Posted on 02/20/2021 8:09:48 AM PST by conservative98
New F-150 owners are using their trucks to power their homes.
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2021 ford f-150 charging tesla car powering home A recent report suggests that Ford is asking Texas dealers to loan out new 2021 F-150 trucks with generators in order to help during power outages. This report comes to us via Autonews (subscription is required). Ford is reportedly offering bonus money to dealerships if they loan the new trucks with the Pro Power Onboard inverter/generator systems. These trucks are capable of providing between 2.0 kW and 7.2 kW of power at up to 30 amps.
The new 2021 Ford F-150 trucks with either a 3.5L twin-turbo V6 or the 5.0L V8 may be optioned with a 2.0 kW inverter/generator system. The new F-150 Hybrid comes standard with a 2.4 kW system that can be optioned up to a maximum of 7.2 kW of output. We have thoroughly tested this Hybrid system, and it is powerful enough to charge an electric car or power two large camping trailers at the same time (depending on which appliances are being used).
The F-150 Hybrid is equipped with a 30-gallon fuel tank and it can provide around 30 hours of maximum 7.2kW output on a full tank. The truck uses its onboard 1.5 kWh battery as an energy buffer while the 3.5L V6 is idling to continue to generate energy.
(Excerpt) Read more at tfltruck.com ...
This is really just pretty silly. I have a little 3.5 kW generator that mostly sips fuel and and has gotten us through all manner of hurricanes over the years. Just a cheap harbor freight chonda. We use it all the time around here and it just keeps on ticking. Sure doesn’t cost what a pick-up does and doesn’t tie up the truck for use.
That little generator was a get-by that soldiered for as long as two weeks. We have left the Texas gulp coast and moved north. I now have a 20 kW diesel generator on the welding trailer that does double duty for the house in ice storms or other power outages.
I use my truck for a truck and not an expensive toy generator for the house. It does sound like an OK idea though for the job site but I’d still rather use a dedicated generator.
My friend has one. These things are very cool - quietest generator I’ve heard. And because of the large tank they can run for a very long time. These will also be great for camping or a job site.
They used to sell a switch with an outlet at autoparts stores for about $10. You hooked it to your alternator. The switch bypassed your alternators voltage regulator. I am sure that lots of people here used them. The field coils and diodes in alternators back then were rated to take over 120 volts. I used to have one in my old Ford Sedan that I used frequently for drills and skill saws when at a place where there was no power. The voltage was DC but any motor with brushes worked fine. I would just turn the idle up until I got the amount of voltage necessary for the power tool. I ususally ran it at about 100 volts with no load.
The way that alternators are wired these days would not allow this for the most part.
My buddy has a 2019 model with the auto-start function. I don't know how the 2021 works, but the engine will only run 15 minutes without the key in the ignition. Don't think I'd leave my $50k truck running with the key in it without it being right there next to it.
Not only that, but gas stations my be unable to fill him up afterward.
I've never really lived in an area that had problems with power delivery or natural gas delivery, even in nasty winter storms. But this whole Texas debacle has really made my take a new look at it. I have a gen-set built in to my old RV that I can plug into to at least run the furnace blower, it's only 110 volts with my gas furnace. But if we lose natural gas pressure, that's a whole new ball of wax.
I was looking at these trucks for their performance towing and good gas mileage and the generator capacity for camping.
One of the write ups pointed out that you would be running a $50,000+ vehicle and a large engine to match a far more efficient $1000 Honda generator.
If you get the Hybird it comes with a 2.4kw generator. It is standard. Costs you nothing if you are buying the truck anyway.
At 400 watts the truck doesn’t even start. It runs when it needs to charge the battery with its 35kwh electric motor/generator. The battery on the f150 is 1.5 kwh so it would hold a load of 400 watts for a couple hours with just a few minutes of total idle time if any depending on the state of charge of the hybrid battery.
On the TFL video with the 7.2 kwh generator charging a car the truck shut off with 2400 watts on the generator because it didn’t need to idle to keep charging
I don’t think Ford caught other truck manufacturers at all off footed by the mere fact of having an AC inverter on their F-150 pickup. These have been available as an option or standard equipment for a number of years by most of not all pickup and car manufacturers. It think the convention to setting inverter size has been to be able to run 1 power tool or 1 coffee pot kind of duty.
