Lucid Bi-directional charging as a home power source

[Paladin732]

I could explore that but our ground is rather hard (caliche).

Three letters:
T.N.T

I know someone that can help, Wyle E Coyote.

 

[dawktah LucidGT]

I could explore that but our ground is rather hard (caliche).

You have a lawn on top of this stuff? Wow!

 

[Steveinarizona]

You have a lawn on top of this stuff? Wow!

I wouldn't have planted it but it was a model house and the builder put front lawns in front of the models.

 

[dawktah LucidGT]

I wouldn't have planted it but it was a model house and the builder put front lawns in front of the models.

We are upgrading our service to 600 amp to accommodate possibly a house with 3 EV in the future, plus induction range and electric ovens and other appliances. We'll only use gas for hot water. Unless I can figure out a way to rig up a tankless electric heater to a tank on recirculate. I'm anxiously waiting to hear about the ability for using AGT as back-up power. More than anything the transfer time after power loss, milliseconds or seconds?

 

[borski]

We are upgrading our service to 600 amp to accommodate possibly a house with 3 EV in the future, plus induction range and electric ovens and other appliances. We'll only use gas for hot water. Unless I can figure out a way to rig up a tankless electric heater to a tank on recirculate. I'm anxiously waiting to hear about the ability for using AGT as back-up power. More than anything the transfer time after power loss, milliseconds or seconds?

Wow, 600amp is pretty nuts. I was super surprised my house had 400 straight (not split panel), as that is unusual here in CA, but a 600amp main panel must look insane haha. 400A is already most of the wall lol

 

[dawktah LucidGT]

Wow, 600amp is pretty nuts. I was super surprised my house had 400 straight (not split panel), as that is unusual here in CA, but a 600amp main panel must look insane haha. 400A is already most of the wall lol

600 amps will be from utility to our meter. Basically two 300 amp circuits. As @Steveinarizona has been saying its a pain to have lawn torn up. So I am having it increased to the highest allowed on our local REMC. I am considering adding to the already long list of electrical devices point of use heaters throughout the house. We would use electric water heater if recovery wasn't so long. Electric tankless doesn't have high enough flow rate. 80A from car will not be enough so have to see if more than one vehicle bi-directional is possible. If Ford Lightning reservation opens back up...

 

[borski]

600 amps will be from utility to our meter. Basically two 300 amp circuits. As @Steveinarizona has been saying its a pain to have lawn torn up. So I am having it increased to the highest allowed on our local REMC. I am considering adding to the already long list of electrical devices point of use heaters throughout the house. We would use electric water heater if recovery wasn't so long. Electric tankless doesn't have high enough flow rate. 80A from car will not be enough so have to see if more than one vehicle bi-directional is possible. If Ford Lightning reservation opens back up...

Yeah I knew what you meant! Just never seen 600A in residential, and rarely even 400A!

 

[dawktah LucidGT]

Yeah I knew what you meant! Just never seen 600A in residential, and rarely even 400A!

I had a 400amp on my house in Chicago due to the heating and cooling system.

 

[borski]

I had a 400amp on my house in Chicago due to the heating and cooling system.

We only have it because our house used to be owned by commercial electricians

 

[blueice89]

Just trying to understand more what exactly can the Lucid power in the house has anyone done this?? We installed tesla powerwalls and they power the house but that required so many approvals from utility from city had to be done to code blah blah. We have a DER agreement with utility as well. And solar. So not sure how the battery is just powering battery as people say.

 

[hmp10]

Just trying to understand more what exactly can the Lucid power in the house has anyone done this?? We installed tesla powerwalls and they power the house but that required so many approvals from utility from city had to be done to code blah blah. We have a DER agreement with utility as well. And solar. So not sure how the battery is just powering battery as people say.

You need to consult with an electrician versed in this kind of setup to sort out the possibilities here. If your house is connected to the grid, there is some sort of transfer switching involved in what you already have. V2H power from the Lucid will add another source that has to be integrated into the transfer arrangement.

We have a whole house generator on a transfer switch, and when I talked to an electrician about setting up the Lucid for V2H power, he had no idea how the power transfer between three power sources (grid, generator, car) could be handled. He couldn't even begin to think it through without information from Lucid about how their electronics would work for this application.

 

[blueice89]

You need to consult with an electrician versed in this kind of setup to sort out the possibilities here. If your house is connected to the grid, there is some sort of transfer switching involved in what you already have. V2H power from the Lucid will add another source that has to be integrated into the transfer arrangement.

We have a whole house generator on a transfer switch, and when I talked to an electrician about setting up the Lucid for V2H power, he had no idea how the power transfer between three power sources (grid, generator, car) could be handled. He couldn't even begin to think it through without information from Lucid about how their electronics would work for this application.

It’s mostly vapor ware then powering a house …

 

[dawktah LucidGT]

Ford has moved forward with theirs, so it's not vaporware. The car is just a battery so basically it's a UPS. I just think Lucid in the beginning made it seem like you could use a "third party" transfer switch. I've never felt that would work.

