Ford F-150 Lightning Intelligent Backup Power: Everything You Need To Know

[@247ward]

Tom - thanks so much for putting this video together. This is critical info that will help me make an informed choice when ordering my Ford Lightning. The Intelligent Backup Power is the piece that trigged my interest in moving from an ICE to an EV. This truck makes great economic sense... lots of addded value over an ICE vehicle.

[@richardprice5978]

but some of us that have 100A ( challenger panels are unsafe and obsolete by 2010 findings, its now 2022 yeh just go with the flow of civilised society ) are already upgrading to 400 amp maids like me and 4 or more homes on my bock have it two. as for your feelings yep my 1968 c 10 can't quietly back up my house 🏡so the ford does have a very good selling point and around town i was told it's cheaper to operate but i might not get the thumbs up as much as it just looks like a regular newer truck vs my classic fleet

[@bobqzzi]

Very timely, extensively documented video. I just had a solar array installed and have been waiting months for 3 Powerwalls. Tesla is saying June, which is a year after we ordered them. Now it's a race between power walls and an F150 Lightning.

[@brucec954]

Good information. As I am watching this, my neighbors nat gas powered built in generator kicked on for its weekly "maintenance" run, so I had to turn the volume up. Having your EV power your house instead of buying a generator would be great. Also looking forward to the day all lawn mowers and especially leaf blowers are electric!

[@andersemanuel]

Now we just need all barking dogs to get electric..

[@loriallen67]

That needs to be the next electrification: lawn equipment. I hate leaf blowers.

[@loriallen67]

Thanks Tom for this thorough information and making this new world of vehicle to grid understandable. Lots of good questions with solid answers. Excellent journalism.

[@richardprice5978]

@@loriallen67 me too the in-laws as a newly wed didn't understand why i wanted a solar panels and or mower as im not a fan of paying for gas ect. but for 2-stroke/nitro ect. RC's i probably will miss it but thats not a every weekend kinda thing

[@graemejohnson9025]

Um er.. I have a really stupid question.. If it has intelligent backup power? What the fuck charges the truck? Before it charges the house? What a huge con.. You have to charge the truck before you can run the house.. What a wank...

[@thomaskerkhoff579]

One of your best OEM-researched episodes

[@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughney]

Thank you!

[@softwarephil1709]

My Generac can provide 18 kW running on NG. Its run time is unlimited. The total cost with transfer switch and professional installation was $10k. And I can drive my vehicle while the Generac is powering the house. The 9.6 kW that can be provided by the truck isn’t going to handle the starting current for my 5 ton main A/C.

[@michaelstewart3315]

Tom makes the most informative ev videos on KZbin.

[@Clm1403]

Tom - you are SERIOUSLY doing great work, my friend. My questions: What is SunRun’s service area? Will they do installs all over the country? Will SunRun do service upgrades and main panel upgrades if you needed to wanted to? Can you use a CCS to Tesla adapter to charge a Tesla using the Ford Pro Charger’s CCS connector? Do you see manufactures moving towards a kWhs used warranty rather than a mileage warranty in the future with V2H/V2G becoming more and more commonplace (hopefully). Cannot wait to see these all over North Texas. Game changer on day 1 after the money is spent to make it live.

[@danofcolo4980]

Great Job on this subject. I already have a GenerLink Transfer Switch for use with my portable generator. I plan on using the the 240v receptacle in the bed for backup. Same plug L14-30.

[@burnseboy]

I am ordering the 9.6KW onboard charger also for emergency home power support with a external RV connector and a transfer switch. Much cheaper and the 7KW output will provide enough power for lighting, sump pump, furnace power and refrigerators (critical loads). I think Tom could do a short video on using the 240 volt output and a manual transfer switch for those who are willing to run a cord and switch a switch :).

[@Miata822]

Very good video. Thank you Ford for engaging with Tom to get us the information we need. During the great Texas Freeze-Out we used a portable generator to charge phones and run a couple heaters. The Lightning comes with a built in inverter (2 different capacity versions?) meant to replace a portable generator at a job site. Is it possible to have the truck's inverters on but have the truck secure to where it cannot be driven off? While not as robust of a solution as the Intelligent Backup Power, it would do in a pinch and certainly be safer and less troublesome than a gasoline generator.

[@chasingcoralMD]

Yes, you can turn on and off any of the three zones (bed, interior, MegaPower Frunk) separately whether the truck is running or not. You can use those outlets when the truck is driving and when the truck is charging.

[@Miata822]

@@chasingcoralMD Thanks! That's perfect. I see that you also got a test ride in a Lightning. I sure wish they let us film that from inside. It will be hard to get people to believe what that truck can do. All EVs are quick off the line but I was absolutely stunned by the handling.

[@James_Archuleta]

There is a CCS to Tesla adapter but only on sale in S. Korea for now. Imported units are reported as not functioning here in the US yet. Tesla does say they'll have the connector available in the US 'soon'.

[@phtofl]

I use the Emporia Vue 2 energy monitoring in my circuit panels, I can tell how much power I use each day. I really like the system, I mostly got it to see how much power the hot tub is taking in the winter. Also i can tell my peak load and so far i haven't seen peak load over 10kw. Also you mentioned 60 amp(48) EVSE's are $600+, the Emporia Smart car charger is only $400 and can be direct wired for 60amp circuit wiring.

[@billjohnson3344]

I 2nd the request to review the Emporia charger. I also use the Vue 2 energy montior (several), and it works well. Only issue I see with their charger is it being not UL Listed - only designed per those standards (or so they say on the website). But would love to see the other aspects reviewed, as it does seem like a nice intelligent low cost 48A EVSE.

