rate is $0.075/kwh, add-in transmission and fuel charge gets us to 14 cents/kwh. My Spark EV averages almost 5miles/kwh, so about 3 cents/mile charging at home, or 56 mile round trip cost $1.68. Only ever plugged in at home or free public chargers, so cant compare to DC fast-charging cost.

[@CoderMan]

That's a great cost for charging. I wish we had normal pricing here. Seems with Eversource they only increase, despite so many carbon and green energy offsets. Looking into solar only to charge as an option.

[@pstoneking3418]

@@CoderMan I have 13kw of solar panels and was planning on using them to occasionally charge my lightning. However my inverters will only power 8800 watts continuous and theoretically the 240 volt 30 amp charger could draw as much as 7200 watts. Really pushing my system when my AC is running and a fridge and freezer are running. So majority of charging will be done from the grid. Which really isn't a problem because during winter months kwh charge is only around 8-9 cents per kwh. I average 2 4 miles per kwh so I average. $.0333/mile to $.0375/mile. Summer months does increase to around $.12 / kwh. About $.05/mile. $5.00 to drive 100 miles that's cheap. My prius got 50 mpg. So 100 miles would've cost me 2 gallons of gasoline. Definitely more than $2.50/gallon.

[@sethhayes8884]

I Live in central Washington state, I charge up my lightning pro overnight at home about three nights a week. I use the same free charger the truck came with, I wired my plug myself for $48 for 60amp, so I can upgrade chargers at some point in time if need be, which I don’t think I will ever need to. My electricity here cost .05¢ per kWh ! I hear it’s the cheapest in the nation and our power is generated by rivers which are dammed up to generate green electricity.

[@CoderMan]

That is amazing! Enjoy that cheap charging and the truck. Thank you for sharing.

[@Myolybear]

Wait until the government starts Is texting you for every mile you drive. Then you will see things are not quite as they appear.

[@JB-zn1kx]

Won't be inexpensive for long. As soon as the utility companies seen the green they can charge, they will raise your rates 10x. Remember when natural gas inexpensive and was "the future"?

[@sethhayes8884]

@@JB-zn1kx Thanks for your insight, I am well aware of that, and until that happens I’ll enjoy it while it last. And when it’s over then I’ll be paying through the nose like every other American.

[@pstoneking3418]

The 80 amp pro charger is adjustable all the way down to a 15 amp input. so it can be used on any breaker panel. The mobile charger is actually better for battery longevity than the 80 amp charger. As long as you can get enough charge from it.

[@pstoneking3418]

I believe the forum is wrong when they say the mobile charger shouldn't be used every day. Slow charging lithium ion batteries are definitely better for longer battery life.

[@CoderMan]

That's a good point. Maybe they are more referring to the longevity of the connectors or assembly?

[@pstoneking3418]

​@@CoderMan Possibly. I'm curious how much shorter battery life for those constantly charging from DC fast chargers. I'll be using mine locally & will probably set my 80 amp charger down to around a 40-50 amp charge rate. Which will charge at 9.6 kw - 12 kw per hour. I'll be using my mobile charger on my solar whenever I have excess solar power.

[@wesinbama]

That plug is more commonly referred to as a 50-amp RV Plug. Most campgrounds have them. I have one on the side of my house, so I’m good to go if I go this route.

[@CoderMan]

That's a good point I forgot that would be It's more standard use case.

[@BB-lx7os]

Waiting on my 150L. Hopefully by late Sept. I appreciate your informative video.

[@CoderMan]

Thank you! Hope you hear soon!

[@fredcarnes9507]

I saw your video , I am a reservation lightning , i got the invitation from Ford in the summer of 2023, so will see what happens , Like the video on charging it in your house, thanks for the information

[@CoderMan]

Happy to help! Hope you get delivery soon.

[@spacingguild]

I live in San Francisco. I am charging from my Nissan Leaf's wall mounted charger at 30 amps. I had to run a 40 foot extension cable out to the street. This is a case of me not thinking things through. I am never going back to ICE.

[@CoderMan]

Prior to redoing our driveway I would have to use an extension cord. As long as its large enough they should work well. I am loving the EV world.

[@robertpatterson3106]

You cannot use a extension cord for a 220 circuit.

[@CoderMan]

@@robertpatterson3106 you definitely can, but it better be overrated for the intended use. I have one for my welder. Personally I wouldn't risk it with an EV, the longevity of the cable would concern me for how often it's active.

[@spacingguild]

@@robertpatterson3106 Oh but you can. They plug into the j1772 end @40 amp.

[@robertpatterson3106]

@@spacingguild no they do not make a extension cord for a 220. Fire hazard burn the city down.

