Auto sensing for Travel charger/connection

[earlyadopt]

For a lack of correctly describing the charge connector as a charger, I hope we don't get stuck here. My son is looking to install a NEMA plug at his house so that I can charge there rather than traveling the countryside to get a charge at a fast charge. His pannel is limited in what it can offer, so instead of a 60 amp line, he can only do a 30 Amp breaker. I should know this but I am not sure if the Ford portable charge/connector is auto sensing and will only draw 24 Amps or will it pop the breaker because it wants to draw higher Amps?
I am aware that a regular wall connector can be pushed down to only 30 amps as a max but not sure about the Ford travel connector/charger

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[TaxmanHog]

Is the truck a 2025+ Lightning?
If so, the rate of demand by the truck can be reduced.

But honestly, you need that FMC on a 40 or 50 amp rated circuit (Wire & Breaker) for a NEMA 14-50 outlet

 

[RickLightning]

For a lack of correctly describing the charge connector as a charger, I hope we don't get stuck here. My son is looking to install a NEMA plug at his house so that I can charge there rather than traveling the countryside to get a charge at a fast charge. His pannel is limited in what it can offer, so instead of a 60 amp line, he can only do a 30 Amp breaker. I should know this but I am not sure if the Ford portable charge/connector is auto sensing and will only draw 24 Amps or will it pop the breaker because it wants to draw higher Amps?
I am aware that a regular wall connector can be pushed down to only 30 amps as a max but not sure about the Ford travel connector/charger

I don't know what a "regular wall connector" is, but yes SOME EVSEs are adjustable. Of course you want 24 amps, not 30, as you noted previously.

As @TaxmanHog notes, only the 2025 Lightning can regulate the power it pulls, at this time. No idea if that's going to come to earlier models.

If you're son is putting in a circuit, you must plan on being there a lot. We visit my son in Florida 1 to 2 times a year. 120v is fine for that, we're there for 5 or more days, and we get fully charged before leaving. Sure, if we use the vehicle daily we have to fast charge, but spending hundreds on a new outlet is not justified for us.

 

[Charge_Rob]

To use the Ford Mobile Power Cord at 240V, you need a NEMA 14-50 outlet.

To install a NEMA 14-50 outlet, you need (per code) a 40A or 50A circuit.

Continuous load devices (like chargers) need to use 80% or less of a circuit's capacity. (32A on 40A, 12A on 15A, 48A on 60A, etc.).

So to do this right, to install a 30A circuit, you need a 30A outlet, which is not a NEMA 14-50. You will then need a different charger which can use that 30A outlet natively. And then, on that 30A outlet, with that other charger, you would charge at 24A or less.

 

[hturnerfamily]

... install a NEMA plug
... can only do a 30 Amp breaker
... auto sensing
... regular wall connector

it's hard to totally understand your scenario/situation, since electrical 'terms' vary, depending on who you are talking to... but...

- a 'NEMA' plug you refer to, could be 20a, 30a, or 50amp... are you referring to 240v 50amp?
I have a 240v 20a EVSE that uses a smaller outlet that more easily 'fits' into most Main Panels since it is a smaller wire set, lower AMPERAGE 240v breaker set, and, of course, draws less overall AMPERAGE from the panel, if that is a concern. While it doesn't charge 'as fast' as the more typical 30amp EVSE, it works quite nicely, especially for long, overnight, charging sessions...

If, though, you feel like you 'must' use a larger EVSE with 'adjustable' features, you can adapt it to whatever AMPERAGE for your situation. The original Ford Mobile EVSE will not adjust, though, but newer versions 'may'.

I have a 240v 50amp ADJUSTABLE EVSE that I use daily, for both our LIGHTNING and our EV9, as needed. I can adjust it down, if needed, or use the total 30amp output. While my LIGHTNING does not have it's own way to adjust the incoming AMPERAGE, interestingly, the EV9 does ALLOW for a change of settings from 100%, to 90%, and even 60%.... so, you don't need to change your EVSE, you can just lower the car's own requirements.

- I also assume you are referring to a 240v 30amp breaker, which is typical for home Electric Dryers, etc. If it's not 240v, no, you'll not have success using that circuit, unless you are making use of the Ford Mobile EVSE's 120v adapter, although, it, too, will not make use of 30amps, but only maybe 12.
Be careful, though, a 'dryer' outlet may not be the same as your EVSE's plug...you would need a special adapter between the two, if so.

