How many are getting the solar option

[Fran]

I would probably buy it; lots of sun in Spain + I don’t have a garage + generally drive short distances + like camping. If done with the latest solar panel technology (like on the Lightyear one) it can really make a difference. Just hope the price is < 5k.
Do not need a transparent glass roof, so could go there and on the cover of the back, that could swing open just like a camper hardtop.

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[lqdchkn]

https://m.alibaba.com/product/62269577228/solar-charge-controller-400v-80A-mppt.html

https://www.enfsolar.com/pv/charge-controller-datasheet/921

Looks like about $200

^^That is a damn good price.


I'm done debating my point. If this is so easy for yall, do it already, simple as that. Make It happen. Let's see it.

Fact will come to show that even if you can gather all the parts and pieces you need to do it. You'll have so many parts and pieces and bulk it will be HIGLY inconvenient to keep on hand; so that it's available in the scenario you'd want to use it in.

Which is what I initially said in my first post on this subject Post #98: It's not practical.

 

[Crissa]

My solar array fits in a briefcase.

It's a 24" square case, but contains controllers, inverters, and fifty feet of cable so I can put the array over in the sun.

Additional panels are additional panels. They don't need to be big aluminum boxes, that's just cheap and durable. They can be flat pieces of anything, really.

I hope the Cybertruck comes with or has the option for a controller that can handle more solar input than the tonneau; that way while camping I can roll out more panels.

-Crissa

 

[Elektron Shift]

While I strongly would like to have a trickle charge plug in compatible with external solar panels or arrays...and I like the idea of integrated solar, I am concerned about cost vs. value and durability.

Would rather keep a few panels in a box and break them out when I want them or build into a towable array that could produce desired level of charging.

 

[Crissa]

I am concerned about cost vs. value and durability.

Well, the design Elon suggested was just a coating on the tonneau. So that means rigid surface and ease of deployment, which would be pretty durable. Replacement would then be a straightforward part swap.

-Crissa

 

[Frankenblob]

I thought I'd covered this in No. 104. Perhaps I wasn't clear:

1)Teslas run on batteries. They must be charged with DC.
2)The Tesla nominal battery pack voltage is 385 V. To get current to flow into a 385V battery you must apply more than 385 V to it.
3)Anything that charges a Tesla battery regulates its voltage to the value (above 385 nominally) to that which causes the desired current to flow. At the moment that means A/C power supplies internal to the vehicle or external in a SC cabinet.
4)If Tesla wishes to facilitate charging from solar panels it will have to build in a third type of charger which would include connectors which allow the attachment of standard solar panel connectors. The electronics will have the regulating converters needed to charge the battery while still satisfying the requirements of MPPT.
5)If they do not do this then you will need to charge an auxiliary battery (such as a Jackery or Yeti unit - both of which have MMPT trackers on their solar inputs) and then charge the vehicle from the auxiliary battery's inverter via the vehicles internal charger which can charge at any rate between 0.6 and 11.5 kW. Obviously 4) will be most efficient.

So regenerative braking produces 385v+, each and every time? Because this "charge" goes into the MAIN battery bank not the "12v" starter battery.

Am I missing something?

P.s. Couldn't one take the most powerful magnets/make a 3/6/8" disk magnet (as they are VERY VERY light [neodymium] for their umph) and put them on the spinning wheel area then put some on the non spinning frame assembly, which creates a "spinning magnet wheel" and bleed off the charge to a controller box which could possibly step up/step down/ stabilize the voltage and charge the battery anytime the vehicle is moving?

 

[ajdelange]

So regenerative braking produces 385v+, each and every time?

In a permanent magnet (synchronous) machine torque is either produced or absorbed depending on the angle and strength of the permanent magnet field relative to the field induced by the stator. The PM field is obviously of fixed magnitude and its direction depends on wheel position. The stator field is controlled by the inverter/rectifier. Thus the machine is either a motor or generator depending on where the inverter/rectifier puts the stator flux vector. In regen it adjusts the stator field (space vector control) such the the desired amount (per pedal position) of torque is absorbed thus current flows to the battery (yes, the main battery). For current to flow to the battery the voltage of the "generator" must be bigger than the battery voltage. You can think of this voltage as being generated by the permanent magnets spinning relative to the stator. The voltage is "regulated" by only connecting the stator coils to the battery for a portion of each cycle. That is done by the transistors in the inverter. The switches are only open long enough to allow the current flow corresponding to the torque to be absorbed (amount of braking desired).

Because this "charge" goes into the MAIN battery bank not the "12v" starter battery.

Am I missing something?

Don't know. If you understand the first response above then no, you aren't (though that's a pretty high level explanation). The fact that the 12V battery is even mentioned however suggests that there is much to be learned about this.

P.s. Couldn't one take the most powerful magnets/make a 3/6/8" disk magnet (as they are VERY VERY light [neodymium] for their umph) and put them on the spinning wheel area then put some on the non spinning frame assembly, which creates a "spinning magnet wheel" and bleed off the charge to a controller box which could possibly step up/step down/ stabilize the voltage and charge the battery anytime the vehicle is moving?

