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2021 PowerBoost and Towing... Terrible MPG while towing

UGADawg96

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WAIT, hold the press, I am getting my Powerboost soon, I have an AC unit to put in the bed under a camper shell and pipe cold air into the cab for my dogs when I stop for short breaks powered by the 7.2kw system, are you saying I can let my dogs in the cab and the AC will run without the motor or just start when needed???? That would be a game changer as I don't need a camper shell then. IF so, is there a safety issue though with locking the truck to stop say at a restaurant? Can someone steal it vs powering thru the onboard plant running my bed mounted ac unit and the truck being locked? Thanks for any help because I will cancel my camper shell order which I don't really like anyway.
and similarly... can someone with a powerboost answer this.... if you remote start the truck, does the AC run to cool it with the engine off ? Or could you set it like a Tesla where the AC comes on via battery if it gets over say 78* in the cabin ?
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Sentinel1201

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WAIT, hold the press, I am getting my Powerboost soon, I have an AC unit to put in the bed under a camper shell and pipe cold air into the cab for my dogs when I stop for short breaks powered by the 7.2kw system, are you saying I can let my dogs in the cab and the AC will run without the motor or just start when needed???? That would be a game changer as I don't need a camper shell then. IF so, is there a safety issue though with locking the truck to stop say at a restaurant? Can someone steal it vs powering thru the onboard plant running my bed mounted ac unit and the truck being locked? Thanks for any help because I will cancel my camper shell order which I don't really like anyway.
Yes, I leave dogs in the cab all the time and set climate control to 65. Truck will power AC with battery and every once in a while gas motor will kick on to recharge battery then shut off. You can lock the truck as you walk away so it is safe and with key in your pocket, they cannot put it in gear and drive off. Keep in mind that truck will turn off after 30 minutes and kill all power unless you disable that in vehicle settings via the center screen every time. Or you can permanently disable that via forscan which I have done.

There is the "bystander effect" which I don't have an answer to. i.e., someone walks by your truck when gas motor is not running, sees dogs in the back and freaks out and decides to be a hero and breaks window. I have thought about leaving a note in the window saying its a hybrid truck and AC is running etc. but there's always the risk of someone wanting to be a hero.

You definitely do not need an AC unit in the cab hooked up to the inverter. I am no electrician, but I think its safe to assume that hooking up an external AC to bed outlet is less efficient than just running the onboard AC inside the cab. Your cab is better insulated for one thing.
 
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Sentinel1201

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and similarly... can someone with a powerboost answer this.... if you remote start the truck, does the AC run to cool it with the engine off ? Or could you set it like a Tesla where the AC comes on via battery if it gets over say 78* in the cabin ?
Yes it does. Remote start also will heat/cool your seats and heat the steering wheel depending on ambient temp. I believe remote start will automatically kill after 10 minutes of run time if you dont get to your car in 10 mins.
 

dannko58

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Yes, I leave dogs in the cab all the time and set climate control to 65. Truck will power AC with battery and every once in a while gas motor will kick on to recharge battery then shut off. You can lock the truck as you walk away so it is safe and with key in your pocket, they cannot put it in gear and drive off. Keep in mind that truck will turn off after 30 minutes and kill all power unless you disable that in vehicle settings via the center screen every time. Or you can permanently disable that via forscan which I have done.

There is the "bystander effect" which I don't have an answer to. i.e., someone walks by your truck when gas motor is not running, sees dogs in the back and freaks out and decides to be a hero and breaks window. I have thought about leaving a note in the window saying its a hybrid truck and AC is running etc. but there's always the risk of someone wanting to be a hero.

You definitely do not need an AC unit in the cab hooked up to the inverter. I am no electrician, but I think its safe to assume that hooking up an external AC to bed outlet is less efficient than just running the onboard AC inside the cab. Your cab is better insulated for one thing.
THANK YOU, this is a game changer, and I will have the WeatherTech full window shades on, so nobody will see in the truck at all. For all they know I am in there with a 12ga pointing at them if they try to break in, lol. Not sure if you know but WeatherTech makes a complete window screen package, had it on my SuperDuty, it was great. Now I can just get a roll top bed cover, thanks again.
 

dannko58

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Yes, I leave dogs in the cab all the time and set climate control to 65. Truck will power AC with battery and every once in a while gas motor will kick on to recharge battery then shut off. You can lock the truck as you walk away so it is safe and with key in your pocket, they cannot put it in gear and drive off. Keep in mind that truck will turn off after 30 minutes and kill all power unless you disable that in vehicle settings via the center screen every time. Or you can permanently disable that via forscan which I have done.

