Just got back from an 'out of state trip' with our MYLR and DIY teardrop, climbing 5K feet and in 100° heat. I was lucky if I could get 120 miles. I think I can shorten the trailer hitch by about 30 inches to close the gap between the EV and trailer face, that could give me a couple more miles, worth it in my opinion, easier to store too. Has anyone experimented with air deflectors?
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Misterbee
Member
That’s some pretty strong headwinds! Touring the southwest while pulling a T@G XL with a Model 3, we typically got around 400 kW/mile, as long as we kept it to 55.Hello All,
Been meaning to post this up for a bit. A week and a half ago made a 400 mile round trip out to Western Kansas. Both days super hot, 102 and 104 with big winds. Especially the return trip high 20's gusting into the 40's. We pull a little teardrop NuCamp Tag trailer, 13 feet long right at 1000 pounds dry. Of course it was to be expected but Wow, did we see some huge consumption. Both out and back we arrived at the Hays Supercharger at 2% SOC. We were trying to pull at about 63 mph on the interstate. I don't like to go much slower than that when the rest of the traffic is running about 80. At 63 our average was in the high 600's kW/mi. We ended up having to take the 2 lane to make it the rest of the way into Hays on the outbound trip. When we arrived home we had averaged 552 over the 397 miles. Almost half of that ended up being 2 lane and a bit more than we'd like to admit at 45 mph.
This isn't our first time out with the camper but with these kind of winds and heat the consumption were really something. Just kinda got our attention. We didn't seem to be the only ones having range issues that day. A few minutes after getting plugged in in Hays on the return trip a Model Y came in on a flatbed having run out of juice. We had friends returning from eastern Kansas that same day. They told us about passing a Tesla going real slow on the interstate shoulder with its 4 ways on a few miles east of the Salina Supercharger.
I guess the main reason I'm posting. We thought we had figured it out from our previous times pulling the camper. How fast we could go, what our consumption would be, what kind of buffer we could be comfortable with. These kinds of wind and temps really effected things. On the other hand we didn't get towed in.We watched our remaining miles to destination and our remaining miles in the battery and adjusted. We looked at Plugshare and found other slower charging options if needed and did take advantage of one. We adjusted how we drove and were we drove to make it in.
Not a trip I'm looking to repeat but helped us build our confidence a bit as we have a much more ambitious trip planned starting next month.
Tear drop aerodynamics discussion starts on post #17
Linkage distance discussion starts on post #18
Model X Travel Trailer Consumption Analysis
There has been discussion about energy consumption in a number of Model X towing threads (1). The real world information from these threads provides value to those who are considering purchasing, renting, or otherwise using a travel trailer. The data are extremely sparse right now, but at least...
teslamotorsclub.com
Misterbee
Member
Just took delivery of a MY LR. We have been towing our T@G teardrop with our Model 3, and are looking forward to doing the same with the Y. We ordered it with the Tow package, which I have yet to try out. I read recently that some 2022 Ys have the lithium 12 volt battery, and that until some sort of converter is retrofitted, the Y will not provide power to the charging pin on the 7 pin connector.
Is this true? Has anyone else had this issue? My car was manufactured in July 2022. What should I look for?
Is this true? Has anyone else had this issue? My car was manufactured in July 2022. What should I look for?
This is true. If you have (and the overwhelming likelihood is you do since you just took delivery) the lithium battery, which is 15V, it needs a converter for the 12 volt charging pin. I have not read anywhere yet that it is available, but someone else might know otherwise. Your service team might be a good place to ask. Put in a service request and see what they say.
I am also interested in this, although depending on your trailer's battery type you would ideally need/want different voltage outputs at your wiring harness to charge. If this could be set in the car that would be an amazing OTA update...perhaps just an option to select your trailer battery type to be wet cell / lithium / AGM etc.
For the time being I am simply installing a disconnect in my trailer between the harness and the battery completely removing any parasitic charging from the equation and rely solely on solar / shore power to keep the trailer charged.
I think a DC to DC converter should do the trick on newer Model Ys. Does anybody know how much current you need at 12V for the trailer?
There are many DC to DC converters available and here is a "waterproof" one with adjustable voltage output (3V-15V) for $14 at Amazon:
12V, 3A DC to DC Converter
If you look at the comments (4th one down) on Amazon you'll see that one person even reported this works on his Model Y with a 15.5V lithium battery, but in that case it was for a radar detector.
And another one with fixed 12V output at 5 Amps:
12V, 5A DC to DC Converter
There are many DC to DC converters available and here is a "waterproof" one with adjustable voltage output (3V-15V) for $14 at Amazon:
12V, 3A DC to DC Converter
If you look at the comments (4th one down) on Amazon you'll see that one person even reported this works on his Model Y with a 15.5V lithium battery, but in that case it was for a radar detector.
And another one with fixed 12V output at 5 Amps:
12V, 5A DC to DC Converter
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Misterbee
Member
Just heard back from the service team, they don’t know anything about a retrofit of a converter.
VandalSibs
I am One with the Force, and the Force is with me
Hello Everyone!
Wife and I are starting to shop for trailers to tow with our Y (with factory installed hitch setup).
We've been looking at many trailers from Safari Condo Altos to r-pods, and we think we have settled on the rig that might work best for us (ideally sleeps three, at least a toilet but shower not necessary).
Got the list narrowed down to three different models from the same manufacturer:
TAB 320 S (Sleeps 2)
TAB CS-S (Sleeps 2, has outdoor kitchen setup that might be better for tongue weight)
TAB 400 (Sleeps 3, taller for my 6'3" height)
Does anyone have experience with any of these trailers, and which one seems to be best bang for buck & impact on towing with a Model Y?
