Tent Camping in a Model S

[mknox]

- in Canada your daytime running lights will be on all night

I haven't tried this in "camper mode" yet, but did find a trick to turn the DRLs off (in Canada where we don't have the touchscreen option). In Park with the car on, if you select Parking Lights, then Off, the DRLs will shut completely down. As soon as you select Drive or Reverse, they'll come back on again.

 

[SW2Fiddler]

I was considering getting the dual-charger installed before this trip. Do you think that the CHadeMO adapter would be a wiser investment. I don't really want to invest in both right now

Dual charger will surely help out at this (80 Amp) West TX landmark:

 

[paco3791]

I would strongly recommend getting the AllStays Camp and RV app (http://www.allstays.com/apps/) great for camping or if you happen to need an emergency back up 14-50 charge. In the app you can filter for "50A Amp" service wihich is RV speak for a 14-50 outlet. If you are calling ahead to a camp ground about charging make sure you us this terminology as talking about NEMA 14-50 is going to go right over most peoples heads.

 

[No2DinosaurFuel]

Last time i looked at a tesla, the trunk is pretty deep. If you fold the rear seata down you might just be able to close the hatch and sleep in your car. No need to put up tent.

 

[jerry33]

Last time i looked at a tesla, the trunk is pretty deep. If you fold the rear seata down you might just be able to close the hatch and sleep in your car. No need to put up tent.

That works for one or two. Not for three or more.

 

[No2DinosaurFuel]

If you cuddle up, you can fit three. Hahah yes 1 is extra when it comes to 3.

 

[sklancha]

@PACO3791- Have you used the AllStays Camp and RV app much? I just looked it up, and the last few reviews didn't look good- Since it is not a free app, I am hesitant to download willy-nilly. I did see an AllStays MILITARY camp app that I just downloaded, hoping that they are designed the same way (plus I do like using military camp grounds when available).

- - - Updated - - -

Once you add the Great Dane, the new puppy, my 6'4 linebacker nephew, and my daughter.... we thought a tent might be a good extension

angel

 

[paco3791]

@PACO3791- Have you used the AllStays Camp and RV app much? I just looked it up, and the last few reviews didn't look good- Since it is not a free app, I am hesitant to download willy-nilly. I did see an AllStays MILITARY camp app that I just downloaded, hoping that they are designed the same way (plus I do like using military camp grounds when available

I have used it but I wouldn't say I've used it a lot. There may be other web resources that have this info but I haven't been able to find it in one place. I purchased it as emergency back up as I do a fair amount of driving through rural areas of MN and WI and there is bugger all for charging out there outside of camp grounds.
Up to this point I've only used it for planning back up charging on trips without having had to resort to plan B. When I have called ahead to inquire about using the 50A service listed by the app it's been accurate and the people at the camp have been willing to accommodate, if slightly bemused by my questions. At $10 or whatever it is I figured it was cheap insurance.

 

[WanderinWhitlows]

Lots of great ideas here. Had to re-read the thread to make sure I didn't miss it but apparently I'm the only one who has plotted on using a rooftop tent. Tesla site has no listing of roof rack weight allowances which leaves me to sadly believe that this would be too much for it.

 

[efusco]

An important update for this thread is that forum member regoapps has developed an outstanding app that offers a nice hidden feature...Camping Mode! You press the "REMOTE S" title at the top of the main screen and it brings up a hidden page that includes a slider for Camping Mode that will maintain your AC and other functions while plugged in as long as the app is open and running. The iOS version is here. I have not tried this out in real life yet, so please, someone do review this and let us know how well it works out.

 

[sklancha]

What a great idea for the app. Is it only available with iPhone? I couldn't find it on my 'Droid...

I've used quite a bit of the information from this thread to prep for a quick (4 day, 3 night) camping trip this past weekend.
We got the Sports Napier tent- which worked just fine and provided more than enough space. It can be 90 percent put up with just one person, but I think it would be quite difficult to put up without some help. I also bought the cushion and egg crate padding to make a bed in the back. The tent and the cushions are pretty bulky, but we still had enough space for all our other gear.

