bbwex Posted November 7, 2013 at 08:23 PM Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 at 08:23 PM I am picking up my Fusion Energi tomorrow, but have been killing time both on this forum and reading through the online version of the manual. The biggest problem seems to be that all of the electricians I have called are booked until the middle of December. In the interim, how many people use a dedicated line for the 120 volt charging cable, and how many just use a regular household circuit. If indeed a dedicated line is in order, and thoughts about what to do before an electrician can get here -- I can always go to my local supermarket that has a charging station out front, but how often can I shop, and how often can I shop for two hours plus? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howardbc Posted November 7, 2013 at 08:40 PM Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 at 08:40 PM Hi, bbwex. Congratulations on getting a great car! (No, I don't work for Ford.) I use just a plain old garden-variety 110/120v wall outlet in my garage. It's not dedicated. It only takes around 6 hours to charge my car. Lately it has been taking less than 6 hours - maybe because it's gotten cooler here in the Phoenix area. I toyed with the idea of having an L2 charger installed but I really don't need it. Even when the battery charge runs out, the hybrid gas mileage is as good as my old Prius. There has only been one instance in the 7 months I've had the car where I came home and then discovered I needed to go out again and thus wished I had the ability to recharge it in a couple of hours or less. It really depends on your circumstances. So I wouldn't sweat the need for a dedicated line or anything else fancy until you first just get used to what the car does. Remember you will be creating your own gas/energy simply by braking sensibly. Enjoy your car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tseibel76 Posted November 7, 2013 at 09:09 PM Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 at 09:09 PM I also just use a regular outlet in my garage. Works fine. I'd say I can recharge in about 4-5 hours on average (depending on how low the battery is). I don't think it has ever taken the 7 hours as advertised, even if the battery is empty. The charger draws about 1350 watts (11.25 amps) when it is charging. So, depending on whatever else is running off that circuit, you might trip a breaker/blow a fuse. However, as long as you keep the total amp draw below the rating on the curcuit breaker, you'll be fine. I also kicked around a level 2, but I almost never come home between trips. I plug in when I get home after work and unplug in the morning. I am rarely home during the day, so I would gain nothing from a level 2 (other than more efficient charging). I agree that you have to see how you drive, trip schedule, etc before deciding. However, if you are always home for at least six hours between trips, I don't see the need for a level 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russael Posted November 7, 2013 at 09:10 PM Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 at 09:10 PM Hello and welcome to the forums, AND congrats on the new ride. :shift: As far as charging it goes, no, you don't need a dedicated line, BUT, keep in mind that the charger will draw around 12 amps, which is about the same as a big vacuum. If you are using a 15A circuit for your car, that circuit would be considered at capacity (80% of a circuit rating is what devices are designed around). If that circuit is shared with something else, such as a refrigerator, you'll trip that circuit every time your fridge fires up. However, if that circuit has many outlets but you're not using them all at once, then you'll be fine and dandy. jeff_h 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murphy Posted November 7, 2013 at 09:31 PM Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 at 09:31 PM It depends on the household circuit. Is it a 15 amp or a 20 amp circuit?The charger draws between 12 and 15 amps. If anything else is in use on the circuit it may trip the circuit breaker. On a 15 amp circuit nothing else should be in use. On a 20 amp circuit you might get away wilth one appliance but it would have to be a 5 amp or less load. The problem with most household circuits is there is not a continuous run of wire to the last outlet on the circuit. It daisy chains from outlet to outlet which means there are four pressure connections at each outlet (two hot and two neutrals). If the screws are not tight at an outlet the loose connection will get hot under the load from the charger. jeff_h 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbwex Posted November 7, 2013 at 09:34 PM Author Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 at 09:34 PM Thanks for all of the help. I did not see the wattage (and therefore amperage) rating for the 120 V charging system, so it made this somewhat complicated. Now that you folks have filled in that blank, I will try to find a circuit that is not very loaded up. Unfortunately, the one in my garage has an old freezer on it, and it is definitely going to trip with that much load. At least I am on the way to solving the problem for the short term. Thanks again for all of the assistance. jeff_h 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howardbc Posted November 7, 2013 at 10:42 PM Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 at 10:42 PM One other thing, bbwex. When you plug it in, you will hear a "clunk-clunk" sound like a switch is opening or something. This sound comes from under the hood. In the Summer, when it's hot outside, you might hear a fan come on in the