Cybertruck bed mattress solution - EXPED 72"x25.6"x3" air mattresses + BougeRV 2900 BTU heat pump

[thedownwardmachine]

I love seeing these Cybertruck camping setups and I want to hear about all the different things people try, keep it coming! One of the reasons I didn't pull the trigger on a CT is because I couldn't figure out a setup that works better than what I have now.

I have a Model S and sleep on an air mattress in the back. I'm a back and side sleeper, 5'11", and sometimes have my wife with me. I move one or two front seats forward and have PVC platforms that I built to hold the mattress up in the gap. I use the subtrunk as a mud/shoe area. I get interior HVAC and easy egress via the powered liftback. I used to do almost the same setup in my Mazda3 hatchback.

Point being, with the CT sleeping in the bed seems claustrophobic and the HVAC is a problem to be solved, even if you blow the cash on the tent. Stretching out is an issue, both with the doggie platform and the in back.

Having said all that, these setups look cool, and if one of you cracks the code I want to hear about it!

Last thing: learning about the BT app connection was really helpful since my Model S seems to lack that, meaning that away from cell/wifi service I need access to the screen.

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[Cybergirl]

I love seeing these Cybertruck camping setups and I want to hear about all the different things people try, keep it coming! One of the reasons I didn't pull the trigger on a CT is because I couldn't figure out a setup that works better than what I have now.

I have a Model S and sleep on an air mattress in the back. I'm a back and side sleeper, 5'11", and sometimes have my wife with me. I move one or two front seats forward and have PVC platforms that I built to hold the mattress up in the gap. I use the subtrunk as a mud/shoe area. I get interior HVAC and easy egress via the powered liftback. I used to do almost the same setup in my Mazda3 hatchback.

Point being, with the CT sleeping in the bed seems claustrophobic and the HVAC is a problem to be solved, even if you blow the cash on the tent. Stretching out is an issue, both with the doggie platform and the in back.

Having said all that, these setups look cool, and if one of you cracks the code I want to hear about it!

Last thing: learning about the BT app connection was really helpful since my Model S seems to lack that, meaning that away from cell/wifi service I need access to the screen.

I have a reservation for a Cyberlandr camper, as well, but that's a couple of years out, if it goes into production at all. In the meantime, I'll make do with the vault as a secure place to sleep once I work out solutions to climate control and air quality.

 

[Cybergirl]

I'm planning to sleep in the vault tonight without heat. The temperature will only fall to 59 deg F tonight. I have a CO2 and humidity sensor to record air quality overnight. The CO2 sensor will sound if the CO2 level rises above 1500 PPM which is considered unhealthy.

View inside vault through rear window with tonneau cover down.
App can be used to control the vault lights, open tonneau and gate and get CO2, humidity, and temperature readings. It looks cozy! ?

 

[thedownwardmachine]

I'm looking forward to hearing how it goes! I hope one day they make a window slider for the CT so you can get HVAC passthrough.

For the record, here is my snazzy setup:

 

[Cybergirl]

I'm planning to sleep in the vault tonight without heat. The temperature will only fall to 59 deg F tonight. I have a CO2 and humidity sensor to record air quality overnight. The CO2 sensor will sound if the CO2 level rises above 1500 PPM which is considered unhealthy.

View inside vault through rear window with tonneau cover down.
App can be used to control the vault lights, open tonneau and gate and get CO2, humidity, and temperature readings. It looks cozy! ?

From what I've been able to determine by sleeping in the CT's vault overnight, there is no danger of being exposed to dangerous levels of CO2. With a single person in the vault and the truck parked in open air with the gate and tonneau cover closed, I measured average CO2 levels inside the vault at ~1500 ppm. Any exertions while inside the vault will raise the concentration. The highest CO2 level measured was 2466 ppm. OSHA regulations allow CO2 concentrations as high as 5000 ppm for up to 8 hours.

With two people sleeping inside the vault the CO2 levels will presumably double, but would still be under the OSHA permissible level.

When I opened the tonneau cover so that there was a 1" opening at the gate, the CO2 level inside dropped to right around 500 ppm. Fresh air is 420 ppm.

The more important issue is humidity. Even with the tonneau cover opened an inch, the relative humidity rose from 28% to 47% overnight. With the tonneau cover completely closed the RH rose from 28% to 37% within less than half an hour. It's likely that had I left the tonneau closed, the humidity would have risen to a level to where condensation formed on the under side of the metal tonneau cover (I didn't test this though).

The problem with cracking open the tonneau for ventilation is that cold air enters the space, and it's noticeably uncomfortable even at last night's 60 deg F low temperature. I imagine in 40 deg F temps, it would be like sleeping in a tent.

A possible solution is to install a small exhaust fan to pull humid, stale air from the vault. This will draw air from CT's cabin via the two vents located in the wall behind the rear seats. This air can be conditioned by turning on Camp Mode to heat or cool and dehumidify the replacement air.

I need to determine how large of an exhaust fan is needed. A 4" computer fan might be all that's required in most cases to ventilate the space.

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media_file/2020-08/Carbon-Dioxide.pdf

 

[thedownwardmachine]

A possible solution is to install a small exhaust fan to pull humid, stale air from the vault. This will draw air from CT's cabin via the two vents located in the wall behind the rear seats. This air can be conditioned by turning on Camp Mode to heat or cool and dehumidify the replacement air.