[@dominiccortella2046]

Good info. My Lightning is ordered. Waiting.

[@CoderMan]

Awesome! What trim did you order?

[@dominiccortella2046]

@@CoderMan Lariat. Dark gray.

[@brianbecker1180]

Your chart showed it would be approximately $31 to charge from 0 to 230 range? I am in the market for a Lighting but may change my mind after that bit of information. I currently have a truck with a 32 gallon tank. For $120 I can fill it up and get anywhere between 600 - 700 miles of range. To match that with the Lightning, I would have to "fill it up" 3 times. If you're cost is correct, then it will cost me 3 x $31 = $93 to get the same range as my current ICE truck. So I'm only saving $30 really. Seeing how I fill up my truck once a month, that's only $30 a month difference. I thought electric truck were supposed to be a much cheaper fuel. Am I missing something?

[@CoderMan]

Our local electricity costs are higher than most, around here. I would recommend looking at your bill and see what your per kWH rate is. The part I can't find out just yet is some areas have "charging rates" similar to water bills with pools/hot tubs/sprinklers. another factor is cost of service or in this case, lack of it. Since really nothing needs to be replaced until much later (brakes, fluid, etc..). TCO is likely going to be lower but I'll be documenting it.

[@JB-zn1kx]

No... you are not missing a thing. But the left wants you to think you are

[@glennpearson8046]

I have owned electric vehicles for a couple of years now, they are cheap. My Ford Lightning has the 131 KW hour battery (515 km range avg) the current electricity rate in my area (British Columbia Canada) is $.11 cents per kwh which brings my complete charge cost (0-100%) $14.69. that is about 90% less than the fuel cost to drive my 2016 Dodge ram 3.9 l truck

[@longeze]

@@glennpearson8046 My kw rate is .13 off peak (9pm-4pm)... I'm with you, cost equivalent is about $.80 gal.

[@Lethal_Venom]

That was a cool breakdown

[@CoderMan]

Thank you! Appreciate you sticking around too. I know you like gas engines 🤣🤣

[@Lethal_Venom]

@@CoderMan lol I do. I don’t hate electric it’s just not practical for everyone but for those that is is it’s great

[@CoderMan]

Yah I'm testing the waters knowing full well the Mustang will have a dinosaur burning V8!

[@Lethal_Venom]

@@CoderMan haha, looking forward to more with that

[@maggiegraves7015]

Not one video discusses what happens when u push the light ring button

[@CoderMan]

I thought I mentioned it. However that button disengages the Level 2 lock so you can accidentally pull the cable out and potentially harm yourself or the truck .

[@christianperi]

What do you mean by level 2 lock?

[@pstoneking3418]

Because the nema 14-50R is a 50 amp receptical, everyone thinks it has to be wired as a 50 amp circuit. However if all you will be using ot with is the 30 amp mobile charger that comes with the lightning then it can be legally wired as a 40 amp circuit Because the maximum current draw I've ever seen on this charger is less than 30 amps. Wiring and breaker cost will be cheaper for a 40 amp circuit using nema 14-50R.

[@CoderMan]

Thats good to know. I didn't have too much info on the install process, but pretty sure he up-rated the line so I can upgrade the socket at some point in the future.

[@TheJustAMessengerPodcast]

Im looking at getting a Lightening but plan on using it as a work truck. Putting a 250 gallon tank on the back and detail cars. With your (yalls) experience with towing and load capacity would it be worth it? Would I have to charge a lot? I have solar and have a lot of stored wattage so hooking up to my house is not a problem for me. Thanks for your wisdom

[@CoderMan]

If you aren't driving far and can charge often it might work out. Personally I would get a cheaper truck especially if you're just starting the car detailing company.

[@sylviahofer1246]

Good stuff! Thanks for posting. Here in south dakota we are currently paying 11 cents a kilowatt hour. What would it cost me to fill up the truck at those rates?

[@4literv6]

Depends on the battery size? Pro base have 98kwhs and all er lightnings are 131kwhs. Don't forget to ad in some charging losses to about 8-10% on top for lvl2 charging. 👍🏻

[@CoderMan]

Depends on the other costs around your rate. Grab your bill and you'll see a kwh line. Multiply by the amount of charging you want to do.. such as (0.11 * 80/kwh) just for an example.

