Tow Hitch Cover removal is easy (DIY). 4-way and 7-way connectors underneath

[Challeco]

I'm suprised there is a 4-way connector in addition to the 7-way connector. Seems to violate "best part is no part" design.

Which is heavier? The couple of grams of the second wiring harness, or the adapter that is required? The adapter is by far the heavier part.

 

[ÆCIII]

-

I dare say that won't happen until the second Cybertruck refresh.
48V allows more power to be pulled from the main battery. Most of the time you want that limited, you don't want the trailer to kill your tow vehicle's battery.

Current can be software limited just as Tesla does with charging connections now, so excess power drawn on any output would not be a concern at all, because Tesla would just limit it to what they deem necessary, most likely by either software, or even circuit breakers.

48 Volt power is actually more efficient for a trailer because it is delivered with ¼ the current that 12 Volt power requires, thus also incurring less heat dissipation loss.

I can't say if or when a 48 Volt trailer connector would ever be implemented, but I wouldn't be surprised if some engineers at Tesla are working on details of 48 volt trailer lighting, brakes, and devices. There are benefits of being able to use smaller wires, including more efficiency from reduced current related heat loss, and possibly reduced costs of electrical brakes or devices as well. 48 Volt architecture enabled the Steer-By-Wire components and wiring to be significantly lighter than they would have been with 12 volt power. 48 Volt architecture in trailers would make them easier, cheaper to wire and manufacture, especially in larger trailers and RV trailers.

Who knows if or when any of this will happen or what's going on behind the scenes, but I know Tesla is committed to 48 Volt architecture as evidenced by the Cybertruck low voltage systems.

- ÆCIII

 

[Woodrick]

-


Current can be software limited just as Tesla does with charging connections now, so excess power drawn on any output would not be a concern at all, because Tesla would just limit it to what they deem necessary, most likely by either software, or even circuit breakers.

48 Volt power is actually more efficient for a trailer because it is delivered with ¼ the current that 12 Volt power requires, thus also incurring less heat dissipation loss.

I can't say if or when a 48 Volt trailer connector would ever be implemented, but I wouldn't be surprised if some engineers at Tesla are working on details of 48 volt trailer lighting, brakes, and devices. There are benefits of being able to use smaller wires, including more efficiency from reduced current related heat loss, and possibly reduced costs of electrical brakes or devices as well. 48 Volt architecture enabled the Steer-By-Wire components and wiring to be significantly lighter than they would have been with 12 volt power. 48 Volt architecture in trailers would make them easier, cheaper to wire and manufacture, especially in larger trailers and RV trailers.

Who knows if or when any of this will happen or what's going on behind the scenes, but I know Tesla is committed to 48 Volt architecture as evidenced by the Cybertruck low voltage systems.

- ÆCIII

I'm an electrical Engineer. I am intimately familiar with E=IR and voltage drops due to resistance and resistance of wires.

I would be surprised if the Tesla engineers are working on it, mainly because there's not much to work out. You switch out the light bulbs or LEDs and have an appropriate circuit to drive it, just as 120V LED do today.
Brakes, basically no big deal.

RVs, now that's getting significantly tougher, because they have battery chargers that must be swapped out, inverters than need to be updated (often parts of the chargers anyway). And all the house lights got to be moved to 48V and the entertainment systems, the sensors, the control panel and some refrigerators.

There, that wasn't hard was it. But what if I want to pull it with one of the 99.999% of the vehicles on the road. Then I have to put an auto upconverter inline.

There's just not the same pressure to change the wire gauge.

I expect that it may happen, but the RV industry is pretty slow, let alone the boat and flat trailers.

 

[ÆCIII]

I'm an electrical Engineer. I am intimately familiar with E=IR and voltage drops due to resistance and resistance of wires.

I would be surprised if the Tesla engineers are working on it, mainly because there's not much to work out. You switch out the light bulbs or LEDs and have an appropriate circuit to drive it, just as 120V LED do today.
Brakes, basically no big deal.

RVs, now that's getting significantly tougher, because they have battery chargers that must be swapped out, inverters than need to be updated (often parts of the chargers anyway). And all the house lights got to be moved to 48V and the entertainment systems, the sensors, the control panel and some refrigerators.

There, that wasn't hard was it. But what if I want to pull it with one of the 99.999% of the vehicles on the road. Then I have to put an auto upconverter inline.

There's just not the same pressure to change the wire gauge.

I expect that it may happen, but the RV industry is pretty slow, let alone the boat and flat trailers.

In your original response you said, "48V allows more power to be pulled from the main battery".

With no current limits and wire sizes staying equal that could be true, but that statement also is disconnected from Tesla's long stated reasons for going to 48 Volts in the first place, which was to reduce the wire size to save both cost and efficiency. My response was to remind of Tesla's reasons being not for power increases to the trailer - but rather for current decreases with power requirements and limits basically unchanged.

We both agree that future implementations are far from certain, so time will tell on trailers. But the Cybertruck is still a significant starting leap for 48 Volt architecture in my opinion.

