Hello all, I recently purchased a 2021 F-150 XLT. It has the 400w 110v outlet system, with two outlets in the cab, and 1 in the bed adjacent to the tailgate. How do I activate these outlets. There is no manual push button on the dash or next the the headlight control **** or nothing in the features display on the 12” touchscreen. I have looked in the manual and can’t find out how to activate these outlets, I’ve gone to YouTube and all the videos I’ve seen either refer to the touchscreen operation in features, or the manual button by the headlight controls. Please help…. Thanks in advance.

 

Truck must be running for the outlets to be powered.
400w can't do much but run a light or running a power tool battery charger which is what I used it to do.

 

I’ve only tried to operate them with the truck running. When you first start the truck the amber light on the outlets flash once and then go out. And I have no power to the outlets. Maybe they are just fubared, I just thought I might be missing something when it comes to operation. I figured if the light flashes, the fuse should be good. But I guess I can check that.

 

The outlets are powered from a 12 v to 110vac Inverter supply.
Plug a device in and see if it works.
The Inverter may need a signal from the outlet to turn it on.
Some education on what 400 watts entails.
110 vAC times 3.6 Amps = 396 watts. So 3.5 amps is about the limit for device current draw.
At this max current, the 12 v current the Inverter will draw from the Battery is 12v times >>33 amps<< = 396 watts out of the Battery.
Inverter conversion efficiency losses are also part of the total system power consumption.
Lastly, the AC wave form may not be perfect unless the Inverter design improves it from a standard unit design. You don't know this unless looked at with a Scope to see it..
Run the engine when drawing outlet power.
Good luck.

 

When I go on long, 8 hour drives to Michigan's U.P., I will cut up chunks of beef, carrots, potatoes, onions, and my special stewing broth, and dump it all into a crock pot and put it on the floor in the back seat of the truck and plug it in. When I get up north, dinner is ready. The only thing is I have to remember to start the crock pot again after every time I stop. Man, gotta love modern technology. Oh, in case you're wondering, I measured to crock pot to consume only about 280w, so no problem. I have to remember to snap a picture of this one of these times.

 

23 XLT the light on the front 110 outlet is on any time my truck is running.

 

Running a truck motor to get 400 watts seems awfully inefficient. I hope owners aren't sitting there running idle just for that.

 

Look back at reply #4.
You can't get around it without running the Battery down in a short time.
Good luck..

 

Fwiw, I suspect from prior posts on this feature that 400w is peak not constant power. Many devices draw far more than rated power when you turn them on.

 

I know this thread is old doesn't seem that the guy with the one that did not work what his final diagnosis & fix was nore does it seem like anyone else haa encounted this fault. I am at time od writing this going to check if its possibly just the cabin , which, if it's only the cabin, And the bed works, the system's not bad and it's just an outlet and just like in a home its not uncommon to have a bad outlet. But from what I've read unless you have the optional 2.0kW these 400s tend to just be bad, I too remember my amber light remaining on at all times in my 21 xlt. And if you only have the 400 you will most likely only have the 1 outlet in the cab and one in the bed adjacent to the tailgate on the one side, can correct me if im wrong only the 2kW has 3 outlets.... I rarely use mine as has more USB and or cigarette 12v outlets then id ever need in the cab.... but my amber lights been out for a while and I remember it wasn't charging my phone with a standard 110 vac charging block. Just forget to mention come time for oil changes/service.. it is covered under believe factory warranty if not I have extended just hasn't been a necessity until you actually need or want to use it. Would be lovely if it wss s simple fuse , which ill check but just from my own causal research the people with the same issue all had same cause bad inverters. One even said after replacing 1st one 2nd not long after went as well , unsure of his final outcome /fix .

5 mins after writing i just bought a toro snow blower temporarily until gas is in, I wanted the 1 60v battery they give you to be charged by time im home and whatya know bed works, so simply a bad outlet in cab ,a wire disconnect or something in the wiring between inverter and plug.