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

[Thunder240]

I can’t speak to overload fault, but a PPOB ground fault can be reset from the Ford app.

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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[fhteagle]

I can’t speak to overload fault, but a PPOB ground fault can be reset from the Ford app.

I'll look again next time I have ppob up and running, but I don't think that feature is available on my '22....

 

[Thunder240]

Got it. I have a ‘25 Flash, which I should have said.

 

[hturnerfamily]

I'll look again next time I have ppob up and running, but I don't think that feature is available on my '22....

ground fault 'reset' is certainly available on our '22 models, as it comes up on the Center screen, asking you if you want to 'try again' or 'reset' or something similar...

you can also PHYSICALLY retry, or reset the ProPower by simply pushing in the FUSE and/or GREEN ProPower button in the bed.

Now, this does not mean it will override any 'ground fault' issue, but just that you don't necessarily have to be in the cab to try it again...

I had one camper where the GF issue was never a problem.
The next camper would work, initially, but then start causing an issue.
Sometimes it would not work at all.

But, what I found out was that it wasn't 'just because' it was a camper, but that the camper's wiring to/within it's 120v 30a Main Panel, with an internal CONVERTER, created an issue when the HITCH COUPLE was attached to the truck's receiver ball. If I detached the trailer from the truck, the truck's ProPower had NO PROBLEMS providing all the power I needed to the camper, with no issues, running the overhead a/c unit, heaters, fans, microwave... everything.

So, sometimes it's a combination of the truck's sensitivity, but as well as sometimes the way a device, appliance, or, in this case, the camper's own Electrical panel, is wired, or grounded... and maybe some type of 'ground' loop that may be created. In this case, the metal to metal grounding of the camper's coupler to the truck's hitch ball was problematic. No worries : )

 

[fhteagle]

ground fault 'reset' is certainly available on our '22 models

Right, I can definitely do a reset from the center screen in the truck. I don't think I can start, stop, nor reset PPOB from the Ford App on my '22, which is what the message you were quoting was regarding.

 

[WXman]

BIG winter storm coming for Kentucky this weekend, so I'm going to start preparing. My house already has a transfer switch installed in the fuse panel, and I have a small Harbor Freight generator that I typically use to power all 120v stuff in the house during outages. However, now that I've got the Lightning I would like to try and use it instead.

I have the necessary cord to run from the truck to the outlet that feeds the breaker box/fuse panel. Is there anything else I need to consider as I get prepared for this? Or will it be as simple as plugging it up, throwing the transfer switch, and turning on Pro Power?

 

[ClevelandBeemer]

Is there anything else I need to consider as I get prepared for this? Or will it be as simple as plugging it up, throwing the transfer switch, and turning on Pro Power?

Test it first. Grounding may be and issue depending on how your transfer switch is wired. The truck has a bonded neutral.

Assuming grounding isn’t an issue, all you do is turn on pro-power and disable the 30-minute shut down timer.

 

[RLXXI]

If the ground fault trips the breaker, remove the ground wire from the connection. It's up to NEC code this way.

There is no true ground on a vehicle there are two sets of dc circuits hv and lv with two positives and two negatives, NO GROUND at all.

Your home should only have one bonded neutral at the first disconnect and a grounding rod where the ground is made.

You don't need to send a false ground from the truck that only trips ppob. The rv power cable I bought even comes with an adapter that eliminates that ground to prevent issues.

You'll only be using the two 110v lines and the neutral. The truck is in essence just another generator, treat it as such for all intents and purposes of this topic.

 

[tearitupsports]

BIG winter storm coming for Kentucky this weekend, so I'm going to start preparing. My house already has a transfer switch installed in the fuse panel, and I have a small Harbor Freight generator that I typically use to power all 120v stuff in the house during outages. However, now that I've got the Lightning I would like to try and use it instead.

I have the necessary cord to run from the truck to the outlet that feeds the breaker box/fuse panel. Is there anything else I need to consider as I get prepared for this? Or will it be as simple as plugging it up, throwing the transfer switch, and turning on Pro Power?