Personally I don't feel we need to tout labels or titles in efforts to assert credibility on these forums, because the real substance is in the logic and our references to back up our statements, regardless of our experience or history. Time usually will tell how solid one's facts and expressions are on these forums, because all the posts continually remain for everyone to see.

But if you're finding it necessary to remind that you're an 'electrical Engineer' (which I can understand and respect if you are) then why is 'Consultant' shown as your occupation at left for your profile? You might want to update that because if you're an Electrical Engineer that's actually a more relevant occupation for a lot of content on these forums wouldn't you agree? That way someone might reply more on your level instead of drudging through fundamentals you obviously already know. Just trying to help.

- ÆCIII

 

[Woodrick]

In your original response you said, "48V allows more power to be pulled from the main battery".

With no current limits and wire sizes staying equal that could be true, but that statement also is disconnected from Tesla's long stated reasons for going to 48 Volts in the first place, which was to reduce the wire size to save both cost and efficiency. My response was to remind of Tesla's reasons being not for power increases to the trailer - but rather for current decreases with power requirements and limits basically unchanged.

We both agree that future implementations are far from certain, so time will tell on trailers. But the Cybertruck is still a significant starting leap for 48 Volt architecture in my opinion.

Personally I don't feel we need to tout labels or titles in efforts to assert credibility on these forums, because the real substance is in the logic and our references to back up our statements, regardless of our experience or history. Time usually will tell how solid one's facts and expressions are on these forums, because all the posts continually remain for everyone to see.

But if you're finding it necessary to remind that you're an 'electrical Engineer' (which I can understand and respect if you are) then why is 'Consultant' shown as your occupation at left for your profile? You might want to update that because if you're an Electrical Engineer that's actually a more relevant occupation for a lot of content on these forums wouldn't you agree? That way someone might reply more on your level instead of drudging through fundamentals you obviously already know. Just trying to help.

- ÆCIII

The 12V that connects to the house battery does indeed have some ways of resolution and in the end, doesn't represent a problem.
I guess the biggest problem is in the definition of the connector. And as long as you are using the same connector there are all sorts of problems that creep up.

There are all sorts of "why nots" that I can come up, but probably the biggest isn't a big perceived need by the trailer manufacturers, which is a stupid, but real issue. They don't have the same desires that the auto manufacturers do.

As to the title, I guess was probably getting tired and didn't want to go over what I had thought I covered before.
As to updating my title, my philosophy (that I tended to break here) is that if I can't explain myself in terms that my readers understand and agree with, then I'm not explaining myself well. Trying to "win" a conversation by pulling out a title isn't something that I like to do. And it's something that I try to stay away with, with my customers.

So, I'm sorry.

Luckily, I don't get paid for this.

 

[Mini2nut]

Someone needs to offer a high quality LED hitch brake light shaped like a triangle.

 

[Woodrick]

Someone needs to offer a high quality LED 4th brake light shaped like a triangle.

As in a horse and buggy warning device or as in a halo?

Missed your reference.

 

[Mini2nut]

Clarification: a hitch mounted LED brake light but in a triangle design to match the trucks styling.

https://cdnmedia.anzousa.com/catalo...0d57800db673c4333008ad9f5d7/8/6/861173_03.jpg

 

[Woodrick]

Clarification: a hitch mounted LED brake light but in a triangle design to match the trucks styling.

https://cdnmedia.anzousa.com/catalo...0d57800db673c4333008ad9f5d7/8/6/861173_03.jpg

I was thinking about using the lightbar, turning it around and covering it with red plastic. Ain't nobody going to miss that!

Don't know for sure, but anything using the trailer receptacles may trigger trailer mode. And you don't want that. I know that it is automatically turned on when I connect the trailer.

Still, go with the idea, interesting.

 

[Crissa]

Sir,
Just to be sure, this part of hitch and connections are there for each versions of CT please or it's optional ?
?

We haven't seen other versions of the truck yet, so...

-Crissa

 

[CyberClydesdaleBeast]

what is the bed length with tailgate down? i will often need to haul 4' by 8' plywood sheets, etc. Can you please measure?

 

[Crissa]

what is the bed length with tailgate down? i will often need to haul 4' by 8' plywood sheets, etc. Can you please measure?

The bed is ~73", the tailgate is ~23", so it should fit with only a tiny bit sticking out.

https://www.cybertruckownersclub.co...uck-bed-measured-with-a-measuring-tape.10901/

-Crissa

 

[CyberClydesdaleBeast]

Excellent!! Many Thanks!

 

[HaulingAss]

The bed is ~73", the tailgate is ~23", so it should fit with only a tiny bit sticking out.

https://www.cybertruckownersclub.co...uck-bed-measured-with-a-measuring-tape.10901/

-Crissa

This video with tape measure shows the tailgate extends to over 8 feet long:

 

[CyberClydesdaleBeast]

Perfect reference video! Thank you very kindly!