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Topic ClosedF150 Hybrid

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Direct Link To This Post Topic: F150 Hybrid
    Posted: 07 Nov 2020 at 8:34am
For all you F150 fans out there this is an interesting tow vehicle if you have and want to spend the dough. 

I especially like the integrated inverter, no need for a generator and it might be quiet enough that you could get away with running it at night depending on how noisy the engine is at idle. The engine is going to cycle on and off as the hybrid battery needs recharging. The 2.4kw would probably be fine with an easy start on the a/c, 7.5kw is overkill for an rpod. You could also run a 120Vac line to the trailer to operate the fridge on ac while towing.  

But if you wanted to also be able to operate your house during a power outage, the 7.5kw has a 30A 240Vac receptacle so it should run a 3 ton a/c unit, water heater, or dryer just fine.


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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Nov 2020 at 10:29am
...But unlike the lesser versions, it offers four 120-volt, 20-amp outlets and one twist-lock NEMA L6-20 240-volt, 30-amp outlet...

240 volt?

Plus, the pic in the second link doesn't look like a NEMA L6-20.

Enlighten me, oh wise one.


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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Nov 2020 at 10:55am
Oh wise one? Ha Ha. 

The receptacle in the photo looks like a 4 wire one, which would make it an L14 NEMA style I think, can't be an L6, unless the photo is of some prototype and Ford has changed things since. It would have to be 30A for the inverter to be rated at 7.5kw, so not a -20 receptacle either. My guess is the photo is right and it will probably come with an L14-30, and the article is just wrong (like that never happensConfused).  

If its really rated at 30A, and the inverter doesn't have some weird topology where the phases have to be pretty well balanced (some do) then it should be possible to rig an adapter that would pick off one phase of the 240 to supply 120V 30A to the trailer. 

We'll just have to see.

What I'm curious about is whether folks think the 3.5 Powerboost engine idle is quiet enough to get away with nighttime campground operation. To me portable generator noise is the biggest issue this truck could solve. 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Nov 2020 at 10:18am
They're EcoBoost, and one of the reasons I like it is because it's a lot more quiet than the V8, not to mention it has twice the torque at towing speeds.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Nov 2020 at 10:39am
How's the idle noise?  

The engine will be cycling on and off depending on the rate the load on the inverter discharges the hybrid battery. Its a 1.5 kwh battery so running the a/c it would probably cycle on once or twice an hour.  In hybrids the electric motor also acts as the starter. Its a 35kw/47hp motor integrated into the trans so the ICE is going to start instantly and there won't be any starter noise. 

If it's designed to recharge efficiently the engine should only be on a few minutes each cycle. Should be a pretty nice system if its quiet enough. You might not need more than a small battery in the travel trailer to keep things going when you're out with the tow vehicle and to run the breakaway system. 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Nov 2020 at 10:18am
Ours idles very quietly, however it's a 2015. There is some injector noise at startup because they are direct injection and they operate at very high pressure. From what I have learned the direct injectors are louder than port injectors. Later models of the engine also have port injectors that are primarily used at low, idle speeds, so they should be even more quiet. 

I don't know the reasons why the injectors get more quiet after start up, but it's never been an issue for us.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Nov 2020 at 12:46pm
Probably any audible engine sound would prompt somebody to complain that you were violating campground quiet hour rules. Just how folks are. My Highlander is inaudible at idle unless you're within around 20 feet of it, but it's the quietest vehicle I've ever owned. We'll need to see how the F150 hybrid works out I guess. Could be a great solution for ac power boon docking.

I don't know why you'd get injector noise at idle that would go away, you commonly hear ticking from injectors but from what I've seen it continues after warmup. Maybe its the high pressure fuel pump? Sure its not the valves before they get full oil lubrication? 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Nov 2020 at 3:50pm
Oooooh. Now that is a compelling reason for me to look at the F150. I use a portable 8kW Generac for home (louder than a Mississippi wife catchin her cheatin man!) and sometimes 2.4 kW Yammy when camping with no sun. 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Nov 2020 at 11:05am
Originally posted by fwunder

Oooooh. Now that is a compelling reason for me to look at the F150. I use a portable 8kW Generac for home (louder than a Mississippi wife catchin her cheatin man!) and sometimes 2.4 kW Yammy when camping with no sun. 

LOL! I'm going to have to remember that one! -- Maybe not in mixed company. Clown

We use a portable 12KW generator we bought back in 2001 when HD was having a close-out sale. We got a killer deal on it, and the "plan" was to convert it to propane after the warranty expired. Well, the warranty expired, and it kept on running. About 5 years ago, we took it in for some tune-up work, and golly, it still runs on gas. It is pretty loud, and the weight (~~ 450 lbs or so) makes it very un-portable. The nice thing it runs the whole house, so we just have a single, manual transfer switch. We would take it camping except it would be a massive undertaking to get it in and out of the back of the truck and we would also be run out of any campgrounds by a crowd of angry campers with torches and pitchforks.
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