Serious Business: Getting AC electrical power from my Prius

I have thought about this and the only architecture that makes sense is:

• spoof MG2 encoder - this sets the frequency. Regardless of what power is commanded, it always "rotates" to generate a 60 Hz signal.
• isolation transformer - needed to keep output isolated from vehicle ground
• switch or plug - to swap in the isolation transformer and MG2 encoder spoof circuit

The real challenge is voltage and load control. Maintaining a constant voltage under a variable load is not a trivial problem.

Bob Wilson

 

so.. i've purchased a 1200 watt inverter that peaks at 2400 watts...

i've ran a 10A saw, drill, sawzall, and a welder on it's lower setting...

i've seen the car go through worse... the electronics usually fade out before anything blows... hehe... ( you'll know when you pull too much )

if i had the money, i would get something with a little more running power.. so i could run the 13amp saw...

 

I want to install a 1+Kw inverter from the 12 battery. I would like to be able to remove the inverter easily so I do not have to haul the extra weight around with me. Also, my hidden cargo area is already filled with sound equipment.

So what kind of quick-diconnectors can I get to handle the 12 V upteen amps and where could I mount them? Or is this a Bad Idea, for some reason?

 

Anderson Powerpole

 

'scuse me for being dumb, but to connect a pair of wires, does one need one set or two: PP120 Red/Black 120 Amp Anderson Powerpole Set ? Looks like each "housing" does only one end of one wire.

 

Commander:

I just ordered from parts-express.com:

2 263-120 4 AWG Breakaway Power Connector 175A $9.80 $19.60

Description at "http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=263-120"

No color choice, but I think I saw the same elsewhere in various colors (where it said that yellow is preferred for 12V). The design allows the same connector to be used on both sides of the connector, so you need two. Two review complaints about crimping, may need to borrow or make a crimp tool, otherwise five stars.

 

I have a NHW20, and am interested in setting up the Prius as an emergency generator. We don't get power outage often enough to warrant a standby generator, but we did get a 3 day outage during a wind storm couple of years ago. Not fun, can't even run hot water to take a shower

Anyway, having read the thread up to now, I have a few questions:

- The quick connect adapters that was linked to, where do they plug in?
- Bob Wilson mentioned that the NHW20 is capable of 3kw. Is that via 12v or the higher voltage side?
- Are there any transfer switch that allows me to use the house wiring, rather than running extension cord everywhere? I saw some on the Inverter store (here) that seems like they are plug'n'play, rather than having to be installed onto the electrical panel.
- I assume you want the cable that ties from the car to the inverter to be as short as possible, but the heavy duty 110v extension cable can be as long as necessary?

Thanks!

 

For more than a kilowatt it would be necessary to work with the high voltage systems.

110 vac extension cords do cause voltage drops, so if you need to go long, use the largest gauge wire you can for that.

 

Just my opinion here, but why not buy a Honda eu2000i portable generator for under $1k. This will supply 1,600 watts, enough power for a refrigerator, some lights, and a few light loads. The generator will run for hours on a gallon of gas. is lightweight, and can be twinned with a second generator to double your power if needed. If you think this is to much money, consider possible damage to your car, yourself, and voiding what warranty you might have.

 

That's a good point. The Honda inverter series of generators are very quiet, clean, and fuel efficient. If something catastrophic happens, you fry a $1,000 generator. With the Prius, +$4,000

 

that's a horrible point.. and it completely defeats the purpose of pulling A/C from our car.

:deadhorse:

the fact is.. i do this all the time.. and most of the time i end up pulling over 1200 watts... NO ill effects. i've built half of my house off of prius power so far. It's cleaner, quieter, and much less hassle than the 3500watt gen i have sitting in the power house.

plus... with a day of use and only a loss of 1 gallon of fuel?.. most of the days it's less than that... how can you go wrong? (don't try answering... just let it be)

 

oh.. btw... somewhere around 11 or 12 amps.. my prius's voltage drops too low and the inverter resets itself... at first i thought it was my inverter peaking out (which it was).. but my voltage meter readings read out below 12v at around 1200.... and 11.5 or so around 1300 constant... i know the low voltage alarm goes off around 11.5 or so....

as for people wanting to pull from the high voltage side... i don't think the system will be all that much better... with a full load the ICE pretty much stays on all the time.. it's 5 mins on.. 5 mins off type of thing (typically being 1 min on and 20 mins off)

so.. i wonder if the car was running... constantly... i would assume no more than 2kw usable? (i'm trying to keep in mind that if you rob too much power from the car.. it tends to power off... due to drop in voltage...)