Using the frunk to store all our food worked great- as there was only one other camper remotely near us, and they had a bear visit in the middle of the night, but the bear didn't mess with our site at all.

Our fellow campers bear experience convinced me that I want to keep the frunk for food, but I am having one challenge that I am hoping one of you can help me with. I NEED a cooler. Our cheap cooler was way too small and the ice was nothing more than cool water within a half day. We tried to pick up a 35 gallon Yeti on our way back home, but had to return it immediately because it was about one inch to tall, and I couldn't close the frunk.

My goal is to get the largest [high quality]cooler that can fit in the frunk. Do any of you use, or know of a good (Yeti, Grizzly, Icey Tel, etc.) cooler that will fit in the frunk? It looks like whatever I get, I will have to order on line, so I'd rather get something that somebody KNOWS will fit properly. Thanks in advance for your help.

p.s. Another 'camping in a Tesla' lesson we learned... driving off road on bumpy and sandy roads eats electricity at crazy rates. We average 292 wh/mile, but we were in the mid 400's while camping! Lucky for us, we went into the forest with a pretty good charge. We also found multiple sources (just in case) of charging opportunity: mom and pop bait and tackle shop about 10 miles away readily offered up a 110 outlet, a vacationer at the nearby swimming hole offered for us to charge on front of his nearby vacation home, and the Forest Ranger let us know where the closest RV camping sites were located.

angel

 

[LetsGoFast]

What a great idea for the app. Is it only available with iPhone? I couldn't find it on my 'Droid...

Currently iPhone only.

My goal is to get the largest [high quality]cooler that can fit in the frunk. Do any of you use, or know of a good (Yeti, Grizzly, Icey Tel, etc.) cooler that will fit in the frunk? It looks like whatever I get, I will have to order on line, so I'd rather get something that somebody KNOWS will fit properly. Thanks in advance for your help.

I chose this one by AO Coolers and the largest 48 pack size fits nicely in the frunk. The height and depth are pretty much perfect, but IIRC it could be a few inches wider. I'm very pleased with it, but my needs are less demanding and I don't know if it is equivalent to the brands you mention.

 

[sklancha]

Frunk-sized coolers

I chose this one by AO Coolers and the largest 48 pack size fits nicely in the frunk. The height and depth are pretty much perfect


Do you know what stores might sell those? That looks like a perfect size, but I am not sure I'm not sure a soft cooler will work for us, especially once the ice starts melting and it is a cooler full of cold water.

In my fantasy world, I want to find a cooler that will take up most of the front part of the frunk, and the dry/boxed foods will be in the back cubby part of the frunk. Ideally the cooler will be able to keep ice frozen for several days, and it will be durable enough to drag in and out of the frunk several times a day (we were originally considering just a Styrofoam cooler...)
... am I asking for too much ?

 

[Cyclone]

Have you thought about running a 12v cigarette outlet in there and getting a plug-in cooler? I haven't looked for the Model S, but I remember friends buying a plug-in cooler for their SUV to go tailgating with. Hopefully the size works and that can be an option for you.

 

[mochouinard]

I chose this one by AO Coolers and the largest 48 pack size fits nicely in the frunk. The height and depth are pretty much perfect


Do you know what stores might sell those? That looks like a perfect size, but I am not sure I'm not sure a soft cooler will work for us, especially once the ice starts melting and it is a cooler full of cold water.

In my fantasy world, I want to find a cooler that will take up most of the front part of the frunk, and the dry/boxed foods will be in the back cubby part of the frunk. Ideally the cooler will be able to keep ice frozen for several days, and it will be durable enough to drag in and out of the frunk several times a day (we were originally considering just a Styrofoam cooler...)
... am I asking for too much ?

Someone found one in Costco (In Canada) that fit pretty much perfectly. Cost 25$ !