This is not altogether different from how a PM motor works. In the case of Tesla's motors there are magnets embedded in the rotor which is geared to the wheels. As explained their motion relative to the coils in the stator (fixed outer frame of the motor) induces voltage in those coils which the "controller box" (inverter/rectifier) regulates to produce the desired current flow to the battery.

 

[Frankenblob]

In a permanent magnet (synchronous) machine torque is either produced or absorbed depending on the angle and strength of the permanent magnet field relative to the field induced by the stator. The PM field is obviously of fixed magnitude and its direction depends on wheel position. The stator field is controlled by the inverter/rectifier. Thus the machine is either a motor or generator depending on where the inverter/rectifier puts the stator flux vector. In regen it adjusts the stator field (space vector control) such the the desired amount (per pedal position) of torque is absorbed thus current flows to the battery (yes, the main battery). For current to flow to the battery the voltage of the "generator" must be bigger than the battery voltage. You can think of this voltage as being generated by the permanent magnets spinning relative to the stator. The voltage is "regulated" by only connecting the stator coils to the battery for a portion of each cycle. That is done by the transistors in the inverter. The switches are only open long enough to allow the current flow corresponding to the torque to be absorbed (amount of braking desired).

Don't know. If you understand the first response above then no, you aren't (though that's a pretty high level explanation). The fact that the 12V battery is even mentioned however suggests that there is much to be learned about this.

This is not altogether different from how a PM motor works. In the case of Tesla's motors there are magnets embedded in the rotor which is geared to the wheels. As explained their motion relative to the coils in the stator (fixed outer frame of the motor) induces voltage in those coils which the "controller box" (inverter/rectifier) regulates to produce the desired current flow to the battery.

Ok, so is it workable to place magnets as stated above and all the while the wheel is spinning (vehicle moving) it generates electrical charge to either 1) aid in powering the vehicles needs 2) recharge the battery?

 

[ajdelange]

You'll have so many parts and pieces and bulk it will be HIGLY inconvenient to keep on hand; so that it's available in the scenario you'd want to use it in.
It's not practical.

It clearly isn't practical given the amount of sun a relatively small panel can collect in typical mesic environment vis a vis the relatively high consumption of a large vehicle such as the CT. But enough want it that the toneau version will evidently be offered. Given that the controller has to be developed and it seems the ability to plug external cells into it is also something that many want. Something practical or impractical that buyers are willing to pay extra for is a car makers dream as it spells very large margins and one might think that Tesla might include extra ports at, perhaps, a premium on the controller it will have to develop for the toneau solar cells.

Other than the Tesla built in controller route there is no question of any interface direct to the vehicle high voltage battery. Anyone who wants to do it other than via a Tesla built in interface will have to use the traditional scheme of PV -->charge controller -->auxiliary battery-->inverter-->UMC-->CT charge port. There is a rather entertaining video made by a guy who puts all this stuff on a trailer he tows behind his car.

A slightly simpler configuration is now available in the form of
PV -->Jackery/Yeti-->UMC-->CT charge port.

Still a bit of a kluge but there are those who love nothing better than a clever kluge!

 

[ajdelange]

Ok, so is it workable to place magnets as stated above and all the while the wheel is spinning (vehicle moving) it generates electrical charge to either 1) aid in powering the vehicles needs 2) recharge the battery?

The wheels moving the magnets past the coils of the stator induce a voltage in those coils. If the voltage is not as much as the battery bus voltage current (charge) will flow from the bus into the machine producing torque (powering the car). If the voltage is more than the bus voltage current will flow from the machine to the bus absorbing torque and charging the battery and/or supplying any other load on the DC bus (such as the DC/DC converter which charges the 12V battery, the hvac compressor or heaters).

 

[Crissa]

So regenerative braking produces 385v+, each and every time?

In a permanent magnet (synchronous) machine torque is either produced or absorbed ...

The answer is 'yes'. What (mostly) varies from a motor/generator is the amperage, not the voltage.

And you can't use the charge port while moving. The standard Tesla software will not let you. But the battery lugs exist and can be tapped into. Most of us wanting solar or boosted capacity want an aux input to bypass this restriction.

-Crissa

 

[firsttruck]

Do not need a transparent glass roof, so ( solar panels ) could go there

The glass roof might be almost 2 meter x 2 meter of usable space and it is flat too. It is common to get 450W 2m x 1m panels. It should be fairly easy for Tesla to put 900W of solar cells where the glass roof is.

 

[Crissa]

You don't need to even replace the glass... They make solar that just rolls out and adheres to surfaces like glass.

-Crissa

 

[firsttruck]

You don't need to even replace the glass... They make solar that just rolls out and adheres to surfaces like glass.
-Crissa

Those rollout are of low efficiency, expensive for result you get, and are not durable (lucky if you get 3 years). You can not get any where close to 900W in 2m x 2m with those. With those flexible panels, in 2mx2m space you might get 250W.

There are many quality high efficiency rigid solar panels on the market that will give 900W in 2m x 2m. Mounting standard panels on Cybertruck roof creates too much drag so you defeat the original goal. Need solar integrated in the roof.

Tesla certainly has the expertise in solar to replace glass roof with high efficiency solar panels (900W or maybe more).

 

[Crissa]

Those rollout are...

...None of the above if they're adhered to glass.

-Crissa