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Fuel consumption when using Pro Power

Spiffy

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Today I did a experiment and hooked up my powerboost to my house. For the most part the load when my house is idling. Refrigerator, few lights, big TV, sound system , network . Everything running as normal was 530w/475w. Truck started once every 10 min or so and ran about min and half. Then I fired up my oven for pizza and made my brastia coffee. Pegged the truck at 3400w/3590w. Still going strong. In the last 2 hours I used up 8 miles of reserve.

Without using the oven and my 1500w coffee maker I think I can go overnight for 3 miles.
Has anyone had real-time fuel usage? I know everyone is different but if it's calculated at 75% load what could we expect fuel use to be per hour?
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HammaMan

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Hard to do exact as you just don't have that level of info, but one test I saw pulling full load was ~1.07g / hr at max draw. I'd expect low-loading to be slightly less due to the fact the 12v systems are eating ~200 watts continuous regardless. So over 10hrs or so, the truck will use about 2kW. Not sure in hybrid mode. It'd be nice to have an app that could calc exact fuel flow based on pressure and injection duration obtained via OBD connection. @Snakebitten loves his apps so I'm not sure if he's looked into that level of data collection.

Some suggest using the AC if it's hot as the electronics can heat up. I'd guess whatever max temp is w/out going to max would be sufficient while avoiding sun directly on the windshield.
 
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Spiffy

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That's funny I had snakebitten in my mind before you mentioned him. Why is 200watts being used for the 12volt system? It is the inverter loss or inefficiency?
 

HammaMan

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It's just what the truck's systems are consuming. You can see it when looking at the DCDC variables. It takes up the entire load when running so you can see the amperage it's putting out. Cooling pumps, ECUs, etc. It varies.
 

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Presenting fuel burn and Kw used on the ProPower screen would be very useful when parked. The truck certainly knows those two variables at any point in time. Clearly the fuel burn is proportional to the kW output.

I often move under power with an Airstream behind powered by ProPower Onboard servicing the trailer and running the air conditioning. I have often wondered what impact that had on fuel economy in motion.
 

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HammaMan

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Presenting fuel burn and Kw used on the ProPower screen would be very useful when parked. The truck certainly knows those two variables at any point in time. Clearly the fuel burn is proportional to the kW output.

I often move under power with an Airstream behind powered by ProPower Onboard servicing the trailer and running the air conditioning. I have often wondered what impact that had on fuel economy in motion.
With the airstream 'warm', find you a nice stretch of flat road where you can make a several mile run at a set speed, resetting the trip meter once at speed. Turn around, get back to the start point, turn on gen mode, let the ACs turn on and then do it again repeating the process identical to the first run. That's not yet a data point I've seen collected.
 

Samson16

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Presenting fuel burn and Kw used on the ProPower screen would be very useful when parked. The truck certainly knows those two variables at any point in time. Clearly the fuel burn is proportional to the kW output.

I often move under power with an Airstream behind powered by ProPower Onboard servicing the trailer and running the air conditioning. I have often wondered what impact that had on fuel economy in motion.
Or follow the youtuber method. Fill up the gas tank and haul your trailer with ProPower connected and systems on for a nice long there and back loop. Fill your tank back up and record the fuel used. Do it again pulling the trailer without hooking up the ProPower and measure the difference in fuel burn. Reasonably accurate ProPower impact test.
 

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There are about 36 kW-Hrs equivalent in a gallon of gasoline. A gas engine is maybe 30% efficient (at best) so maybe 10 kW-Hrs per gallon given engine efficiency. Then what is the efficiency of the generator to inverter to the plug system? Likely 70-80% so you probably get 7 kW-Hrs per gallon at full power.
 

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Yep
Hard to do exact as you just don't have that level of info, but one test I saw pulling full load was ~1.07g / hr at max draw. I'd expect low-loading to be slightly less due to the fact the 12v systems are eating ~200 watts continuous regardless. So over 10hrs or so, the truck will use about 2kW. Not sure in hybrid mode. It'd be nice to have an app that could calc exact fuel flow based on pressure and injection duration obtained via OBD connection. @Snakebitten loves his apps so I'm not sure if he's looked into that level of data collection.

Some suggest using the AC if it's hot as the electronics can heat up. I'd guess whatever max temp is w/out going to max would be sufficient while avoiding sun directly on the windshield.
I have found that turning off the display in the truck helps keep the dash cool when being used. Otherwise it will get very hot to the touch. Running the AC is a good on a super hot day with the sun coming in the windshield (assuming you don' thave it blocked).
 

