Real-World Home Power Backup Options Using F-150 Lightning

[Traconesu]

At the present time you must go to the vehicle screen then turn off the first item in the list.

I believe ford could send an OTA update that would allow us to use pro power without starting the vehicle.

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[25StarWhiteLightning]

I was trying to implement Option E with a rotary switch to go from floating or bonded neutrals by disconnecting the ground when using bonded systems like the Lightning and then floating when using portable generator. Any issues with the functionality of this?

 

[flyct]

I was trying to implement Option E with a rotary switch to go from floating or bonded neutrals by disconnecting the ground when using bonded systems like the Lightning and then floating when using portable generator. Any issues with the functionality of this?

If that rotary switch is used to disconnect the ground connection from the inlet box to the breaker panel it’s an obvious code violation. An inspector that would inspect some other electrical installation would red tag your house.

I would keep the interlock bypass and generator inlet box connection code compliant.

I have the generator inlet wired with L1, L2, Neutral, Ground. I have a standard generator cable that I use with my gas generator. I have a “special” generator cable that I keep in the truck bed when using the truck 240v/30a connection to the generator inlet box.

 

[flyct]

I just installed the Micro-Air Flex SoftStart unit onto my AC compressor and it works like a charm! It took about 30 minutes, and 25 minutes was finding a place to put the unit and securing it.

Thanks. $400 well spent.

I mounted my MicroAir under the wire box and used a weatherproof gland to enter the wire box,

 

[25StarWhiteLightning]

If that rotary switch is used to disconnect the ground connection from the inlet box to the breaker panel it’s an obvious code violation. An inspector that would inspect some other electrical installation would red tag your house.

I would keep the interlock bypass and generator inlet box connection code compliant.

I have the generator inlet wired with L1, L2, Neutral, Ground. I have a standard generator cable that I use with my gas generator. I have a “special” generator cable that I keep in the truck bed when using the truck 240v/30a connection to the generator inlet box.

I honestly don't see the risk if people are just going to remove the bonded neutral from a generator to make the inlet box work. If I could make my truck a floating neutral, I would.

I thought about the cable solution as well. And on your "special" cable you clipped your ground so it is usable with the truck pro power?

 

[shelnian]

Easiest solution is to connect your portable generator frame/ground to the neutral lead at the generator output receptacle. This doesn't meet code, but is how it was done for years before GFCIs were available.

 

[Traconesu]

I was trying to implement Option E with a rotary switch to go from floating or bonded neutrals by disconnecting the ground when using bonded systems like the Lightning and then floating when using portable generator. Any issues with the functionality of this?

If your rotary switch is only removing the ground from the generator receptical when powering from the lightning that would still be within code.

 

[Traconesu]

If that rotary switch is used to disconnect the ground connection from the inlet box to the breaker panel it’s an obvious code violation. An inspector that would inspect some other electrical installation would red tag your house.

I would keep the interlock bypass and generator inlet box connection code compliant.

I have the generator inlet wired with L1, L2, Neutral, Ground. I have a standard generator cable that I use with my gas generator. I have a “special” generator cable that I keep in the truck bed when using the truck 240v/30a connection to the generator inlet box.

It appears he's only lifting the ground wire from the receptical which is definitely by code if using a bonded neutral source (such as the lightning) to power the receptical.

 

[Traconesu]

I honestly don't see the risk if people are just going to remove the bonded neutral from a generator to make the inlet box work. If I could make my truck a floating neutral, I would.

I thought about the cable solution as well. And on your "special" cable you clipped your ground so it is usable with the truck pro power?

Even if you could make the truck a floating neutral that would be dangerous when using it to power anything. Keep in mind the truck is the same as a main service panel and should always have a bonded neutral for saftey. Without a bonded ground on your truck you could get an electrical shock if you're body came in contact with a good ground and your device developed a short.

Floating ground generators can be dangerous for the same reason.

 

[flyct]

I honestly don't see the risk if people are just going to remove the bonded neutral from a generator to make the inlet box work. If I could make my truck a floating neutral, I would.

I thought about the cable solution as well. And on your "special" cable you clipped your ground so it is usable with the truck pro power?

Actually it's a custom cable with 3 wire 10 AWG SOOW cable with a L14-30P on one end and a L14-30R on the other end. The 3 wires only connect the two hots and the Neutral. I keep it stored in the Lightning's truck bed, locked in the truck bed Swing Case.

It's a cable I put together together 20 years ago to deal with the long Power outage from Hurricane Wilma in South Florida. At that time I was using a gas generator and at that time I ran another 10 Gauge green THHN wire to the ground pins on both ends. The Green Ground wire in no longer there.

When I use the Gas Generator I have a standard 25 foot Generator Cable https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TRQDDQ9

 

[Thunder240]

@Joneii @TaxmanHog I’m intrigued by your setups, but I’d like the flexibility of also being able to send power directly from the truck to the critical loads. Are either of you using your Ecoflow DPs together with Generac transfer switch? If not, do you think this can be done, or is the Generac’s grounding incompatible with the DP?

Also, is the reason you each have 2x DPs for the added capacity, or are you using them simultaneously to power more circuits? If the latter, how does this work?

 

[TaxmanHog]

@TaxmanHog I’m intrigued by your setups, but I’d like the flexibility of also being able to send power directly from the truck to the critical loads. Are either of you using your Ecoflow DPs together with Generac transfer switch? If not, do you think this can be done, or is the Generac’s grounding incompatible with the DP?

Also, is the reason you each have 2x DPs for the added capacity, or are you using them simultaneously to power more circuits? If the latter, how does this work?

My operation of the DP's is (STILL after 3 years) independent of the house wiring, the neutral bonding on the house load center will trip the GFi on PPOB unless I set up a neutral switching panel and all the related emergency load as well as recharging circuits coming from PPOB were isolated, at some point I'd like to get the smart home panel set up and covering my critical circuits.

I have the 2 inverter systems and 2 extra batteries, one is powering the boiler & fridge, while the other would be recharged by the PPOB via heavy duty extension cable and no loads connected.

So far we haven't had extensive multi-day power outages to push the operating limits & theory.

BTW, I'm in the camp of maintaining the ground circuit coming out of the truck.

 

[Thunder240]

I’m gonna try option C + EF Delta Pro. I like the idea of using the Delta Pro to power the critical loads, then recharging it from the Lightning. Order placed (hopefully I still get some IRA dollars).

 

[Thunder240]

Electrician just installed a Generac Homelink — it works! I’m able to power critical loads from the Lightning. Still waiting on the EF EV X-stream adapter to arrive.

 

[fhteagle]

Just got a Sol-Ark 15K running at the other house, including generator inlet to charge from the Lightning or a (gasp) gasoline open frame portable gen. Had to lift the ground at the generator inlet itself to prevent the Lightning's ground fault detection from seeing a double N-G bond, but I believe this is kosher per NEC 250.34B. Any licensed electricians in the room please feel free to tell me if this is BS before we go for final inspection lol....

Sol-Ark wants to run all of the house loads from the gen inlet first, and does not seem to respect the gen limit setting very well. This caused the Lightning to trip off due to overload a couple of times.

The Lightning does not have any kind of an auto-reset / turn itself back on after an overload for the PPOB bed outlets, correct?

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