Using a car to generate emergency electricity

[wrtner]

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Hurricane Florence leaves 700k people with no electricity in Wilmington, NC
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There seems so little between this idea and successful replications. There must be a load of wrecked cars out there which could be worked on.

I wouldn't be surprised if Northstar were to give out a few generator heads as a charitable donation. (Lots of TRS rubber cable needed and two pole three way switches to be connected up to people's consumer units).

[ElectricMick]

Could u use an old fashioned engine governor?

i've just discovered digital governors. there the business.

[wrtner]

Hurricane Dorian. Now it is the Bahamas who are hit with power cuts:

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/02/w...n-bahamas.html

"With phone, internet and power lines down in many places, communication with the islands was difficult and firsthand accounts from eyewitnesses rare".

This project should be capable of being got off the ground. We need someone on the ground who can act, a car, possibly ruined except the engine, cable, switches and of course, the genny head.

[wrtner]

California fires - Electricty deliberately being cut

Our californian friends shouldbe able to get this project together if their power company is cutting supply to stopfires starting.

they need:
Genny head
masses of TRS cable
2p3w switches for aeach home
a car

[spacecase0]

Our californian friends shouldbe able to get this project together if their power company is cutting supply to stopfires starting.

they need:
Genny head
masses of TRS cable
2p3w switches for aeach home
a car

I just got through a power outage in CA
most people got by with nothing or with a tiny generator and extension cords run into the house.
whole house generators were set up by some.

I was all set up between solar and a generator for the well,
was busy for 2 days solid helping others

[wrtner]

I just got through a power outage in CA
most people got by with nothing or with a tiny generator and extension cords run into the house.
whole house generators were set up by some.

I was all set up between solar and a generator for the well,
was busy for 2 days solid helping others

Do you have a two pole three way switch to allow connection straight into your home's consumer unit?

[spacecase0]

Do you have a two pole three way switch to allow connection straight into your home's consumer unit?

no, they are not for sale at the hardware stores around here...

most people used extension cords direct to appliances...

and others turn off the main breaker to the house and then connect the generator to an extra circuit breaker. this is clearly not a great plan as it is pretty easy to mess up and break things. I know one person that broke things this way in this outage.

at my house, the generator gets connect into the clothes dryer plug after the main breaker to the power company gets turned off. just happens to be the easiest way for me to connect in and run everything (including the well pump).
but I do hope to get a fancy switch at some point. would also like to build a generator room as well.

[wrtner]

no, they are not for sale at the hardware stores around here...

most people used extension cords direct to appliances...

and others turn off the main breaker to the house and then connect the generator to an extra circuit breaker. this is clearly not a great plan as it is pretty easy to mess up and break things...

Is there a consumer unit which, in effect, includes a 2w3p and a shrouded male socket? Maybe one of those chunky blue or red jobs? This would be fantastic and I wonder if anyone knows someone who could lean on a manufacturer to adapt one of their existing products? I am sure there is a market now, and certainly in the near future.

With climate change, this scenario is going to get worse.

[wrtner]

This could be the time to draw this thread to the attention of the Governor of Texas.

[spacecase0]

Is there a consumer unit which, in effect, includes a 2w3p and a shrouded male socket? Maybe one of those chunky blue or red jobs? This would be fantastic and I wonder if anyone knows someone who could lean on a manufacturer to adapt one of their existing products? I am sure there is a market now, and certainly in the near future.

With climate change, this scenario is going to get worse.

yes they do make that sort of thing,
look for RV or boat supplies for people that plug in to external power when they also have a generator on board,

but the best way to do it in my opinion is to set it up just like a boat, have batteries that power your house, and just have the external power keep the batteries charged.
that way if the power company goes out, you have time to connect your alternate system, and you don't have to keep it running all the time to have power, you just have to keep it running when your batteries get low.

sorry for the delayed reply, I was having issues viewing this forum and replying correctly.(but I fixed it)

[wrtner]

yes they do make that sort of thing,
look for RV or boat supplies for people that plug in to external power when they also have a generator on board,

Thanks for that. A "Battery Selection Switch" (or power selector, or ship/shore switch) would do the job if it handles the voltage and amps. But it is good to know what to ask for.

[wrtner]

Floods in Germany

Since there are many power cuts, this is another occasion when this idea would be very useful. It needs work ahead. I don't think there is a similar thread to this on Overunity. I might set one up and see if Stefan runs with it.

[wrtner]

New Orleans about to be hit again - and there will be avoidable suffering due to loss of electricity.

But now someone has invented and put out there "Wheel Hub Motors". They can be found on Ebay and Alibaba (and Aliexpress). Those that feature regenerative breaking are sure to generate power and the others probably will.

and so:

1. Chock up one rear wheel and jack up the other.
2. Take the wheel off and fit the new Wheel Hub Motor wheel.
3. Cable the power back to the house's consumer unit.
4. The accelerator will need thought. Cruise control - power, speed regulation etc etc.

It will be more complicated than this somewhat simplistic account, but there is a project here.

A relatively inexpensive WHM from Ebay might be a good place to start and experiment but it needs to be capable of fitting on the studs of a car wheel rather than the different fixing method used by bikes.