[@phtofl]

@@billjohnson3344 yep they built the charger to UL standards but are still in process to get actual approval. Tom has reviewed non-UL listed chargers in the past tho, so just wouldn't get the UL points in his rating scale

[@jimmclaughlin2603]

Starting HVAC compressors can be difficult with peak startup power at multiples of the average power consumption. My heat pump consumes 2 kW for example but starting surge is well over 10 kW I think. So is there a spec on the surge ability of the inverter? I expect it is pretty good, even the onboard inverter for job site power should be able to start a circular saw and such. I have heard skeptics ask about powering arc welders from the onboard inverter for job site power, but that seems like a fairly rare use case compared to air compressors and such. And of course, why not power your house with a cheaper manual transfer switch or two and cord(s) going to the outlets in the truck? Not automatic but if you do not have frequent outages, it is an option.

[@TheBlackWaltz]

Ford has an arc welder as an example for powering from the 9.6kw pro power in the back of the truck. So it may be rare, but it seems like they took it into account at least.

[@alancapes5644]

Excellent work Tom. Need to emphasize that after spending thousands of dollars for backup, it only works if the truck is at home and has a decent SoC. Also many homes will need a secondary panel for BU power to isolate heavy loads. As we go electric many new homes have 400A.

[@pstoneking3418]

Most heavy loads aren't essential during a power outage, just don't operate high powered devices. Anyway when Ford states the lightning will power the average home for 3 days, they are basing that on a maximum daily usage of 30 kWh. So around 90 kWh of use in 3 days. That would still leave around 41 kWh left in the truck battery. Reducing the load to 10 kWh/day would stretch that to 9 days.

[@gasbelle3420]

Hey Tom. I’m one of the very fortunate people who made the first wave to convert my F150 Lightning reservation to an order! I ordered the extended range Lariat. I have been searching for the very questions you answered in this video as I definitely want the home backup system. Outstanding job and most helpful! BTW, I’m also installing solar in a few weeks so I was especially interested in your questions about integrating solar into the equation. If you’re interested I’ll let you know how my order and equipment install goes. Keep up the great work!

[@pstoneking3418]

You might look into Sunrun installing your solar to ensure everything will work in unison.

[@pvon128]

Great review. You speak so comfortably. Concerning Battery Backup a good point to make is despite a 30A limit of electricity sent to the house, if you stagger your electrical use you can run a lot of things. It isn't necessary to run the microwave, hair dryer, gas forced hot air blower motor and toaster oven at the same time. Stagger them and the F-150 delivery capability will not be overloaded. Houses have 200A service panels so you CAN run all those things at the same time.

[@zenclimber]

The fact the Standard Range will have to pay for this system is ridiculous. This information should have been put out before Ford starting taking orders. Many people have ordered the standard range battery thinking they could use it as a backup if needed and now find out they will have to pay to use this system. Lobe the greed factor of modern companies.

[@TaxmanHog]

Thanks for this information, it really changes my planning, whew no longer looking at a 100A to 400A service upgrade!

[@shawjw247]

Hello Tom, Great show. I would like you to interview an Electrical Inspector from the City Building Department and your local Electric power utility provided. This will provide a proper contrast on safe installation methods and power demands available in existing district areas. Also remind your viewers - a heavy fraction of EV owners charge at night-time while they are sleeping. All EVSE shall be inspected for safest and NEC standards are confirmed with an "Approved Green Sticker" 73

[@expsholtes11]

Can’t thank you enough for doing this leg work for us!!!

[@davehulett5612]

Thank you Tom for clearing up the 320a service requirement. Also for other good information. I reserved early and hope to get my lightning before the end of the year. I had recently sold a portable generator I'd had for 6 years and was about to buy a new one with the Lightning was announced. So hopefully no power failures until after my Lightning delivery!

[@toddwilliams7662]

Hi Tom! Great video! Some more questions for you and Ford on this topic... - Sunrun doesn't appear to actually _make_ their own solar hardware. Which manufacturer's brand and models of equipment are they planning to provide for the components of the Home Integration System? - Sunrun is also not located in nor servicing all states. When will the documentation be available for the Home Integration System components for electricians/solar installers? - Do Ford and/or Sunrun plan to offer a cross-branded solar hardware compatibility guide for existing solar installation owners? (If not, they absolutely should be thinking about this!)

[@richardprice5978]

id like more of the wiring diagrams and physical looks / how it's supposedly wired up and how it works the add's was ok but way to fuzzies on the real house 🏡setting it up to work and be 🇺🇸 legal. my installer that i had a bid done for liked enphase 8h inverters ( new for 2021-23 ) aka 240v ac @ max solar line amp's of 220A ish 15kw-20kw system the my 400A main panel so i don't know 🤔if the sunrun use's simar hardware or its a high 800~ voltage dc setup like some of the fronics/Europeanised inverters

[@charliesullivan4304]

More details on installation are definitely needed. For example, does the DC out of the charge station to the inverter run on the same wires that feed ac to to the charge station? If not, what additional wires are needed to run to wherever the inverter is installed?

[@pstoneking3418]

You're looking at approximately $4000 for the home integration system from Sunrun. I haven't heard what their installation charges will be. Most likely very high. But the Sunrun system should come with instructions for an electrician to install it. Still costly because the line in from the grid will have to be rerouted from the main service breaker to the Sunrun system transfer switch and from there back to the main breaker. There was a comment about some home supply services being as large as 400 amps. I'd be surprised if Sunrun transfer switch would accept the size wire to handle that kind of current. I'm thinking they'll probably have a 200 amp transfer switch in their system. The inverter in their system is also unique as it's input voltage from the truck will be around 400 volts DC. I believe this will be a very costly installation. I would be very interested in hearing from anyone that's had their home integration system installed.

[@sylvain65]

You’re the best at detailed information. Thanks Tom

[@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughney]

Thank you!

[@petebremy49]

Great video, Tom. Our generator is only 8kw as you’re aware. We have all electric appliances including oven, stove, clothes dryer and of course A/C. Only our heat is not electric, although of course the pump and furnace fan are electric. We can run A/C and either cook, or do laundry with the generator. So the Lightning should have no problem powering the average home.

