High Output Onboard Inverter & Generator Mode - Initial Test Results (2024 Trailhunter)

[trailhunger]

One thing I didn’t try today was the USB-C plugs on the opposite side of the bed. Guessing they are the same. Truck running, AC 120 on etc etc.

Yep last I checked on the manual, the 120v accessory switch also turns on the DC & air compressor side. I tried yesterday to power my iPhone in accessory mode and the USB-C bed outlet was dead. From what I understand the only OEM ‘accessories’ that work in that mode are the infotainment, front Qi console, A/C (for a few minutes) & lighting suite.

I took delivery last Thursday / got home Saturday and the AC inverter was the first deep dive for me. Still learning the truck. Amazing machine.

Sponsored

 

[Tom Sellick]

Yep last I checked on the manual, the 120v accessory switch also turns on the DC & air compressor side. I tried yesterday to power my iPhone in accessory mode and the USB-C bed outlet was dead. From what I understand the only OEM ‘accessories’ that work in that mode are the infotainment, front Qi console, A/C (for a few minutes) & lighting suite.

I took delivery last Thursday / got home Saturday and the AC inverter was the first deep dive for me. Still learning the truck. Amazing machine.

Figured as much. We are loving our truck as well. Heading out on a big road trip shortly- Colorado, Wyoming and Utah. Should be a blast!

 

[Paul F]

At what battery level does the engine kick in?

It would be annoying as hell to have it kicking in frequently if the battery levels are above say, 20%

 

[trailhunger]

At what battery level does the engine kick in?

It would be annoying as hell to have it kicking in frequently if the battery levels are above say, 20%

Only God and a few Toyota engineers know that one. Could very well be a SOC that varies based on ambient temperature, inverter load, etc. If you don’t want to hear a generator cycling, then don’t run it as a generator. System is DC, there’s conversion loss to get it to AC, and while yes a cycling engine idling can be annoying, just think of how annoyed the designers were trying to make all these features work within the laws of electrical engineering.

 

[Paul F]

If we can't run things off the battery silently until it Needs recharging due to low level reached it's not going to be as suitable as something like a Jackery for camping use.

I was hoping we could use it similarly to one, with the engine kicking in once the battery had hit a low threshold that was still safe (whatever that may be) and charge up until it reached a user selectable charge reading while in 'camping' mode to limit the amount of noise. nothing like a running engine to break the serenity of nature ;)

If it's just going to keep kicking the engine in to maintain a high charge, rather than letting it run silently until it reaches a low charge, that's going to be a nuisance in some situations.

 

[trailhunger]

If we can't run things off the battery silently until it Needs recharging due to low level reached it's not going to be as suitable as something like a Jackery for camping use.

I was hoping we could use it similarly to one, with the engine kicking in once the battery had hit a low threshold that was still safe (whatever that may be) and charge up until it reached a user selectable charge reading while in 'camping' mode to limit the amount of noise. nothing like a running engine to break the serenity of nature ;)

If it's just going to keep kicking the engine in to maintain a high charge, rather than letting it run silently until it reaches a low charge, that's going to be a nuisance in some situations.

That’s the thing tho - use your Jackery w/it. My Yoshino can recharge at 1500w. It’s energy storage damn near matches the NiMH on the truck

The battery specs were clear at unveil -1.87Kwh. Can barely run a space heater for an hour at that spec even if you were alloted a full continuous discharge on the hybrid cell. Even the A/C runs off the hybrid pack. So when you look at MPGs based on region, people who live in the desert won’t be getting great city mileage because the engine will be kicking on more often in traffic & stop lights, supplying energy to the A/C unit. This is just math at the end of the day. First world problems. If I wanted serenity, kill the engine unpack a charcoal grill or open grate at campfire, and you’re good.

And you can run things silently…your bed scene lights, even a 12v 95w heated mattress pad I’ve been testing can run quietly for awhile through the evening. Gonna take a few solid camp trips for people to appreciate having on-demand access to high output power. And those induction hobs certainly don’t have serenity written all over them! All those beeps and fan running, reminds me of the seatbelt chime in my gen 4

 

[trailhunger]

Can’t forget trucks are primarily work vehicles. Generator mode on a jobsite w/o power or hard to reach is clutch. Idle noise nobody really cares. Especially when the grid goes down & you need to power essentials.

 

[trailhunger]

one final note on the power ports for the DC side: the compressor is powered by the main engine battery / but the power ports (12V & USBC) strangely enough are powered through the inverter / generator mode - discovered this by supplying power to my GFC lights & other scenarios. I think that mapping was a missed opportunity; the bed scene lights are main engine battery (Trailhunter), it would make sense to have a 12V bed port to run basic low-draw accessories such as lights off the main engine battery & avoid that periodic engine kick-on via generator mode. Tempted to reroute it down the road...

1st world problems. But all things being equal, a really great power suite on this rig.

Sponsored