What's the highest power one could get from a Lightning over DC?

[HOTAS]

Around 390v.

My guess would be to draw more power than any of the current methods allow, probably though a DC-DC converter.
[/QUOTE

So the desire is access to nominal pack voltage, so that can be stepped down to a lower voltage. Ok. Back to my original question….what DC voltage is wanted ?

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[hturnerfamily]

What's the highest power one could get from a Lightning over DC? Trying to charge a solar generator but GFCI trips in AC mode

...But if I disable the AC output of the Zendure, I can then charge it from the Lightning without issue...

....

you likely have a downstream GFCI within the container you are powering(output from the Zendure), or one of the circuits has a 'grounding' issue, which fights with the power output of the LIGHTNING, which is VERY sensitive. Some of us have dropped the ground from the connection from the ProPower to the object or circuit you are powering - which generally will solve the 'tripping' issue, at least most of the time.

My camper is an example of when it does not - the dropping of the ground will allow the truck to fully output to the camper, for air conditioning, microwave, heaters, and all at the same time, if within the 30amp 240v output max.

but, the moment you connect the camper's coupler to the ball of the truck, and/or attach the camper's 7pin cable to the truck's 12v output, the sensitivity is overloaded, and the tripping occurs, for the most part.
I can disable the camper's CONVERTER within it's Main panel by tripping it's breaker, which will solve the problem, SLIGHTLY, which means you can have 'some' light loads, like the TV, microwave readout, fans, etc., but once a larger 'load' is turned on, NOPE... trip.
The only 'true' way for full power to the camper is to be DETACHED from it, and not CONNECTED to it.

Oh well : )

 

[Maquis]

With no other constraints, the answer to the question in the thread title is probably in the neighborhood of 435KW. That corresponds to the total motor horsepower.

 

[HOTAS]

I have a feeling we’re gonna end up with the answer 12/24 volts DC.
Which is partially what’s been provided by Ford. Anything above that I find shocking. Pun intended, lol.

The best way to access 12VDC direct, is to connect directly to the 12V battery lugs, or jump lugs, and leave the truck powered in Accessory mode or On. You’ll be surprised the level of Watts you can draw without voltage sag. Could be 1600-2000 watts of 15V Dc. Yes 15VDC. (Even better than 12VDC)
It’s provided by the onboard DC DC Function of the HV electronics. But know what you’re doing, at your own risk, of course.

The OP is dissatisfied that his battery pack can’t be discharged and charged by AC Current from the truck at the same time. Not unusual.
He wants to try DC direct From the truck. I assume the 12V plug.
He said he wanted more DC “power”. “Power” says he may not know what he’s asking for.
Then all of a sudden everyone wants access to nominal pack voltage. Scary.

The above is the best way to do it. Without addition equipment.

Everyone that asked for DC ”power“ may not really know what they want. That’s why I asked, exactly what voltage?

 

[HOTAS]

With no other constraints, the answer to the question in the thread title is probably in the neighborhood of 435KW. That corresponds to the total motor horsepower.

True. But not possible. And that’s why we don’t have,and shouldn't want, access to “nominal pack voltage“. That kind of “power” will fry ya!
My solution above, is the best option for Dc direct, without additional equipment.
And pretty good.

 

[tearitupsports]

https://us.ecoflow.com/products/800w-alternator-charger

For DC direct, Guys have had good results with alternator chargers. They leverage the high amp load capability of an automobile alternator (AC) to quick charge a “solar generator” battery pack DC direct.
(Thereby making them gas generators! lol)
EV owners have been successful adapting them to there EV’s high power inverter that runs the AC motors. Giving themselves 800w of DC direct 12V to charge the pack with.

Yeah you’re still going Dc to Ac to Dc, but so is every other solution, just changes where it happens.

The truck HVB is at over 350v DC. This doesn’t work. The truck does not charge the HVB from the 12v system. It is a one way conversion from HV to LV.

 

[HOTAS]

The truck HVB is at over 350v DC. This doesn’t work. The truck does not charge the HVB from the 12v system. It is a one way conversion from HV to LV.

?oh, my.
has nothing to do with hv dc battery.
Ev owners are hooking up the alternator generator to the Hv- AC inverter output. Gives the device the amps it needs to convert ac to 800w dc.



So I’ve offered 2 solutions for high wattage DC direct Output.
The above “alternator-generator” but access to the lightning HV AC inverter will be a challenge, more so than this Chevy Bolt.
And just hooking up to the 12VDc battery lugs and turn the truck to acc/on. . Which is using the trucks DC DC converter.

 

[TaxmanHog]

Everyone that says it sure would be nice to have access to DC direct “power” from the truck,
exactly what voltage would you like that to be at? Lol

Now that I understand the point of your query from subsequent replies, the CIG lighter outputs on vehicles have a limit based on the wiring, in the truck and wiring in the powerbank, so that's the limit right there.

As an example, my EcoFlow Delta Pro power stations can only take ~96 watts via that route, 12v x 8 amps

Direct connection to the 12v LVB in the Lightning which would be a buffer for the energy coming from the trucks onboard DC/DC converter would be limited not so much by the trucks capacity but by the input limit of the Zendure power the OP is discussing, I'd venture to guess his like mine won't tolerate that much more, I don't have that systems maximum input specifications at hand.

The EcoFlow has a solar input connection XT60i, 1600 watts with a range of DC voltages no higher than 150 VDC @ 10.5 amps

The Lightning can only offer 240 watts on the Cigar 12v output.