[@richardprice5978]

yeh maybe at your house (so you're not browning out? at all or tripping out any breakers? ) but not so convencted at my place based on quickie nabcan mathematics on 3k sq ft mine

[@petebremy49]

@@richardprice5978 In an emergency it’s not life as usual. You’re not going to have all your lights on, fry eggs, bake a cake, and do laundry all at the same time. The square footage of your house doesn’t matter really, except for maybe central A/C, which you can set higher than normal. You can only be in one room at a time. It’s an emergency, remember. Keeping your heat going and refrigerator running is paramount.

[@richardprice5978]

@@petebremy49 well i started out with a main 100A challenger planel ( finishing a 400A upgrade in 2022 so no hot test yet ) and i gets way too hot. as for floor sq foot its a quick and dirty way that electrician's use to compare house's but that doesn't work 80% ish of the time as some use more that others and yes i did try to pick one night/72H to simulate a power outage but for me that's a little hard right now as i have dumb dumb equipment that doesn't measure usages. my range is 60A the main heating is N gas but the blower ist small loading no heat pump for now but should add above ground unit 4ton ( i have a 3ton ac but it's not enough enough and or really doesn't work right ) im not sure if its the best use in a emergency ( heating pumping ) or not as for lighting this house is offal for outside letting in nature aka 💡has to be on to see anything

[@richardprice5978]

@@petebremy49 well i don't know about you but in my case if i can/the utility's are on the frizts for more than 3~ days im taking a bath with my N gas water heater and doing my electric washer and electric dryer laundry's. and id expect the others 3 or 4 of us in the house to do that too plus the dishwasher/dishes ect., i have my limits and slob isn't one of those im okay with nothing on you it's a me thing

[@petebremy49]

@@richardprice5978 I never said be a slob, I just said you can’t do everything at the same time. Good luck to you, then.

[@DutchAussieProductions]

Greetings from Australia. Thanks for the video, Tom. This answered a lot of questions for me.

[@JeanPierreWhite]

Amazing video, great questions. Ford have a winner on their hands here. Imagine all those Texans who lost power at the end of 2020 when they have freezing tempratures. Texans love trucks, and after that long power outage event they will really want this truck. I do have one questions. Say the truck isn't plugged in when the power goes out, maybe I arrive home to a dark house. Can you plug the truck in and have it power the home then.

[@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughney]

Yes, as soon as you plug the truck in you can turn on Intelligent backup power.

[@Kittzz]

Finally Real Answers! Incredible work Tom! Thanks for putting this together

[@toddwilliams7662]

Oh, one more question about the Ford Charge Station Pro. You mentioned it can be de-rated down to 20-amps, which is similar to their 48-amp unit. My question is: will the Charge Station Pro allow for lesser power selections by both hardware means (e.g. physical DIP switches?) as well as by software/app settings? Some users may want to be able to use a temporary setting of a desired charge rate set to less than the full hardware current setting to not pull a full 80-amps (or whatever the hardware max is set to) and instead just use say a 20-amp charge rate using power from a solar installation on a sunny day? I hope that makes sense.

[@richardprice5978]

great questions also wondering if i had 2 charger pro's / level 2-ford one one line can thay target a setting for one bay and a different number for the others bay like how some charges talk to each other for max line use/efficacy? or do i have to do it all at the service panel/in hardware/in 2 different copper lines? as i right now see one vehicle being parked a lot vs the other one being a daily to work and back so it needs more nighty juice than the other truck and one spare plug for tools/a 3d visitor car

[@gordonn4915]

Thanks wish Ford would post this on their web site. If I sell my truck does the new owner have to pay Ford to reenable the power out (I.e. is it code matched to my charger)?

[@fullyelectric]

Tom, truly awesome content.. very informative!! 👍 I am getting this truck with the extended battery so I am all set .. my house is small only 5 bed rooms, 3,100SF, we only use 850-900kWh per month (not included charging our EV’s) so that’s an avg. of 32kWh per-day, we don’t have any type of gas going to the house so 100% everything is electric.. our electric wall oven pull a max of 16 @ 240v and cooktop 18A @ 240v with all elements on max, and washer/dryer combo 14A @ 240v with both going at the same time .. the rest of the house 1.2kW or 10A @ 120v being used so in total with most everything going that’s about 48A @ 240v or 11,520w .. not including the 120v stuff (in power outages we never run everything anyways but this truck comes very close! ) Truly can’t wait to get this truck! even an extra $5+k to get it all setup is well worth it and I plan to do as you hit at .. charge up at on 1.5c TOU cost and run the house during the day or run my mining form that is only pulling 38A at its current size lol man wish I ordered two trucks 😂

[@fullyelectric]

BTW Tom, does the intelligence house backup runs true split phase, can you pull the full 9600w from one phase all 80A or only 40A @ 240v?

[@dantoshea]

Tom - fantastic deep dive into this product and service as there really were a lot of unanswered questions and claims. thanks for your work!!

[@adamtyson1463]

Thanks Tom, a very informative video. I am a Tesla M3P owner with 13.8kw of solar on my roof in Australia. I am not sure we will see the Ford electric truck here, that said this is a great concept and I would love Tesla to do it; I have had to purchase a powerwall for this flexibility and it is only a 13.6kw battery when I have 75kw sitting in the car unusable!

[@ElectricCarAustralia]

Hi Adam, I think we will see the Lightning in Australia within a couple of years once supply chain issues work through. The Toyota Hilux is Australia's biggest selling vehicle and if current taxation advantages remain for these types of vehicles the F150 lighting would be a huge seller. Congrats on being a T3 owners. 👍⚡🔋

[@TeslaJohn]

Tom thanks for putting this video together It was very informative.

