Using car as generator

[homestead]

Update:

Received the inverter and installed it in the hatch area.  Tested it using a 3 prong 120v outlet tester and a floodlight.

Didn't want to test it with the stove since its 75F out today but will test it this fall.

So, it looks like I am good to go.  Anyone know if there is rubber plug in the hatch area to the outside world

big enough for an extension cord?

[Whozwat]

I tow my C Max with a motorhome. To keep the 12V battery from running down when towing, there is a 12V charge line from the Motorhome to the C Max battery.

 

On occasion, when camping somewhere where there is no 120V hookup for the motorhome everything in the motorhome runs off the two large house batteries. After a day or so I will let the Cmax run and charge the motorhome house batteries back through the charge line.. Same as previous posts, the ICE will start occasionally and then shut off. Much quieter than running the gasoline generator on the motorhome.

[Whozwat]

Might as well push the envelope on 2 fronts ... I wonder, could my C-MAX Energi pull a small travel trailer and then power a small air conditioner or electric heater in the trailer?

Edited November 29, 2017 by Whozwat

[obob]

I have left my C-Max "on" and car locked, with AC running for cooling when traveling with our dog and stopping for 40 - 60 minutes to dine.  ICE does start when the HVB falls to a low level.  So, be aware of potential exhaust fumes from ICE based on power draw of the stove and outage length.    

 

It shouldn't matter whether the load is internal to the C-Max or attached to the 12 V battery except that the 12 V charging circuit has a 175 A fuse (about 2100 W) and the 12 V battery is fused at 150 A (1800 W).   So, I'd keep the 12V to 120V AC converter as small as possible to avoid blowing either of these fuses.  

 

I recently bought a 1500 watt sine wave inverter.   I was going to hook it directly to the battery but after reading this thread over I am wondering if it was a good idea to get the inverter I got and where I should connect it.

 

Most of why I got it is to run a device that uses about 400 watts in the car.  It also would be nice to be able to utilize my faberware fry pan which I think is a bit less that 1300 watts in the car (not essential).

 

I also could use it to back up my house backup power generator which is old or if I run out of gas.  The most important thing is to allow the oil burner to be plugged in and I believe that is about 800 watts but my sense is it may need a lot to get started.  (this is not essential and I would only run to heat up the house pretty warm and then turn in off until it needs it again.  No electric and no heat is a bad combination in the winter.)

 

So my questions.  Did I buy an inverter that is too powerful ?  Should I install a fuse to avoid the car's fuse from blowing first?  Where is the best place to hook it up.  The answer may have been stated but I am not really technically comfortable in this area to discern it.

 

Thanks.

Edited July 26, 2018 by obob

[plus 3 golfer]

The 1500 W inverter is likely around 90% efficient.  So, the input current to the inverter would be 1500W/12V/0.9 = 139A which is less than the 175A charging circuit fuse. I would add a 140 A fuse in the input line to the 1500 W inverter to not blow the 175A fuse of the DC/DC converter charging circuit when the car is running and the HVB is supplying the 1500 W inverter.  See the attached.  I would connect the new 140A fuse to the 1500 W inverter to one of the studs (added in black on the attachment) of the red cables on the fuse link assembly attached to the 12 V + battery terminal.  Hopefully, the140 A added fuse would blow before the 12 V 150 A battery fuse link when the 12 V battery is supplying load (car off) as my guess is it is expensive since it can't be replaced separately from the fuse link assembly.

 

Obviously, proceed with caution as "blowing fuses" can be expensive.  The 1500 W inverter can probably handle large inrush current of loads attached to it. But the C-Max fuses may not be able to handle it and blow.  Resistive loads should be fine but any motor loads for example may have too large of an inrush current for the C-Max fuses.

 

Edited July 26, 2018 by Plus 3 Golfer

[Mad C max]

Ruining the supplied air compressor blew my 12v fuse. Center console. Maybe I should use the rear 12v

 

Per my owners manual, 3rd printing (emphasis mine):

 

 

The [110V] power point is not designed for electric devices such as:

• Motor loads, such as vacuum cleaners, electric saws and other electric

power tools, compressor-driven refrigerators, etc.

....

[Bill-N]

 

Ruining the supplied air compressor blew my 12v fuse. Center console. Maybe I should use the rear 12v

 

Per my owners manual, 3rd printing (emphasis mine):

 

The [110V] power point is not designed for electric devices such as:

• Motor loads, such as vacuum cleaners, electric saws and other electric

power tools, compressor-driven refrigerators, etc.

....

 

Just to be clear, the first line above is not mine.  I did say, "Per my owners manual ..."

[homestead]

Ruining the supplied air compressor blew my 12v fuse. Center console. Maybe I should use the rear 12v

Per my owners manual, 3rd printing (emphasis mine):

 

The [110V] power point is not designed for electric devices such as:

• Motor loads, such as vacuum cleaners, electric saws and other electric

power tools, compressor-driven refrigerators, etc.

....

 

 

What size was the fuse that blew compared with the spec on the air compressor?