There is an existing route for air to move from the cabin into the bed? This is news to me and opens up some possibilities. Got photos or a source?

If you want both dryness and warmth, it seems like a very small electric (not hydroscopic) dehumidifier might do the trick. Something like
https://www.bestbuy.com/site/pure-e...5l-dehumidifier-white/6460241.p?skuId=6460241
Route the water collected via tube out of the bed (some models offer that, but could DIY it too). Dehumidifiers tend to throw off waste heat, as well as (I think) by doing the inverse of evaporative cooling, so it could solve two problems at once.

 

[Cybergirl]

Unfortunately, I was not able to control the vault lights without an internet connection. Same for the power outlets in the vault. I found that odd, because the tonneau can be opened and closed, and the gate opened with just Bluetooth paired to the truck.

 

[Cybergirl]

There is an existing route for air to move from the cabin into the bed? This is news to me and opens up some possibilities. Got photos or a source?

I have no confirmation from an authoritative source, however...

The structural steel wall behind the rear seats has two rectangular holes that allow air to escape the cabin when the doors are slammed shut to relief pressure that would otherwise hurt a passenger's ears. All pickup have these vents. Here's a diagram from the CT parts catalog showing the location of the vents (I colored them blue).

Here is a photo showing one of the vent openings:

Those two vents connect the cabin interior (behind the rear seats) to the tonneau cover storage compartment. At the top of the tonneau compartment is a 1.5" x 59" slot through which the tonneau cover passes when being opened and closed.

If one pulls air out of the vault with an exhaust fan, air will be drawn into the vault from the cabin. The air path is under the rear seats > back wall vents > to tonneau cover compartment > into vault through slot on the vault side of the rear window.

On close examination, the yellowish painted structural steel panel is visible under the rear seat and from the vault inside the tonneau pass through slot indicating that the rectangular vents connect the cabin with the tonneau compartment.

I need to set up another test to verify this is all true.

I'll turn on Camp Mode in my CT and set the temperature to 70 deg. I'll place the Aranet4 in the vault to measure the temperature inside the vault. Then, I'll use the BougeRV A/C to draw air from the closed vault, but not return the cold air to the vault. If my theory is correct, the temperature in the vault will fall close to 70 deg.

Stay tuned.

 

[thedownwardmachine]

Great sleuthing! I'm familiar with those types of vents, but I didn't know that is where they typically reside in pickups.

Have you considered putting something in the cab to detect airflow, like a fragrance or smoke/fog?

I wonder if air will have an easier time coming in around the tonneau than from the cabin vents. Thanks for doing this testing!

 

[Cybergirl]

Great sleuthing! I'm familiar with those types of vents, but I didn't know that is where they typically reside in pickups.

Have you considered putting something in the cab to detect airflow, like a fragrance or smoke/fog?

I wonder if air will have an easier time coming in around the tonneau than from the cabin vents. Thanks for doing this testing!

I'm setting up a test today to confirm there's an air pathway from cabin to vault by drawing air from the vault and seeing if I can cool the vault with conditioned air from the cabin.

 

[Cybergirl]

The test was negative. I got no airflow from the cabin into the vault. However, I was able to look into the tonneau slot with a flashlight and see where the rectangular openings in the rear steel panel are located. They are covered a white fabric over which is placed a thin rubber mat which apparently prevents air from flowing from the cabin into the tonneau compartment. To learn more, it will be necessary to remove the rear seat.

 

[thedownwardmachine]

The test was negative. I got no airflow from the cabin into the vault. However, I was able to look into the tonneau slot with a flashlight and see where the rectangular openings in the rear steel panel are located. They are covered a white fabric over which is placed a thin rubber mat which apparently prevents air from flowing from the cabin into the tonneau compartment. To learn more, it will be necessary to remove the rear seat.

I’m not surprised, it seems like they would seal those ports for noise isolation. Idk what you saw, but in todays Munro Live underbody video, they pointed out a white fabric used for that purpose. Maybe it’s the same?

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[Cybergirl]

I’m not surprised, it seems like they would seal those ports for noise isolation. Idk what you saw, but in todays Munro Live underbody video, they pointed out a white fabric used for that purpose. Maybe it’s the same?

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Yes, its purpose is sound proofing, but not the material that Jordan pointed out on Munro Live. You can see the edge of the white cloth-like material sticking out from under a thin rubber mat. I found the sound proofing mat and cloth in the parts catalog. Here's the diagram:

Note that the rubber material doesn't cover the two rectangular vents, but the white cloth does. I know because I could see the cloth looking down through the slot from the vault side. I'm sure the cloth that's covering the vent holes is preventing cabin air from flowing into the tonneau compartment and vice versa.

 

[Cybergirl]

If one wanted to allow cabin air to flow to the vault via the tonneau compartment, through the slot, the cloth barrier would have to be cut out at the vent openings on the rear steel wall. I think the easiest way to get access to the vents is to open the tonneau compartment from the vault side. I've decided not do it, though, because I demonstrated that I can create adequate air exchange in the vault using the BougeRV in fan only mode. The fan has three speeds. Here it is running at the highest speed.

 

[Cybergirl]

This photo shows one of the two pressure relief vents on the back structural wall of the cabin (behind the rear seats). They've placed a plastic grill over the white fabric material for some reason. Could the fabric be glued to the grill for support? Any thoughts?

I believe that it's this fabric that prevents air from flowing between the cabin and the vault. It may also serve to reduce noise coming from the rear of the truck.

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