Keep in mind that the truck has no surge current. If you try to start some sort of motor load it is likely to trip. If you have some sort of pump on your emergency load panel then I would test it before the storm.

 

[flyct]

BIG winter storm coming for Kentucky this weekend, so I'm going to start preparing. My house already has a transfer switch installed in the fuse panel, and I have a small Harbor Freight generator that I typically use to power all 120v stuff in the house during outages. However, now that I've got the Lightning I would like to try and use it instead.

I have the necessary cord to run from the truck to the outlet that feeds the breaker box/fuse panel. Is there anything else I need to consider as I get prepared for this? Or will it be as simple as plugging it up, throwing the transfer switch, and turning on Pro Power?

As several members have responded, it likely will pop the truck breaker due to a ground fault sensed, unless you have a special transfer switch with neutral switched along with the hots

The way I worked around this is that I I built a special cable that I use just when using the truck to power the house. It doesn't have the ground connected at one end. It works perfectly.

If I connect a gas generator I use a standard unmodified generator cable.

I had a power outage 2 days ago when the recent cold front came through and trees took down power lines. I used the generator inlet to power the cabin,

 

[flyct]

I'm very impressed.

I bought the MicroAir EasyStart Flex with the installation kit from Amazon for $399. The installation kit included preinstalled spade connectors on 2 wires and a few WAGOs for splicing the wire from the compressor that goes to the contactor.

While I was doing the installation I measured the capacitor and it was readimg 10% low, out of range, so I replaced it at the same time. I also ordered a spare contractor. I figured if I had a spare it would never fail. ?

I mounted my MicroAir Flex outside and under the covered wire box. I used a 3/4” waterproof cable Gland to run the wire into the wire box. I had to drill a hole for the 3/4" Gland wire entrance with a step drill.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DKQN4XRJ MicroAir with installation kit

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B094ZFP22C ¾” waterproof Gland

This picture was taken prior to mounting the Microair unit to the condenser, but it shows WAGOs splicing the Brown and White MicroAir wire to the Compressor run wire at the contactor BEFORE I cleaned the wire mess up with Tie Wraps .

I am responding to my original post where I detailed the Micro Air installation. Here is a picture of the final placement of the unit. It works extremely well and allows me to use my truck to power the central AC at my cabin when power is out.

 

[WXman]

The way I worked around this is that I I built a special cable that I use just when using the truck to power the house. It doesn't have the ground connected at one end. It works perfectly.

I have a brand new 15' NEMA cord to connect my truck to my input outlet at the fuse panel. I've never used it yet. I think I'll try it, and in the likely scenario that it won't work I will then disconnect a ground at one end of the cord. I assume the best end to modify would be the end that plugs into the fuse panel?

 

[Joneii]

@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?

I use the 2 EF Delta Pros because I needed 240 v power to run my well pump. Otherwise one with a backup battery would have been fine. I don’t have a neutral switching transfer panel. My critical load sub panel was installed long before the Lightning was a reality and it was designed for a backup generator. It was easy to modify it for use with the EcoFlows, but the Lightning doesn’t like it (trips the GFCI).

Honestly, I would like to have the option to run the panel directly from the truck, but not enough to pay for a new sub panel. So far the EF’s connected to the house and the truck recharging the EFs has been great. When the power goes out I simply turn on the EFs, plug in my sub panel and my power is working. If the outage lasts longer than 24 hrs, then whenever it is convenient for me, I pull the truck down to the basement and run an extension cord to recharge the Deltas. I usually charge them one at a time at night so I don’t need the well pump. I can do this for 6 days and still have enough power to drive to the next town for a DC fast charger.

This system is so easy, that I’ve neglected my propane generator for about two years. I just tested it this week in prep for the snowmeggedon and it started right up after charging the battery. I was pleasantly surprised since I had not touched it for at least two years!

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