[@christophersiano969]

Hi Matt. You'll notice a lot of 'fees' on your electric bill here. That is the killer. I've tracked down where that money is going and it's all been given to various special interests. "Renewable Energy" charge pays the SREC on those who have solar. "Energy Efficiency" funds those Energy Audit programs and sadly, the amount those companies get paid is WAY more than the homeowner gets from the audit. No wonder you get cold calls and mail regarding them all the time. "Distributed Solar" is supposed to fund community solar projects, but seems to be funding companies that do "studies". The "Electric Vehicle" charge is supposed to fund installation of charging stations, but again, all the money seems to be going to various "urban planning" groups. When you look up the companies listed in the receiving end against Democrat donors - surprise! National Grid also has a $7 per month fee just for being a customer. I have solar. When I produce more power than I use in a billing cycle, the extra is credited at roughly $0.24 per kWh right now. It's a rolling 3 year average of the power, transition, and transport costs, so it will always be lower than the current rates. When I draw more than I push, the charges currently add up to about $0.298 per kWh. In other words, I have to overproduce more than 20% my draw to break even - so much for "net metering". It wasn't this way back in 2014. Back then, I was banking $600 a year in credit which paid the bill in the winter. Today, my credit runs out in February and I get positive bills for March and April. As the Electric companies get more 'help', you can expect that divergence to continue. Solar into a battery and then charge the vehicle might work, but you lose a lot of the incentives not hooking to the grid. i.e. it's gonna cost more. Also, most home batteries are in the 20-40 kWh range as that's what the average home needs in a day. Larger EV batteries will drain that in just hours. A solar array to store enough power to daily charge a Lightning, Rivian, or even some of the 100 kWh Tesla vehicles would require a rating in the 30 kW range. That's no small array. My nearly 10yo system is just under 10 kW and I have 39 panels. Sure, the panels today are more efficient, but its still going to be a lot of them to get in the 30 kW range. I did a comparison for "Cost per mile" using the Rivian, Lightning, and a standard F-150 ICE. I also ran a comparison between a Mach-E Mustang and a well appointed Camry. I tried a couple other more 'eco' vehicles in hopes that Id' see better results in more efficient designs. No matter what similar comparison I could find, the results kept coming up the same. To make EV costs less than ICE, fuel prices need to stay north of about $3.60 a gallon (or more) in areas like ours with dense populations, lots of imported power, and no domestic power plan. Is anyone shocked that when the Biden administration took over, suddenly fuel costs landed right in the place they needed to be to make EVs begin to make sense? Don't get me wrong. I still have my deposit in on a Rivian (pre-cost increase) and am still likely to go that route. My personal feelings on my impact on my environment isn't as bat-shit crazy as the left, but I still like to reduce my consumption It's just so disgusting how much politics is involved in pushing the change. Because market forces alone would never support it. (of course, market forces alone would have seen a change to clean nuclear instead of the current policy of closing down plants with no plan to replace them) Probably the best answer for an EV in our state is the Aptera. But, of course, our state prohibits driving one on a regular license (one of just 4 states in the country) and insists you have an MC endorsement and wear a helmet. There is a state Senate bill to change this, but there are a lot of bills that never go anywhere. At least until someone gets their palm greased.

[@CoderMan]

Thank you for sharing this deep dive. I wasn't aware of all the groups in basically subsidizing. Be nice if they gave us a charging rate, similar to how our city bills sprinkler use.

[@kwekujangha9193]

Great video. What is the concern with using the Ford charger and your setup daily?

[@CoderMan]

Honestly I can't find enough information. It could be that it doesn't have cooling and/or a robust enough plug but I just keep it plugged into the wall for now.

[@pstoneking3418]

As long as you're not in any hurry, I believe the mobile charger would be the best way to extend the life of your battery.

[@christianduval9067]

Ford F150 regular gas....23 gallons = 676 miles = $5 per gallon = $115 Ford F150 lightning full charge = 230 miles = $31,50 per charge x 3 (range) = $94,50 for 690 milles Cost of F150 xlt regular....$50K Cost of F150 lightning XLT $80K This calculation is charging from home...imagine in a supercharger on the road......you have to add the waiting time ...also the cost of the coffee or food You save $20,50 for 675 milles..... For $30 000 difference...not worth it

[@MrSummerbreeze01]

If you're actually working this Lightning Pickup like hauling, towing, etc you'd be forever charging and waiting and what a worthless pain in the ass!

[@CoderMan]

Interesting perspective. The thing about EV is people are driving 676 miles every day with them. There is a tool for every job and just like small trucks that can't haul sheet rock sell... this has a purpose too.

[@ML-lg4ky]

I’ll add that the ice 150 will be worth much more at 100k miles that the EV 150. The market for used EVs is minimal in any.

