The Answer to the Solar Charging Question

[Trucky]

I have been going over this problem more than many of the other factors and unknowns about the cybertruck. It’s my area of expertise as it were, as an ops manager for a residential and commercial solar installer. I have access to equipment, and intend to charge the truck from the sun…
That being said, the tonneau cover is not a viable option, trust me. The best thing Tesla could do to increase the capabilities of the truck would be to put power conditioning hardware in the charge port. They are pros at this with the solar/powerwall application… They should make the truck capable of charging at any rate, AC/DC, and at any voltage over a reasonable minimum DC. If someone wants to plug their truck into a small array, great. Someone has 40 panels on their roof and wants to run a charger direct from that, fantastic.
You should be able to plug solar panels directly into the truck at whatever volts DC your array is producing, and the CT should optimize it. Or if you use microinverters 240V AC at whatever wattage…
This would allow people to be creative with how they put electrons into the truck, and would do a lot to open the door to the renewable aspect.

They have the tech and could make this happen very easily.
It just sucks that I am going to have to get a bunch of equipment with a battery to charge the truck on solar…

I don’t own my home, so rooftop is out for me, but a simple transfer switch could turn a rooftop array into a gas station easily without playing the net energy metering game. (Which is now a losing game in CA, thanks NEM3)

Elon I know you’re out there! Hear my plea!

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[BillyGee]

https://www.harborfreight.com/100-watt-amorphous-solar-panel-kit-63585.html

Throw a few of these in the bed, set them up, and then park it. Use your mobile charger to plug it into the 110 and hang out for a few days.

It ain't pretty, but it'll work.

 

[Trucky]

https://www.harborfreight.com/100-watt-amorphous-solar-panel-kit-63585.html

Throw a few of these in the bed, set them up, and then park it. Use your mobile charger to plug it into the 110 and hang out for a few days.

It ain't pretty, but it'll work.

Ha! Sure just self tapping screws to the stainless on the bed, slice o’ ham, call it breakfast.

 

[ÆCIII]

I have been going over this problem more than many of the other factors and unknowns about the cybertruck. It’s my area of expertise as it were, as an ops manager for a residential and commercial solar installer. I have access to equipment, and intend to charge the truck from the sun…
That being said, the tonneau cover is not a viable option, trust me. The best thing Tesla could do to increase the capabilities of the truck would be to put power conditioning hardware in the charge port. They are pros at this with the solar/powerwall application… They should make the truck capable of charging at any rate, AC/DC, and at any voltage over a reasonable minimum DC. If someone wants to plug their truck into a small array, great. Someone has 40 panels on their roof and wants to run a charger direct from that, fantastic.
You should be able to plug solar panels directly into the truck at whatever volts DC your array is producing, and the CT should optimize it. Or if you use microinverters 240V AC at whatever wattage…
This would allow people to be creative with how they put electrons into the truck, and would do a lot to open the door to the renewable aspect.

They have the tech and could make this happen very easily.
It just sucks that I am going to have to get a bunch of equipment with a battery to charge the truck on solar…

I don’t own my home, so rooftop is out for me, but a simple transfer switch could turn a rooftop array into a gas station easily without playing the net energy metering game. (Which is now a losing game in CA, thanks NEM3)

Elon I know you’re out there! Hear my plea!

This keeps coming up, and simple actualization of collection area should make most realize that (as you point out), the tonneau cover is not a practical option. I'm reminded again of a recent post I made on a similar thread:

https://www.cybertruckownersclub.com/forum/threads/vault-mounted-solar-panel-system.8426/post-150030

Elon also discusses it here:




- ÆCIII

 

[BillyGee]

Ha! Sure just self tapping screws to the stainless on the bed, slice o’ ham, call it breakfast.

Or just carry them and put them on the ground...

 

[cvalue13]

This proposal seems far more do-able, use-ful, and affordable, than any on-vehicle solar kit

let 3rd parties figure out on-vehicle options, but have the CT prepared to just plug right up

 

[punkt]

I have been going over this problem more than many of the other factors and unknowns about the cybertruck. It’s my area of expertise as it were, as an ops manager for a residential and commercial solar installer. I have access to equipment, and intend to charge the truck from the sun…
That being said, the tonneau cover is not a viable option, trust me. The best thing Tesla could do to increase the capabilities of the truck would be to put power conditioning hardware in the charge port. They are pros at this with the solar/powerwall application… They should make the truck capable of charging at any rate, AC/DC, and at any voltage over a reasonable minimum DC. If someone wants to plug their truck into a small array, great. Someone has 40 panels on their roof and wants to run a charger direct from that, fantastic.
You should be able to plug solar panels directly into the truck at whatever volts DC your array is producing, and the CT should optimize it. Or if you use microinverters 240V AC at whatever wattage…
This would allow people to be creative with how they put electrons into the truck, and would do a lot to open the door to the renewable aspect.