Wife and I are starting to shop for trailers to tow with our Y (with factory installed hitch setup).
We've been looking at many trailers from Safari Condo Altos to r-pods, and we think we have settled on the rig that might work best for us (ideally sleeps three, at least a toilet but shower not necessary).
Got the list narrowed down to three different models from the same manufacturer:
TAB 320 S (Sleeps 2)
TAB CS-S (Sleeps 2, has outdoor kitchen setup that might be better for tongue weight)
TAB 400 (Sleeps 3, taller for my 6'3" height)
Does anyone have experience with any of these trailers, and which one seems to be best bang for buck & impact on towing with a Model Y?
You'd need to consider carefully the total wattage needed to power your devices and things like startup surges. If your trailer has a refrigerator with a compressor, a motor start can have a demand surge of 2-3x the steady state consumption. The first one above is only rated for 36W, and the second one for 60W. I checked out a smattering of small 12V RV refrigerators, and they tended to claim in the 40-50W range.
VandalSibs
I am One with the Force, and the Force is with me
What year Model Y do you have?
I wonder if Tesla has now disabled the 12v aux lead, possibly due to people like me asking them why I sometimes get VCFRONT controller alerts when my trailer is hooked up.
Another reason they might disable it is because some trailers can draw a lot of current, especially for refrigerators. I've never gotten a clear answer on what the current limit is, but have the feeling that the 10-15 amps my trailer pulls with everything powered up, is too much.
My 2020 Model Y has power on the aux blade, but it is real finicky, sometimes causing a VCFRONT controller alert due to an Efuse being tripped. After three visits to the SC I learned that current surges between the Tesla's 12v battery and the trailer's battery were likely causing the Efuse to trip in the Tesla when the Tesla was waking up and enabling the power. The Efuse would reset itself, but the alert, advising me to schedule service, was a bit alarming.
I decided to cut the 12v lead in the trailer's cable to put an end to alerts whenever the trailer is hooked up. The 12v aux power isn't that useful for my trailer.
no they disabled it when they switched to the new 12v battery, they had announced it right away letting people know it will not work until they release a software update
VandalSibs
I am One with the Force, and the Force is with me
It's due to the fact that the Lithium battery that came on board (for nearly everyone) earlier this year is actually 15V. This is fine for the devices in the car, but some devices in trailers might be damaged by or run improperly with the 15V vs 12V. So they indicated that they would have a stepdown device to deal with that, probably this summer. In the mean time, they disabled the "12V" to trailer circuit.
Of course, they haven't come up with the solution yet. So you lucky folks with the Lithium low voltage batteries will have to wait until they do.
Trailer 12V auxiliary power disabled in recent tow hitch-equipped Model Ys due to upgraded 12V Li-Ion battery
Tesla has made a lot of changes to the Model 3 and Model Y with the introduction of the 2022 model year. One of those was the addition of the new 12V Li-Ion battery first […]
driveteslacanada.ca
VandalSibs
I am One with the Force, and the Force is with me
Wish that was a bit of info officially in the Owner's Manual or on Tesla's site, but it guess it's good enough.
And I had been worrying that it was the brake controller that wasn't working, but if it's just the 12V to charge the trailer battery & run some stuff, that's not as big an issue... all of my camping is going to be with full hook-ups, so that will charge the 12V in the trailer anyway.
And I had been worrying that it was the brake controller that wasn't working, but if it's just the 12V to charge the trailer battery & run some stuff, that's not as big an issue... all of my camping is going to be with full hook-ups, so that will charge the 12V in the trailer anyway.
I added a disconnect in my trailer so it would never even try to use the 12v from the tow vehicle / model Y (which by the sounds of it is disabled anyway). Your trailer brakes get their 'power' from the brake controller: The blue wire running from the controller and through the harness and to your trailer brakes. Your trailer's breakaway brakes will use either a standalone battery or the trailer's house battery, so not having the 12v from the harness shouldn't affect this. The only thing to be mindful of without the 12v aux line is your trailer battery will not charge when you are connected to your model Y the way it would 'normally' when connected to an ICE tow vehicle. If you keep your trailer battery charged from shore power / solar then you are likely going to be fine. 
We are actually getting ready to leave soon on our inaugural towing / camping trip with our Model Y / Bigfoot trailer. I will report back when I get some data! So far I have only taken it for a short drive with the trailer to dial in the brake controller and see how things were feeling in general. So far everything seemed great, other than the obvious increase in power required.
We are actually getting ready to leave soon on our inaugural towing / camping trip with our Model Y / Bigfoot trailer. I will report back when I get some data! So far I have only taken it for a short drive with the trailer to dial in the brake controller and see how things were feeling in general. So far everything seemed great, other than the obvious increase in power required.
VandalSibs
I am One with the Force, and the Force is with me
Bigfoot trailer? Can you send a picture or a link?I added a disconnect in my trailer so it would never even try to use the 12v from the tow vehicle / model Y (which by the sounds of it is disabled anyway). Your trailer brakes get their 'power' from the brake controller: The blue wire running from the controller and through the harness and to your trailer brakes. Your trailer's breakaway brakes will use either a standalone battery or the trailer's house battery, so not having the 12v from the harness shouldn't affect this. The only thing to be mindful of without the 12v aux line is your trailer battery will not charge when you are connected to your model Y the way it would 'normally' when connected to an ICE tow vehicle. If you keep your trailer battery charged from shore power / solar then you are likely going to be fine.
We are actually getting ready to leave soon on our inaugural towing / camping trip with our Model Y / Bigfoot trailer. I will report back when I get some data! So far I have only taken it for a short drive with the trailer to dial in the brake controller and see how things were feeling in general. So far everything seemed great, other than the obvious increase in power required.
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