[@paulavenoso899]

I’ve got a 2020 Lariat F150 with the 3.5 Ecoboost. I’ve got the 36 gallon tank and don’t get anywhere near 600 miles. I drive all local and currently getting 14.2 mpg. Stop and go. All. Day. Always. Perfect scenario for an EV. Fitting there’s an F150 EV for me. Also. My XLT is a 2023 with 2022 pricing. With two options and destination it’s under $60k

[@Overlanding4Fun]

I would be a little concerned with the strain relief on the rectifier cord hanging from the outlet. Is the charger that you are installing wall mounted?

[@CoderMan]

Great observation. The charger in question does have a wall mount that you should utilize. The new one I want will be mounted outside of the garage.

[@bonvaicu]

I just got my lightning today , XLT 2023 extended range ... I'm trying to use this in my garage but it's not working, do I need to modify anything- I'm just trying to use a standard charging

[@CoderMan]

Standard charger should just plug into a 110 but it's possible the amps aren't high enough for that plug. Is it tripping the breaker?

[@LifeAsDane]

Nice lookin XLT. What state are you in?

[@CoderMan]

Thanks! Mass

[@brianbecker1180]

Did you say that it's not a good idea to use the Ford mobile charger every day? Is there a reason for that?

[@CoderMan]

I haven't found any concrete proof just yet but many on the forums say it's not robust enough for daily use. Problem is I don't want to drop $800-$1600 for another charger if this one works perfectly fine. For now I'm using it.

[@ironmenconstruction]

Hmm 🤔 31$ for a full charge, but it only gives you 230mile range, if fill up a gas tank on f-50 it’s 23 gallons x roughly 20mpg on a v6 at 4$ a gallon that’s 92$ for 460 mile range so if you do the math you have to charge 2 times (60$ total costs) on the lighting to get same mileage of the gas f-150. So at the end of it you only save about 30$ to get same mileage. I’m not sure the lighting is worth it on those numbers 🤔

[@CoderMan]

Yah our electric costs here make it hard to save money with EV. It's sadly becoming more common in a lot of areas.

[@ironmenconstruction]

I’ve been contemplating on getting a lightning, I really want one 😅 mostly for the frunk and power outlets etc, would be nice for camping and if power goes out, but I think it has to start with a efficient house, foam insulation, solar panels etc. to make sense, specially the higher price tag and the cost of home charger install. But at the moment the range to me makes no sense to travel, to much of a headache, but then again when I travel I always rent a car saves the tear a wear on my personal vehicle. Any ways thanks for the informative video 🙏🏼😊

[@mikeflanary642]

MA power is so expensive. Makes me want to get solar panels sooner

[@CoderMan]

Tell me about it!! We might.

[@jessewest3849]

31$ for 200 miles or 100$ for 600 in gas…seems like its a push

[@CoderMan]

Yah for our location EV isn't as cheap as it should be. We could go to solar though.

[@michaeldinkins9145]

You said you don't charge everyday ?

[@CoderMan]

Correct. Sometimes I'm not home or simply forget to plug in. I don't have a garage so if it's pouring I don't. Not ideal but can't do much about it.

[@christianduval9067]

I will wait....I will pay $25 000 for a Ford Lightning because people are ruins and fed up with the cost. Why $25 000 is the cost to replace the battery.....these truck will loose value like a stone in water

[@CoderMan]

It's possible, but won't happen for some time. They can't build enough.

[@paulavenoso899]

8 year/100,000 mile warranty on the battery. Teslas batteries have long outlived their warranties. It’s kind of funny how anti EV people can be.

[@mikeflanary642]

I'd suggest test driving one. It's a blast! That instant torque is great and so quiet. I've really liked the blue cruise for longer driving.

[@christianduval9067]

@@mikeflanary642 I already tested and I love it....for my use, working and travel long distance is worthless......

[@mikeflanary642]

@Christian Duval fair enough. I'd recommend a Prius then

[@spikedpsycho2383]

J1772

[@CoderMan]

Thanks! I had the numbers and letter just mixed up the order haha.

[@spikedpsycho2383]

@@CoderMan faster approach in a pinch. Nema adapter. The 240 volt plug for your dryer feed an extension cord.

[@mamus4]

I would assume with the extended range battery Ford EV 90K or more, I paid 35K couple years ago for new Ford Explorer. My New Explorer 580 a month X 72 months= 41.7K total cost @ 6% rate, fuel cost 2250 a year I get 22-24 mpg all day long , Your Ford EV 1464 a month X 72 months= 107.4K total cost @ 6% rate, energy cost around 1300 a year, you are paying 880 Dollars more a month to save 800 dollars in fuel cost a year, people dont listen to poor people on you tube giving out bad advice, EV is a scam . mamus4

[@CoderMan]

The extended range battery would have definitely cost more to start but might even put over the years. Electric cost keeps going up though.