OT: Power Inverters

[batts]

Any one consider a power inverter as a substitute for a generator? Just before Sandy, I was scrambling for a generator and couldn't find one anywhere. Someone suggested using a power inverter as a substitute. You power it up from your car battery while the engine is running. i ordered it from Amazon and received it the next day. It cost me $125 from Prime. It's not powerful enough to run your central AC or hook up to your electrical box. However, it saved me from basement flooding because it powered my sump pump. It also saved me from losing a couple of hundred dollars of meat in my freezer. The best part was that I didn't have to scramble to buy gasoline for it. An idling car uses a lot less gas than a generator. It's also safer to use because unlike a generator, you won't accidentally vent the exhaust into your home. During this most recent storm, my power inverter again ran my sump pump and freezer.

 

[dconifer]

Any one consider a power inverter as a substitute for a generator? Just before Sandy, I was scrambling for a generator and couldn't find one anywhere. Someone suggested using a power inverter as a substitute. You power it up from your car battery while the engine is running. i ordered it from Amazon and received it the next day. It cost me $125 from Prime. It's not powerful to run your central AC or hook up to your electrical box. However, it saved me from basement flooding because it powered my sump pump. It also saved me from losing a couple of hundred dollars of meat in my freezer. The best part was that I didn't have to scramble to buy gasoline fo it. An idling car uses a lot less gas than a generator. It's also safer to use because unlike a generator, you won't accidentally vent the exhaust into your home. During this most recent storm, my power inverter again ran my sump pump and freezer.

Very interesting. That never occurred to me. I guess it converts (inverts?) power from DC to AC so it can be used in the house? I like it...

 

[goru1869]

Any one consider a power inverter as a substitute for a generator? Just before Sandy, I was scrambling for a generator and couldn't find one anywhere. Someone suggested using a power inverter as a substitute. You power it up from your car battery while the engine is running. i ordered it from Amazon and received it the next day. It cost me $125 from Prime. It's not powerful to run your central AC or hook up to your electrical box. However, it saved me from basement flooding because it powered my sump pump. It also saved me from losing a couple of hundred dollars of meat in my freezer. The best part was that I didn't have to scramble to buy gasoline fo it. An idling car uses a lot less gas than a generator. It's also safer to use because unlike a generator, you won't accidentally vent the exhaust into your home. During this most recent storm, my power inverter again ran my sump pump and freezer.

I have been looking into this myself. We lost power during the storm last week for 12 hours. We were fortunate everything in the freezer survived. Then last night we lost power again for about 4 hours.

 

[RUfromSoCal?]

There's a 14 page thread on this exact subject on the CE board......

 

[goru1869]

There's a 14 page thread on this exact subject on the CE board......

You're funny.

 

[e5fdny]

You're funny.

It exists.

As to the question...heard 36K for a Tesla made one that powers most if not all of the house. Add around 15K for the solar recharging part.

 

[goru1869]

It exists.

As to the question...heard 36K for a Tesla made one that powers most if not all of the house. Add around 15K for the solar recharging part.

I was playing with him because the CE board is gone. I do believe a thread is/was there.

 

[LC-88]

Caution. There are inverters and there are true sine-wave inverters. Google is your friend. In short you can cook electronics and certain battery types while recharging (tools, etc, not the "host" battery) if using a non sine-wave inverter. True sine-wave inverters cost more for a reason.

 

[e5fdny]

I was playing with him because the CE board is gone. I do believe a thread is/was there.

But there is one started by members on here that probably does have a thread on this topic. That’s what I meant by it still exists.

Haven’t been there for a few weeks now.

 

[T2Kplus10]

Any one consider a power inverter as a substitute for a generator?

Is that like a flux capacitor?

 

[goru1869]

But there is one started by members on here that probably does have a thread on this topic. That’s what I meant by it still exists.

Haven’t been there for a few weeks now.

Thanks

 

[RUsig]

Get a portable power station instead. An inverter is good in a pinch, but not as mobile as a power station you can recharge with solar.

