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A current video on the Butter_EV YouTube Channel exhibits that you are able to do some actually cool issues with massive EV batteries at campsites with a journey trailer, like energy an RV’s air con and different programs. This may be particularly helpful for “boondocking” — tenting away from utility connections at RV parks. However … there’s one limitation he bumped into that doesn’t make lots of sense.
For the primary a part of the video, he explains what sort of experiment he’s attempting out: to plug his RV into the truck’s 240V plug within the mattress and energy the RV whereas charging the truck. This may be glorious as a result of it could enable the truck to choose up leftover energy at an RV park and cost as quick as it could actually.
He has a mid-sized bumper-pull journey trailer. I didn’t catch the precise mannequin quantity to know the precise empty weight, nevertheless it has two axles, so it’s in all probability within the 5000–7000 pound vary. It has two air conditioners, and which means lots of energy draw. He begins by proving that he’s acquired the ACs working on the location’s 50-amp energy provide.
Subsequent, he goes to the pedestal and unplugs the RV, as an alternative connecting a Tesla Cell connector to tug 40 amps of energy from the pedestal and cost the truck. He then takes the RV’s 50-amp extension to the mattress of the Cybertruck, leaving it there whereas he plugs the truck in to confirm that it’s getting a Stage 2 cost from the RV pedestal. The truck’s show exhibits 32 amps (the cell connector’s most, apparently) at 241 volts.
He then tries to show the shops on, nevertheless it gained’t let him till he unplugs the charger. He turns the shops on, will get the trailer plugged into the truck’s 240V outlet, after which has to reset the breaker. At that time, the AC items are working within the camper powered from the Cybertruck. Then, he plugs the truck into the charger once more, however the Cybertruck kills the mattress plugs, and the camper’s ACs give up.
Tesla may need a very good cause for doing this. It’s attainable that when you pulled extra energy from the automobile than you place in, you would get up to a lifeless truck as an alternative of charging it up. So, to keep away from confusion, Tesla could have determined to discourage this.
However the characteristic could also be coming to the truck in a future replace, not less than if the rumor mill is true. A number of YouTubers who appear credible say that the truck goes to get the flexibility to choose up energy whereas releasing it quickly.
Nevertheless, this characteristic may not be essentially the most helpful at RV parks. Most 50-amp pedestals have a 50-amp plug, a 30-amp plug, and not less than one 20-amp plug. Most individuals charging an EV and powering an RV choose to plug the EV into the 50-amp plug and energy the RV from the 30-amp plug. Most RVs that you just’d really need to tow with an EV wouldn’t exceed the 30 amps, however you may need to watch out when you’re working AC and a microwave on the identical time, as 30-amp journey trailer plugs are 120 volts and never 240 (no second 120V leg, making the 30 amps half as highly effective because the 240V plug).
So, on the finish of the day, it’d simply be higher to plug each the truck and the RV into the pedestal.
Featured picture: a screenshot from the embedded video.
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