Use your car as a generator during the next blackout!

[stinkynuts]

Was about to make a huge mistake and drop $1,000 on a generator. I'm worried that there will be more blackouts due to cimate change (snow storms, huge demands due to increased population and hot weather putting a strain on the grid). I remember the great blackout of 2003, when the entire northeast went for days without power.

It suddenly occured to me that a generator is simply converting energy from gasoline to electrical energy, and that our car does that via its alternator. The electrcity generated is 12V DC though, and must be converted to AC for home use. Thus, a cheap 1000W inverter from Amazon which connects to the battery via alligator clips is all you need. Plug in an extension cord, and run it through your house to power up your refrigerator, lamps, laptop, cooker, etc. 1000 W should be good enough to power the basics. Plus, with a full tank of gas, you can last for days, unlike a small generator that constantly needs to be refilled.

This one is on sale, and is a good value, with great reviews. It now comes with a $20 off coupon:

Amazon.ca

www.amazon.ca

You can also buy a cigarette lighter cable so that you can use it for every day use: use it to power a refrigerator, laptop, etc on road trips.

Most cars can handle about 1000 W, but your car, if some heavy duty truck could possibly handle more.

 

[bazokajoe]

You have enough problems fixing your car and now you want to play with electricity!
That big power failure back in 2003 was due to a tree on a power line. Nothing to do with the so called climate change theory.
Many stupid American politicians tried to blame the outage on Canada, specifically Ontario. Trying to say our power grid is old and outdated.

The 2003 Northeast Blackout--Five Years Later

Tougher regulatory measures are in place, but we're still a long way from a "smart" power grid

www.scientificamerican.com

 

[Ginomore]

There is no way your car will be able to power your house in a power outage.

 

[richaceg]

You can use your car to charge phones and in my case, laptop and powerbank because my truck actually has a 120v outlet...but even that I wouldn't plug any major appliance to it.

 

[squeezer]

You have enough problems fixing your car and now you want to play with electricity!

I was just about to post the same thing. LMAO

 

[stinkynuts]

You can use your car to charge phones and in my case, laptop and powerbank because my truck actually has a 120v outlet...but even that I wouldn't plug any major appliance to it.

Yes, no major appliances, but I have a small refrigerator that uses only 100 W. I could transfer the meat, etc. from the main fridge to there. Also, lights, laptops, etc are very low wattage these days. You can definitely power an entire house, if you only power a small fridge, lights, a charger, and a laptop.

Can I Use My Car as a Generator? - Outage Hacks

When hurricanes, snowstorms, or thunderstorms strike and take out the power, it’s good to be prepared with alternative power sources to run the day-to-day necessities such as heat or to

www.outagehacks.com

 

[krealtarron]

Now I know what happened to your car! Its a home generator now

 

[hamermill]

There is no way your car will be able to power your house in a power outage.

Actually not true. Get an electric vehicle and you will be fine…

 

[richaceg]

Yes, no major appliances, but I have a small refrigerator that uses only 100 W. I could transfer the meat, etc. from the main fridge to there. Also, lights, laptops, etc are very low wattage these days. You can definitely power an entire house, if you only power a small fridge, lights, a charger, and a laptop.

Can I Use My Car as a Generator? - Outage Hacks

When hurricanes, snowstorms, or thunderstorms strike and take out the power, it’s good to be prepared with alternative power sources to run the day-to-day necessities such as heat or to

www.outagehacks.com

that is going to be a "go at your own risk" kinda thing...
why not grab a $1k generator and be done with it?

https://www.princessauto.com/en/4800w-gasoline-inverter-generator/product/PA0008914285

 

[bazokajoe]

that is going to be a "go at your own risk" kinda thing...
why not grab a $1k generator and be done with it?

https://www.princessauto.com/en/4800w-gasoline-inverter-generator/product/PA0008914285

Better yet spend some big money and get a natural gas generator that kicks in when power goes out. Lots of them have small car engines running on natural gas. Just imagine the fun you can have fixing that!

 

[richaceg]

Better yet spend some big money and get a natural gas generator that kicks in when power goes out. Lots of them have small car engines running on natural gas. Just imagine the fun you can have fixing that!

if you're ready to spend 10k then yeah definitely go with a nat gas...you won't even feel any black out except probably a few seconds of it.

 

[bazokajoe]

if you're ready to spend 10k then yeah definitely go with a nat gas...you won't even feel any black out except probably a few seconds of it.

Yeah 10K is alot on money. If you live in the country it's a good investment since they are the last to get power restored. City dwellers probably not worth it.

 

[johnd5050]

@stinkynuts I nominate you for the 2023 WIPO National Award for Inventors

 

[richaceg]

Yeah 10K is alot on money. If you live in the country it's a good investment since they are the last to get power restored. City dwellers probably not worth it.

IMO it's still worth it if you live in Barrie, Scugog, Uxbridge anything North of Markham...