- 'auto sensing' is not a thing, I don't believe. I'm not sure how any EVSE would be able to 'test' a circuit for AMPERAGE. The truck determines the requirement of 30amps, and the only way you can lower the AMPERAGE from the Main Panel is by using an Adjustable EVSE, where YOU tell the EVSE how much maximum AMPERAGE it can use... the truck then just drinks at a slower rate : )

- 'regular wall connector' means a typical household 120v outlet? YES, the Ford Mobile EVSE has an adapter for that, although it will be VERY slow... probably not a working option, unless you are parked for DAYS.

 

[Maquis]

This is not a recommendation. If you smoke it, you own it!!


If you run a 20A, 240V circuit to a regular NEMA 5-20R receptacle outlet, you can plug the Ford EVSE into it using its 120V dongle and charge at approximately 2.8 KW which is double the L1 rate. Just don’t EVER plug anything else into that outlet. Switch the breaker off when not in use.
Or run the circuit to a 240V receptacle and make an adapter cord with a matching 240V plug on one end and a standard 120V female end.

 

[Fastnf]

Emporia makes a load sensing charger that will automatically adjust to available capacity of the panel. It is designed for people who can't upgrade their current panel.

Here is a recent video on it from State of Charge

 

[SpaceEVDriver]

There’s no device that can sense the allowable amperage on a circuit (not without a smart breaker on that circuit). In a dumb circuit, the breaker protects the circuit. The circuit is designed to carry some maximum load to the receptacle. The receptacle is designed such that manufacturers know they should not put a matching plug on their device unless the device pulls no more than the allowed amperage.

People bypassing these safety standards cause houses to burn down.

One of my mobile chargers has a default NEMA 6-20 (240V, 20A) plug. It has half a dozen adapters that allow it to plug into almost everything.

120V:
NEMA 5-15
NEMA 5-20

240V:
NEMA 6-50
NEMA 14-50
NEMA 14-30
NEMA 10-50

I also carry a TT-30 (120V, 30A) adapter and several other secondary adapters in the 240V range, none of which can plug into a receptacle rated lower than 20 Amps.

The EVSE senses the VOLTAGE across the terminals and chooses whether it will pull 15A or 20A, based on whether it senses 120V or 240V, respectively. I can’t overload it, nor can I overload the circuits it can pull from. But it’s also relatively slow charger regardless of what it’s plugged into. It isn’t designed to be a fast charger, just an emergency charger.

 

[chl]

To use the Ford Mobile Power Cord at 240V, you need a NEMA 14-50 outlet.

To install a NEMA 14-50 outlet, you need (per code) a 40A or 50A circuit.

Continuous load devices (like chargers) need to use 80% or less of a circuit's capacity. (32A on 40A, 12A on 15A, 48A on 60A, etc.).

So to do this right, to install a 30A circuit, you need a 30A outlet, which is not a NEMA 14-50. You will then need a different charger which can use that 30A outlet natively. And then, on that 30A outlet, with that other charger, you would charge at 24A or less.

Not only all that, but the NEMA code requires GFCI on plug-in EVSE circuits now, which sometimes causes some EVSE's troubles (not sure if the FMPC is one of them).

 

[Mmccarthy]

For a lack of correctly describing the charge connector as a charger, I hope we don't get stuck here. My son is looking to install a NEMA plug at his house so that I can charge there rather than traveling the countryside to get a charge at a fast charge. His pannel is limited in what it can offer, so instead of a 60 amp line, he can only do a 30 Amp breaker. I should know this but I am not sure if the Ford portable charge/connector is auto sensing and will only draw 24 Amps or will it pop the breaker because it wants to draw higher Amps?
I am aware that a regular wall connector can be pushed down to only 30 amps as a max but not sure about the Ford travel connector/charger

If you're using the Ford Mobile Charger that came with your truck, check if the 14-50 cord has a yellow band on it. I believe the yellow banded cord limits the charger to 24amps so that it may be used with the 7.2kW Pro Power outlet to "roadside" charge another EV. My truck even came with a NEMA L14-30 to 14-50 adapter. If you have all this, have your son install a 30amp 240v circuit with a NEMA L14-30 outlet and use the included adapter with the yellow-banded cord on your mobile charger. As others have said, EVSE intended outlets are now required to GFCI protected to meet code, but an L14-30 twist-lock outlet wouldn't typically be associated with EVSE use.

 

[Maquis]

If you're using the Ford Mobile Charger that came with your truck, check if the 14-50 cord has a yellow band on it. I believe the yellow banded cord limits the charger to 24amps so that it may be used with the 7.2kW Pro Power outlet to "roadside" charge another EV. My truck even came with a NEMA L14-30 to 14-50 adapter. If you have all this, have your son install a 30amp 240v circuit with a NEMA L14-30 outlet and use the included adapter with the yellow-banded cord on your mobile charger. As others have said, EVSE intended outlets are now required to GFCI protected to meet code, but an L14-30 twist-lock outlet wouldn't typically be associated with EVSE use.

