PlugOut Power Inverter

What is a plug out inverter?

 

It's one name (or you could say "PriUPS") for an inverter product that more-or-less satisfies this wish-list.

For some examples of various past solutions:

PriUPS-getting electricity FROM your hybrid vehicle

Using a Prius as a generator — northernarizona-windandsun

My install and review of the AIMS Prius 2kW Pure Sine Wave Inverter for Backup Power Generator | PriusChat

My install and review of the ConVerdant LFI30-220 3kVA Pure Sine Wave Inverter for Backup Power | PriusChat

(I've been a little looser with the wish list: some of those units are a bit smaller than 5 kVA, or don't have 240/120 split-phase outputs.)

Those latter two used to be sold by ConVerdant Power, which is now defunct but was run by Randy Bryan, who now runs the PlugOut Power company mentioned in the first post here. The AIMS unit was also available through a couple other sources.

Randy's new units seem to have a wide enough range on the DC input voltage that they should even be usable on the Gen 1 Prius (which was always harder to find a PriUPS solution for, because of its higher 274-volt battery spec).

Any time somebody starts a thread about PriUPSing, it tends to fill up with posts about whether it is a good or a silly idea, many of them from people who haven't read any of the past comments they are duplicating. To help with that, Richard Factor put together a summary of a lot of the Usual Comments.

 

I didn’t see mine on the list.

 

Ah. No, that one wasn't. But then, you're not so much known for making Usual Comments.

I did notice one point that might be addressed in the usual installation practices:

As I understand it, the usual installation practice is to connect on the load side of the system main relays and the battery current sensor. So the battery ECU does see the inverter's effect on the net current into or out of the battery, though of course it doesn't have an inverter-specific measurement or a way to inhibit the inverter specifically.

That was also touched on by hobbit in his review:

While the car doesn't have any specific way to control the inverter, if it ever does think there is enough of a battery management problem to log a code and open the main relays, that will shut down the inverter.

 

I've been reading the forums about the PlugOut Power generators and am kinda psyched about this! Not an engineer, but I understand enough to love this solution.

I wonder if there are any valid promo codes available at the moment. I'm sitting on the fence with both legs over the BUY side at the moment.

I saw the discount to pre-order the 4.1, so maybe there's no active promo right now. Being unable to tolerate the noise and hassle of a regular generator (due to autism) but being in hurricane alley with another big year projected, this feels like the ideal solution. It will eat my savings down to nothing, but when a storm knocks electric out for more than a couple of hours, it seems worth spending on.

I have a few questions, but can put those in another thread if it's more appropriate.

I should introduce myself: I'm Diane.

I used the forums when my first Prius' (2012) inverter started crapping out a couple years ago. I couldn't swing the repair at that time, but it was a great car that I miss. I got excellent info from members who had already shared. I traded up to 2015, and no regrets, except the big payment now.

I might make some unboxing and setup videos, if there's any interest in my showing the steps of the whole process for regular, non-engineering types.

Anyway, hello, and thanks!

 

Then I tried the 7373 code again and must have typed it in wrong the 1st time. It worked! So excited to try out the 4.1 version!

There's also a 6% discount due to it being still in shipping at the moment. Website info says expected "mid April".

 

Hey, did your shipment arrive? Got any videos yet?

I realize I missed this thread when making links to the non-generation-specific Knowledge Base thread, so here that is.