Opinions on Using Eco Idle?

[Leonardo Marques]

Well, I have been using this truck in a while and comparing Eco Idle Enabled and Disabled. The basic difference between Eco Idle and Normal Idle is that Eco Idle uses a higher RPM to charge the battery AND it charges more battery percentage. While Normal Idle charges up to 49%, the Eco Idle charges to 63%. It allows us to use the truck more time in silent with Engine off. (Of course, when they charge up to this limit, they turn the Engine Off until battery is about 40/41%)
As some people noticed, it increases the Engine noise while charging (but just a little bit, since this truck is amazingly silent), that's why Ford didn't make it default. While normal Idle operation usually gets Engine RPM to 1k, Eco Idle makes it > 1250 (usually 1300).
While you are using Pro power onboard (I mean really using it, not just charging a computer or so) and some other features that consumes more battery, Eco Idle will no longer be controlling the Engine, since the truck will need more power.

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[Stealthytt]

I turned it on right away after I got mine home. I think it runs the generator to charge up the battery while idling, then shuts off the engine sooner. You can feel the engine ramp up like there is load on it, and a slight rumble/vibration. After this, the engine will usually cut off and run off the battery. I've noticed it at stop lights as well while in drive. I was concerned at first, but this seems like normal operation (not sure how much is attributed to that settings vs normal hybrid operation).

Curious what everyone else has to say...

AFAIK ECO idle only works when in park, raises the idle up to charge faster... at lest thats the only time i notice it.

 

[astrand1]

As far as I can tell, it’s independent of propower. It doesn’t extend your idle timer (there is a separate setting for that) it just charges the battery “more efficiently” by running at higher rpm so that the truck can EV idle for longer/more efficiently. A scenario to me for example would be waiting on someone in the truck and want to keep the air on, or for people who idle for extended times on a job site. Pro power in generator mode will run the engine as necessary, regardless of eco idle setting

If you have generator mode on then it automatically disables the idle time limit. And I always leave eco idle on. As said before it will idle the trucks engine at a higher rpm to charge the battery faster and the engine will shut off quicker. Weather using generator or just driving etc.

 

[astrand1]

Well, I have been using this truck in a while and comparing Eco Idle Enabled and Disabled. The basic difference between Eco Idle and Normal Idle is that Eco Idle uses a higher RPM to charge the battery AND it charges more battery percentage. While Normal Idle charges up to 49%, the Eco Idle charges to 63%. It allows us to use the truck more time in silent with Engine off. (Of course, when they charge up to this limit, they turn the Engine Off until battery is about 40/41%)
As some people noticed, it increases the Engine noise while charging (but just a little bit, since this truck is amazingly silent), that's why Ford didn't make it default. While normal Idle operation usually gets Engine RPM to 1k, Eco Idle makes it > 1250 (usually 1300).
While you are using Pro power onboard (I mean really using it, not just charging a computer or so) and some other features that consumes more battery, Eco Idle will no longer be controlling the Engine, since the truck will need more power.

True. But I still always have eco on. When I was using truck to power my whole house during a outage awhile back the truck seemed to be off most of the time unless something like the water heater and frig came on at the same time it would ramp up but since the loads are so variable I like just leaving it on that way the truck is rhetorically as efficient as possible at all times.

 

[oneinch]

ECO IDLE

WHAT IS ECO IDLE

Eco idle reduces fuel consumption when your vehicle is in park (P) and idling for long periods of time. Eco idle more efficiently extends the use of features that are powered by the high voltage battery when your vehicle is stationary.

HOW DOES ECO IDLE WORK

Eco idle increases the engine idle speed above normal for a short period of time to efficiently charge the high voltage battery.

Note: Engine sound and vibration could be more noticeable.

 

[Leonardo Marques]

ECO IDLE

WHAT IS ECO IDLE

Eco idle reduces fuel consumption when your vehicle is in park (P) and idling for long periods of time. Eco idle more efficiently extends the use of features that are powered by the high voltage battery when your vehicle is stationary.

HOW DOES ECO IDLE WORK

Eco idle increases the engine idle speed above normal for a short period of time to efficiently charge the high voltage battery.

Note: Engine sound and vibration could be more noticeable.

You are right about the car being in park. This is one of Eco Idle preconditions (just as the accelerator pedal is unpressed and the vehicle's engines are not really could (in this case, the truck will use another strategy to control the engines to heat it))

About the fuel consumption, Eco Idle does not make a difference (I know it has 'Eco' in the name and we might think it saves fuel), the benefit it brings is basically a larger time with engine off. (and I know you took the info from the user's Manual, I read it too, but my tests showed this is wrong)

 

[oneinch]

Eco Idle seems like it might be useful in generator mode.

