SR to ER battery swap DIY project

[Theredshift]

Rolled the dice on this ER battery on eBay. Anyone else out there do this yet? Wish me luck boys and girls.

Will definitely be following this because i had reached out to ford and they told me due to software issues, etc that they didnt recommend going from a standard battery to extended. Told.me that the truck would have issues but i consistently stay impressed with the know.how with all of you guys on this forum so interesting to see how this unfolds. Pretty cool!

Sponsored

 

[kf59]

This makes me wonder, can you use part of your SR battery to make a portable range extender?

Better yet, can the SR be hooked to a solar system for some serious back up storage? Tired of watching my excess leak back to the power company at near zero value.

 

[jwrezz]

This makes me wonder, can you use part of your SR battery to make a portable range extender?

Or a home backup!

 

[jwrezz]

Better yet, can the SR be hooked to a solar system for some serious back up storage? Tired of watching my excess leak back to the power company at near zero value.

Sorry, I replied before seeing your reply!
But yeah, those DIY battery storage systems you're lucky to get above 5kwh out of any wall mount battery. Imagine having 10-20 times that?!?

 

[kdkool]

Better yet, can the SR be hooked to a solar system for some serious back up storage? Tired of watching my excess leak back to the power company at near zero value.

You could but it'd be alot of reconfiguring of the cells in the SR pack to get it to your existing solar battery bank voltages along with a custom BMS. At that point, you're just harvesting cells. It would however be nice if I could figure out how to repurpose the onboard level 2 charger and 2 phase inverter... the options would open up quite a bit...

 

[F150ROD]

Huh? There’s a difference between the SR & ER shocks/springs? This is the first time I’ve heard that.

I believe it’s due to weight difference, the valving is different. If I recall this was explained during development but I am not 100% sure

From Grok:

Even between the Standard Range (SR) and Extended Range (ER) models, while some front components may look the same, the rear suspension parts have different part numbers to accommodate the weight difference between the battery sizes.

 

[MAPO CZ]

Has Ford considered the possibility of manufacturing and selling an additional battery that could be placed in the truck bed? I think it would be an interesting advertising move, with the F150 Lightning having a range of up to 900 km...

 

[kdkool]

Has Ford considered the possibility of manufacturing and selling an additional battery that could be placed in the truck bed? I think it would be an interesting advertising move, with the F150 Lightning having a range of up to 900 km...

It'd have no payload left with the current battery technology. The ER battery pack is 1800lbs which would leave you with maybe 200lbs for the driver at max payload.

 

[F150guy]

following (even though I have ER now).

 

[jobofly79]

It'd have no payload left with the current battery technology. The ER battery pack is 1800lbs which would leave you with maybe 200lbs for the driver at max payload.

Right but you wouldnt need the entire pack. But maybe a 32 kwh pack to put in the bed.

 

[jwrezz]

Has Ford considered the possibility of manufacturing and selling an additional battery that could be placed in the truck bed? I think it would be an interesting advertising move, with the F150 Lightning having a range of up to 900 km...

At this point we are talking about an F150 that weighs as much as an F350. The Lightning is already a ton over an ICE F150. Tom's video about local street weight limits brings EVs into a new light. Those Chevy, GMC and Hummer vehicles are over 4 tons. I think the F150 nailed it by keeping it close to 3 tons with a bit less range. All that extra weight for an extra few miles? Did you see the Hummer? It's like the old GM Hummers as far as inefficiency.

 

[NW Ontario Ford Lightning]

Better yet, can the SR be hooked to a solar system for some serious back up storage? Tired of watching my excess leak back to the power company at near zero value.

Yes.
Several ways, but the simplest is to treat the HV DC battery like it is a solar array - feed this to a suitable AIO inverter that can accept the 300-400 VDC input connect to PV input on the inverter.
To recharge the EV battery pack is easiest done with the original charging system from the truck.

Sorry for the side-track, back to the thread topic.

 

[MAPO CZ]

You're right about the weight. This is a major problem, especially for the EU market, even though legislative changes for electric cars are already being considered. Getting my Lightning (131 kW battery) approved in the EU took some work, even in its original factory condition.
Of course, the total weight is also a matter of practicality and economy...

 

[Maxx]

At this point we are talking about an F150 that weighs as much as an F350. The Lightning is already a ton over an ICE F150. Tom's video about local street weight limits brings EVs into a new light. Those Chevy, GMC and Hummer vehicles are over 4 tons. I think the F150 nailed it by keeping it close to 3 tons with a bit less range. All that extra weight for an extra few miles? Did you see the Hummer? It's like the old GM Hummers as far as inefficiency.

I have gone outside my SR range only 5 days out of the past three years. And during all those 5 days superchargers were available to Ford. I am already carrying cells I don’t use that often. ER makes no sense for my use case. I love my Lightning but my next EV will be much more efficient.

That said, I love to see how this swap goes.

 

[jwrezz]

The only thing a 5 ton SUV or 4 ton pickup is good for, is flexing. The amount of Hummer EV's I already see on the roads is so unnecessary and the people driving them are completely unqualified (IMO). The work I had to do to get the lowest level of CDL , (and training needed to drive the fire trucks I'm qualified on) should be the requirement for anyone purchasing anything above a 3/4 ton pickup. In NJ:
Class A includes

• Any vehicle having a gross combination weight rating (GCWR) or gross combination weight of 26,001 pounds or more, whichever is greater, inclusive of a towed unit(s) with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) or gross vehicle weight of more than 10,000 pounds, whichever is greater.
• Any vehicle in a B or C category, if you have qualified for the proper extra endorsements.

Class B includes

• Any vehicle having a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, or a vehicle with a registered weight of 26,001 pounds or more, or a vehicle with a GVW of 26,001 pounds or more, or displays a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more,whichever is greater.
• Vehicles in a Class C category – provided you have qualified for the proper extra endorsements.

Class C includes

• Any vehicle transporting or used in the transportation of hazardous materials, with mandatory placard.
• Any vehicle designed to carry 16 or more passengers, including the driver.
• If the vehicle is operated by, or under contract with, a public or governmental agency, or religions or other charitable organization or corporation, or is privately operated, and is used for the transportation of children to or from a school, school-connected activity, day camp, summer day camp, summer residence camp, nursery school, child care center, preschool center or other similar places of education.
• Any vehicle used for hire and designed to transport eight or more, but less than 16 persons, including the driver.

Again, my opinion, but we used to have to be worried about little old ladies sitting below the steering wheel of their 5000 pound Cadillac or Lincoln. Now we let the same people drive vehicles weighing nearly twice that?

Sponsored