Gros Ventre

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From the above, if your house uses typically about 1 to 1.5 kW-Hrs average with a 30 gal gas tank, you could go about 4 1/2 hours per gallon running a typical home. This would be about 5 days continuous running on a Powerboost's tank of 30g. When I had a major land fire blow thru my community I ran my little Coleman generator for about 6 hours per day for about 10 days (2 hours in the morning - coffe etc, then 1 hour about noon and 3 hours in the evening) so a Powerboost's tank might go for some 20 days at that rate. Since I've added an in bed aux gas tank w/60g, I could likely go some 60 days on a load of gas. :)
 
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RickBullotta

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From the above, if your house uses typically about 1 to 1.5 kW-Hrs average with a 30 gal gas tank, you could go about 4 1/2 hours per gallon running a typical home. This would be about 5 days continuous running on a Powerboost's tank of 30g. When I had a major land fire blow thru my community I ran my little Coleman generator for about 6 hours per day for about 10 days (2 hours in the morning - coffe etc, then 1 hour about noon and 3 hours in the evening) so a Powerboost's tank might go for some 20 days at that rate. Since I've added an in bed aux gas tank w/60g, I could likely go some 60 days on a load of gas. :)
I built a rack that holds 3 jerry cans of fuel for boondocking in the Airstream when running on ProPower. The same rack can also hold 3 Sceptre water cans if the weather is such that we won't be running the A/C much.
 

fwunder

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I have a 10 circuit transfer switch which covers 2 refrigerator/freezers, well pump, oil furnace/hw heater, and strategic outlet and light circuits. We have gas ( propane ) stove and a Jotul Woodstove.

We had a 12 hour outage last week when some more dead ash trees took out a couple of utility poles up the road including power and cable.. I have a lot of practice rolling out my very loud Generac 8kW and using the umbilical to house and lots of refilling fuel tank from several 5 gallon gas jugs.

My new PB has dramatically improved my emergency outage routine!

I tucked the truck up close to the house to cover with WiFi, plugged 30 amp, turned on generator mode, threw the transfer switch circuits and went on with life! Takes about 3-5 minutes to switch over to Truckenator power.

About 12 hours later the utility power was restored and I noted that the truck computer said we used 28 miles worth of fuel!

Looking forward to visiting Assateague National Seashore campground next month with our travel trailer and not packing my Honda generator!

Ford F-150 Fuel consumption when using Pro Power IMG_6401
 
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Spiffy

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All the data points are there to make a app to show what the current fuel vs kw is at any given point. Fuel flow at 1000 rpm should be constant. It's recharging the high voltage battery and that's at a consistent rate. Unlike a gas generator where a given rpm at light electrical load is way different than a high load.
I'm sure there is a way to see current fuel flow. I can do it with simple math. Fuel flow × time running = fuel consumption.
But I would have to do the math again for every additional load or every removed load. I woukd like to figure out how to do a app that shows real time data. I'm not good at coding. I'm on android. Like updates every second.
Right now ford pass shows load.
I have to swipe down on the screen. Takes about 15 seconds to refresh. The fuel level screen is available too.
If I had data showing current fuel consumption that woukd be cool.
I don't do any camping but the suggestion to do two way trips to figure fuel usage in the camper woukd work. But that would have to be on a windless day.
When I have to document true airspeed on a airplane I have to do four 10 min flights 0, 90, 180, 270 degrees. That way wind speed is not a factor.
 

Samson16

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There are about 36 kW-Hrs equivalent in a gallon of gasoline. A gas engine is maybe 30% efficient (at best) so maybe 10 kW-Hrs per gallon given engine efficiency. Then what is the efficiency of the generator to inverter to the plug system? Likely 70-80% so you probably get 7 kW-Hrs per gallon at full power.
That was just a series of guesses with conversions thrown in for complexity. I think my suggestion eliminates more variables and does so without guessing. Just drive the same loop with the same truck and the same trailer. Use ProPower first and then unplug it and drive it again. K.I.S.S.
 

Samson16

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I have a 10 circuit transfer switch which covers 2 refrigerator/freezers, well pump, oil furnace/hw heater, and strategic outlet and light circuits. We have gas ( propane ) stove and a Jotul Woodstove.

We had a 12 hour outage last week when some more dead ash trees took out a couple of utility poles up the road including power and cable.. I have a lot of practice rolling out my very loud Generac 8kW and using the umbilical to house and lots of refilling fuel tank from several 5 gallon gas jugs.

My new PB has dramatically improved my emergency outage routine!

I tucked the truck up close to the house to cover with WiFi, plugged 30 amp, turned on generator mode, threw the transfer switch circuits and went on with life! Takes about 3-5 minutes to switch over to Truckenator power.

About 12 hours later the utility power was restored and I noted that the truck computer said we used 28 miles worth of fuel!

Looking forward to visiting Assateague National Seashore campground next month with our travel trailer and not packing my Honda generator!

IMG_6401.jpg
Dude all I see is a beautiful house.
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