ProPower and engine running full time for RV use or any use

[Cobraman428]

After reading this post I tested my PPOB today. Had the ICE stay on when on Eco Idle the first time after hookup my TT power and turning on its AC. Had my TT AC running pulling about 1550 watts. Had the truck AC and seat vent running. Ended up shutting down and restarting the truck and powering up the TT again. No more issues with ICE staying on after charging the battery. Took about 2 mins to charge the battery after ICE kicked on and ran at 1k rpm. Next time I'm hooked up and watch the amp draw and see if that trips the ICE staying running. Keep up the testing. Maybe we can convince FORD to look into this issue. The primary reason I got my truck was for off grid camping and using the PPOB.....

Update: Just ran my PPOB with my E-Pro Travel Trailer (TT) today at the storage lot. Had Eco-Idle turned "ON" and truck cycled up to HEV Battery SOC 67.1% and stayed there with the ICE running at 1k rpm and would not turn off and go back to generator mode. I had the truck A/C running. TT was pulling about 1550 Watts. See picture. Turned everything off, TT, PPOB, A/C etc. Started up the truck and turned Eco-Idle "OFF", turned A/C on to 81 deg and turned off everything else inside the truck. Turned on the TT A/C and watched the gauges. HEV Battery SOC went down to 40.9% and ICE turned on and HEV battery went to 67.1% and ICE turned off. I watched it for several cycles and the PPOB and ICE worked as designed. So it seems like software update has changed something on the PPOB. I have used the PPOB on my TT back in December when I got the truck and it didn't have this issue.

After Eco-Idle setting change and I added a RPM gauge so I could monitor when the ICE turned on from inside my TT.

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[Snakebitten]

Surprised it's charging to 67% and turning off.
Mine turns off at 63%

The occasion when it does go past 63% is when it's going to get stuck running continuously, and at around 67% it no longer charges higher.

I'm suspect that this is a bug in software introduced in an update. Possibly a PCM update?

 

[Big Dog Daddy]

I'm suspect that this is a bug in software introduced in an update. Possibly a PCM update?

And that's exactly the reason we to stay away from FDRS until the software is fully vetted. ?

 

[Snakebitten]

Yep!

A 180 from a couple of years ago.

 

[Cobraman428]

Surprised it's charging to 67% and turning off.
Mine turns off at 63%

The occasion when it does go past 63% is when it's going to get stuck running continuously, and at around 67% it no longer charges higher.

I'm suspect that this is a bug in software introduced in an update. Possibly a PCM update?

Snakebitten, When the ICE was running and not turning off the SOC was 67.1%. Tomorrow I'm going to test it again and watch the gauges again to see if it goes to 63% and turns off the ICE. You got me thinking when you said yours only goes to SOC 63% and cycles off to battery mode.

 

[Snakebitten]

Snakebitten, When the ICE was running and not turning off the SOC was 67.1%. Tomorrow I'm going to test it again and watch the gauges again to see if it goes to 63% and turns off the ICE. You got me thinking when you said yours only goes to SOC 63% and cycles off to battery mode.

Thanks.
I would like to think that with the finite number of PCM builds between us Powerboost'rs that there would be a similar behavior between multiple trucks that are experiencing the same issue(s)

My theory being that if I'm monitoring Pids while I'm in the RV, and I glance up and see SOC above ~63%, I will know that the truck is no longer cycling. I can then intervene.

Of course I would rather Ford be aware of the anomaly and release a PCM update to address it. Similar to what they just recently released? However, I doubt they will state publicly exactly what a PCM update addresses. They haven't in the past other than mentioning in a past service bulletin, regarding transmission (10r80 MHT) issues, that required a PCM update should be performed.

 

[Cobraman428]

Thanks.
I would like to think that with the finite number of PCM builds between us Powerboost'rs that there would be a similar behavior between multiple trucks that are experiencing the same issue(s)

My theory being that if I'm monitoring Pids while I'm in the RV, and I glance up and see SOC above ~63%, I will know that the truck is no longer cycling. I can then intervene.

Of course I would rather Ford be aware of the anomaly and release a PCM update to address it. Similar to what they just recently released? However, I doubt they will state publicly exactly what a PCM update addresses. They haven't in the past other than mentioning in a past service bulletin, regarding transmission (10r80 MHT) issues, that required a PCM update should be performed.