[@NeilBergman]

Really good information, Tom. We have a 2018 LR RWD M3 and a 2021 LR MY -- both of which we LOVE -- and we have one of the F-150 Lightning trucks reserved. I'm really tempted to sell the M3 to get the LR F-150 Lightning and this was great information toward making that final decision.

[@davidcline9686]

Does the ford charger pro ‘cooperate’ on the same circuit if you you have, say, two Lightnings and one Mach E on three Ford charge Stations pros but all three on one dedicated 100 Amp Circuit? Similarly, would the three separate Ford Charge Station Pro EVSEs ‘cooperate’ to know which vehicle to pull electricity from to power the house in the event of a home power outage? Would the EVSEs ‘switch’ from vehicle to vehicle until, say a plugged in vehicle got down to 20% charge reserve for driving that you set it to?

[@davidcline9686]

Wish I could find this answer.

[@JeremiahTownsend]

Great info. Especially that we have a choice of installers other than Sunrun. From what you’ve told us so far, I’ll probably go for a V2L solution (F-150 Lightning and panel set up to be used as if it was a traditional emergency generator) in the short term. By 2025, there should be more solutions on the market that will make V2H/V2G less complicated.

[@georgepelton5645]

This seems to be the way to go. Not automatic, but much less expensive. Just install an inexpensive transfer switch, and buy a cable to use between the Ford’s 240 V outlet in the bed and the transfer switch’s generator connector.

[@JeremiahTownsend]

@@georgepelton5645 Yep. Can’t wait to see this in operation.

[@walterwcorreiajr480]

Most informative video on this subject. You answered many of my questions. Thank you so much.

[@juniorvazquez207]

I take delivery of my truck in 60 days! Can't wait!

[@ericr4721]

Tom Q for Ford: Can we use the onboard power outlets while the truck is level 1 or level 2 charging so at 120 or 240V? Can we use the outlets while the truck is DC fact charging? Lastly can we use the on board AC outlets while the truck is sending DC power to the home sun power inverter in a outage? Thank you.

[@chasingcoralMD]

Yes. The outlets can be used while charging the truck.

[@tomcez]

I would think there would be some efficiency losses, but if the truck receptacles are convenient, why not?

[@ericcote6920]

EV Extend makes a kit that basically lets people have a 6000W backup from an EV with a split phase inverter. Not a bad option given some of the costs that started adding up for the intelligent backup transfer equipment and the 80A charger. Great video and insight here Tom!

[@eric4903]

Not the same thing at all. Requires you to connect to the 12V battery in the vehicle, and most vehicles will be limited to ~1500W continuous. Definitely not an automated system, and will be less efficient. Better than nothing, but very limited use case.

[@billjohnson3344]

Any idea when the installation instructions will be made available for the Charge Station Pro and Home Integration kit? Ford only details a single slide for the Charge Station Pro - not a install manual. I'm sure these documents will cover the nuances of installation - which would be very helpful for circuit planning, etc.

[@jjoncm1]

Not being able to use my solar to charge the truck in the event of long term outage is disappointing.

[@JamyRyals]

Great video, thank you for putting this information out there. They definitely make it not obvious That you’ll need the integration kit separately from the pro wall charger. I figured it was all built into that, too bad.

[@thebugger2000]

I'm getting a Tesla model 3 and a f150 lighting over the summer. Can I install the ford charger and the Tesla charger to share one 100a circuit, or do I have to run a 100a for the ford and a separate 60a for the Tesla charger?

[@evahsia]

I just ordered my Lightning, and it came with this notice: "Sunrun is also the exclusive supplier and installer of a custom inverter which must be purchased separately to enable Ford’s Intelligent Backup Power System." The key words are "custom inverter" which makes it likely that a typical off-the-shelf inverter won't work.

[@mauricewashington226]

An instant classic I can tell already. And first 😎

[@FreedomToRoam86]

Tres bon discussion, Tom - far better than the Ford/SunRun marketing. Hope my installation goes smoothly....

[@keithrange4457]

Fantastic video, thank you Tom. Answered many questions I had about this system. Wish my Tesla allowed it

[@Scott-sm9nm]

FYI from talking to a field utility guy servicing our new home that it is a 400 amp service with a 320 amp meter socket (meaning 320 continuous).

[@zenclimber]

My question for Ford is why are they charging people to use this feature on the standard range battery, if the feature is already built into the truck and I bought the truck then i should be able to use it without having ti pay extra, and if I do have to pay extra, that cost should be available and made public at the time I ordered my truck, not weeks after orders were made.

[@evahsia]

What exactly do you claim you were not informed about? Every Ford advertisement (and webpage) has included in the fine print that IBP requires the Charge Station Pro AND additional hardware "to separate the panel from the grid".

[@frankiejimerson]

So, I am willing to pay the $500 to get the Intelligent Backup Power software activation for my SR Lightning, but can't find where I can do that. Ford's web site says, “Intelligent Backup Power software activation is included with the purchase of the extended-range F-150 Lightning battery or can be bought as a one-time purchase for the standard-range battery here.” The word “here“ is a hyperlink to a page, after signing in, that says “SOMETHING’S NOT QUITE RIGHT, so it's a dead/bad hyperlink. No one in Ford Customer Service that I have spoken to has been able to answer that. Help!

[@barryw9473]

Tom, wonderful information. Really appreciate your diligent research. How about non-intelligent backup using the 240 V socket in the bed and a manual transfer switch?

[@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughney]

That will work also, 30-amps maximum, I'll ask Ford more about that soon.

[@nc3826]

​@@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughney Why only a 30-amps maximum? Its total max is 40 amps, based on its 9.6 kW output? On a 50 amp circuit... fwiw I have asked if using the many forms of backup hookup was an option, in the past... But with no reply, so I really curious to hear the reply this time... Since they all seems more flexible and less costly than what Ford is offering... Since many different power sources can be used with them... Not just the Lightening...