 

[TaxmanHog]

The OP needs to resolve the issues that are caused by the truck using the PPOB 120/240 output to charge his Zendure, system.

It could be as simple as shutting down the Zendure, isolate it from the house transfer switch, and feed it's charging input from the Lightnings PPOB, this would be the fastest way to replenish the system

I have two EcoFlow systems, one is back up to stand alone for charging then swap into my home back up as needed in a prolonged blackout, so far I've never needed to employ this method and probably won't now that I have the Lightning to directly feed critical home circuits, and when the truck is away the EcoFlow systems takes over.

 

[HOTAS]

Not sure why you are ignoring my point, or all the others.

Not ignoring but would like to follow up.

You can get what, maybe a single kW off the 12v DC side? You can get over seven times that from the plug in the bed.

Bottom line the 12v side of these trucks is pretty weak already…

Well, a “single kW“ is 1000 Watts. At 12V something would be drawing an 83 amp load. That’s pretty big. Not exactly an analogy or example of a feeble electrical load.

Now that I understand the point of your query from subsequent replies, the CIG lighter outputs on vehicles have a limit based on the wiring, in the truck and wiring in the powerbank, so that's the limit right there.

As an example, my EcoFlow Delta Pro power stations can only take ~96 watts via that route, 12v x 8 amps

Direct connection to the 12v LVB in the Lightning which would be a buffer for the energy coming from the trucks onboard DC/DC converter would be limited not so much by the trucks capacity but by the input limit of the Zendure power the OP is discussing, I'd venture to guess his like mine won't tolerate that much more, I don't have that systems maximum input specifications at hand.

The EcoFlow has a solar input connection XT60i, 1600 watts with a range of DC voltages no higher than 150 VDC @ 10.5 amps

The Lightning can only offer 240 watts on the Cigar 12v output.

Actually, nobody seemed to get my point about “what DC voltage would you want“? Anything above 24v in dangerous and of little use. Without additional equipment like an expensive DC voltage step down, or an expensive AC inverter, like the home integration system, high voltage DC is dangerous and useless to us.

Yes, Every socket and plug on the truck is limited, in load, by its wiring.
That’s the most fundamental knowledge of a circuit.

If you hook up your Eco Delta Pro directly to the 12V battery, with the truck in AcC mode, it will be provided with about 15VDC. And its Maximum input limit, which would need to be reset or changed by you, could be raised to About 1600W ? Whatever the Delta Prom input limit is. It doesn’t care If it’s solar DC or battery DC.

…edit… your schematic shows solar input, at all voltage ranges, is limited to 15amps. So the most watts you could get, connected directly to the battery, is 225 watts. That’s super easy on the trucks system.
Definelty the way I’d go.

The onboard Ford DcDc converter could certainly provide that, thru the 12V battery lugs, but all of this is academic to answering the question, how does someone get max Dc output, from the truck, as it sits now in stock form.

 

[TaxmanHog]

actually, nobody seemed to get my point about “what dc voltage would you want“?

Your first post on this thread was very open ended, you could have been forthcoming and direct about the DC/DC inverter you posted about further down the thread.

We've had a FORMER member of this forum hack is High Voltage system, it ended up with the truck catching fire under suspicious circumstances, I don't endorse hacking the system.

As other members have pointed out, Ford has a method for safely exporting HVB energy but only via it's Home Integration system.

 

[TaxmanHog]

The onboard Ford DcDc converter could probably provide that, thru the 12V battery lugs, but all of this is academic to answering the question, how does someone get max Dc output.

What that number is, I have no idea, but who ever wants to experiment, should reserve enough energy to keep the Lightning ~running~ to employ the onboard DC/DC converter active, otherwise the house of cards will collapse.

 

[HOTAS]

So quick summary. For those who want maximum DC output from the Lightning….
For full access to the nominal voltage of the HV battery, the home integration system will allow that, but inverts it to 240V AC, and is very expensive elaborate equipment for a reason.

Connecting a so called “alternator-generator” to the trucks HV AC inverter could get you 800W of 12V Dc.

Finally, connecting directly to the 12V battery lugs or jump lugs, could get you 15VDC and lets say over 1000Watts. With the truck in ACC/on mode.
This is the quickest and most reasonable way to (hack) the system. lol

In a Prius , I used to pull 450w of 15V DC from a direct connection to the little 12V battery, with the car on. The real advantage of this is no voltage sag over time.
Its DC DC converter had no problem with that. About 30amps.
Way more than you could get from a cigarette lighter plug.

 

[HOTAS]

What that number is, I have no idea, but who ever wants to experiment, should reserve enough energy to keep the Lightning ~running~ to employ the onboard DC/DC converter active, otherwise the house of cards will collapse.

Mustang Mach E ….The GT models are reported to have a 220A DC/DC converter, which would limit you to around 1750W converter output. Remember that converters are not 100% efficient so the input wattage will be higher than the output wattage and must be accounted for so you don't overload the 12V system. The car needs 30-40A left to run its systems while on. Bet the spec sheet says make sure the max inverter input amps does not exceed around 180A.
Lightning would be in that ballpark.

 

[TaxmanHog]

I have a 32kWh Zendure "solar generator" system in an off grid shipping container. I

At the end of the days solar production what is your state of charge on the Zendure and how many kWh of energy do you anticipate needing during dark hours for operations and charging?

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