trunk too. All this is normal. It's funny now, but I remember being totally petrified of plugging the car in the first time. I was frantically calling electricians. Now it is such a non-deal that I have to write a note to remind myself to plug it in before I turn in every night. Be sure you get set up with the My Ford Mobile app. It is terrific. Your sales person should get you set up with it. I hope you'll refer back to this forum for any questions you may have. I'm not an expert but have learned so much from so many of the very helpful people here. Let us know how it goes. Post photos, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor Emmett Brown Posted November 7, 2013 at 11:47 PM Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 at 11:47 PM I'll just agree with everyone else, I'm a week into ownership and I was all focused on a level 2 charger and was trying to get one even before I had the car. Now I'm glad I didn't, I really can't use it. I am not coming home in the middle of the day to charge anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveEnergi Posted November 8, 2013 at 12:35 PM Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 at 12:35 PM Hi all, I agree with what has been said, but will share my story. I started with the included 110 volt unit which came with the car and used a garage outlet. Come to find out, the outlets in my garage are all on the same breaker, including the garage doors. I was tripping the breaker like crazy. Whenever my wife came home and opened her side of the garage door, the breaker would trip, so it became a pain to deal with. I ended up putting a dedicated line in. Since the electrician was pulling the wire, I had him install both the 110 and 220 outlets using the one line (240v) at the box. It's nice knowing that I'll never have to run up/down to the basement resetting the breaker. I used the 110 for a week using the new line, then my Clipper Creek L2 ($500) arrived and started using that exclusively. For me, I run kids around like crazy after work, so being able to get a 45 minute charge on the L2 makes a huge difference. Now I rarely use gas, but it happens especially since it's getting pretty cool. FYI: my 110 was charging the battery from complete discharge in about 5.5 to 6 hoursLevel 2 charges from depleted to full in about 2 hours Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
murphy Posted November 8, 2013 at 12:48 PM Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 at 12:48 PM Motors are especially troublesome since they draw about 7 times their normal running current for up to a half a second when starting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobFL Posted November 8, 2013 at 05:44 PM Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 at 05:44 PM I have mine plugged into a standard 120v outlet in my garage along side a small refrigerator also plugged in and have never had a problem charging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frbill Posted November 8, 2013 at 06:25 PM Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 at 06:25 PM I used the 120V charger for the first week and it took 4-7 hours to charge the battery each time. I found that with the shorter trips I sometimes take that the L1 charger too long to keep it in EV mode. I purchased a Clipper Creek LC25P charger and had a local installer put in the circuit ASAP. The 120V works fine, but I really am trying to keep the car in EV mode, so for me the L2 Charger is very useful. Good luck and enjoy the Car! Peace, Fr. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff_h Posted November 8, 2013 at 06:47 PM Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 at 06:47 PM I used the 120V charger for the first week and it took 4-7 hours to charge the battery each time. I found that with the shorter trips I sometimes take that the L1 charger too long to keep it in EV mode. I purchased a Clipper Creek LC25P charger and had a local installer put in the circuit ASAP. The 120V works fine, but I really am trying to keep the car in EV mode, so for me the L2 Charger is very useful. Good luck and enjoy the Car! To me the difference seems to be like dial-up vs cable internet -- once you decide to take the leap, you're glad you did. FusionEnergi and JesseDiaz 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JesseDiaz Posted November 8, 2013 at 08:33 PM Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 at 08:33 PM Great comparison Jeff....I was using the 120v in my garbage with no issue except the time....It was taking about 6 hours....about 2-3 weeks after I bought the car, I received my Siemen 240v charger and I LOVE IT...takes about 1 1/2 hours to charge completely.....Priceless on weekends!! jeff_h 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChuckJ Posted November 8, 2013 at 10:52 PM Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 at 10:52 PM Great comparison Jeff....I was using the 120v in my garbage with no issue except the time....It was taking about 6 hours....about 2-3 weeks after I bought the car, I received my Siemen 240v charger and I LOVE IT...takes about 1 1/2 hours to charge completely.....Priceless on weekends!!I've got the Siemen also and love it! Seems now the car is always ready to use when I need it. ChuckJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Fusion Posted November 10, 2013 at 01:47 AM Report Share Posted November 10, 2013 at 01:47 AM I'll just agree with everyone else, I'm a week into ownership and I was all focused on a level 2 charger and was trying to get one even before I had the car. Now I'm glad I didn't, I really can't use it. I am not coming home in the middle of the day to charge anyway. Doc- Your avatar image is most appropriate for the post you made!