[@billjohnson3344]

@@nc3826 The 240V connector in the bed is an L14-30, which is 30A maximum rating. Could you also connect up multiple cords to the 120V outlets and parallel them for full 9.6kW system output - I'm guessing not based on the overcurrent protection on each. But you could power the house with the L14-30, and then use the 120V outlets to power dedicated devices - up to the full 9.6kW total output of the truck.

[@nc3826]

BJ: I did go into detail about different ways to do it,, for brevity... But my point was that the "total" system output "available" is the same 9.6kW via the Ford pro or its receptacles... For anyone who needed the extra 2.4 kW... So thx for your pedantic confirmation of that fact ;)

[@reenman50]

I saw the "derpy works" video with this setup using the 2021 F-150 Hybrid and he used a Generac 30 amp manual transfer switch that separated the neutral and ground wires inside the switch box. I just want to power a camper trailer when I get my Lightning in a couple months so I can get out of town for the weekend!

[@pstoneking3418]

If you want to power your home from your truck you will be able to do that with limitations. Those limitations are: No automatic transfer switching. Maximum 7200 watts supplied to home from truck. You will need some sort of transfer switch to avoid back feeding to the grid. You will need a way to connect the 30 amp receptacle on the truck to your transfer switch. If you're already setup with a generator you plug into your service. Then you can used that connection to your truck instead of to the generator. The simplest transfer switch would be using an interlock in your service panel. A 30 amp generator breaker located just below your Main breaker. The interlock will prevent the main & generator breaker from being closed at the same time. As mentioned above you will be limited to 7.2 kw so you won't be using you electric stove, electric clothes dryer etcetera. Note: If the panel you are powering with your truck has the ground tied to the neutral you may get a ground fault error on your trucks sync screen. If you wish to use this scenario for home backup, I recommend you work with a qualified electrician.

[@zenclimber]

Great Video! Thanks for getting this information from Ford.

[@tscoff]

One thing that I think you’re missing is large scale power outages. When an entire region is out of power due to a storm it’s not possible to recharge anywhere for several days, a week, or longer because the fast charging stations won’t have power either. That’s when you need another solution to charge your EV.

[@georgepelton5645]

Tom, Great video, very informative. I had many questions and you and Ford answered them all. Thanks! PS. I do hope that Ford provides better integration with PV solar backup in the future, and also makes the on-board 19 kW charger bi-directional. The latter would save quite a bit by eliminating the need for a separate off-vehicle inverter to power your home.

[@pstoneking3418]

I have a 13 kw solar system that powers my home, but will have to either reduce the input of my pro charger to use on my solar system else connect it to the grid and leave it set for full 80 amp input. But I will be using the 120/240 charger that comes with the truck to charge using my solar as it only draws 30 amps 240 volts or 7200 watts. On a sunny day my solar batteries are usually topped off by 1 p.m. so I'll still have a few hours of charging available to me. At approximately $.15/kWh it certainly wouldn't hurt to just charge off the grid even cheaper in the winter. I only drive around 100 miles a week so at 2 miles/ kWh that's only $7.50. That's approximately 50 kw so just 2-3 hours of solar would replenish my truck battery at no cost.

[@andrewjohnson724]

Thank you for this informative video; I am a Lightning first-day reservation holder and found this very useful. The electricity where I live (South Carolina) is pretty reliable and events that cause extended outages (ice storms and hurricanes) don't occur that often. When extended outages occur though, they can be a up to 10 days and pretty miserable. So, I would like to have the ability to use the Lightning as an emergency electrical backup, but I don't think I can justify the multiple thousands of dollars it takes to set up the Ford/Sunrun intelligent backup system. I'd also have qualms about sinking so much money into a system that might be incompatible with future vehicles from other brands given the lack of standardization at this point. Consequently, as a topic for a future video I'd like to learn about lower cost alternatives to using the Lightning for this purpose. In particular, my thought would be to use the 240-volt outlet in the bed like a standalone generator. Could I get an electrician to install a 30 amp inlet box in my garage and either a transfer switch or a mechanical interlock on my breaker panel? Is there anything special I need to ask for? In particular, TFL did a similar demonstration with an F-150 Hybrid but it didn't work initially. They did a second video where it did work, but didn't really explain what had to be done to make it work. My impression is that the 240 volt outlet can only supply 30 amps compared to the 40 amps for the Ford integrated system, but this seems like a reasonable trade-off in my particular case. I share the concern you expressed on the InsideEVs podcast about keeping the MSRP of my future Lariat ER under $80k in case the EV tax credit gets revised. I'd also order the towing package upgrade if it didn't push the price above that threshold. I already have a 40 amp EVSE installed in my garage and don't want to upgrade to handle a higher amperage. So, the special 80 amp EVSE that is included will just go on a shelf in my storage room. Ford, if you're reading this, I would certainly like to be able to delete the EVSE or downgrade to the standard 30 amp portable EVSE included in the standard range models for a credit.

[@dtemp132]

Regarding battery warranties, I think a fair solution for both manufacturers and consumers is for there to be a separate "battery odometer", and for there to be an algorithm that monitors usage during vehicle-to-home usage periods, and calculates an equivalent amount of miles of wear-and-tear that would have been put on the battery if it was driven. So you use the car for V2H for a few hours, it calculates that about 12 miles worth of wear-and-tear was put on the battery, and it's added to the battery odometer, which you can view in a vehicle menu. Then the manufacturer can still keep the warranty simple: the battery is warranted for 10 years or 100,000 miles on the battery's odometer.

[@TrentDitto]

Fantastic video! I am getting my F-150 Lighting Lariat in December and I already have solar on my roof so this answered for me things that I can get done before I finally get the truck.

