Ford F-150 with ProPower and AC Softstarts

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by Bandito

The truck is rated to tow 11,000 lbs and pulls the trailer very well. There’s plenty of pickup and passing other vehicles when necessary is just fine. When in Tow/Haul mode, the truck runs constantly on the gas engine and doesn’t start out in electric like it does in Normal mode. The rig handles fine and I have no concerns with it. Yes, the mileage drops dramatically when towing, but that’s to be expected. I get about 22 mpg around town and it goes down to 7-8 mpg when towing.

I emailed Keystone RV and got a different response from them. The email response indicated that they should be on separate legs so I’ll see if the dealer will move one when I next take it in.

As far as the PowerBoost goes, the monitor shows that with both AC units running it’s drawing about 22 amps. which is well below the max for that leg. They are consuming about 2600 watts total, which is still well below the rated capacity.

So, everyone should calm down a bit and relax. There is no end of the world coming.

Sounds like you've got it covered.

[flybouy]

Reminds me of that quote ...

“I have already made up my mind, don't confuse me with facts.”
― Philip A. Fisher

[SWillier]

Originally Posted by Bandito

The truck is rated to tow 11,000 lbs and pulls the trailer very well. There’s plenty of pickup and passing other vehicles when necessary is just fine. When in Tow/Haul mode, the truck runs constantly on the gas engine and doesn’t start out in electric like it does in Normal mode. The rig handles fine and I have no concerns with it. Yes, the mileage drops dramatically when towing, but that’s to be expected. I get about 22 mpg around town and it goes down to 7-8 mpg when towing.

I emailed Keystone RV and got a different response from them. The email response indicated that they should be on separate legs so I’ll see if the dealer will move one when I next take it in.

As far as the PowerBoost goes, the monitor shows that with both AC units running it’s drawing about 22 amps. which is well below the max for that leg. They are consuming about 2600 watts total, which is still well below the rated capacity.

So, everyone should calm down a bit and relax. There is no end of the world coming.

I have a Powerboost, too. 11K is even the normal tow pack; you can do 12.4K with max tow, although I'd never tow that much with an F150. They tow great. I used to have a 2013 Ecoboost 3.5, so I have confidence in how well the V6-TT lasts over time towing. For a gasser, it is great! Especially up where I am at altitude.

Low payload on highly optioned trucks is the only downside I see with them. But, some of the lower trim F150 trucks have payloads up as high as some F250 Superduties. Crazy to think.

The built in 7.2Kw generator has already spoiled me with the campers. I hope they move that over to the Superduty platform one day if I ever need to go to a bigger truck!

[Don77]

Originally Posted by SWillier

I have a Powerboost, too. 11K is even the normal tow pack; you can do 12.4K with max tow, although I'd never tow that much with an F150. They tow great. I used to have a 2013 Ecoboost 3.5, so I have confidence in how well the V6-TT lasts over time towing. For a gasser, it is great! Especially up where I am at altitude.

Low payload on highly optioned trucks is the only downside I see with them. But, some of the lower trim F150 trucks have payloads up as high as some F250 Superduties. Crazy to think.

The built in 7.2Kw generator has already spoiled me with the campers. I hope they move that over to the Superduty platform one day if I ever need to go to a bigger truck!

BRAKES,BRAKES,ans BIGGER BRAKES! 1/2 tons just DO NOT HAVE THEM.

Don

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by flybouy

Reminds me of that quote ...

“I have already made up my mind, don't confuse me with facts.”
― Philip A. Fisher

OK, let's look at your F250... what is the tow rating?

[Max23]

I think what has been beaten to death over many many many threads is the fact that tow rating means little to nothing. Heck, a VW bug will probably pull most units out there. Will it do it safely. NO. Will it get pushed around and overtaken in the wind and weather and passing semi trucks. YES. I say pull because it wouldn't take the load to hook it up to tow it. It would break. So will an undersized over capacity truck over time. Don't think were talking about the ability to tow it, its more of a safety and overload situation. Thing start to break down when their capacity is overloaded. Axles, suspension, bearings etc etc. Take a cat scale readout of an overload situation to any mechanic (which I have a mechanics degree) and if he's honest or worth a crap he'll tell you the same thing. Over capacity is over capacity. Now, has a lot changed since I got my degree and got out of that work, yes, but the basics are the basics.

