Poll: Prius for home AC power?

If I wanted it, I would rather install it myself. Car companies always overcharge for features.

JeffD

 

I would do it myself also, but don't see that option in your poll.

 

I installed my inverter myself on my Prius. Took no time at all and has already been beneficial two different occasions. One was a whole weekend.

 

If it were standard, perhaps... But I have very stable electrical service, and my parking space is not directly adjacent to my living space, so anything I wanted to power would either require probably a 100' extension cord, or moving the appliance to the car.
Basically, it wouldn't be worth me paying anything extra for. I even have a UPS, and I stopped using it because it caused more power interruptions than it prevented (my computer has pretty high power requirements when first powering on, before it settles back down to about 25% of the UPS's rating, and that sometimes caused the overcurrent protection to trip).

 

I have my router/modem on a UPS. My daughter and I both use MacBooks and iPads so all we need to keep powered is the Internet connection from the UPS. Then we use the Prius to power things like the fridge or a window a/c or a fan & the television.

One Friday night my 10 year old was having a sleepover. 4 girls and no power! We lit a fire in the fireplace to keep the family room warm. We ran a cord from the Prius to power a television and the Wii/XBox. Candles and a Coleman lantern kept the room lit. We put a bag of ice in the cooler and loaded it with kid drinks.

Man was that Prius a hero! Every once in a while you'd hear it start. Off and on all night. By morning the electricity came back on.

 

What size interver did you install? Do you have an install thread?

 

I have installed the pigtail and have the inverter and tested it ... no use for real yet. My installation pictures are available in the related thread.

By the way the price (at in least in japan) is way way too high for this ... even for 3kW option should be less than half of that ...

 

I have the Whistler PRO-2000W, 12 volt DC to AC Inverter. Here's a photo of one. The installation was very straight forward. The inverter is under the tray but wired to the 12 volt battery. We only turn it on if we need it or are testing it.

 

Where is the heck is the option to do it if I buy the parts and implement it myself???

None of the poll responses are correct for me.

 

Been there, done that with Sandy.

 

My 06 ford escape hybrid came with a 115v outlet built in...I was rather surprised that the prius did not. only about 200w max I believe.