 

[xix]

I think the OP is loosing it. Just get a thread mill an add a shaft at the rotating wheels and hook it up to a generator. From there the extension cord to your house.

 

[Mr Deeds]

I bought a natural gas generator back in 2000 we first moved into the new house just north of Brampton. Since the stove, furnace, and fireplace ran on natural gas the generator easily powered the rest of the house. When we had the blackout in 2003 we had absolutely no issues except for water so we use the pool water to fill the toilets and the neighbors help themselves as well LOL. I highly recommend a gas generator

 

[stinkynuts]

if you're ready to spend 10k then yeah definitely go with a nat gas...you won't even feel any black out except probably a few seconds of it.

Is it really worth it, though? Blackouts happens for maybe on average one or two days a year. Seems like overkill to pay 10 grand for that convenience.

 

[Ponderling]

I have a gas genny. Live in the city, but it is on standby behind my shed.
Ready to back power the house from the shed panel, and power the stock tank heater I toss into the hot tub when the power is out for any meaningful length of time.
Have added neon power indicator lights on both sides of main breaker in shed and house to know when it is safe to sequence the breakers when the genny is on and utility power out.

2 cycle 3600w mid 80's Generac. 3600rpm so, Yes, noisy.
A plus to this unit is a 30A 120/240 socket so easy to run all the circuits. Then turn off big draws too big to run on the genny at same time like the water heater if the clothes washer is on at same time as water heater.
Someday it will be upgraded to a Honda invertor generator which are miles quieter.
Electric start. Oil changed every 3 years whether it has run or not after I run it for an hour to warm the old oil

Key is run it dry and only buy premium fuel. Fill it when you need it.
Add a bit of Sea foam to the last gas in the tank as you run it dry to keep carb happy and then less need to drain the fuel bowl.
Charge the battery ones in fall, and again in the spring.

I keep premium fuel with gas stabilizer mixed in in 3.8L old coleman fuel cans.
These cans have had Krown rust inhibitor sprayed on the outside of the can so they don't rust pinholes and let the gas leak out.
Up to about 20 cans now, as well as 2- 25l jerry cans that are kept empty in case can find a gas station is open.

The cans sit on a shelf under the plywood housing lined with rockwool fibreglass as a sound damper.
Front and roof of housing can be removed when genny is running.

Cans of gas go into the wife's car in the spring.
Then fresh gas with stabilizer to refill the cans so gas is always less than a year old.

 

[stinkynuts]

I have a gas genny. Live in the city, but it is on standby behind my shed.
Ready to back power the house from the shed panel, and power the stock tank heater I toss into the hot tub when the power is out for any meaningful length of time.
Have added neon power indicator lights on both sides of main breaker in shed and house to know when it is safe to sequence the breakers when the genny is on and utility power out.

2 cycle 3600w mid 80's Generac. 3600rpm so, Yes, noisy.
A plus to this unit is a 30A 120/240 socket so easy to run all the circuits. Then turn off big draws too big to run on the genny at same time like the water heater if the clothes washer is on at same time as water heater.
Someday it will be upgraded to a Honda invertor generator which are miles quieter.
Electric start. Oil changed every 3 years whether it has run or not after I run it for an hour to warm the old oil

Key is run it dry and only buy premium fuel. Fill it when you need it.
Add a bit of Sea foam to the last gas in the tank as you run it dry to keep carb happy and then less need to drain the fuel bowl.
Charge the battery ones in fall, and again in the spring.

I keep premium fuel with gas stabilizer mixed in in 3.8L old coleman fuel cans.
These cans have had Krown rust inhibitor sprayed on the outside of the can so they don't rust pinholes and let the gas leak out.
Up to about 20 cans now, as well as 2- 25l jerry cans that are kept empty in case can find a gas station is open.

The cans sit on a shelf under the plywood housing lined with rockwool fibreglass as a sound damper.
Front and roof of housing can be removed when genny is running.

Sounds like a lot of care and maintenance! But probably worth it during those times when you need it.

 

[Ceiling Cat]

I am knowledgeable in electronics, so I am well informed about electrical devices and their abilities and limitations. I also survived the 1998 Quebec ice storm. It was not so much a storm and actually three continuous days of freezing rain that coated every tree, telephone and electrical pole and hydro tower. City people were without electricity for 3-10 days and people outside the city were out of power for up to a month. I have had generators since then.

Connecting up to your car with an inverter is troublesome and can be very costly in the long run. You can damage the electronics in your car and you do not have the use of the car when you are powering up from it. I have a 8000 watt generator for emergencies and a smaller 1400 watt portable inverter generator that I can also use for camping.

FIY - If you are planning to use a computer from the power generated from your generator, make sure it is an inverter generator to keep your electronics safe. Do not let people know you have a generator. In a horrific emergency situation or if cacklers are running all over the streets, people will come for your generator.