What is different it appears is that Ford has stepped up to a larger output inverter rated for continuous duty and engine management tweaks to facilitate long duration motor idling.
My father in law is swearing by his Tesla power walls.
It’s a Great idea as I
Just perused FORD.
You are not the only one here that work for "Fords", their are Freepers that will say so or are on the down-lo about it.
I don't, but know many who do & know what a team you got.
This move was and is the right thing to do, like the ventilators, and the day the plant blew up and people were hurt and Bill Ford went to the Hospital w/ his Credit Card and said here, us this to take care of our team-mates.
If DC was run 1/2 as well as Ford, we may have not needed PDJT, and that is nothing against him....
BTW, Thank you, Go Team Ford...
The write ups I was reading on the hybrid F150 showed it a very desirable rig. If I had the money I would buy one. They were giving the caveat that the generator feature alone was not the reason to buy it. For longer generator use the portable Honda was far more efficient.
I just drag out the Lincoln Ranger 250. 10 gal. tank, 100% duty cycle. Best of all, I can weld with it when I break something.
That would be hilarious.
“Lets see... You can spend $50,000 to $60,000 on a new F-150 Hybrid with the AC output option? Or you can spend $500 to $600 on a Honda Clone generator with similar or more capacity? Boy that is a tough one?”
I read a review about this truck and they pointed out that fact. The generator option is several thousand dollars. I have an el cheapo 3500 watt, gas/propane I paid $400 for. Worked fine through 2 hurricanes. Still lending the trucks is a good thing.
“The generator option is several thousand dollars.”
That comment in my precious post is not necessarily correct. It may depend on other options.
While using most potable inverters, I suggest monitoring the temperature of the unit and keeping it away from anything that can burn. An inverter will generate heat, that's normal. Excessive heat can occur if the internal components are not rated for continuous high heat and cooling is not adequate.
What happens when the upper heat limit for the unit is exceeded is that insulation can melt and even catch on fire. In addition, the inverter can start sending erratic and dirty electricity down the AC power cord and impair or even damage the devices being powered.
Inverters of this type often have a reset on them that will trip the inverter off if there is a high temperature. If this occurs, let the inverter cool down and remove some load before resetting.
I've professionally used lots of inexpensive electrical powered devices of various types types largely in field conditions. In fact, I completely abuse and sometimes destroy them. And that's fine. Determine how hard you'll run it and for how long then apply your value judgment whether to go with disposable gear or more expensive durable gear.
You’re right, of course, this is a temp unit, not for continuous use. I used it to inflate an air bed inside a tent at the lake (wife won’t sleep on the ground). Worked fine but will drain your car battery if you use it continuously. For limited use only, but much easier than carting around a gas generator.
The 7200 watt inverter is only an option when you buy the hybrid powertrain. That costs an additional $4,495 in every trim level; the 7200 watt inverter is an additional $750 on top of that for a total of $5245. The power 7200 watt power inverter is obviously a come-onto get you to spend the money on the hybrid power train. The hybrid power train knocks 2300 pounds off the towing capacity of a similarly equipped diesel or gasoline powered truck.
The 2 wheel drive hybrid F-150 is rated at 25 mpg city, 26 mpg highway, and 25 mpg combined. The diesel powered 2 wheel drive is rated at 20 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 23 mpg combined . The six cylinder gas is rated at 20 mpg city, 26 mpg highway, and 23 mpg combined. If you think the hybrid powertrain is going to save you enough money in gasoline during the time you own the truck you should probably take a remedial math course. These hybrids have an unknown reliability record... it is likely that maintenance issues could add greatly to the expense of ownership during the lifetime of the vehicle compared to gasoline or diesel engines. No one knows.
Yeh, I have an AC outlet in the cab of my 2015 silverado. But, as you mentioned it’s only good for lightweight stuff, cell phone, etc. Ford is operating a 7.2K watt option. That’s a game changer as something useful.
A used 5 kw generator will cost you over $1500, and the power available from these trucks is 7.2 kw, so your snark about some mythical $500 generator is stupid and wholly idiotic. That 1500 w generator *might* keep your fridge, furnace and two lights going, but that is pretty much all.
If you are buying a new truck, you are better off buying one with a built-in system if you live where electrical supply can be or is interrupted by weather regularly.
BTW, I actually HAVE a 7.5 kw generator, and would consider a new F-150 for replacement of both the truck and generator were I needing a new one. Because it is sensible.
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