[@anthonyorlando1418]

I believe the 320amp service requirement comes in because of the NEC's 120% rule which states when back feeding a main panel the busbars can not be overloaded by more than 120%. Without getting into the weeds if Ford opens this up to feed power to the grid to reduce your electric bill (which would totally be cool) you could possibly back feed too much power that the main breaker would not see possibly causing a fire. For example if your main panel has a 200 amp breaker and the Ford charger can back feed up to 60 amps there is a possibility of having 260amps total on your main panel's buss bars if your home is using that much power at any given time. In this scenario the breakers would not see it or trip but your buss bars will be feeling it and be heating up. However, a 320amp panel is allowed to have up to 64 amps of back feed. Not confirmed only my guess. It would be interesting if @ford can engineer in a software limiter based on CT readings taken off the mains that way you can swt the back feed limit based on service size of each client. Ford can send a consultation payment my way ;)

[@frankiejimerson]

Hi Tom, Thanks for the video. The one question I can't get answered is how to get the Intelligent Backup Power software activation for my Standard Range F-150 Lightning? I've had the truck a couple of months and it's great! I bought, and have received, The Ford Charger Pro and the Home Integration System from Ford/Sunrun, so I have all the parts. Sunrun doesn't operate in Oregon, so QMerit is the suggested installer here. Qmerit connected me with their local partner, Beaver Electric in Hillsboro, Oregon. Beaver Electric has put in a bunch of chargers, but no Home Integration Systems yet. Ford's web site says “Intelligent Backup Power software activation is included with the purchase of the extended-range F-150 Lightning battery or can be bought as a one-time purchase for the standard-range battery here.” The word “here“ is a hyperlink to a page, after signing in to Ford, that says “SOMETHING’S NOT QUITE RIGHT, so it's a bad hyperlink. I understand the upgrade is $500 and it is done over the air. Over seven Ford phone-based customer support departments, in at least 3 different continents/islands, kept bouncing me to the next group, but no one knew or could find the answer. Please ask Ryan Ogorman, Head of Intelligent Back Up Power, as he, if anyone, should know. I hope to get the charger and home integration system installed in the next couple of weeks, and this software upgrade/activation is critical to make it all work. Thanks in advance for any assistance you can provide!

[@ChristianBehnke]

Thanks for answering questions I didn't even know to ask. 👍🏻 Looking forward to my Lightning now even more!

[@howardspellman]

One more thing: Why not use "dumb" (my term) backup power. My plan is to use the Nema 14-30 plug in the bed of the truck and connect to the installed generator switch next to my service panel which I can manually switch over to the needed circuits. If I am home it's no big deal to pull out the extension cord and plug the truck into the generator switch. Only advantage of the intelligent power back is time saved by automatically restoring the power. The truck still needs to be plugged into the charger and If it's not at home there is no backup anyway.

[@davidtuttle3429]

This a great lower cost, easier to deploy solution using the "ProPower Onboard" L14-30R in the bed. What I've read is that the GFCI L14-30 outlet needs a "switched neutral" transfer switch so the GFCI won't trip. Some youTube videos have been trying this out using the "ProPower Onboard" L14-30R on the existing 2021 F150 Hybrid. The Lightning will also have "ProPower Onboard" but I don't know if it will be an L14-30 or L14-50

[@Scott-sm9nm]

7:40 Really odd section on derating the charging (20a) but allowing the "Charge Station Pro" backup power (100a). Isn't the wiring the same? Diff charging circuit vs power backup? A 100 amp [circuit] wiring size requirement is #4 for copper wires and #2 for aluminum wires. -- P.S. Props for doing this whole video. It was outstanding and overall you explain these topics really well.

[@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughney]

I will get complete clarification on that soon. I believe you need to run two feeds. One for charging - that could be a 20-amp circuit. And one for powering the house that goes to the inverter- that would need to support the 40-amps the truck can provide to the home.

[@jimmclaughlin2603]

9600 watt backup power is only 40 amps AC at 240 V. 100 amp circuit for charging is optional and does let you charge in less than 8 hours even from zero to 100% on the largest battery. But you can charge at 20 amps also, it just implies that it will take 4 times as long. Heck, it will probably even charge at 7 amps, but that could take almost a week.

[@Xyler94]

I just wanna add one thing to the battery question of 14: If you do plan to leave it sitting without use, the optimal thing to do is to leave it at 50% state of charge. The closer you can get to 50%, the better, since batteries are at equilibrium (especially lithium ion) at that percentage.

[@christiantarragon6383]

20A max... using the DCC energy management system for EV's is a great solution to maximize your energy consumption.

[@Archersrule220]

From the Sunrun FAQ on their website: “Will the EV charger installed work with other vehicles? Yes, the Ford Connected Charge Station and Ford Charge Station Pro Connector uses an industry-standard/universal SAE J1772 connector. This is compatible with all-electric vehicles on the market today that are compliant with SAE J1772, including Tesla with a commonly used adapter.” Based on your excellent video, it looks like their information is incorrect.

[@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughney]

One of us is wrong. I already reached out to Ford for clarity.

[@billjohnson3344]

@@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughney They also have suspect info in many of the photos. There is one with a man with a white hard hat and gloves shown wrapping the vehicle cord around the station. In that photo, it clearly shows a J1772 plug - not a combo CCS plug. Also shown is a gigantic diameter charge cord the size of a gas hose. If the plug on the Charge Station Pro is as they show, then the Tesla adapter would work as they state. But if it is combo CCS, then it won't work. Definately some conflicting info.

[@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughney]

@@billjohnson3344 I know. But it does use a CCS connector, that I am 100% certain of.

[@Mari0o0o]

I’m sure you are aware but a Tesla CCS Adapter is coming (already available in Korea) so as long as your Tesla is newer (I think it was around 2019/2020+), you should in theory be able to then charge it from the Ford charger.

