DC in Bed with Pro Power Onboard?

[petemill]

Now that plays into my original point that went over like a lead balloon! Just load up on fuel and let the PB do its' thing. Simple and efficient.

I think it's playing in to the opposite conclusion. Wasting at least 8.5KWh per day on nothing is not what I call efficient. But now we know the facts everyone can make their own decisions for each trip. Running a fridge for a whole day should only use up 1KWh to 2KWh.

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[HammaMan]

I think it's playing in to the opposite conclusion. Wasting at least 8.5KWh per day on nothing is not what I call efficient. But now we know the facts everyone can make their own decisions for each trip. Running a fridge for a whole day should only use up 1KWh to 2KWh.

But it doesn't is the point. Someone else did a test where they ONLY ran their wifi hotspot and the truck used something like half a gallon for the entire day. That was due in part to the vehicle's electronics which use between 100 and 200w.

Part of that is due in part to the 2 pumps it runs which is the HV cooling loop and the trans aux pump, both are electric.

 

[petemill]

I think we're agreeing on the facts but not the actions and that's ok. Burning half a gallon extra per day (I think it's slightly more from personal experience but let's call it half) is a waste in my book (and also not pleasant for camping surroundings). So I choose not to.

 

[HammaMan]

One can make a 110ah LFP battery for ~300$ that provides 1.2kWh worth of usable power and can charge in 1hr that will last for ~3-6k cycles before hitting 80% of its original capacity. Or buy one for $400 ready made.

 

[travisN000]

But it doesn't is the point. Someone else did a test where they ONLY ran their wifi hotspot and the truck used something like half a gallon for the entire day. That was due in part to the vehicle's electronics which use between 100 and 200w.

Part of that is due in part to the 2 pumps it runs which is the HV cooling loop and the trans aux pump, both are electric.

On hot summer and cold weather campouts I've had mine run way more than expected, and my assumption was the Hi-volt cooling/heating demands way out pace the electric demands of a fridge. On modest weather days fuel consumption can be minimal, but with more extreme temps fuel consumption goes way up. The constant cycling of the motor disturbed other nearby campers and I got multiple requests not to leave the truck running. I found I was able to power the fridge overnight by adding an always on plug to the accessory battery under the rear seat without over draining the battery, and not disturb other campers. More recently I picked up a 100 aH lithium for the trips where I am parked longer:

https://drprepare.com/powermax-12v-100ah-lifepo4-battery-and-hub/

https://www.f150gen14.com/forum/thr...er-for-my-fridge-and-other-accessories.12825/

I saw a YouTube video a while back describing the function of accessory battery under the passenger rear seat in our F150s, and it gave me the idea to use it for always-on power, as the factory outlets time out and turn off if my PowerBoost is not in generator mode. I wanted these to charge / power items while camping, including my fridge. My fridge has a battery protection feature to prevent over draining the battery; of note, according to the video I watched, this accessory battery has a direct non-switched connection to the main starter battery, so using this could kill the starter battery if not careful.


The mod was pretty simple:

Ordered pre-wired automotive power strip from amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09YDQLZ7H

I chose this one as it had a switch, higher output 45w USB-C / PD and 18w USB-A, a voltmeter, and 12v outlets; there are many other configurations available, but this met my needs / goals.

The finished install:

..and a few pics showing the process:



Remove the cover.. I pried up at the big 'U' cutout seen at the left and right near the front of the cover as seen in the image above, but after removal, that was not the correct location; the notch near the 'L' on the cover itself is where the release is:

Mark the holes to be drilled:

I drilled the holes half way through from both sides with a 1-1/8in spade bit for a clean perfect fit; I had to remove the wiring from from the sockets to fit them, and then re-plug them:

Last step was to wire it to the battery; included ring terminals were a good fit:

..Then snap it back into place and test:

 

[HammaMan]

Outdoor temps should have little if any effect on the operation unless climate control is on. The battery isn't heated, only cooled, and the little hybrid running with nearly no load wouldn't warrant cooling outside of the loop pump running. Only when it's doing 130a charges / discharges does it start to take heat. The 30a engine run during recharge doesn't phase it.

Is the exhaust stock or does it have some type of exhaust bringing out its mail-truck-sounding qualities?

Under no circumstances would I use the truck's AGMs to power anything, at all. They're barely enough to keep its systems happy. The battery you listed can be connected in parallel with the truck's rear battery using 10 gauge wire at least 18" in length to limit inbound charging and it will charge it in ~90 minutes or so.

 

[turbospartan]

So I've been designing my overland/camper build for my PowerBoost which has the 7.2 pro power onboard option.

Any more info on your build?

I'm considering building something similar. Decked system + Leer shell, and trying to plan out what I need to consider / might use the PPoB for.

 

[DANNER]

Any more info on your build?

I'm considering building something similar. Decked system + Leer shell, and trying to plan out what I need to consider / might use the PPoB for.

I should probably do a write up somewhere...I intend to "when I'm finished" but I'm never finished. I've been building a pullout kitchen for the past year (I've been almost done for the past month )

My build probably has different requirements than a lot of overloading build as I'm trying to accommodate my family of 4 + dog in a camper really meant for 2.

 

[turbospartan]

I should probably do a write up somewhere...I intend to "when I'm finished" but I'm never finished. I've been building a pullout kitchen for the past year (I've been almost done for the past month )

My build probably has different requirements than a lot of overloading build as I'm trying to accommodate my family of 4 + dog in a camper really meant for 2.

Yea I'd be interested in seeing what you've done so far / following the build.

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