Any idea why the HEATER draws so much POWER?

[jmueller065]

Ford did just post this video about three days ago: How to use the Climate controls in the Focus/Escape/C-Max:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxws6gIJORk

This one isn't just us: Its the same climate controls in the ICE Focus and they drive my wife nuts! LOL

 

[WattsUp]

This one isn't just us: Its the same climate controls in the ICE Focus and they drive my wife nuts! LOL

So, does your ICE version also have MFT? If so, does pulling the MFT fuse (to force a reboot) result in the climate settings working properly again (remembered between car starts)?

I am seriously thinking of wiring the MFT fuse up to a permanent switch or button so I can reboot the damn thing more easily. Right now, it means kneeling down and leaning under the dash, taking the cover off under the glovebox, pulling the fuse, and then doing it all in reverse. Not hard, but annoying.

 

[jmueller065]

Yes the ICE version has MFT but it doesn't exhibit the problems that you're having. Our ICE version is a rather unique car in that it has MFT but does not have Nav--thus the MFT isn't really "doing" as much as one with Nav (and I'm sure the FFE version is doing even more).

When starting the car the climate pretty much has always stayed at the same setting it was at prior to shutdown. The thing that drives my wife nuts about it is she can't figure out how to manually control it. It very much wants to do everything for you and she hates that! LOL

 

[Astrand1]

I found a trick to keep the fan from going crazy when it's first turned on. If you have the HVAC off. First thing is hit the low fan button that will bring the system on but the fan will be on lowest setting. Then I hit the ac button to turn it off that way it's just vent. If I want heat or ac I set the temp where I want it then hit auto and it tends to be better. Why they programmed it to bring the fan on full force whenever you turn it on makes no sense to me.

 

[WattsUp]

First thing is hit the low fan button that will bring the system on but the fan will be on lowest setting.

Yup, this was mentioned earlier.

Btw, you can actually use either the fan low button or fan high button.

Then I hit the ac button to turn it off that way it's just vent.

Fwiw, when I hit fan low (and with the temperature control already set to "LO"), the climate indeed comes on at the lowest fan speed, and the green florescent display says "A/C off", but as far as I can tell (at least in my car) the A/C is actually on. I can tell by the hit to the range estimate.

So... my routine (after turning the climate on via the fan low button) is to then hit the A/C button, which makes the display say "A/C on", which I presume means the A/C is really on (still) (and seems to be verified by the range hit not changing), and then the A/C button a second time, which makes the display say "A/C off" again, which I presume means the A/C is really off (and seems to be verified by the range hit finally going away).

Uggh.

 

[EVA]

Again, JMeuller posts the best darn links. Thanks for that video, that helps a lot. I watched it three times and made my son watch it with me. A couple of tips in there I didn't know, or couldn't figure out.

On the ICE Focus, the previous settings are all remembered perfectly, no issues at all. WattsUp, I think you have it exactly right, it is the mobile app messing things up.

The difference between the FFE and ICE systems is MyFordMobile (I just couldn't bring myself to use another acronym). The ICE Focus does not have a remote web or mobile app to control it. And remember, the MyFordTouch software updates are exactly the same between the ICE and FFE cars.

My ICE Focus has Nav - it actually has every option possible on it starting at Titanium level.

 

[WattsUp]

On the ICE Focus, the previous settings are all remembered perfectly, no issues at all. WattsUp, I think you have it exactly right, it is the mobile app messing things up.

I didn't mean the mobile app, I mean the MFT (MyFord Touch) software in the car.

If I disable MFT in the car (by pulling its fuse, and leaving it pulled), the climate simply stays off whenever you start the car (regardless of its previous state). To me, this indicates the MFT is responsible for remembering the climate settings (which it often starts messing up for me, until I reboot it).

 

[dmen]

And remember, the MyFordTouch software updates are exactly the same between the ICE and FFE cars.

Actually not true.
They may have been the same updates this last time around, but the previous update that gave everyone heartburn and required a visit to the dealer for install was Electric/Energi only. It came several months after the ICE equivalent because of electric-specific content. It's clear that FFE's MFT is different than ICE MFT bc you have completely different driver-side screen display and the whole leaf icon screen and what-not. That's all MFT, no?
Anyway it's not too much of a stretch to think Ford tried to make the climate system more automatic to make it more efficient for the electric models, but ended up just making it buggy.

 

[Astrand1]

That video was interesting. I too watched it twice. At the end when it talked about "fresh air mode" I wonder if you do it like it says would the heat stay off as well? Making it a true "vent" as in the past I've noticed even with it set on low and ac off if it's cold a ought outside the heat will come on according to the range hit and the climate usage gauge. I'll have to try it just the way they said in the video and see if it works.

 

[davideos]

If you put the temp on LO and turn off the ac, the heat should not come on. It will on a leaf. If you see the climate showing a power draw, check to see if you have the defrost on for the front windsheild. Doing so will turn on the AC to dry out the moister on your windshield.

 

[jmueller065]

Actually not true.
They may have been the same updates this last time around, but the previous update that gave everyone heartburn and required a visit to the dealer for install was Electric/Energi only. It came several months after the ICE equivalent because of electric-specific content. It's clear that FFE's MFT is different than ICE MFT bc you have completely different driver-side screen display and the whole leaf icon screen and what-not. That's all MFT, no?
Anyway it's not too much of a stretch to think Ford tried to make the climate system more automatic to make it more efficient for the electric models, but ended up just making it buggy.