[@mark123655]

Ford seems to have jumped here ahead of the international standard ISO 15118-20. Will be interested to see whether it will be upgradeable to meet the standard later on, or whether early customers are likely marooned with a proprietary solution. While it's obviously cheaper than a dedicated battery (or Powerwall) it's only good if the vehicle can be at home in the event of a power outage.

[@heathwirt8919]

" it's only good if the vehicle can be at home in the event of a power outage." Since the vehicle has wheels and can travel that doesn't seem to be much of a problem.

[@david-holmes]

To ease Tesla's V2H concerns I think they could use Storm Watch, like they do for enabling Powerwall charging from grid, to enable V2H during inclement weather.

[@david-holmes]

Even the standard range 98 kWh battery is huge compared to a Tesla Powerwall's 13.5 kWh. Gonna need about 7 of those to match..

[@heathwirt8919]

Thanks Tom, plenty of great information. The system is quite impressive and well thought out.

[@gerryfontaine9861]

Great Video, however I am concerned about having to use SunRun for backup power, will ford provide schematics for any company or electrician to build the components? Its a monopoly for one company to provide this hardware and unfair!

[@boulianneyvon]

Wow, Wow and Wow..Thank you Tom, that's what I need ...

[@ElectricCarAustralia]

Very well explained. I agree there is so much interest in V2H or V2L. On our KZbin channel we showcased our DIY vehicle to load upgrade to our MG ZS EV and got so many comments and calls. Keep up the great work 👍⚡🔋

[@davidws5439]

Tom. Did you ask about the tool box size generator for the Ford F-150 Lighting. This generator fits in the truck bed to extend the range for long heavy huals. Ford has a Patent on this design generator.

[@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughney]

No. This was specifically about Intelligent Backup Power.

[@silverstonespov5291]

Great information, thanks a lot for this video Tom. You make me feel better and know what to do before my F150 Lightning arrives.

[@trevorbickle821]

I wondered if you could turn off circuit breakers and then add more power to the house/truck

[@MBergyman]

Everything about the costs of V2H make having a manual transfer switch and generator receptacle the much preferred option for me. My grid is very reliable - I’d likely never recoup the costs of this system.

[@stormsj]

I sorta suspect the warranty for powering home will hold. Pulling 9.6Kw a lot and charging back at 19kw should be WAY WAY WAY easier on battery than pulling 100-400Kw out on the roads and then charging at 150Kw at a DC fast charger. So as far as the battery warranty goes...guessing Ford would be happy if you use it more to power house than drive around on long road trips.

[@sotek2345]

Thanks for this, very informative. It is a bit sad that Ford isn't or can't use the onboard inverters for this application. I think I understand why, but it means that home integration system is going to be very pricy and many people will just say no. I wonder if they are holding back the prices to delay the bad news.

[@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughney]

Well, I'm sure it won't be inexpensive.

[@universeisundernoobligatio3283]

With my solar system if there's a power outage, first thing I do is start turning off anything that is not necessary. I have a 1500w inverter have been able to outlast a 4 day power outage.

[@appleiphone69]

One thing to note is start up amperage vs. running amps on appliances. I would not recommend trying to power a central ac unit. But you could easily power a window ac and just have that one room where everyone congregates and sleeps. Indoor camping.

[@tomcez]

We have a Bryant Evolution home air conditioner, which showed 9Amps with no surge at 240Vac as it is a variable speed type of unit, low noise. Nameplate is 32.5A max and it is on a 50A circuit breaker. Seems to pull 1A all the time when not running?

[@clifffietzek8401]

Thank you for the great and detailed explanation!

[@ericsmethurst3410]

You should be able to cut away the plastic of the Tesla Adapter to fit over the plastic connection of the CCS connector. This should not affect the intergerity of the Tesla adapter plug. Using a dremmel or a small cutting tool would probably make it an easy fix.

[@rosspursifull537]

I love it. Next to my Lightning, I'll have an ICE F150. When is Ford going to get my ICE F150 to be able to do automatic home power backup?

[@jamesg6071]

These are all good reasons to wait for a few generations of F150 lightnings for costs to come down and reliability issues to be resolved.

[@adamdeshon1275]

Great video Tom. Thanks for explaining the CCS functionality and what's required for home backup power. From someone who works for a power company, thanks for mentioning the Lineworkers!

[@ericroe]

Great video Tom. I see the question a lot about do you need the 9.6kW inverter to do the home backup, but since the system is going to use DC to power the house, you could still use the 2.4kW inverter and still get the 9.6kW back to the house.

[@8bithome]

Not a question, but I do wonder if in the future as this becomes more common if battery warranties will change to hours/miles... For example hours in which you were pulling over a certain amount (so leaving your phone charging in the car won't end your warranty early). And obviously it would be miles OR hours whatever comes first so people who just drive their cars aren't negatively affected...

[@gaikaviortas455]

Slow charge and discharge doesn't affect battery longevity that much. High charge and discharge rates hurts the battery most.

[@tedspradley]

So I’m not clear, does Intelligent Backup Power and Charge Station Pro use the same cable and plug into the charging port? Or is backup power AC power coming from one of the 8 AC outlets? If AC is it 40 Amps x 240 volts for 9600 Watts or is it 80 Amps x 120 Volts? Or is backup power delivered as DC then inverted to AC by whatever inverter you use? If supplying DC what is the voltage? Sorry for all of the questions. Thinking about how to integrate into existing solar + battery system. Thank you.

[@GeorgeDooling]

I would absolutely love to know if this can work with a home with existing Tesla PowerWalls. I am assuming no, but it would be amazing if they could work together.

[@billjohnson3344]

Great video. Follow-up questions... How does the Home Integration System wire in? The 80A Charge Station Pro needs a 100A circuit, does the Home Integration System also need a separate circuit from the panel? Or does it share that same 100A circuit, and wire up only to the 80A Charge Station Pro? It would seem like some connection between those two is needed - connecting the DC wiring from the vehicle cord to the SunRun inverter? Also still curious on the specs of what the system can provide regarding surge rating - can this setup run typical 3 or 4 ton central home air conditioning?