 

[thecodingart]

Personally, I’m very much looking forward to this guy:

MaxiCharger DC V2X

COMING SOON MaxiCharger DC V2X The most advanced bi-directional home charger The MaxiCharger DC V2X stands for vehicle-to-everything, transforming your electric vehicle's battery into an amazing energy source. Though bi-directional power conversion this technology enables you to charge and...

autelenergy.us

 

[hmp10]

Ford has moved forward with theirs, so it's not vaporware. The car is just a battery so basically it's a UPS.

I decided not to go forward with investigating V2H with the Lucid. When we were without power for nine days after Hurricane Irma, one of the great advantages we had in owning a Tesla at the time was that it kept us mobile while gas stations were shut down due to shortage of fuel and/or no power for the pumps. We kept the Tesla charged on the generator, and it was that car that I used to shuttle around the people who were sheltering with us to check their own properties as soon as the roads became passable. Also, with emergency responders not quickly available and cell phone service going in and out (mostly out), it might have been the only way to get help in a medical emergency.

V2H charging is really only useful for short-duration power outages or for avoiding peak rate periods (if you want to subject your car to the additional charge/discharge cycles which shorten battery pack life). Even though a Lucid could power a small house for a few days, an event that would cause a power outage that long might be one that leaves you in need of transportation that ICE vehicles cannot provide.

 

[MHDave]

At this point in time, given where the Lucid home charger is, there's very little information that can help you make a decision on V2H. As has been pointed out, though, this isn't simply a matter of buy their charger and when they announce the software is ready, you're good to go. You'll likely need to make changes in wiring, pull permits, get utility company approvals, etc.
This is a bit more complex than installing solar, as the most significant thing there is you can't have your system pushing power onto the grid during a utility power outage due to the risk to those working to fix the outage. For V2H you will likely want to only power up specific "zones" in your house, limit power draw, and you probably don't want to empty your car battery completely.

 

[dawktah LucidGT]

I decided not to go forward with investigating V2H with the Lucid. When we were without power for nine days after Hurricane Irma, one of the great advantages we had in owning a Tesla at the time was that it kept us mobile while gas stations were shut down due to shortage of fuel and/or no power for the pumps. We kept the Tesla charged on the generator, and it was that car that I used to shuttle around the people who were sheltering with us to check their own properties as soon as the roads became passable. Also, with emergency responders not quickly available and cell phone service going in and out (mostly out), it might have been the only way to get help in a medical emergency.

V2H charging is really only useful for short-duration power outages or for avoiding peak rate periods (if you want to subject your car to the additional charge/discharge cycles which shorten battery pack life). Even though a Lucid could power a small house for a few days, an event that would cause a power outage that long might be one that leaves you in need of transportation that ICE vehicles cannot provide.

I am going to make room for it, but who knows if we'll see it. One difference here in Indiana vs. Florida is out ottages usually are short term. If they are long term its really local. As long as I have enough SoC to make Lafayette I can charge and come back and keep running the non-essentials in the house.

 

[HariK]

At this point in time, given where the Lucid home charger is, there's very little information that can help you make a decision on V2H. As has been pointed out, though, this isn't simply a matter of buy their charger and when they announce the software is ready, you're good to go. You'll likely need to make changes in wiring, pull permits, get utility company approvals, etc.
This is a bit more complex than installing solar, as the most significant thing there is you can't have your system pushing power onto the grid during a utility power outage due to the risk to those working to fix the outage. For V2H you will likely want to only power up specific "zones" in your house, limit power draw, and you probably don't want to empty your car battery completely.

You are absolutely correct. There is a lot more to be done even if Lucid V2H works. This is why I did not buy any "charger" and I am just using the one which came with the car. BTW, I ordered Fisker Ocean Extreme and I will find out what they offer for V2H.

 

[HC_79]

The charger isn't the only piece to this element. Lucid has been very vague on V2H but I think it's called out on the website that more hardware in the "future" is required to get V2H working. I opted to just stick with my current charger until Lucid discloses everything that is needed to get V2H working.

 

[ViperSSD]

I decided not to go forward with investigating V2H with the Lucid. When we were without power for nine days after Hurricane Irma, one of the great advantages we had in owning a Tesla at the time was that it kept us mobile while gas stations were shut down due to shortage of fuel and/or no power for the pumps. We kept the Tesla charged on the generator, and it was that car that I used to shuttle around the people who were sheltering with us to check their own properties as soon as the roads became passable. Also, with emergency responders not quickly available and cell phone service going in and out (mostly out), it might have been the only way to get help in a medical emergency.

V2H charging is really only useful for short-duration power outages or for avoiding peak rate periods (if you want to subject your car to the additional charge/discharge cycles which shorten battery pack life). Even though a Lucid could power a small house for a few days, an event that would cause a power outage that long might be one that leaves you in need of transportation that ICE vehicles cannot provide.

The Lucid's battery will probably keep your home running for 3-5 days, but in general, you're correct, it really only makes a ton of sense if you also have solar.

I went through this at the beginning of the year with Lucid and other EVs on my list, I ended up expanding my solar array and adding a couple of powerwalls instead. It didn't make sense to rely on needing to have the car at home and plugged in all the time for my home backup solution. It also doesn't help that PGE public safety shutoffs are somewhat common so having a day of batteries actually makes sense.