But it won't keep ice frozen for several day. After 12 hours, half the ice had melted in mine. Note that is have a seal plastic inside, so water in it is not an issue, though, don't flip it over (like most cooler anyway !)

That the one :
Amazon.com: Ice Cold Ultra Cooler 50 Can Arctic Zone Table Top Lid Red Folds Flat California Innovations NEW ...: Patio, Lawn Garden

It fold able too making it storage small.

Note that the frunk hole top reduice in height as you go deeper, so you need something flexible if you want the full height at the front. If you have an 'old' Tesla, then you also have a little more space behind the bag too.

 

[abasile]

A friend of ours, with whom we sometimes camp, sleeps with a medical device that plugs into a 120 V outlet. (This friend is otherwise in good health.) We try to camp together at locations with power. However, once we acquire a Tesla, it would be nice to be able to power our friend's device from the car. This would allow us to camp inside national parks and other locations lacking electric hookups (and charge elsewhere).

I don't know how much current our friend's device draws, but since it runs all night, I'd be leery of plugging it into a cheepo inverter that uses the cigarette lighter.

I really hope Tesla chooses to add an option for a 120V 15A inverter and plug. The impact on EV battery life should not even be noticeable. It could automatically turn off at low SOC.

 

[Cyclone]

If you are referring to a CPAP, then it can easily work all night and not be an issue as long as the humidifier (if so equipped) is turned off. Otherwise, camping with a small maritime/motorcycle battery to power the CPAP should allow for 3-4 nights use before a recharge.

 

[sklancha]

Someone found one in Costco (In Canada) that fit pretty much perfectly. Cost 25$ !

But it won't keep ice frozen for several day. After 12 hours, half the ice had melted in mine. Note that is have a seal plastic inside, so water in it is not an issue, though, don't flip it over (like most cooler anyway !)

That the one :
Amazon.com: Ice Cold Ultra Cooler 50 Can Arctic Zone Table Top Lid Red Folds Flat California Innovations NEW ...: Patio, Lawn Garden

It fold able too making it storage small.

Note that the frunk hole top reduice in height as you go deeper, so you need something flexible if you want the full height at the front. If you have an 'old' Tesla, then you also have a little more space behind the bag too.

I do have the 'old' Tesla [In fact, he turned one year old this month ]- and the extra cubby space is the perfect size for our dry foods storage. I have been able to find coolers that are perfectly sized- but either of questionable durability (Igloo Marine Cooler) or unlikely to keep ice for more than one day. I've been to three different stores in search of the perfect cooler, having the poor employees drag out various coolers to test the fit. I wasn't able to find anything that had the storage capacity AND the cooling capacity that I was hoping for, but I finally did find a fair compromise (which I will gladly return if one of you tell me of something better out there). I just picked up the Yeti Hopper. It holds three 10 pound bags of ice, and is 24 1/2 inches long, 12 1/2 inches wide and 16 1/2 inches tall- leaving quite a bit of extra frunk space available for... more food.

I've loaded it with three bags of ice, and am leaving it in the frunk the next few days. According to the warranty- I should still see ice in it at the end of the week, and I should be able to pick it up, upside down without a drop of water leaking out. If both of those statements turn out to be true, I just might learn to like having the Hopper instead of a traditional cooler. Only time will tell...

angel

 

[paco3791]

Those Yeti coolers look really nice, but the price? wow! http://yeticoolers.com/hopper/. I think I would go with multiple smaller coolers, and sacrifice a little thermal efficiency if I needed to have the cooler(s) in the frunk. As always you get what you pay for, those are definitely the nicest soft sided coolers I've seen.

Heck you could probably build a really nice custom cooler that would fit the space perfectly for less than that. Something along the lines of this design, though I can think of a few things I would change http://www.westsystem.com/ss/building-an-efficient-icebox-2/

 

[SW2Fiddler]

So what we need is an Igloo that's actually shaped like an iglu?