 

[darioa]

ECO IDLE

WHAT IS ECO IDLE

Eco idle reduces fuel consumption when your vehicle is in park (P) and idling for long periods of time. Eco idle more efficiently extends the use of features that are powered by the high voltage battery when your vehicle is stationary.

HOW DOES ECO IDLE WORK

Eco idle increases the engine idle speed above normal for a short period of time to efficiently charge the high voltage battery.

Note: Engine sound and vibration could be more noticeable.

I wonder if Eco Idle has anything to do with battery charging while driving. Oftentimes I have more than 50% hybrid battery charge and I am going downhill without trying to accelerate, and the ICE is still on, recharging the battery fast. If Eco Idle is not on, would the ICE turn off sooner if there is enough charge in the battery?

I'd like to test that but my truck has been in the shop for 2 weeks waiting for an alternator.

 

[Snakebitten]

Alternator?
On a Powerboost?

Belt Drive starter/generator, maybe.
Or the DC/DC converter.

Can't wait until the wait for Powerboost parts aren't so painful.

 

[darioa]

Alternator?
On a Powerboost?

Belt Drive starter/generator, maybe.
Or the DC/DC converter.

Can't wait until the wait for Powerboost parts aren't so painful.

The dealer says the alternator/starter test failed. One morning my truck's battery was 5.7 volts and I had driven it the previous day and nothing was connected. It's happened 3 times already. Every morning I checked it was 11.7 V with a 2 month old battery.

 

[Snakebitten]

I'm not saying that the truck didn't fail some kind of test. But there's no traditional Alternator on this Powerboost.
In fact the ICE doesn't even have to be running for the battery to be receiving the necessary current to recharge it.

That big lump of strangeness that sits beside the battery.... (see below) Just underneath it is a DC/DC converter that takes a low a few amps of 300V Hybrid battery current and converts it to considerable amps of 12-15V current to charge the battery and run the 12V systems on the truck.

Technically it could be called an alternator by a technician, but it's all digital and isn't relying on the crankshaft to be rotating.

Of course the engine does have to start on occasion to replenish the Hybrid battery in order to provide the necessary source current for the conversion.

If you are getting a new DC/DC converter, it will be the first one that I have read about.

 

[oneinch]

I use eco idle. Why? Why not is my reason. As far as the hybrid battery recharging, I don't know why it recharges when it recharges. I monitor it's state of charge for grins. It goes from 40% to 70%. I rarely see it lower or higher. Sometimes it charges slowly and other times it charges lightning fast. Sometimes dragging the brakes helps it charge faster and sometimes it doesn't. It's a mystery to me.

 

[darioa]

Hummm.. I learned something today. Maybe that's why, after I use the hybrid charge down to about 40% and turn the truck off for the night, the charge of the AGM battery is lower than when the hybrid battery is at 50%, if the DC/DC Converter could not borrow from it.
Ford has not told the dealer when this DC/DC Converter is coming. They gave me a rental.

 

[Android]

Hey everyone. Got my Powerboost finally on Saturday! Loving it so far, still playing with all the settings and features.

Wondering what you all think of Eco Idle? Do you use it? If so, sometimes under specific circumstances or always? I can’t decide if I want to check that box on or not. The way Ford describes it, it’s like why wouldn’t you always idle economically? But it’s not the default behavior, so there must be some times you want to use it and some you don’t.

Just curious if anyone out there is running it all the time or has an idea of a good use case for it? Or can help explain why it’s not just the default behavior?

Thanks! Got the Powerboost mostly cause I think the tech is cool, so I like to keep learning more about it lol

 

[Android]

Hey everyone. Got my Powerboost finally on Saturday! Loving it so far, still playing with all the settings and features.

Wondering what you all think of Eco Idle? Do you use it? If so, sometimes under specific circumstances or always? I can’t decide if I want to check that box on or not. The way Ford describes it, it’s like why wouldn’t you always idle economically? But it’s not the default behavior, so there must be some times you want to use it and some you don’t.

Just curious if anyone out there is running it all the time or has an idea of a good use case for it? Or can help explain why it’s not just the default behavior?

Thanks! Got the Powerboost mostly cause I think the tech is cool, so I like to keep learning more about it lol

At 12 k and using the echo mode it will give you better mpg but it is mostly in town
It totally depends on how you drive with a lead foot or a light touch
With a little practice I have gotten 22-28 mpg
Once I hit 34 mpg
But and I say but sometimes I feel like Gramma driving.

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