They have the tech and could make this happen very easily.
It just sucks that I am going to have to get a bunch of equipment with a battery to charge the truck on solar…

I don’t own my home, so rooftop is out for me, but a simple transfer switch could turn a rooftop array into a gas station easily without playing the net energy metering game. (Which is now a losing game in CA, thanks NEM3)

Elon I know you’re out there! Hear my plea!

 

[punkt]

I thought the new deal in CA was good during peak demand times. No?

 

[Trucky]

I thought the new deal in CA was good during peak demand times. No?

It’s genuinely aweful… increases the payback period for an average solar installation from 5-7 years to 9-11 years. Sending energy back to the grid is basically not worth it monetarily speaking… there are very limited times where yes the export rate is higher but overall it is very difficult. Is like one hour here or there, we’ll later in the day than peak solar production
The situation has highly incentivized people to add battery storage, so that they use the energy produced by the system rather than send it back for pennies. Enphase has a comparatively affordable battery coming out that does not act as backup but just increases the self generated energy available to the home. That product get you (on average) back to the 7-9 year payback. But it’s a battery that doesn’t offer backup, seems like a waste…

The CPUC and the governors office have their mouth too full of PGE’s *%#! To speak up on behalf of the consumer…

 

[Cyberman]

I have been going over this problem more than many of the other factors and unknowns about the cybertruck. It’s my area of expertise as it were, as an ops manager for a residential and commercial solar installer. I have access to equipment, and intend to charge the truck from the sun…
That being said, the tonneau cover is not a viable option, trust me. The best thing Tesla could do to increase the capabilities of the truck would be to put power conditioning hardware in the charge port. They are pros at this with the solar/powerwall application… They should make the truck capable of charging at any rate, AC/DC, and at any voltage over a reasonable minimum DC. If someone wants to plug their truck into a small array, great. Someone has 40 panels on their roof and wants to run a charger direct from that, fantastic.
You should be able to plug solar panels directly into the truck at whatever volts DC your array is producing, and the CT should optimize it. Or if you use microinverters 240V AC at whatever wattage…
This would allow people to be creative with how they put electrons into the truck, and would do a lot to open the door to the renewable aspect.

They have the tech and could make this happen very easily.
It just sucks that I am going to have to get a bunch of equipment with a battery to charge the truck on solar…

I don’t own my home, so rooftop is out for me, but a simple transfer switch could turn a rooftop array into a gas station easily without playing the net energy metering game. (Which is now a losing game in CA, thanks NEM3)

Elon I know you’re out there! Hear my plea!

Just buy a house. It will be way, way cheaper than renting.

 

[Trucky]

Preachin to the choir on that! I’m in a dual trap; very expensive housing market, and very cheap rent on 10 acres of beautiful land. When I buy I’ll rent that house out and live here as long as I can… here’s today’s sunrise…

 

[punkt]

It’s genuinely aweful… increases the payback period for an average solar installation from 5-7 years to 9-11 years. Sending energy back to the grid is basically not worth it monetarily speaking… there are very limited times where yes the export rate is higher but overall it is very difficult. Is like one hour here or there, we’ll later in the day than peak solar production
The situation has highly incentivized people to add battery storage, so that they use the energy produced by the system rather than send it back for pennies. Enphase has a comparatively affordable battery coming out that does not act as backup but just increases the self generated energy available to the home. That product get you (on average) back to the 7-9 year payback. But it’s a battery that doesn’t offer backup, seems like a waste…

The CPUC and the governors office have their mouth too full of PGE’s *%#! To speak up on behalf of the consumer…

It’s genuinely aweful… increases the payback period for an average solar installation from 5-7 years to 9-11 years. Sending energy back to the grid is basically not worth it monetarily speaking… there are very limited times where yes the export rate is higher but overall it is very difficult. Is like one hour here or there, we’ll later in the day than peak solar production
The situation has highly incentivized people to add battery storage, so that they use the energy produced by the system rather than send it back for pennies. Enphase has a comparatively affordable battery coming out that does not act as backup but just increases the self generated energy available to the home. That product get you (on average) back to the 7-9 year payback. But it’s a battery that doesn’t offer backup, seems like a waste…

The CPUC and the governors office have their mouth too full of PGE’s *%#! To speak up on behalf of the consumer…

I'm planning to make my house as offgrid as possible. I'll have a fleet of Tesla's that I'll need to charge.

