Sponsored

AC charger 48 or 50 amp

lcarron

Member
First Name
Laurent
Joined
Aug 28, 2023
Threads
3
Messages
7
Reaction score
6
Location
Las Vegas
Vehicles
Taycan
Hello

I got my new charger ready to be installed and the lightning pro with regular battery may arrive next week.
If I set up the charger to 50 amps can the battery handle 12kw? Or should I keep it at 48 amps?
Sponsored

 

The Weatherman

Well-known member
First Name
Dean
Joined
Apr 20, 2023
Threads
24
Messages
1,369
Reaction score
1,916
Location
South Central KY
Vehicles
2022 RR F150 Lightning Lariat ER, 2020 Explorer PL
Occupation
Retired
The battery can handle a lot more than that.
 

Pioneer74

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 16, 2021
Threads
36
Messages
3,769
Reaction score
6,843
Location
Dearborn
Vehicles
2022 Lightning Lariat ER - 2022 Mach-E Premium
Occupation
Electrician
A pro can only charge at 48 amps, unless it has the extended range battery. The additional cost to enable your EVSE to output 50 amps is cost prohibitive, even if it could utilize it.
 

PreservedSwine

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 5, 2023
Threads
29
Messages
334
Reaction score
403
Location
Fort Myers
Vehicles
2023 Lightning
I have a pro and charge at 48 amps. My charger pulls about 11KW. I’m not sure what tangible or noticeable difference you’d see between 48 and 50 amps?
As Blochead mentioned above- you need at least 6 gage wire for either 48 or 50 amp circuit.
 

Sponsored

Pioneer74

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 16, 2021
Threads
36
Messages
3,769
Reaction score
6,843
Location
Dearborn
Vehicles
2022 Lightning Lariat ER - 2022 Mach-E Premium
Occupation
Electrician
As Blochead mentioned above- you need at least 6 gage wire for either 48 or 50 amp circuit.
That's not true. You need at least a 70 amp breaker and #4 wire for 50 amp charging. That is why it's cost prohibitive. The price difference between #6 and #4 wire, while only gaining, at most, .48kW, is generally not worth the extra cost.
 

TaxmanHog

Moderator
Moderator
First Name
Noel
Joined
Jan 19, 2022
Threads
191
Messages
14,354
Reaction score
15,605
Location
SE. Mass.
Vehicles
2022 Lightning Lariat-ER & 2024 HD Road Glide CVO-ST
Occupation
Retired
Last edited:

trev5150

Well-known member
First Name
Trev
Joined
Jul 23, 2022
Threads
20
Messages
527
Reaction score
342
Location
Tucson, AZ
Vehicles
2022 F-150 Lightning Lariat SR
Occupation
Pilot of pilotless things
The battery can handle a lot more than that.
It’s about whether the house circuit can handle the load without dumping the main or starting a fire.
 
OP
OP

lcarron

Member
First Name
Laurent
Joined
Aug 28, 2023
Threads
3
Messages
7
Reaction score
6
Location
Las Vegas
Vehicles
Taycan
That's not true. You need at least a 70 amp breaker and #4 wire for 50 amp charging. That is why it's cost prohibitive. The price difference between #6 and #4 wire, while only gaining, at most, .48kW, is generally not worth the extra cost.
Fully agree, about 20-30 minutes less on a full charge from 0 to 100% is very negligible.
Thanks
 

hturnerfamily

Well-known member
First Name
William
Joined
Jan 8, 2022
Threads
46
Messages
1,983
Reaction score
2,412
Location
rural Georgia
Vehicles
22 LIGHTNING PRO IcedBlueSilver 8/23/2022
Occupation
Owner
My calculations show that my Ford Mobile EVSE, supplied with my PRO, at it's typical 30amp rate of speed, can give my PRO more than 50% battery charging, each overnight 11pm to 7am timeframe(my Georgia Power 'EV Charging Rate Plan' time slot)...
6 kwh speed(per hour) ... 6 x 8 hours = 48 kw.... 1/2 of my 'usable' Battery capacity

