Climate Control becomes inoperative while using the 110v outlet.

[GrySql]

I've never used the 110v power outlet in my FFH before.

 

Today we were taking one of my granddaughters home and she was using her iPad, the battery was low so my wife handed her an Apple iPad 110v Charger, it was plugged into the 110v outlet and then into the iPad as we drove.

The outside temp was 96F so we had the A/C set to 72F.

Within 30 seconds of plugging in the iPad Charger the A/C became uncontrollable, the fans ramped up, a different fan-like noise could be heard from under the dash and in the air outlet vents and hot air came out the vents. We attempted to shut off the A/C, it was frozen and would not respond, but kept making that second undulating fan-like noise.

 

I was able to pull over and shut the car down, we unplugged the 110v iPad charger and restarted the car.

I could now shut down the A/C but that other noise continued, then slowly cycled up and down until it too stopped.

When that odd noise stopped we were able to again control the A/C and set it to cool the car and then went along our way.

 

The odd noise could have been the Inverter cooling system in action but why the Climate Controls were frozen is very strange.

I don't see anything in the FFH OM that speaks directly to an iPad-like device overpowering the 110v Outlet's capacity but from now on I will not use the darn 'feature'.

 

The HVAC system is scheduled to be replaced in the next couple weeks, I'll mention this to the SA when at the Dealer.

 

Edited June 9, 2014 by GrySql

[SteveB_TX]

Odd. I have plugged my iPad into the outlet many times with no ill effects in both hybrids. Things that make you go ... :gaah:

[GrySql]

Exactly... :)

[Texasota]

Probably not a good idea to plug your sump pump into it like I contemplated in one of my first threads as a :noobie:

[corncobs]

That indeed is odd my interior lighting is plugged into the 110V outlet all the time and I have never had an issue with that or the HVAC.

[DeeCee]

Ashley? what has Ford have to say about this?

[airbusguy]

GrySql, do you have anything plugged into the OBD2 outlet? I used a cheap elm327mini with torquepro app and after about 3 days it failed, but not before it turned on the dreaded yellow wrench and did really strange things with the regen braking system - like completely eliminate modulation with the pedal. I've never seen the SOC graphic rise so fast. I shut the car off, pulled the obd2 device and restarted and all was ok except for a stored code. The code in ET mode was gibberish and the Ford dealer dumped the memory to Ford head office and they couldn't make head nor tail of the data stream. They also suggested plugging devices in the OBD2 port can cause problems.

Someone else had reported the same 6 character code that was undiagnosed in a previous thread. DTCs are normally only 5 characters.

Not really a thread drift, just wondering if you had an ELM327 device in operation when your problem occurred.

[GrySql]

Nope, nothing in the OBDII plug. A good idea though.

This was as simple an operation as it could be and it backfired on me.

 

The secondary noise was a bit unnerving, my wife was very concerned.

She asked if 'our baby' was gonna be okay - she loves this car.

Once we were on our way again she patted the dashboard.

[hybridbear]

Very strange. We've used the outlet a lot in our car without issues. That is a very strange occurence. Hopefully the dealer will be able to find a stored code to figure out what went wrong.

[lolder]

Why is the HVAC being replaced? Because of this event or another. If another, the 110 vac use was probably incidental.

[GrySql]

Why is the HVAC being replaced? Because of this event or another. If another, the 110 vac use was probably incidental.

Being replaced for the smelly A/C.

I think this was a separate event.

[FordService]

I've never used the 110v power outlet in my FFH before.

 

Today we were taking one of my granddaughters home and she was using her iPad, the battery was low so my wife handed her an Apple iPad 110v Charger, it was plugged into the 110v outlet and then into the iPad as we drove.

The outside temp was 96F so we had the A/C set to 72F.

Within 30 seconds of plugging in the iPad Charger the A/C became uncontrollable, the fans ramped up, a different fan-like noise could be heard from under the dash and in the air outlet vents and hot air came out the vents. We attempted to shut off the A/C, it was frozen and would not respond, but kept making that second undulating fan-like noise. ...

GrySql,

 

Having your dealer take a look is a great plan. Send me over your info and I'll let your CSM know about this.

 

Ashley

[GrySql]

Ashley,

You already have my info but if you need it again, I'll send it.

[FordService]

Ashley,

You already have my info but if you need it again, I'll send it.