There is the "bystander effect" which I don't have an answer to. i.e., someone walks by your truck when gas motor is not running, sees dogs in the back and freaks out and decides to be a hero and breaks window. I have thought about leaving a note in the window saying its a hybrid truck and AC is running etc. but there's always the risk of someone wanting to be a hero.

You definitely do not need an AC unit in the cab hooked up to the inverter. I am no electrician, but I think its safe to assume that hooking up an external AC to bed outlet is less efficient than just running the onboard AC inside the cab. Your cab is better insulated for one thing.
I almost forgot, is Forscan some aftermarket programmer? If so, is my dealer going to throw hissy fits if I change anything?
 

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Sentinel1201

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I almost forgot, is Forscan some aftermarket programmer? If so, is my dealer going to throw hissy fits if I change anything?
Its a windows software that's free to use if you know what you are doing. Dealers will throw a hissy fit over everything, that's why you never go back there after you drive away with your truck. There is a big forscan thread, look that up and go through tutorial.
 

SouthParkCo2

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dannko58

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SouthParkCo2

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thank you, awesome. IS there a list of all the mods you can do? They refer to backing up your customization's, is this done on my PC? I assume I just hit factory reset before sending in for any warranty work?
I don't know what can be changed on the 2021 models. I don't have my ordered truck yet, but digging this stuff up is good fun, for now . I gather that as time goes by, people will figure out possibilities and make them public. I found this small list and good luck!!(y) :
 

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Snakebitten

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I work remotely and often have to sit in the truck idling for an hour, or more sometimes. The Powerboost is AMAZING because you are in total comfort and the truck isn't even running for the large majority of the time. When the engine does start, it usually runs for about 30 seconds. At least that's what this one does.

This truck leverages that little motor and battery onboard in so many different ways. And the electric air conditioner compressor must be an engineering marvel because the AC works every bit as good, or better, than a conventional ICE system.
 

Mostlyok

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So we are seriously (almost ready to order) a PB. We currently get 12-14 mpg towing our 5500# TT with our Andersen WD hitch at 60 on flat Florida highways with our 2.7 Eco. I track all our fuel in a spread sheet and these are real tank to tank numbers.
Concerned that we will not see anything like that after reading these posts.
Will be trading both household vehicles in for this bad boy and now I am getting chilly toes.
What do you think? Thanks!
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Snakebitten

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I can't guarantee you that WHILE towing you will beat the fuel economy of the 2.7
But you should be close, at least while cruising. The problem is that you will PROBABLY be intoxicated with the substantial increase in power and thus drink a little more fuel getting up to that cruising speed. :)

When you are NOT towing, I think you can match or beat the 2.7 in fuel economy, but you still have to have the discipline not to partake in the additional power available.
 

dannko58

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I work remotely and often have to sit in the truck idling for an hour, or more sometimes. The Powerboost is AMAZING because you are in total comfort and the truck isn't even running for the large majority of the time. When the engine does start, it usually runs for about 30 seconds. At least that's what this one does.

This truck leverages that little motor and battery onboard in so many different ways. And the electric air conditioner compressor must be an engineering marvel because the AC works every bit as good, or better, than a conventional ICE system.
I just picked mine up and when I sat at the dealer with air on it started every 5 minutes or so, I was not expecting that, I thought maybe every 15-30 minutes it would start up. Problem is since this is all new to me I have no clue what normal is. Just like driving it, it rarely stays electric, goes gas then shifts into electric, even at 45 mph. I thought it was supposed to go from 0-30 in electric. My meter says after 100 miles only 10 were electric
 

machz

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I just picked mine up and when I sat at the dealer with air on it started every 5 minutes or so, I was not expecting that, I thought maybe every 15-30 minutes it would start up. Problem is since this is all new to me I have no clue what normal is. Just like driving it, it rarely stays electric, goes gas then shifts into electric, even at 45 mph. I thought it was supposed to go from 0-30 in electric. My meter says after 100 miles only 10 were electric

It will use the motor when it's needed, not really a set range. If the charge is low it will start the engine also if more acceleration is needed it will start the motor. My truck is rarely on electric if I'm accelerating, more often when I'm cruising on flat ground or going downhill. When at idle it will depend on what you have running that is using electricity such as AC, radio or lights.
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