First Tow with Powerboost - observations

[SRMD]

I made my first trip this weekend pulling our 26’ Winnebago TravelTrailer. A couple of observations:

trailer weight and gear was almost 6500lbs. Travel was in small mountains of Western Maryland, between 65-70mph

1. Plenty of power on demand, even on the 6-7% grades.
2. Averaged 10mpg per trip meter on way up to campsite (have not filled up and I am running generator all weekend)
3. Tow haul mode - mine will go into 10th gear if on flat ground, but is typically in 8th or 9th most of the time. When I saw 10th, I locked out to 9th, as 10th is probably not the best for the transmission.
4. Temp gauges never budged from typical operating temperature (transmission and cooling), even on reasonably long, steep (for the East Coast) pulls.
5. ProPower operation is awesome. I wish the exhaust was a little more quiet during nighttime operation. That burble of the exhaust is louder than you think.

I wish Forscan could add transmission temperature to my XLT screen. For now, I may find a scrap android phone to check everything EXCEPT transmission temp. Torque can’t seem to do that either. And really, that is the most important thing to me when I am towing…

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[Ziggy73]

Yeah, I thought of a dryer vent tube over the exhaust and direct it another way for sound deadening. Not sure that works help, but something along that type of quietening. Awesome about the pulling the hills, I was wondering.

 

[wrgrimes]

SRMD
What plug/adapter for the Powerboost? Trailer 30amp or 50amp? 1 or 2 A/C?

 

[Snakebitten]

Yep. Quietest generator I have ever had. But it's still not silent.

But that's a good idea for some smart fella to invent a Powerboost generator mode silencer for camping!

 

[SRMD]

Don’t be confused, this truck pulls and there is always a lot of reserve power. I was a bit disappointed in the fuel mileage, I was figuring more (maybe 12), since it is only 6500lbs. I got similar mileage with my old 5.7L Toyota Sequoia, but it would certainly work harder and was a lot noisier in the hill climbs.

I will have to experiment at home with the exhaust. That is a good idea.

SRMD
What plug/adapter for the Powerboost? Trailer 30amp or 50amp? 1 or 2 A/C?

30A dog bone adapter, 1 AC. It is only a 26’ TT.

I have 30A twist lock to 30A TT blade style dog bone adapter, connect my surge suppressor, then my power cord to TT. Works seamlessly.

 

[HammaMan]

Yep. Quietest generator I have ever had. But it's still not silent.

But that's a good idea for some smart fella to invent a Powerboost generator mode silencer for camping!

If ya bypass the exhaust heater device and clear it of fluid you can just keep it 'on' in generator mode. Works quite well to quiet it down.

 

[Atlee]

Don’t be confused, this truck pulls and there is always a lot of reserve power. I was a bit disappointed in the fuel mileage, I was figuring more (maybe 12), since it is only 6500lbs. I got similar mileage with my old 5.7L Toyota Sequoia, but it would certainly work harder and was a lot noisier in the hill climbs.

I will have to experiment at home with the exhaust. That is a good idea.


30A dog bone adapter, 1 AC. It is only a 26’ TT.

I have 30A twist lock to 30A TT blade style dog bone adapter, connect my surge suppressor, then my power cord to TT. Works seamlessly.

Do you recommend EMT (surge protector) with the PB? I use one when ever hooked up at the house or campground, but not when hooked up to the truck.

 

[scott011422]

I've noticed when pulling my pig of a pontoon boat that 10-11 is where its at. I've noticed talking to others and here at the forum that If you tow pretty much anything with the 3.5l expect 11ish mpg. small covered trailer? 12mpg. massive camper, still 11mpg.
While this seems bad, the way I look at it is it gets great mileage while driving it day to day. I don't tow every day, But I do drive every day, And while I make that everyday drive I'm getting 20+MPG on my daily commute. When I do need to tow, I have plenty of ability and power. But its not, I said NOT optimized to tow. So its going to cost me fuel. If "I" needed to tow often, Prolly wouldn't be driving a 1) gas 2) F150 anyway.

On another note. Im coming from a 2005 F150 Crew with the 5.5 bed, 3.55 gearing, 5.4L with 33" tires. This PowerBoost tows so much better, So effortlessly, Its crazy its still an F150. I have this hill I have to tow my boat up in Fontana Wisconsin. I believe its 40MPH. If I hit the bottom of that hill doing 45 and floor it, I'll be lucky If im over 35 by the top of it. I hit that hill in the powerboost with the Cruise control on and it just walks right up the hill, Not even lighting the turbos!

 

[HammaMan]

Do you recommend EMT (surge protector) with the PB? I use one when ever hooked up at the house or campground, but not when hooked up to the truck.

No, The inverter is pretty impressive. I haven't found it overvolting at all. The truck is higher quality than even most UPS units. It is after all a pure sinewave inverter with a nice power buffer behind it (the batt). The ground and neutral on the truck are bonded, if the truck gets hit with lighting there's nothing a surge suppressor can do.

The truck is well insulated which is why I don't even suggest earthing it.

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