 

Sorry about that. To specify-- I just need your updated mileage. :)

 

Ashley

[lolder]

It sounds like somebody's living in the HVAC. I had a rat make a nest in my 2004 Avalon over the cabin air filter. It was parked outside. I had to drop the blower assembly to get at all the leaves and twigs. I put some expanding foam in some small crevices in the engine compartment / firewall area and haven't had a repeat.

Edited June 9, 2014 by lolder

[GrySql]

It sounds like somebody's living in the HVAC. I had a rat make a nest in my 2004 Avalon over the cabin air filter. It was parked outside. I had to drop the blower assembly to get at all the leaves and twigs. I put some expanding foam in some small crevices in the engine compartment / firewall area and haven't had a repeat.

LOL!

I smell a rat too, but a different kind... ;)

The dealer ought to find it when the unit comes out soon.

[acdii]

Was it the newer Ipad? they draw more current, so wondering if for some odd reason it was causing the inverter to get warm, and cause a low voltage condition on the 12v bus. If that is the case, it could impact the MFT system.

[GrySql]

Was it the newer Ipad? they draw more current, so wondering if for some odd reason it was causing the inverter to get warm, and cause a low voltage condition on the 12v bus. If that is the case, it could impact the MFT system.

Ipad 4. It's only a 12W @ 2.1 Amps.

 

My guess was a hot inverter too, but why all the drama with the HVAC?

Edited June 9, 2014 by GrySql

[GrySql]

I just had Nikki, a Ford CS Rep, call me because Ashley got things moving by giving me a Case number for this problem.

Gosh, I have Brett, Nikki and Ashley helping me, wow!

 

So, we put this 110v issue on hold until my HVAC TSB is taken care of by my Dealer and my Evap/CCH replaced.

Because the TSB units are back-ordered Nikki is going to get involved in getting that part(s) expedited, she will call my SA and work thru him to do this.

After the new unit is in place they will troubleshoot the 110v issue while my car is in the Dealers hands.

Sounds okay with me.

Edited June 13, 2014 by GrySql

[James Sentman]

was it a stock apple charger? Or a third party one? Powerline communications is part of my day job and some switching power supplies are so poorly made that they dump huge amounts of high frequency noise backwards down the powerlines. It is not completely out of the realms of possibility that a really bad switching power supply could create enough electrical noise in the car systems to make other things malfunction. The Apple chargers that I’ve tested are all of good quality but they can have parts fail too. I would get a new charger.

 

Or, it could be totally unrelated ;)

[GrySql]

You know how it is, you order a 'genuine' Apple accessory and it may be a clone or black market device.

That particular one was never used before from OWC, I threw it in the car 6 months ago, just in case.

I have others and I'll try them and see if the car explodes.

Wish me luck.

 

With me, electric wiring is a plastic tube with smoke in it. So far I'm doing pretty good with a car that has so many smoke filled wires.

[hybridbear]

was it a stock apple charger? Or a third party one? Powerline communications is part of my day job and some switching power supplies are so poorly made that they dump huge amounts of high frequency noise backwards down the powerlines. It is not completely out of the realms of possibility that a really bad switching power supply could create enough electrical noise in the car systems to make other things malfunction. The Apple chargers that I’ve tested are all of good quality but they can have parts fail too. I would get a new charger.

 

Or, it could be totally unrelated ;)

Your comment illustrates something that is so cool about this community. The members here have a wide variety of experiences and knowledge and we're all willing to share what we know to help others. Like GrySql said, electrical wiring is mostly a mystery for me. I didn't even know such a thing existed as sending high frequency noise back down the powerlines. Thanks James!

[acdii]

Feedback is a bitch. AC runs at 60 cycles per minute in the US, this is how they can make step up and step down transformers that put out voltages that are consistent. Introduce a device that feeds back a higher or lower frequency, and it can cause all kinds of weird issues. Using a transformer that was designed for European markets, that run at 50 cycles, and who knows what can happen.

 

What the inverter does is take 12V direct current, Positive and Negative, and using an oscillator, change it to AC @ 60 cycles, then run 12 volt AC into a transformer that steps it up to 120V. Basically a 10-1 coil transformer. Connect something to that inverter that works at a different frequency, and it could cause feedback that can disrupt everything connected to it. In Theory this could happen.