Charging at a local Charge Point station

[jmueller065]

I don't see many pictures in this forum of FFE's in the wild?

Here is my submission: Charging this morning at a local Charge Point station about a mile from work (a nice walk).

 

[WattsUp]

Mmmmm.... electricity. Nom, nom, nom.

 

[WindPowered]

Mmmmm.... electricity. Nom, nom, nom.

That sounds like cookie... err... I mean... electricity monster.


WP

 

[v_traveller]

I know I've said this here before, but gosh... this car really looks great in that blue.

 

[jmueller065]

Actually I really like the Focus in both "Candy" colors that Ford offers: red, and blue.

(My "One Focus, Two Focus, Red Focus, Blue Focus" picture )

Oh noes an ICE Focus in the FFE forums; gasp! LOL

 

[WattsUp]

I always really like the way Candy Blue looks in photos, but not in real life. (No offense intended; glad you like your colors.)

Photos make Candy Blue look like a rich, primary blue. But, in real life, it seems almost "glowing" blue to me, and no so primary, more like neon blue. It was a little too much for me.

 

[jmueller065]

I wonder if our eyes are picking up color wavelengths that the cameras filter out (most digital cameras have an IR filter that removes a lot of red).

In addition I've noticed that the color looks different on overcast vs sunny days. On overcast days the color looks more like it does in pictures (the top picture in this post was an overcast day). On a very sunny day the car does look a paler blue and almost iridescent (the picture with both Focuses was a very sunny day--the blue looks just a little bit lighter in that picture).

 

[frnkd]

I don't see many pictures in this forum of FFE's in the wild?

Here is my submission: Charging this morning at a local Charge Point station about a mile from work (a nice walk).

Hello, I just got my FFE and tried to use a charging station nearby. Now when I plug in to a 110 at home the glowing ring lights up.
At the station the ring flutters, I guess indicating that it has been connected, than there is nothing, but isnt it suppose to glow as it does using the ford 110 plug at home?

I hate to plug it in and after a while find out nothing happened.

also the app on my iphone does not indicate a charge is happening. Are there other monitors that will tell me that it is being charged....

this is a free charger btw

 

[WattsUp]

@frnkd: Is your car set to "Value Charge" or "Charge Now"? If it is set to Value Charge and you plug in during a "non-charge" time period, then charging will be deferred until sometime later. If you want to charge immediately upon plugging in, then the current setting must be "Charge Now".

That said, things can get complicated. It is possible to configure the preferred "Value Charge/Charge Now" setting per charging location, and the car will know what to do automatically, based on GPS. Not only that, there is also a default "Value Charge/Charge Now" setting for any as-yet-unconfigured location. A reasonable default in this case, IMO, is probably always "Charge Now".

Anyway, you need to check all this out in order to figure out what your car is deciding to do when you plug in. You can also see what the car decided (and change it, if you want) on the right hand side of the instrument cluster after you turn the car off. There will see a menu with "Value Charge" or "Charge Now" options.

On top of all this... there have been times when the car has been known to suddenly decide to switch between "Value Charge" and "Charge Now" for now particular reason. This has happened to me at least once. It seems to be just some kind of software glitch.

 

[frnkd]

thanks Wattsup, now if it is charging how would I know? should the light ring glow? or an icon or message appear on the dash?

This is what confuses me to....and I believe I had set it up to charge now.

 

[WattsUp]

thanks Wattsup, now if it is charging how would I know? should the light ring glow? or an icon or message appear on the dash?

This is what confuses me to....and I believe I had set it up to charge now.

Yes, the charge ring should glow and the currently charging quadrant should "pulse".

When you turn the car off, check the dash as I described. That is the "source of truth". The dash shows what the car thinks the Value Charge setting is, and that is all that matters when it comes to actually charging or not.

Also, if you turn the car back on while it is charging, I believe the right-hand cluster states the charging start time and expected end time. (I think it also states this right when you plug in as well.) If the start time is in the past (as is the same as the time you plugged in), that's a good indication that the car is currently charging. If the ring is not glowing/pulsing during this time, perhaps it is broken? (Other people have reported various charge ring lighting issues.)

 

[jmueller065]

Also, if you turn the car back on while it is charging, I believe the right-hand cluster states the charging start time and expected end time.

It shows these times even if you just open the door--at least on mine.

Another thing to think about: Even if the charge station is free you may still have to turn it on. Was the station you were trying to use part of a network? (LIke the one I was using is a Charge Point station).

 

[frnkd]

Also, if you turn the car back on while it is charging, I believe the right-hand cluster states the charging start time and expected end time.

It shows these times even if you just open the door--at least on mine.

Another thing to think about: Even if the charge station is free you may still have to turn it on. Was the station you were trying to use part of a network? (LIke the one I was using is a Charge Point station).

It was not a Charge Point though I did join the network. The frustrating thing about these charging stations is there are very little or really vague instructions. There are no switch to flip or turn on.

 

[jmueller065]

Right, but like a charge point station--they have to be remotely turned on either via calling someone, a phone app, or an RFID card.

 

[dmen]

Assuming your car's / MFM's value charging settings aren't acting up, I think jmueller has it. A few weeks ago I was running super low on juice on a Sunday and hoped to get a charge from a Ford dealer I was passing. I plugged into both of their outdoor Levitons and had the same thing you did, frnkd- the ring flashed around the circle a few times then was dark, not able to take a charge because the Ford dealer powers down these units when they're closed. Lame, but true. The contiguous Nissan dealer does the same thing, so no dice there. So I begged the gas station across the street to let me plug into an outdoor socket and ate my Subway sandwich extra slow while I gained 5 miles over 1.5 hours to get me to the closest Chargepoint. Fun times in Indiana!

Does the EVSE you were trying to use have any sort of lighting to indicate it's standing by/ ready/ etc? Most I've seen some kind of LED if nothing else.

 

[The Stig]

I don't see many pictures in this forum of FFE's in the wild?

Here is my submission: Charging this morning at a local Charge Point station about a mile from work (a nice walk).

Howdy,
I was just at that ChargePoint earlier today. That's the MicroChip place right off of 12 mile rd.
I got the same car as you but a 2012. shoot me a pm if you got some free time.

Joe