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

[HammaMan]

I may be misunderstanding the question, but since the propower output voltage is fixed at ~120V the built in Wattmeter gauges tell you the instantaneous Amperage draw through simple division. There are kWhr meters that can log power usage over time if that interests you.

He's talking about total truck HV loop draw. That is what decides if the motor is on or its hybrid.

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[Fred&Wilma]

Good point. However, I was trying to get everything on one screen (OBDlink on iPhone) so I can monitor and track the system over time - something like the screenshot below: the problem with using the pro-power generator screen is that it is only available in the truck, and I want to monitor from my travel trailer.

 

[Samson16]

That is what decides if the motor is on or its hybrid.

Copy that. Minimizing ICE events while camping etc.
Oh, and isn’t it always a hybrid? ?

 

[McGuyver]

Another observation for this old thread. I have been running the generator for 24 hours now, averaging 400 watts on A and 700 watts on B. Typical cycle time is 11 minutes off and 2 minutes on (charging). I did wake up last night to find truck not cycling at 1000 rpm SOC over 70%. Climate control was off and windows were cracked open, it was quite warm inside. I shut it down and restarted, set the fan speed to 2, A/C off and cracked windows a little more. I had to roll up the windows this afternoon due to rain but it has been cycling normally since.
I looked at some PIDs and noticed that the A/C compressor was drawing 5.6 amps and 2800 rpm. So evidently the A/C will run even when the button is not pushed. Not sure if this is a cabin temperature thing or battery cooling thing.

 

[HammaMan]

So evidently the A/C will run even when the button is not pushed. Not sure if this is a cabin temperature thing or battery cooling thing.

Good catch, yes in-fact the truck is likely locking itself in a loop running the AC to cool the battery. @Ford Motor Company should forward this powerboost PPOB issue to engineers where the truck gets start not falling back into hybrid mode when the load drops. It appears the AC cooling the battery may trigger the system to fall out of proper hybrid operation.

 

[Samson16]

Do we know the temperature range the HVB must remain within?

 

[Cobraman428]

Good catch, yes in-fact the truck is likely locking itself in a loop running the AC to cool the battery. @Ford Motor Company should forward this powerboost PPOB issue to engineers where the truck gets start not falling back into hybrid mode when the load drops. It appears the AC cooling the battery may trigger the system to fall out of proper hybrid operation.

Very interesting indeed. I ran my PPOB while boondocking wo the Truck A/C on and it worked great for 10 hours powering my trailer before my ICE stated running and stop cycling. I know I had less than 12 amps that would trigger the continuously running the ICE.

 

[McGuyver]

i see average battery temp 118-120 range but don’t know min, max or ideal. Also I am not sure if there is an override for the A/C to come on if the climate control is off. I have only noticed it a few times when I had the fan set to 2. Will see how it does tonight, hopefully it will contine cycling on and off.

 

[HammaMan]

For a lot of chemistries 35-40c warrants cooling which is 95-104f (mach-e battery won't exceed 40c w/out derating and it only does 5c). The PB battery cycles at significantly higher C rates and I'd bet ambient is a big factor in triggering the constant-on.

 

[Cobraman428]

For those that have had the engine run hang, do you use eco idle? Of all of the mentions of it, nobody seems to have ascertained if that plays a part or not. The ~1250 RPM eco idle works in PPOB mode. This also makes it louder due to the RPM so may disturb camping neighbors.

For the uninitiated the eco idle option increases "idle" RPM to recharge the batt faster resulting in less run time. I'll setup a test to see if I can pull any data on it. It's activated in the APIM screen. (settings, vehicle)

Yes, I had Eco-Idle turned on when it happened to me in June while boondocking.

 

[Cobraman428]

Today, I experimented with Eco Idle turned off. Conditions included, Truck powered up, Truck AC on, Cool seat activated. I turned the generator on and then plugged in the trailer ( 25' 30 amp Airstream). After the trailer ac came on the trailer draw was 2250 +/- w on the B side of the 30 amp outlet. The OBD app on my phone indicated aprox 12 amp draw down of the lithium battery. The ICE came on at SOC of 40% and charged to 63% soc. The ICE cycled several times under these conditions. I then began to reduce load by first turning off the cool seat, and then the truck ac. I noted that the lithium battery discharge at that point was aprox 9 amps. When the ICE cycled on SOC returned to 63% cycling and then off. At this point I added back the truck ac. When the SOC reached aprox 53% the ICE cycled back on and charged to a static SOC rate of 67.1% and did not cycle off. At this point the amp meter for the lithium battery was neutral showing no charge or discharge. I then turned the truck ac off. With the reduced load the truck returned to normal operation allowing the lithium battery to discharge to the normal 40% and back to 63%,
I then plugged an electric heater drawing 1300 w into the (A) 20 amp circuit. The ICE again went into the cycle of constant running with the SOC at 67%. When I turned the heater off the ICE returned to normal cycling operation.

It seems that amp draw and sequence of adding items that effect amp draw can cause the anomaly.
It would be nice if a Ford engineer could offer insight if this is normal operation or a glitch.
It seems that it does not matter weather the truck is in ECO idle or regular idle.

I've done some testing and found the same thing. Anything above 12 amps the ICE will not cycle. Drop the load below 12 amps and ICE will cycle. The ICE staying running when you are way below 12 amps must be a software bug...

 

[PowerboostedF150]

Sorry to necro an old thread but it seems an appropriate place to ask.

I’m currently at a campsite powering my travel trailer with 2.4KW from my 22 PB.

Last night the generator worked great and came on for about 2 mins per hour. I’m not running much, just a couple of LED lights, usb outlets for charging phones and a small fan plus my CPAP off the 120v outlets.

This morning though something weird happened. It started up per usual but then the truck just kept running. The Pro Power showed like 200W of usage but it idled for 20 minsand the power flow said “Due to Battery Charging”.

I was just about to turn it all off and restart, thinking there was a glitch but decided to just tap the accelerator. The second I added a tiny bit of throttle and released, the truck went back to electric mode and is working “normally” again.

Anyone else experienced this? If that can just randomly screw up I’d be nervous of it happening when I’m asleep and then draining the fuel overnight!

I have the same problem, and have been for quite some time. Ford can't seem to figure it out. it used to trip a powertrain fault, but after a module was replaced. The codes went away, but the problem of not turning off remains. Just went camping for 4 days boondocking, same issue. One key observation - usually a tap of the gas will get it to turn off, but if you hit the green generator button in the bed, the truck shuts off correctly. It has something to do with the generator being 'on'. another observation is that (in my case) it has no impact if there is anything plugged in or not. When the truck runs for 20mins or more, you hit that green button, and off goes the engine.

Since i don't like the truck running all night when sleeping, bad enough I have this new level of hearing I have to do now that includes trying to hear the truck running from a distance (it is quiet most of the time) it that I now plug my trailer into a 2k inverter, which is plugged into a 100ah Lipo Fe4 battery, which has a 20amp charger running off the truck! ridiculous, I know. but it lets me run the trailer overnight (no AC) without the truck running. I have also noticed hitting the green button to shut down the generator has fried some cheap electric blankets I had. not sure why, surge maybe? everything else is fine, but it's happend twice, only when running off the truck, and when I kill it from the truck.

 

[Shooter56]

This is indeed a quirk that happens. I believe there is a thread in which some members have spent a significant amount of time determining the conditions under which this happens. Not sure if a solution was identified, but I just turn the truck off and then turn it back on. Is it inconvenient? Yes, but not the end of the work considering the huge benefit of being able to power the trailer. Hopefully this issue will get addressed and we can get past it.

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