 

[cvalue13]

I have been going over this problem more than many of the other factors and unknowns about the cybertruck. It’s my area of expertise as it were, as an ops manager for a residential and commercial solar installer. I have access to equipment, and intend to charge the truck from the sun…
That being said, the tonneau cover is not a viable option, trust me. The best thing Tesla could do to increase the capabilities of the truck would be to put power conditioning hardware in the charge port. They are pros at this with the solar/powerwall application… They should make the truck capable of charging at any rate, AC/DC, and at any voltage over a reasonable minimum DC. If someone wants to plug their truck into a small array, great. Someone has 40 panels on their roof and wants to run a charger direct from that, fantastic.
You should be able to plug solar panels directly into the truck at whatever volts DC your array is producing, and the CT should optimize it. Or if you use microinverters 240V AC at whatever wattage…
This would allow people to be creative with how they put electrons into the truck, and would do a lot to open the door to the renewable aspect.

They have the tech and could make this happen very easily.
It just sucks that I am going to have to get a bunch of equipment with a battery to charge the truck on solar…

I don’t own my home, so rooftop is out for me, but a simple transfer switch could turn a rooftop array into a gas station easily without playing the net energy metering game. (Which is now a losing game in CA, thanks NEM3)

Elon I know you’re out there! Hear my plea!

This proposal seems far more do-able, use-ful, and affordable, than any on-vehicle solar kit

let 3rd parties figure out on-vehicle options, but have the CT prepared to just plug right up

Curious about @SolarWizard ’s take on this

 

[Solarrrs]

I have been going over this problem more than many of the other factors and unknowns about the cybertruck. It’s my area of expertise as it were, as an ops manager for a residential and commercial solar installer. I have access to equipment, and intend to charge the truck from the sun…
That being said, the tonneau cover is not a viable option, trust me. The best thing Tesla could do to increase the capabilities of the truck would be to put power conditioning hardware in the charge port. They are pros at this with the solar/powerwall application… They should make the truck capable of charging at any rate, AC/DC, and at any voltage over a reasonable minimum DC. If someone wants to plug their truck into a small array, great. Someone has 40 panels on their roof and wants to run a charger direct from that, fantastic.
You should be able to plug solar panels directly into the truck at whatever volts DC your array is producing, and the CT should optimize it. Or if you use microinverters 240V AC at whatever wattage…
This would allow people to be creative with how they put electrons into the truck, and would do a lot to open the door to the renewable aspect.

They have the tech and could make this happen very easily.
It just sucks that I am going to have to get a bunch of equipment with a battery to charge the truck on solar…

I don’t own my home, so rooftop is out for me, but a simple transfer switch could turn a rooftop array into a gas station easily without playing the net energy metering game. (Which is now a losing game in CA, thanks NEM3)

Elon I know you’re out there! Hear my plea!

I'm planning to make my house as offgrid as possible. I'll have a fleet of Tesla's that I'll need to charge.

I understand your motivation to generate your electricity with solar and direct PV to the charge the car would be great. And much less $ than we’ve spent on our system.
We installed a small off grid solar electric system in 1999 with 3200 pounds of lead acid batteries. They lasted nine years then added panels and switched to net metering (which was a more cost-effective in those days) with a much smaller battery back up for critical loads. Also lead acid. The system has been expanded several times. This last time bringing it to 16.4 KW of panel 30 KWH battery and 15 K inverter. We’ve been charging an electric car for a little over seven years plus 2 solar/energy efficient homes.
We put a deposit on a cyber truck the week after it was released, but that still puts us way back in the queue. This will use nearly twice as much electricity per mile as our current car which we plan to replace with Aptera. The trucks primary purpose is to tow our small travel trailer.

 

[Trbizwiz]

You could build a box trailer 18 feet long, and 8 feet high. It would hold 6 Tesla panels on each side, and depending on width, it could hold 6 to 9 on the top. Make the side articulate up, like and awning, and you could charge your CT, to about 50% each day. Since the trailer is mobile, you could always have good solar orientation, and minimal shading. It would be ideal for a Job-site shop. You could keep all your tools in there and basic office stuff.

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