 

Well, it's just that I'd be concerned about the extra wear and tear on a Prius. Say there is a catastrophic failure, you could wipe out a very expensive inverter/converter

If you have a fancy inverter Honda generator, and manage to fry it, $1,000 tops

 

The 11 gallon tank in the Prius lasts ~44 hours at a full load, 1 kW. In contrast, the Honda unit requires about 11 fill-ups over the same 44 hours. Also, the Prius power provides AC power ranging from laptops up to any other field use.

Everyone has their own threshold of risk and I have no financial stake in whether someone goes with a 1 kW Prius inverter versus a separate Honda generator. For me, it made sense to go with Prius power, even if it is limited to the 12 VDC power.

Of course I would prefer to have MG2 power output at 60 Hz, sine-wave, 18 kW, or even the power that feeds the AC compressor in the modern Prius but this is a trickier problem.

GOOD LUCK!
Bob Wilson

 

Honda gen will run an easy 8 hours on a full tank at 1/2 load. I get 4 hours on a full load, fuel tank is 1.1 gallons. Noise level is very low. I just don't see a good argument to use the Puris for power.

 

The first step is to look at the requirements:

1. Minimum power requirement - 500 W., 1000 W., 2000 W., 5000 W.
2. Minimum run-time - 2 hr., 5 hr., 10 hr., 20 hr., 50 hr.
3. Portability - man-portable, highway cruise speed
4. Vehicle AC - 50 W., 100 W., 200 W., 500 W., 1000 W., 2000 W., 5000 W.
5. Cost - $100, $1000, $2000, $5000

So there are choices and this is how I see it:

• Standalone generator - prices from $1000 and up; power 1 kW and up; man luggable; short run-times, 4 hrs max., at full load; nothing for vehicle power for laptops but usable camping.
• Traction battery power - prices from $1000 and up; power 3 kW; requires house cut-over circuit; provides enough for half of house power; nothing for vehicle or camping.
• 12 VDC power - prices from $100-$400; power 1 kW; typically use extension cords (great for camping.)

Now I agree, some folks prefer the standalone generators and I wish them well. It meets there requirements. Others prefer the traction battery approach, and I approve too because it meets their requirements. Then a few of us implemented the 12 VDC systems and it will take something more specific than personal angst or individual choice to rip it out of my car.

Bob Wilson

 

Actually, the Honda inverter generators produce exceptionally clean AC power that will reliably run electronic loads

 

Just one of three architectures:

1. Prius mounted, 12VDC inverters - $100-400 - easily mounted in vehicle, provides AC power while driving or stopped. Some assembly required.
2. Small engine generators - used for house or camping, ordinarily not usable while driving. No assembly required.
3. Prius mounted, 202 VDC inverters - up to 3 kW, normally the electronics are mounted as part of the house power. Some assembly required.

We are coming up on hurricane and tornado season when power outages are likely to occur.

Bob Wilson

 

Since I already have backup generators, including a nice Honda EU3000 Inverter, I'm not too worried about modifying a Prius to provide backup power

For those without backup generators - who understand the risks to doing so - using a Prius as a UPS might be appropriate.

On that topic, it would be pretty easy for Toyota to provide a power outlet from the NiMH traction battery to run a HD inverter. They already provide factory installed LD inverters on some Tacoma's, Tundra's, Sequoia's, and FJ's

 

Because this topic comes up so often, but scattered around all the different model/year-specific forums, I started a general one in the "Knowledge Base" forum and tried to collect a bunch of the existing links.

Electric power from a hybrid, connecting inverter to the high-voltage system | PriusChat