Recent content by John Becker

Well, I'm anal. I overthink everything. Also, I was getting mysterious power off messages to preserve the battery (or something like that.)

The short answer is yes. The truck has to be on to use PPO. I hope it is okay to charge the LVB with the truck on. There are a lot of smart people on this forum who can answer that.

For many years and multiple threads on this forum, I’ve read about the problems with Ford’s inability to keep the LVB properly charged. Behold my Kentucky engineering: It was as simple as plugging in my NOCO Genius 10 into the frunk’s 120v outlet and clamping it onto the 12v battery. Let me...

And now that I'm thinking about it, the NOCO GENIUS 10 would be better in the scenario I described. A maintainer might not be adequate for people who don't use their truck as much.

Any reason why a NOCO GENIUS1 (or similar maintainer) couldn't be plugged into a 120v outlet inside the cab and then direct the power into a 12v round receptacle? That way, the LVB will always be charging when the truck is on. Or am I wrong about that?

Good finds. What search tool did you use?

I initially ruled out the Rivian because I believed that it couldn't carry plywood flat. I've since been corrected on that. I'd have to take a closer look, but it appears to be adequate for my needs.

I like your reasoning. Lack of an instrument cluster behind the steering wheel is a "simplification" that I can't get my head around. I'm interested in Rivian and Hummer. The Rivian is likely more practical, but the Hummer is bold.

Maybe it's just me, but I've found that I use the A-pillar grab handle every time I get in and out of the truck. As I'm shopping the competition, the driver's side A-pillar grab handle appears to be a unique feature on the Lightning. My 2014 F150 XLT didn't have one on the driver's side. (I...

The short answer is that it's a matter of allocating research and development costs as well as plant and equipment costs to each vehicle. The greater the quantity of vehicles produced, the lower the per unit cost. By ending production, an enormous amount of dollars had to be written off as a...

Now that the Lightning is discontinued and assuming you are in the market for a 2026 MY full size EV pickup truck, what would be your 2nd choice and why?

Over, maybe, a 10 year period, I've moved from hell no on BEV to hell no on ICE. That said, I'm a believer in having the right tool for the job. If I were towing a heavy camper across country, I'd get a diesel. People routinely ask me what the range is on my Lightning. I tell them "all day...

Thanks! That is easy.

I did take a quick look at FordPass at the time. It wasn't obvious to me what to do. I didn't see a button telling me to "press here to begin charging." But the credit card scan was easy.

I got devirginized today (11/25/2025). My first real road trip in my 2023 F-150 Lightning Lariat SR: 167 miles from Eastgate (Cincinnati) to Findlay, Ohio. Short version: everything went better than expected. (Once again, I over-planned. But hey, I’m anal like that.) I left the house at 8:15...