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dag Posted November 10, 2013 at 01:52 PM Report Share Posted November 10, 2013 at 01:52 PM My commute drains my battery, and when I get home from work I plug in. I'm home for about an hour or so before we usually head out to a school function, or to get dinner or other errands. Once I'm home most everything is within 2-3 miles of my house. The hour that I can plug in on 120 will give be 3-6 miles of EV battery back. If I went 220 I'd have 6-12. Depending on the day, that is enough but not always. Cost wise I can't justify the L2. It's cheaper to pay the gas than to install a L2 - but I WANT the L2 -so when I finally get it, it's for convenience, not cost. Certainly not a NEED. As far as the separate circuit, well that depends on the outlet you are using. I've never tripped a breaker yet in 35 days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FusionEnergi Posted November 11, 2013 at 12:32 AM Report Share Posted November 11, 2013 at 12:32 AM (edited) To me the difference seems to be like dial-up vs cable internet -- once you decide to take the leap, you're glad you did. about 2-3 weeks after I bought the car, I received my Siemen 240v charger and I LOVE IT...takes about 1 1/2 hours to charge completely.....Priceless on weekends!!We had our 240 installed a few months before out Energi arrived. From day one of Energi ownership we needed the quicker fill-ups. We make several trips throughout the day, and fill-up as much as possible before we head out again. Before I retired(last month) I would somedays get to drive the Energi to work. I was given a dedicated line and parking space which was great, but I noticed how it sure took a long time to get fully charged.I would guess without having the 240 we would be using EV about half the time. We are currently using EV all the time.Not that using the engine for half our trips would be a bad thing. The level 2 charger was our preferred charging method so we could determine if our next vehicle should be a Bev?....Yes, Confirmed! With the over 7kw an hour output from our level 2, we could refill the Energi in an hour ...if it would have been engineered to handle that rate. The Energi onboard charger is limited to a max of 3.8kw an hour.Welcome to the forum! Edited November 11, 2013 at 12:56 AM by FusionEnergi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FusionDad Posted November 11, 2013 at 05:46 AM Report Share Posted November 11, 2013 at 05:46 AM I've had good service from a 240V line we put in and an upgraded EVSE charging cord (we have a Toyota Prius Plug=In and a Ford Fusion Energi). We upgraded the Prius EVSE charging cord via www.evseupgrade.com and it works just like a Level 2 station. On road trips, this upgraded EVSE charging cord can still draw from any 120V outlet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shaggy314 Posted November 11, 2013 at 08:16 PM Report Share Posted November 11, 2013 at 08:16 PM And for the last bit of trivia: 110 charging is less efficient. While it is half the power, it's 1/3 the speed. I get 3-4 mph on 120 vs. 9-11 mph on 240. In Austin, the city made it an insanely easy choice. They kicked in 50% of an L2 and adding the Federal 30% tax credit, it was CHEAPER to get a L2 charger (with a plug so it goes with me should I move) than another L! so I wasn't constantly winding it up every trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emac2ts Posted November 19, 2013 at 03:49 PM Report Share Posted November 19, 2013 at 03:49 PM I am looking at the Clipper chargers and there are installation options for 14-50A and 14-30A. I am having an electrician install the outlet. Is there a recommended circuit for the plug in, or does it matter given the supply is 20A. thanksEric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russael Posted November 19, 2013 at 04:26 PM Report Share Posted November 19, 2013 at 04:26 PM (edited) Welcome to the boards. It depends on if you want to 'future proof' an upgrade or not. The Fusion Energi can only use 16A at 240V, but if you trade that in for something that has a bigger charger, such as one that can use 32A at 240V, your wiring will already be in place. However, if the charger you're looking at IS one of the 32A models (which will work just fine with the Fusion), then you'll be required to have a circuit that can supply that current to that charger regardless of what the car will currently use. Edited November 19, 2013 at 04:27 PM by Russael emac2ts 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frbill Posted November 19, 2013 at 04:35 PM Report Share Posted November 19, 2013 at 04:35 PM I had an CC LCS-25P installed about 3 weeks ago. I had it installed with a 14-30 plug on a 30 amp breaker. This will give me more than enough juice for the next few years. I suspect I will be moved before I would need a bigger service so this works for me. Peace, Father Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emac2ts Posted November 19, 2013 at 08:12 PM Report Share Posted November 19, 2013 at 08:12 PM Perfect. thanks Russael. I am all-in with the electric so 'future proofing' is the way to go. jeff_h 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russael Posted November 19, 2013 at 09:09 PM Report Share Posted November 19, 2013 at 09:09 PM Right on. Then I'd purchase a charger than can supply 240V at 32A in that case, and wire it up with a 40 or 50A circuit. At least that way you'll have a bigger supply than demand, at least while you have the Fusion. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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