branden
Well-known member
- Thread starter
- #1
I've been working on data-logging DC fast charges on my Ford F-150 Lightning and trying to keep conditions as scientific as possible.
Everybody assumes slow charging means a hot battery, but in many cases the battery isn't even the first thing that throttles you.
When using NACS with an adapter or passively cooled CCS cable, it's the DC pins in the charge port. They heat up quick, hit ~80C, and the truck starts pulling power back while the battery is still sitting in the 38-40C range. The battery doesn't get to its own limit (~45C) until later, and that's what drags out the back half of the session.
When using an actively cooled CCS cable, the pin temps are no longer a concern like they were last year. (Thanks to the new PT update earlier this year that shifted the limit from ~60C to ~80C - where it should've been all along).
If you've made it past the pin temp limits, once you get to ~60% (starting at 10% - may shift if starting higher), you'll hit the pack thermal limit of 45C max pack temp. You want to precondition via nav or by running Sport / Tow/Haul mode, either of which will cool your battery to 30C.
In many cases, it's really two limits back to back. First, pin temps, then pack temp.
How hot it is outside typically decides how bad it gets. At 12C neither limit even showed up. Did the usual Lightning boost for ~10min and gradual taper and then fairly flat ~130kW to 80% with the coolant heater was actually warming the pack initially. At 33C+ (90F) ambient you get both. In between, it depends on starting pack temp, sun load, etc.
I even tested freezing my adapter. Chilled adapter vs frunk temp (warm), everything else the same. It does work, kept the pin about 13C cooler and bought me 8 extra minutes of high power. If you're charging deep (10-80%), it doesn't make much of a difference as your outrun the thermal headroom you gained, but if you unplug at ~60% it's actually useful. 2.8kWh additional in 28 min.
The actually useful part: on a hot day, pull the plug around 55-60%. The last 20% charges about 2.5x slower than everything before it. Charge to 60 and roll. Cold day it doesn't matter, there's no slow tail.
Full breakdown + charts:
Everybody assumes slow charging means a hot battery, but in many cases the battery isn't even the first thing that throttles you.
When using NACS with an adapter or passively cooled CCS cable, it's the DC pins in the charge port. They heat up quick, hit ~80C, and the truck starts pulling power back while the battery is still sitting in the 38-40C range. The battery doesn't get to its own limit (~45C) until later, and that's what drags out the back half of the session.
When using an actively cooled CCS cable, the pin temps are no longer a concern like they were last year. (Thanks to the new PT update earlier this year that shifted the limit from ~60C to ~80C - where it should've been all along).
If you've made it past the pin temp limits, once you get to ~60% (starting at 10% - may shift if starting higher), you'll hit the pack thermal limit of 45C max pack temp. You want to precondition via nav or by running Sport / Tow/Haul mode, either of which will cool your battery to 30C.
In many cases, it's really two limits back to back. First, pin temps, then pack temp.
How hot it is outside typically decides how bad it gets. At 12C neither limit even showed up. Did the usual Lightning boost for ~10min and gradual taper and then fairly flat ~130kW to 80% with the coolant heater was actually warming the pack initially. At 33C+ (90F) ambient you get both. In between, it depends on starting pack temp, sun load, etc.
I even tested freezing my adapter. Chilled adapter vs frunk temp (warm), everything else the same. It does work, kept the pin about 13C cooler and bought me 8 extra minutes of high power. If you're charging deep (10-80%), it doesn't make much of a difference as your outrun the thermal headroom you gained, but if you unplug at ~60% it's actually useful. 2.8kWh additional in 28 min.
The actually useful part: on a hot day, pull the plug around 55-60%. The last 20% charges about 2.5x slower than everything before it. Charge to 60 and roll. Cold day it doesn't matter, there's no slow tail.
Full breakdown + charts:
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