Snakebitten, Ok, I did another test yesterday. With 800watts load on the "A" side circuit and with Eco-Idle off and only having the truck's A/C on. The truck+PPOB worked normally, HEV battery SOC went to 63.4%-ish and the ICE shut off. Today I'm going to try it again with the Eco-Idle "on" and see what happens. Picture is right when the ICE was shutting off (283 rpms).

 

[Cobraman428]

Snakebitten, Ok, I did another test yesterday. With 800watts load on the "A" side circuit and with Eco-Idle off and only having the truck's A/C on. The truck+PPOB worked normally, HEV battery SOC went to 63.4%-ish and the ICE shut off. Today I'm going to try it again with the Eco-Idle "on" and see what happens. Picture is right when the ICE was shutting off (283 rpms).

So I used my PPOB today with my E-Pro TT at the storage lot. Got the ICE continually running either with the Eco Idle on or off. The only way I got the ICE to shut off was to turn off the truck's A/C while the PPOB was providing power to my TT. 1567 Watts on B circuit and SOC goes to and stays at 67.1% and ICE runs at 1k rpm and will not stop until I turned of the A/C. 10 seconds after turning off A/C the ICE turns off. I saw a PPOB update I hope this fixes the issue.

Has anyone received this OTA yet or knows anything more about what issues it addresses besides what it states in the description? I would hope it fixes this serious issue and not just add another warning alert message.

 

[Snakebitten]

Thanks for the update.
So if HVAC is enabled in the truck, and the truck is in generator mode feeding power to either bank, the ICE will not shut down?

 

[Cobraman428]

Thanks for the update.
So if HVAC is enabled in the truck, and the truck is in generator mode feeding power to either bank, the ICE will not shut down?

Correct. I tried it twice when the SOC was at 67.1%. Each time I turned off the A/C and in a few seconds the ICE would shut off and it would start to cycle the ICE the way it should work. Watched the SOC start dropping from 67% each time until it reach like 39.9% then ICE would kick back on and charge to 63%.

 

[Davexxxx]

I don't have the meters to show states of charge but my truck acts exactly as you described. With a reasonably big load, like a camper air conditioning, if the trucks AC is on, it doesn't cycle. Turn off the truck's HVAC and it immediately works as it should.

 

[Cobraman428]

I don't have the meters to show states of charge but my truck acts exactly as you described. With a reasonably big load, like a camper air conditioning, if the trucks AC is on, it doesn't cycle. Turn off the truck's HVAC and it immediately works as it should.

That is what my truck did. It worked before with the HVAC running in the truck to keep the inside cool so the center stack doesn't get overheated. Some update has mess this up. I hope FORD has a fix, I'm not even sure they know about it this issue.
In the South in summer you can't have your windows up and the truck running without A/C while the PPOB is running there is to much electronics generating heat inside the truck. If you are camping or at job site you can't just leave your windows down while on PPOB either.
Later today if I have time I'm going to see if by setting the temp up the HVAC temp higher to like 80 deg will allow the ICE to cycle. Maybe the A/C cycling will cause the ICE to cycle. I had the A/C set for 65 deg yesterday in 95 deg outside heat while running my TT A/C at the storage lot.

 

[Snakebitten]

"Some update has mess this up. I hope FORD has a fix, I'm not even sure they know about it this issue."

I agree with the first sentence.
I am with you on the second as well.
I doubt the 3rd.

They probably know.
But they are SO SLOW to fix things.

 

[Cobraman428]

"Some update has mess this up. I hope FORD has a fix, I'm not even sure they know about it this issue."

I agree with the first sentence.
I am with you on the second as well.
I doubt the 3rd.

They probably know.
But they are SO SLOW to fix things.

SnakeBitten, you know I would think the people who use their truck at job sites running their PPOB to supply power to the site would also be impacted this, but really haven't seen any posts yet.

 

[HammaMan]

"Some update has mess this up. I hope FORD has a fix, I'm not even sure they know about it this issue."

I agree with the first sentence.
I am with you on the second as well.
I doubt the 3rd.

They probably know.
But they are SO SLOW to fix things.

Between heat guns and a shopvac you should be able to do a little experimentation for data as to where the HV amperage cut-off point is between using hybrid or not. What else ya gonna do on a Sunday afternoon??

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