This means that in a typical 2 overnight timeframe, I have FULLY recharged my FULL battery, if I have not driven any miles. If I subtract a typical 'day' of driving, even if it is 100 miles, I only use about 40% of my battery(average 2.5 mi/kwh)... but, I don't 'commute' everyday, like some might. I've used, though, about 2,500 miles on an average month since August 2022, including DC Fast Charging miles, of course.
I have RARELY, if ever, needed anything more than the typical 30amp EVSE. And, even if I DID need 'more' than the typical overnight's charging would provide, I simply plug in the truck ANYTIME during the day, if/when I need to, or can, if I am at home... I just pay more for 'power' outside of my typical overnight charging hours. I've rarely had to do even that.

In some ways, it pains me to see so many comments and questions about 'faster' charging at home, or even the cost of the FordProCharger and all it's additional costs, such as the wiring/equipment/service required to make it even happen. Then, you hear that even with that 'capacity', many have had to 'dial back' their amperage in order for it to work. I guess each owner does what they want, but I've always taken the 'start slow and easy' approach, using the basics to get things started, before 'wondering' about needs before actually having any practical experience. Probably much of the at-home charging equipment is overkill since most of our vehicles are parking there so many hours of every day, but, certainly, there are a few cases where that may not be the case for some. Those are generally exceptions, not the rule. A truck with an extended range battery pack may seem to be more of a case for this conversation, but I'll bet that owners with ER Lightnings don't necessarily drive any more miles than anyone else. The point, then, is not about 'speed', but since it can handle 'faster' speeds, those with these vehicles will be more inclined to try to meet that speed, even if it's not really needed, for practical everyday purposes.
 
Last edited:

Sponsored

PreservedSwine

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 5, 2023
Threads
29
Messages
334
Reaction score
403
Location
Fort Myers
Vehicles
2023 Lightning
.
That's not true. You need at least a 70 amp breaker and #4 wire for 50 amp charging. That is why it's cost prohibitive. The price difference between #6 and #4 wire, while only gaining, at most, .48kW, is generally not worth the extra cost.
nonsense.
a 50 amp service (80% rule) would require 62.5 Amp wire size, which (at minimum) 6 gage wire fulfills. The length of the run of course could require a larger wire.
of course, why anyone would go through the trouble to run anything larger than the largest charger the truck could handle (48 amp) remains a mystery, the mere fact that you called me out is the reason for this response.
 

RickLightning

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 17, 2022
Threads
89
Messages
5,598
Reaction score
7,516
Location
SE MI
Vehicles
'22 Lightning ER Lariat,'22 Mach-E Premium 4X
The Ford Mobile Charger supplied with the truck supplies 30amps, unlike the Mach-E version which supplies 32.​
That is 7.2kW from the wall.​
With a 10% loss, that is 6.5kW. The Ford app will report 6, because it truncated the decimal place. Charge for an hour, and look at total kW supplied while still plugged in, and you will see the true power supplied.​
 

RickKeen

Well-known member
First Name
Rick
Joined
Sep 14, 2022
Threads
45
Messages
620
Reaction score
787
Location
Minnesota
Vehicles
F150L SR Pro
Occupation
sw engineering manager,
I have the Emporia 48 @ 240v wired to a 60 amp circuit. If the truck is low, I plug it in when I pull into the garage. Its always charged the next morning. Not something to worry about.
 

flyct

Well-known member
First Name
Jerry
Joined
Sep 28, 2023
Threads
27
Messages
618
Reaction score
759
Location
South Florida
Vehicles
'24 F-450 Platinum & '234Ford Lightning Platinum & 2 Tesla Model Ys
Occupation
Blissfully Retired
Hello

I got my new charger ready to be installed and the lightning pro with regular battery may arrive next week.
If I set up the charger to 50 amps can the battery handle 12kw? Or should I keep it at 48 amps?

What charger did you buy that has option of 48 or 50 amp output?
 
 







Top