[@nc3826]

FWIW he mentions it needs its separate circuit... Seems to be based on CCS's upcoming V2G functionality.... Which seems to mirror Chedemo... where DC and AC functions are kept separate... Unlike Tesla where DC and AC use the same lines.. And I left a question asking where the DC to AC inversion is done, for its backup power function... But Tom said only the SunRun transfer box is needed... he did not mention their inverter...

[@davidtuttle3429]

@@nc3826 I think it needs reverse power flow to support V2H but not full V2G support. The home is islanded with V2H. V2G implies a lot of coordination with the grid.

[@nc3826]

@@davidtuttle3429 V2L, V2H and V2G all require "bidirectional" power flow.... Which it will have...(it's not necessary that it be "reversed", on the same circuit),... And my "CCS V2G" reference was just a conjecture about what "protocols" it uses? Not that its function is to feed power to the grid (even though, it does have the "power circuitry" to do so).... Sorry to confuse you....

[@chasingcoralMD]

Great video, as always, Tom. You answered the question "Is there any version of the F-150 Lightning that cannot use Ford Intelligent Backup Power?" with

[@seanmead9114]

Love the video…thank you for putting this out. The one question I have, when you lose power to your house or neighborhood for an extended period of time and have to drive to a fast charging station to recharge your truck, do these fast charging stations “always have power” or do they lose power as well? I live in the south and if a hurricane knocks out power to a whole city, I don’t want to have to drive 100 miles away to a power station, so I can charge my truck. You get the idea. Thanks

[@jasonmiller4819]

Enjoyed your video and your inside EB podcast. I currently have a generator at my house with a transfer switch. Rather than spend the thousands on the intelligent back up I think a much more economical route is to use the 240v plug in the truck bed to power my house. As far as I can see this would only require me purchasing a longer extension cord that will go between my transfer switch and my Lighting. Is this an incorrect assumption?

[@evahsia]

Yes, it is a more economical choice for those who already have the connection and transfer switch. A couple of details matter. First, the 240VAC in the bed is only a 30A circuit (7.2kW). This is less than the 9.6kW from the Charge Station Pro + Sunrun inverter. Second, the connection in the bed is a L14-30 (4-wire L1, L2, N, G). You need a compatible extension cord, and generator inlet. There is no indication a 3-wire (L1, L2, G) circuit would work. Third, while Ford advertises all day power at a worksite, they haven't committed to the 24 hour (3 or 10 day) constant load, which may not be covered by warranty.

[@murda2999]

In a power outage I would be very happy just having those 20A 120V outlets that are in the truck! I could make coffee, heat up something in a microwave, then plug in portable heater. All while have numerous LED lights going and charging all my phones, tablets and computers. I have a Tesla and despite that huge battery pack that's in my car, I can't do any of that! During a blackout all I can tap into is a tiny 12V outlet. I could charge my phone or put a little inverter and power a couple of LED bulbs and charge my phone, but that's about it.

[@bobroyce9584]

I’m interested in learning more about the ability to integrate the Ford backup system into my existing solar installation with a SolarEdge inverter. I have 400 AMP service and am about to have an electrician install a dedicated 100 AMP service to my garage. When I installed solar last year I delayed buying a powerwall battery in anticipation of buying a Lightning. My hope is to be able to use the truck to power the house every night and then recharge the truck with excess solar during the day. It sounds like this will NOT be possible out of the box. I understand the concern about battery wear and tear but we’re not talking about that much usage, maybe the equivalent of driving an extra 15-25 miles per day. I hope Ford will reconsider their position.

[@EVZacOfAllTrades]

Thanks Tom, two questions I haven't seen yet: 1. Will other electric vehicles be compatible with the Ford Chargestation Pro? Will the Mach E get a software update (probably paid as you said for standard range Lightnings) so that it could be compatible too? 2. Will the Lightning be compatible with the Wallbox Quasar bidirectional charger or other non-Ford solutions?

[@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughney]

You'll be able to charge other electric vehicles with the Charge Station Pro, but not backfeed your home during a power outage as the Lightning can. The Lightning *should* be compatible with the Quasar, but we don't know for certain.

[@evahsia]

@@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughney The term backfeeding worries me. Backfeeding (sending power back to main panel from an existing receptacle) is unsafe and illegal. We have already had one commentor proposing a double ended male cord from the 240 V socket to the 14-50 socket in the garage. Major no-no. So, I hope you are using the term in another sense. The IBP (like any generator) will be forward feeding the panel (either the subpanel or main panel) with direct wiring downstream of some transfer switch, not feeding back through existing wiring.

[@151amb]

Fantastic info Tom. Feeling better about being able to use the system now.

[@michaelcorson6076]

Fantastic video - really appreciate all the great info!! We are buying a new house (new construction) - very interested in ordering a F-150 Lightning (once they open the ordering window again...) to use as a battery backup system for our house. The questions you answered were exactly the ones I had - very helpful. Oh yeah - just "Liked" and "Subscribed" to your channel - thanks!!

[@jamesod347]

Great video Tom! I have an order for a Lucid Air and a big reason for choosing the Air is bi-directional charging. I think most of the questions you've asked would also be applicable to the Air. I think many of the answers you provided are also applicable to the Air, but I would guess many answers would be different if you were talking about the Air. So my question is: Do you plan a similar video for the Air bi-directional charging? By the way, after seeing your real world range test for the Air I put in my reservation. Thank you for all your work and stay healthy!

[@StateOfChargeWithTomMoloughney]

Hi James. Yes, I will once Lucid gets closer to releasing the features & equipment.

[@juniorvazquez207]

Great video! I know this video is dedicated to the Intelligent Power. But could you just connect your truck to home via the 220v plug in the back to a dryer plug in the home to send power back to the house?