Portable generator as "Range Extender"

[devdrone6]

It's not any more foolish than owning an electric truck at a time in history when majority of electricity comes from fossil fuels. One has to work around the technology limitations. As the technology changes, fewer limitations will require such workarounds.

Stop posting this nonsense. My CT runs on magic.

Magic is powered by Coal mostly in my case, but don't tell others.

 

[Jethro]

I mentioned this a few months ago for boon docking emergencies only1

Oooo, the backlash!

I have a pair of Yamah gennys that can be networked toget her to provide about 4Kw @220V for about 5-6 hours. The advantage with a modular system is that it can be easily moved around to optimize noise and cooling and my is 60 pounds full..

Cool thing about charging an EV is constant voltage and a genny could be optimized for one RPM/demand thus increasing efficiancy, I dont know if any manufacturers sees a volume tho.

Best thing hydrocarbon fuel/efficiancy wise would be a fuel cell …I’ve looked into it, but it’s still in the lab. Be great if it could pull close to the 33KWh/ gallon theoretical maximum of gas quietly, safely with minimal emissions...when/where electrify is not practical.

 

[Jedi2155]

So my earlier comment about 15 MPG in a vehicle of this size equates to roughly 5.8 kWh / gallon (386 Wh/mi * 15) which is actually a fairly poor conversion efficiency since there is 33.7 kWh/gal of thermal energy make it roughly 17.2% efficient.

If you do it often enough, may be worth it to go with a real diesel setup. Probably could make money on the side by providing site power to various projects/events too.

https://www.govplanet.com/Generator+Set

So I looked at a lowest price generator like this one for $4000, which can output 60A at 240v single phase, and its associated fuel consumption rate is roughly 35% efficiency (0.85 gph @ 50% load).

Cool thing about charging an EV is constant voltage and a genny could be optimized for one RPM/demand thus increasing efficiancy, I dont know if any manufacturers sees a volume tho.

Best thing hydrocarbon fuel/efficiancy wise would be a fuel cell …I’ve looked into it, but it’s still in the lab. Be great if it could pull close to the 33KWh/ gallon theoretical maximum of gas quietly, safely with minimal emissions...when/where electrify is not practical.

Optimal efficiency for a genset can be a pretty wide band in what's called Islands of efficiency within a Brake Specific Fuel Consumption chart. The genset I googled seemed near maximum efficiency for a diesel but I haven't a gasoline generator much more than 17-20% for some reason even though a hybrid like a Prius can easily break 30% efficiency using gas.

 

[Crissa]

Stop posting this nonsense. My CT runs on magic.

Magic is powered by Coal mostly in my case, but don't tell others.

Still more efficient than gasoline any way you cut it except driving out into the desert or tundra.

-Crissa

 

[cybercricket]

Here, problem solved...

 

[REM]

Here, problem solved...

Fred F. had it right this whole time ?

 

[eswimm]

Just tow this thing around, clean energy and supercharger speed!

https://www.backupbatterypower.com/products/250kw-hydrogen-power-generator

I really don't see why this upsets people so much. If you using the generator to charge 100% of the time then you've probably made a poor vehicle choice, but it makes the Cybertruck a viable option for the occasional remote camping trip, who cares. I don't live my life afraid of becoming a meme. Generators usually operate in a fairly efficient band, probably still better than using gas/diesel in the truck.

 

[bosshog]

I am definitely going to get one . Anyone have any tips on which generator to get …

 

[cybercricket]

I am definitely going to get one . Anyone have any tips on which generator to get …

What's your PR deadlifting ?

 

[Bobo_LaDouche]

I appreciate the thread. I often camp and work in places where the offroad ride begins at 120 miles from the nearest charging station - this is 240 miles overhead usage on total range. I typically stay offroad for a week (or two) at a time, primitive style. This is not possible with the CT currently, so I would like some options. Solar might be ideal, but is not really proven, or is still maybe to complicated for me, according to what I understand by the efforts of Cypertechnical in "Homemade mobile solar charging panels, Starlink, & other mods on my Cybertruck". So this leaves the possibilities of a gasoline generator to be considered.

100 miles of additional range would be good, 200 would be significant. I don't like the noise, nor carrying gasoline, but I do have the time to charge. Smaller is better, but that includes the generator and fuel. Based on this thread, I am currently thinking one small honda, at 5 miles generated per hour of usage, which could upscale to two generators in tandem.

Again, I really enjoy the thread, and keep the ideas coming...

 

[cybercricket]

I appreciate the thread. I often camp and work in places where the offroad ride begins at 120 miles from the nearest charging station - this is 240 miles overhead usage on total range. I typically stay offroad for a week (or two) at a time, primitive style. This is not possible with the CT currently, so I would like some options. Solar might be ideal, but is not really proven, or is still maybe to complicated for me, according to what I understand by the efforts of Cypertechnical in "Homemade mobile solar charging panels, Starlink, & other mods on my Cybertruck". So this leaves the possibilities of a gasoline generator to be considered.

100 miles of additional range would be good, 200 would be significant. I don't like the noise, nor carrying gasoline, but I do have the time to charge. Smaller is better, but that includes the generator and fuel. Based on this thread, I am currently thinking one small honda, at 5 miles generated per hour of usage, which could upscale to two generators in tandem.

Again, I really enjoy the thread, and keep the ideas coming...

If you end up doing the Honda with the Companion unit, this is the cable you want:

Also those Hondas can be retrofitted to run on propane as well :

 

[bosshog]

i thing personally propane is the way to go . Can also be used to camp with . Just have no idea how much propane would be used in comparison to gas .

 

[Crissa]

i thing personally propane is the way to go . Can also be used to camp with . Just have no idea how much propane would be used in comparison to gas .

It's mostly density. Gasoline contains like, a quarter more energy per gallon and doesn't need a pressure vessel.

But gasoline spoils easily - it can contain water and ethanol, which attracts more water. It can also carry rust more easily. Diesel doesn't ahve these problems as much, but has its own problems.

Propane basically doesn't do this. Propane also burns cleaner. If you're running off of propane you need to do far, far less maintenance, and it's much more difficult to foul plugs or rust the tanks.

So... Bulky propane or finicky gasoline? What's available to you, what's cheaper, etc.

I basically always use propane because I don't want to do maintenance.

-Crissa

 

[bosshog]

Just now need to find the right propane generator … seems like a lot out there … the wattage needed is also important

 

[OldDirtyRobot]

It depends on the type of camping you do. If there are RV hookups anywhere close, I've found those to be a great charging option. Just talk to the park about it. I've been charged a small fee, and on rare occasions they've let me hook up for free (local state park).