Keeping Accessories Running

[4x4TruckLEDs.com]

Soooo here's a question. Being our business is aftermarket accessories this opens up a whole new world for us... and a lot of questions.

Our question regards to 12V accessories, mainly a fridge for example.

What happens if we plug a 12V fridge in, and leave it on. We're constantly charging the truck so the DC batteries keep a charge, but what about the 12V system?

I know there is a small 12V battery in the frunk. It this JUST for the accessories, or what's it really for? Do the 12V ports get CONVERTED from DC or do those 12V plugs pull from the battery?

I assume the 12V battery gets recharged like a typical engine would with an alternator (probably uses a trickle charger???)

What about the 110V outlets. I'm guessing they definitely pull that (convert it) from the DC batteries right?

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[broncoaz]

I’m very interested in this. I currently have an ARB fridge, but may end up with an Engel for the Lightning.

Truck fridge = game changer.

 

[4x4TruckLEDs.com]

This 47qt is a bit too big but a smaller one would work

 

[merek]

This would probably answer many of your questions.

https://www.f150lightningforum.com/...–-w-12v-battery-power-and-ground-points.7461/

 

[broncoaz]

This 47qt is a bit too big but a smaller one would work

I have a Gen 1 37 quart, so it should fit. I was looking at the Engel because it wouldn’t come straight out the middle like you have the 47 quart sitting In that pic.

 

[Crilly]

A refrigerator is a heat transfer device. If it is in the frunk you are transferring the heat to someplace it has no place to go.

How do you vent the frunk?

 

[4x4TruckLEDs.com]

A refrigerator is a heat transfer device. If it is in the frunk you are transferring the heat to someplace it has no place to go.

How do you vent the frunk?

How does the battery in the frunk keep cool???

 

[Crilly]

The battery is behind a panel. Maybe removing the panel might be enough ventilation.

 

[broncoaz]

A refrigerator is a heat transfer device. If it is in the frunk you are transferring the heat to someplace it has no place to go.

How do you vent the frunk?

I consider myself an ARB fridge expert after living out of two different ones for more than 4 years while traveling for work 40+ weeks per year. I ran the ARB 37 quart in the trunk of my sedan for a couple of years without venting, I never had a problem. Before that it was a 50 quart in the cargo area of my Touareg, also not vented. The exterior temps and desert sun in Phoenix resulted in the car having interior temps of 140-160 degree F, the fridge didn’t appear to add much to that. I’m sure the fridge wasn’t operating at peak efficiency, but it kept my food cold.

I don’t anticipate issues running the ARB fridge in the frunk in Massachusetts with much cooler exterior temps.

 

[GDN]

The 12 volt supplies everything operational in the truck except the drive motors and the Pro Power. I do not know how they get the Pro Power to the plugs, but it won't be through the 12v.

Using a 12 volt applicance will put a lot of strain on the battery and the above mentioned article even notes it will likely cause the 12 v battery to fail sooner than normal use.

In this truck why wouldn't you consider using a 120v fridge/appliance over 12 v? I would think that conversion is more efficient and comes through a converter off of the HV battery.

 

[4x4TruckLEDs.com]

The 12 volt supplies everything operational in the truck except the drive motors and the Pro Power. I do not know how they get the Pro Power to the plugs, but it won't be through the 12v.

Using a 12 volt applicance will put a lot of strain on the battery and the above mentioned article even notes it will likely cause the 12 v battery to fail sooner than normal use.

In this truck why wouldn't you consider using a 120v fridge/appliance over 12 v? I would think that conversion is more efficient and comes through a converter off of the HV battery.

Usually you want to use 12V on the fridges since that is how they are setup. 110VAC causes you to lose energy. But in this case, since the battery is so small it would make more sense to go the 110VAC route so as not to put a drain on the smaller 12VDC "starter" battery and instead utilize the big battery

 

[GDN]

Usually you want to use 12V on the fridges since that is how they are setup. 110VAC causes you to lose energy. But in this case, since the battery is so small it would make more sense to go the 110VAC route so as not to put a drain on the smaller 12VDC "starter" battery and instead utilize the big battery

I would agree and I come from experience with Tesla. They have replaced them under warranty but a huge percentage of the Model 3's have had the 12v battery replaced. I figure this is due to some stress put on them or the way they are charged - not with an alternator, etc.

Tesla has updated all of their cars however in the last 12 months and there is no more lead acid 12 v. They have moved to a small LiIon 12v battery.

So once again I figure Ford is behind the 8 ball here with their engineering. They don't have the knowledge and years of data to show the 12v lead acids can't hold up to the way they are used in an EV. A few years time will tell and accessories could be a real challenge if Ford did change the 12v battery type.

 

[PV2EV]

I am surprised an EV maker has not added a DC tap of some type for the HVB. This would be very useful for the accessory market, and especially campers/trailers in the future. It would save inverter loss.

 

[beatle]

Good article on the 12v system and the necessary evil of the 12v battery:

https://jalopnik.com/why-electric-cars-still-use-ordinary-12-volt-batteries-1847209291

Aftermarket companies already make 12v lithium batteries that drop in, though I'd think even if they have an internal BMS to prevent deep discharge and to balance the internal cells, the truck's BMS that governs when to charge the 12v and by how much, would be sub optimal.

I wish the DC/DC converter were more robust. As it stands, according to Ford you only have 55A (660w) worth of accessories you can run on the 12v line.

 

[hturnerfamily]

interesting LIMITATION to the Frunk's 120v outlet....

Out Of Spec Reviews, on the latest 'Lightning as a power strip, charging 5 other EVs with ProPower', made mention of a fact no one has yet to consider:

The Frunk's 120v outlet(20amp) will only output the full 20amps when the truck is PARKED, and the Frunk is left OPEN/Cracked. He noted that when the frunk is closed, and/or the truck is in GEAR/motion, the output of the frunk's 120v outlets is LIMITED to 175watts(about 1 1/2 amps)... this could put a squash on those of us who have thought of using the 20amp outlet for a mini-fridge or similar powered appliance or device while traveling, if it exceeds that power need, at least in the Frunk area.

He did NOT mention whether this same limitation applies to any of the other 120v outlets, or the 240v 30amp outlet, while in Gear/motion - let's HOPE NOT!

ALSO... something else to consider along with this video is that he mentioned that while you are using the maximum 7.2kw output of the 240v 30amp outlet in the bed, you will NOT have any further output from the other 120v outlets in the bed - limiting the max output of the bed to 7.2kw, not the 9.6kw some of us have considered possible.... at least UNLESS the other outlets, like in the cab and in the frunk, are STILL active while using the 240v outlet.

Maybe a current owner can make this test happen to confirm one way or the other.

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