The yellow band dongle drops it from 32 to 30. Not 24.

 

[hturnerfamily]

Emporia makes a load sensing charger that will automatically adjust to available capacity of the panel

no, not really:
don't confuse the question of
"can an EVSE automatically sense the maximum amperage it can use from the outlet/circuit it is plugged into" with
this mentioned 'smart EVSE equipment'.
This EVSE is NOT the EVSE being 'smart', but the device which you have to INSTALL within the main panel, to monitor the home's usage.
Even this internal device does not automatically sense the main panel's Amperage - YOU must tell it

so, the idea of a device which can automatically sense the maximum amperage for ANY outlet, circuit, or main panel, is NOT a thing.
For any such device to work in that capacity would require the 'sensing' to test the amperage capacity, constantly, and which could only be known WHEN the breaker trips.

the video is actually alluding to those EV owners who don't want to deal with potential nuisance tripping of their MAIN BREAKER, not the individual EVSE circuit breaker.... such as someone with a smaller panel, whether in an apartment or just someone who is close to 'maxing out' their panel's capacity when charging their EV.
The device can then 'adjust' the EVSE amperage request to maintain the maximum output within the Main Panel's maximum output. That's a mouthful, yes, and is probably not a great option, and an expensive one, for most.
An adjustable EVSE would make for a much easier device. Some EVs also integrate adjustable amperage within the vehicle, or through the vehicle's app, like our EV9, and our son's Chevy BOLT.

this also doesn't take into consideration the need for an electrician to install it.

 

[hturnerfamily]

This is not a recommendation. If you smoke it, you own it

not sure what you are referring to, but dedicated 240v 20amp outlets are designed with a different prong configuration, although they may initially look seemingly identical to a traditional home wall outlet - but the prongs are HORIZONTAL, rather than VERTICAL. There is NO WAY to plug any traditional 120v device into it.

also, if you are referring to a 120v 20amp outlet, it TOO is not designed the same way as a traditional household outlet, as it comes with the option of using either a traditional 120v device's 15amp male plug, OR a device's 120v 20amp male plug, which has one prong in the VERTICAL position, and alludes to it's need for 'more power', using closer to the 20amps maximum. These are not as common, but many homes will now use 120v 20amp outlets/circuits for most all of the home's wall outlets, since we all now tend to have many more electric devices and appliances throughout.

none of this will 'smoke it'... as you might be suggesting. Although my toaster DOES smoke from time to time, as I like my toast or bagel 'burnt' : )

 

[Maquis]

not sure what you are referring to, but dedicated 240v 20amp outlets are designed with a different prong configuration, although they may initially look seemingly identical to a traditional home wall outlet - but the prongs are HORIZONTAL, rather than VERTICAL. There is NO WAY to plug any traditional 120v device into it.

also, if you are referring to a 120v 20amp outlet, it TOO is not designed the same way as a traditional household outlet, as it comes with the option of using either a traditional 120v device's 15amp male plug, OR a device's 120v 20amp male plug, which has one prong in the VERTICAL position, and alludes to it's need for 'more power', using closer to the 20amps maximum. These are not as common, but many homes will now use 120v 20amp outlets/circuits for most all of the home's wall outlets, since we all now tend to have many more electric devices and appliances throughout.

none of this will 'smoke it'... as you might be suggesting. Although my toaster DOES smoke from time to time, as I like my toast or bagel 'burnt' : )

What I was referring to was wiring up a 5-15 receptacle to 240V. I would never do that, but it will work with the Mobile Charger.

 

[hturnerfamily]

...'wiring up' a 120v 15amp household outlet to '240v' power would require a rather in-depth understanding of what to do to accomplish that - moving it's Neutral wire in the main panel to the other side of a new 240v breaker, along with also moving the regular hot wire to that same new breaker...
that's not something someone will 'accidentally' do, or even most capable folks would even contemplate... although,

yes, it can be done, and there is nothing inherently 'wrong' with it, either, as it is wired EXACTLY as any other 3-prong 240v outlet would be - what you are actually concerned with, safety wise, is that it is now a 240v outlet, which 'could' accidentally accept any typical 120v plug, if not labeled correctly.
This is also why the actual NEMA 240v 20amp outlet has a third prong on the HORIZONTAL - to prevent the 'accidental' insertion of a standard 120v plug. But, that is the only difference, of course. I have a 240v 20amp EVSE that uses this exact plug configuration.

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