As for the sump pump, just get a battery-backup. Buy an AGM battery with a cheap pump system, it got me through last week's outages and I didn't have to tend to it with a running car all night.

 

[batts]

Get a portable power station instead. An inverter is good in a pinch, but not as mobile as a power station you can recharge with solar.

As for the sump pump, just get a battery-backup. Buy an AGM battery with a cheap pump system, it got me through last week's outages and I didn't have to tend to it with a running car all night.

i have a battery backup. Since my property is located in the high water table area, the back up battery only lasts 12 to 15 hours because the pump operates every 5 to 10 minutes.

 

[fsg2]

i have a battery backup. Since my property is located in the high water table area, the back up battery only lasts 12 to 15 hours because the pump operates every 5 to 10 minutes.

So do you keep your car constantly running?

 

[rurichdog]

The car doesn't have to constantly be running, that just keeps the battery 100% charged. You could get a deep cycle battery specifically for the inverter & be good for a while. I've thought about a silent setup like this for tailgating.

 

[ru66]

You can get solar powered inverters

 

[batts]

So do you keep your car constantly running?

I did keep the car running with both garage bay doors open. As indicated by Rurichdog above, I could have shut the car down periodically with the same result. However, I didn’t want to drain the battery. I was probably overly cautious. A 4 cylinder car can idle for over 20 hours before I needed to refill the tank.

 

[chrisru99]

My brother just got a quote for a while house generator installed for $8400. I highly suggest you make this investment.

 

[batts]

I’m in my 60s and looking to downsize to a townhouse hopefully on a golf course. Therefore I don’t want to make a big investment into a generator. I could probably spend around five grand for a generator and have it hooked up to my electrical box. That I should really consider doing. In all likelihood, I’ll probably cheap out and stay with my power inverter. However, the Mrs. wants me to buy the generator hooked to the electrical box.

 

[RUsig]

i have a battery backup. Since my property is located in the high water table area, the back up battery only lasts 12 to 15 hours because the pump operates every 5 to 10 minutes.

Got it. Then your inverter is a good idea to to keep the battery backup juiced up after half a day to keep you going.

If you do decide on a generator plugged in directly into your electrical meter, get a tri-fuel (gasoline, natural gas, propane) generator and get a gas line plumbed to where it's safe to hook-in. This way no need to keep it gassed up through the night. This shouldn't cost too much compared to a whole-home backup genny.

 

[Scarlet Haze]

You don't need electrical power in a power outage for a sump pump if you get a water powered sump pump as a back up. Here is an example(available at amazon)
Basepump RB750 Water Powered Backup Sump Pump with Water Alarm
Amazon product ASIN B000GBUU7G

 

[611george]

Water sump pumps are really cool, but in many places there are rules about using the water supply to power machines. I won't tell if you get one, just FYI.

 

[RU Diesel07110]

Got it. Then your inverter is a good idea to to keep the battery backup juiced up after half a day to keep you going.

If you do decide on a generator plugged in directly into your electrical meter, get a tri-fuel (gasoline, natural gas, propane) generator and get a gas line plumbed to where it's safe to hook-in. This way no need to keep it gassed up through the night. This shouldn't cost too much compared to a whole-home backup genny.

Tell her to go get her shine box LOL

 

[rutcor]

My brother just got a quote for a while house generator installed for $8400. I highly suggest you make this investment.

Who'd he use? Is he CNJ?

 

[BigWill]

Mad Dog searched around 3 States for a gasoline generator.

Finally found one in Utica NY, Drove 3 hours there and had to muscle it into his SUV. He claims it weighs 250 lbs.

Yesterday in mid afternoon his section of Conn got power back.

 

[NorthernKnight]

You don't need electrical power in a power outage for a sump pump if you get a water powered sump pump as a back up. Here is an example(available at amazon)
Basepump RB750 Water Powered Backup Sump Pump with Water Alarm
Amazon product ASIN B000GBUU7G

Out of luck if you have a well.