By numbers and ratings my first truck should have been able to handle my trailer. By numbers on my truck with capacities, I went to the cat scale, nope I was over. So, rather than break down along the highway somewhere I got a bigger truck. It just is a simple math equation. Either it fits inside or you don't try and smoosh it in!

[SWillier]

Originally Posted by Don77

BRAKES,BRAKES,ans BIGGER BRAKES! 1/2 tons just DO NOT HAVE THEM.

Don

Very true, the brakes are not as big a 3/4 or 1 ton.
My buddy's Dually F450 has even bigger brakes. Maybe we all need a DRW F550 just to have the best brakes of them all! (Take that as a joke, not an inslult)

The brakes on the new 1/2 tons are just fine for their rated loading. Not trying to pull Superduty loads on the 1/2 ton.

OP is pulling a bit bigger of a trailer than am on my 1/2 ton. I'm a hair under 32' and 8600# Loaded. Coming from 26' previously to 32', I wouldn't want any longer. That's a big sail back there.

[mtmiller302]

Originally Posted by Bandito

I emailed Keystone RV and got a different response from them. The email response indicated that they should be on separate legs so I’ll see if the dealer will move one when I next take it in.

Thanks for sharing this. I too have a Powerboost w/7.2kW generator and just received a similar adapter in the mail. I was thinking I should verify it is wired correctly so it indeed is pulling off both legs on the gen side. Glad to hear you're getting the trailer wiring looked at.

And yes the power and torque of this truck far surpasses my old V8 trucks... not even close. Silly power, crazy gas mileage under normal driving, and an onboard generator. And nothing to plug in... it just does it. Exhaust sounds awful but I'll take function over form any day. Love it.

[Bandito]

Don’t the trailer brakes come into the equation when towing? If the truck is rated to tow the load, doesn’t that mean that the brakes are also within capacity? They don’t publish the specs for no reason.

@mtmiller302, you should be able to tell whether or not you’re wired up correctly by looking at the load on the truck’s display. It shows the power draw on each leg, so fire up the AC units and have a look. Hopefully, yours is set up correctly.

I agree that the Eco/PowerBoost 3.5L is a beast of an engine. It really gets the job done and does whatever you need it to do. Add the generator and the possibilities seem endless ;-)

[Don77]

Originally Posted by SWillier

Very true, the brakes are not as big a 3/4 or 1 ton.
My buddy's Dually F450 has even bigger brakes. Maybe we all need a DRW F550 just to have the best brakes of them all! (Take that as a joke, not an inslult)

The brakes on the new 1/2 tons are just fine for their rated loading. Not trying to pull Superduty loads on the 1/2 ton.

OP is pulling a bit bigger of a trailer than am on my 1/2 ton. I'm a hair under 32' and 8600# Loaded. Coming from 26' previously to 32', I wouldn't want any longer. That's a big sail back there.

I would love a F550 in a GM product (not a Ford fan) but it wont fit into my garage not to mention Wifes approval!

Yes that is a big sail back there and that is why I bought a 3/4 ton.
Used to pull with 1/2 tons until we went to WY and that was when I talked the wife into a 3/4 ton, just not enough brakes on a 1/2 ton on steep down hill runs, also did not like the side winds pushing the trailer to the point of the trailer controling the truck not the truck controling the trailer!

Don

[Mainer]

A friend had one. Parked next to our off-grid camp. Truck started up every hour or so all night. That ProPower battery is 1.5Kw just a little bigger than a starting battery so the truck has to keep starting just to run the trailer's converter let alone anything else. He was also way overloaded, but would not listen.

I suppose it's a way to get around generator hour rules.