Not quite. The software running the dashboard is not MFT--the ICE Focus does not have the 2 LCD panel dash; it only has a single monochrome LCD panel in between the spedo and tach. The FFE's dashboard is still a common part in Ford's parts bin as it is on the Edge, Taurus, and Explorer.
The only software that is MFT is the MFT module (which is the radio).
The heartburn update was indeed more software than just MFT which is why it required a dealer visit. A pure MFT update does not required a dealer visit as it can be downloaded from syncmyride.com.
There obviously is FFE specific code in the MFT updates but those changes are enabled either at run-time or at install time. When I updated both our Focuses to 3.6.2 I used the same flashdrive.

 

[TonySpice]

Currently we've got a Christmas heatwave on in NJ and the temp issue isn't so bad but I'm thinking about getting a small radiator and putting it in the car (temp solution until I can get a 240v line). The issue is only one way - to work. At the office I have L2 charger which heats the car up beautifully ... but with 110v at home the car is freezing when I get in (parked outside) and so I waste a bucket load of volts heating it.

I'm eventually going to get a 240v but until then this might be the only option the heater just burns too much volts.

 

[dmen]

Not quite. The software running the dashboard is not MFT--the ICE Focus does not have the 2 LCD panel dash; it only has a single monochrome LCD panel in between the spedo and tach.
...
The only software that is MFT is the MFT module (which is the radio).

Page 54 in my manual says otherwise. It refers to the infotainment display (the screen to the right of the speedometer) as a feature of MFT.
That the ICE Focus doesn't have the same dashboard screen as FFE doesn't mean the screen's not MFT, it just means MFT is not identical in both cars which is what I was saying.

Anyway you apparently agree with the actual point of my comment, that the electric model's MFT whether in substance or in implementation is not identical to the standard MFT. That was somewhat relevant to the thread; now here we are completely off topic.

 

[JTCalif]

How can I make the HVAC system remember the way I left it when I turned the car off?

[...] http://www.myfocuselectric.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=1256

Whenever this happens to me (which is once every few weeks, or sometimes more often), I reboot MFT by pulling it's fuse. [...] after you put the fuse back it, and once MFT reboots, you should find the climate goes back to remembering its previous settings whenever you turn the car on (well, until it starts forgetting again).

As WattsUp wrote, that is fuse F67, a 7.5A fuse in the array below glove box (as on page 281 in the manual).
I pulled it, then replaced it in a few seconds; remarkably, the car was fully off the whole time (key in my pocket).
Yeh! It is back to remembering settings!
Thank you!

 

[WattsUp]

I pulled it, then replaced it in a few seconds; remarkably, the car was fully off the whole time (key in my pocket).

Yup, even when the car is off, MFT stays running, so by pulling the fuse, it was like you flipped the MFT computer's power off and back on, and caused it to reboot.

(That said, the system does occasionally reboot on it's own, for "system maintenance"; sometimes even while you are driving and, oh, I don't know, perhaps when you might have been using the navigation system!)

Yeh! It is back to remembering settings!
Thank you!

Cool, glad you got working again! I'm sure this won't be the last time you find this trick handy (unfortunately).

 

[The Stig]

Has anyone thought of installing a diesel/kerosene fueled 12V bunk heater from a semi truck?

Plenty of room up front under the hood, and we would only need a little 1 gallon tank to last over a week.
Only interesting part would be how to route the hot air into the cabin w/o modifying too much.

 

[Tim Jodice]

Has anyone tried a diesel fueled heater typically used on trucks to preheat the engine and provide cabin heat without running the engine. they are usually plumbed into the hot side of the heater core. My thought is that the electric heating element is turned on when the heat demand is there if the heat is provided by the diesel heater I would think it would greatly reduce the drain on the battery in the cold. They run about $600 for the small ones and I think for a car you would buy the smallest one available. They burn about a quart an hour. I know it goes against having an electric car but if all your looking for is heat I think petroleum is still hard to beat. As I write this I am getting to work with about 15% left 55 miles heat on 72 auto driving about 65-70MPH and the temp lately has been 25-40F. Plenty room for being more efficient but I don't want to drive an ICE car or be ice cold driving to work.

 

[michael]

I bought a friend a 12 V electric blanket on Amazon. Draws only 48 W, so less than half a mile of range over two hours. Not super-hot but she says it helps quite a bit.

 

[NightHawk]

The FFE's climate control should have some more settings for the heater like to select a lower power mode.
A portable home room electric heater only uses 1200W max, so I would expect a car electric heater could be made to operate similarly - the car's passenger space is smaller than a small room after all.
5KW or so is too much power draw for just an electric heater...

 

[WattsUp]

The FFE's climate control should have some more settings for the heater like to select a lower power mode. ... 5KW or so is too much power draw for just an electric heater ...

No it's not.

While I agree more control of some sort would be welcome, you have remember...

• Cars are very "leaky" environments compared to a well-insulated room in a house. A car heater needs to be more powerful to make up for the heat lost to the airflow through the cabin.
• A space heater in a room effectively "recirculates" the same room air over and over, making it warmer and warmer (and that much more efficient). But, the heater in a car has to be capable of effectively warming possibly frigid outdoor air even without recirculation (something we never expect of an indoor space heater).
• A indoor space heater takes some time to warm up a room, whereas people expect powerful, instant heat in a car.

This is why the heater (potentially) requires a lot of power to be effective, while an indoor space heater doesn't need nearly the same power.

If you attempted to use something like a 1 kW space heater in a car in a very cold environment, I think you'd find that you're still cold. It might work okay in a moderate winter climate.