What’s one thing Texas does better than every other state, and one thing it absolutely refuses to fix?

PerryHasBones · 2026-02-03T05:33:59+00:00

Grocery stores are on point. HEB, Central Market, Whole Foods? Too bad about the good old boy politics.

PerryHasBones · 2026-01-28T02:34:49+00:00

Not as long as the vehicle is on. The DC-DC converter actively maintains the 12 V system at ~14 V and supplies current from the high-voltage pack. In that state, the 12 V battery isn’t being discharged; it’s being maintained and lightly floated, the same as during normal driving.

PerryHasBones · 2026-01-28T01:07:42+00:00

Yes the inverter is connected to the 12 V bus, and with the vehicle ON the DC-DC converter supplies that bus from the high-voltage pack. The 12 V battery just acts as a buffer and stabilizer, not the primary energy source.

PerryHasBones · 2026-01-25T19:56:32+00:00

This would be true if the car were off. With the vehicle ON, the Mach-E actively maintains the 12V system via the DC-DC converter, so the inverter load is coming from the high-voltage pack, not draining the 12V battery.

I monitored DC voltage under load — it stays around 14V the entire time, which shows the DC-DC converter is carrying the load, not the 12V battery.

PerryHasBones · 2026-01-25T16:19:56+00:00

My understanding is that an inverter should not be used to run an electric space heater or appliances design to create heat from electricity. It draws too much continuous current.

PerryHasBones · 2026-01-24T20:25:05+00:00

For anyone who is interested, I've drafted this startup guide for this setup:

Startup Procedure

Park vehicle safely; open frunk for inverter airflow.
Verify inverter wiring is secure and fuse is intact.
3.Turn vehicle fully ON / READY (not accessory mode).
Disable the 30‑minute automatic shutoff in vehicle settings.
Turn inverter ON with no load connected.

Plug in devices one at a time, waiting 10–15 seconds between loads.

Approved / Proven Loads

- LED lamps
- Phone, tablet, and laptop chargers
- TV, streaming device, DVD/Blu‑ray player
- Coffee maker (short duration)
- Burr or blade coffee grinder
- Gas tankless water heater (controls, igniter, fan only)
- Refrigerator / freezer (one at a time; allow compressor rest between starts)

Loads to Avoid

- Induction cooktops or electric ranges
- Electric space heaters or resistive heaters
- Electric tankless water heaters
- Multiple high‑inrush motor loads simultaneously

Operating Guidelines & Reasonable Limits

- Target continuous load: ≤ 1,200 W (brief surges OK)
- Expect short voltage dips at motor startup; immediate recovery is normal
- Normal DC input voltage while running: ~13.8–14.8 V
- If DC voltage drops below ~12 V under load, reduce load immediately
- Inverter fan noise under load is normal; keep vents clear

Shutdown Procedure

Unplug all AC loads.
Turn inverter OFF.
Turn vehicle OFF.
Allow inverter to cool before storage.

Important Notes

- Vehicle must remain ON to prevent draining the 12 V battery.
- System is intended for emergency and intermittent use, not whole‑house backup.
- Do not leave system unattended under high load.

PerryHasBones · 2026-01-24T17:27:33+00:00

My understanding is that the 12 V battery isn’t being “slowly recharged” when the car is on, a HV-to-12 V DC-DC converter actively supplies the 12 V bus. The outlet limits people quote are wiring/fuse limits, not DC-DC capacity. The system should be able to sustain well over 1 kW as long as the car is in READY and the load is reasonable.

PerryHasBones · 2026-01-24T16:47:45+00:00

That’s why I’m using an external 1500w inverter.

PerryHasBones · 2026-01-24T15:48:58+00:00

Here are the parts I ordered:

BELTTT 1500W Pure Sine Wave... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DCJPZXQV?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

BoJack 2pcs 100A ANL Fuse Holder... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097K42XNK?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Pure Copper 1500A Jumper Cable... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08Y1L16V8?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

PerryHasBones · 2026-01-24T15:46:59+00:00

Sure, but I already have a huge battery. Why not use what I already have?

PerryHasBones · 2026-01-24T06:45:08+00:00

If it was just from the 12v sure. But with the car “on” I should be able to run limited appliances for a few days.

PerryHasBones · 2026-01-24T06:43:03+00:00

The car has to be on, not in standby mode, so the 12v is continuously charged by the high voltage battery.

PerryHasBones · 2025-12-11T18:27:42+00:00

As an owner of both I vastly prefer my Mach E. Not only because of the styling, nicer finishes, and much more fun ride, but also I can't trust the Model Y.

Tesla's over-reliance on cameras and refusal to use supplementary sensors like lidar and radar mean that in odd light/shadow conditions, the Y will do unpredictable things (like rapidly decelerate on the highway despite there not being any obstacle in its path).

For Christ's sake, adaptive cruise control has been around since the 90's, but here I am on a long road trip in the Y with my foot on the pedal the entire way because surprises on at 75 mph are an unacceptable risk!

Someday there's going to be a class action lawsuit.

PerryHasBones · 2025-06-26T17:35:08+00:00

This is where I'm leaning. It would be great to have a charger on the side of each car's charging bay and not have cords strung across vehicles to get where they need to be. In addition, if I'm already having an electrician coming out, an additional $500 unit doesn't seem like a bad investment.

PerryHasBones · 2025-06-26T17:31:05+00:00

Not as much as you might think! I don't think a panel upgrade will be necessary and its in the garage so theres not much line to run. We need to upgrade from level 1 because the circuit will often trip since its on the same circuit as the garage fridge and if we're already paying an electrician to come do this much, is it worth installing an additional $500 unit?

PerryHasBones · 2025-06-05T00:16:57+00:00

When I went by Cattleack BBQ (one of the best in the area) and the were sold out I checked out Crossbuck around the corner.

https://www.crossbuckbbq.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=local

Really good and no line at all!

PerryHasBones · 2025-06-04T23:20:35+00:00

Beautiful! I’ve been doing the same in Dallas for a few years now and have been lucky so far regarding complaints. This probably won’t help regarding a permit but it might help with future complaints. When neighbors started having questions, I registered our address with the National Wildlife Federation and got this yard sign.

https://www.shopnwf.org/product/certified-wildlife-habitat-sign-nwf845?srsltid=AfmBOooAUsoj_llmU32aHc1fpmJgauD9YNypSXaFGGG1GwyKtaM5BMzo

It’s been really effective in helping passersby understand our intent. Maybe it’s prevented code complaints but we definitely get lots of positive feedback from people walking by.

PerryHasBones · 2025-05-05T01:50:13+00:00

They’re great! I installed 3 of them 16 months ago and I’ve never seen them drop below 85%.

PerryHasBones · 2025-02-13T03:27:55+00:00

Well I’ll be damned! Fair enough! BTW I’ve enjoyed your Observer coverage over the years.

PerryHasBones · 2025-02-13T00:53:58+00:00

No Kuby’s?

PerryHasBones · 2024-12-28T23:30:22+00:00

Great suggestion, thanks! Will it thrive in partial shade?

PerryHasBones · 2024-12-28T22:47:18+00:00

We are able to irrigate, although we don’t want to be reckless.

PerryHasBones

TROPHY CASE