I have 2-3 standard outlets in the bed of my 2017 Toyota Tacoma and a setting that will let me use it as a generator, My little truck may or may not have powered my company COC during my last work up a few times and it has been used many times camping and out on the range to run stuff.... but running my whole house would be a big ask of the truck...
"So strong is this propensity of mankind, to fall into mutual animosities, that where no substantial occasion presents itself, the most frivolous and fanciful distinctions have been sufficient to kindle their unfriendly passions, and excite their most violent conflicts." - James Madison, Federalist No 10
Things like this are ongoing reasons I keep hanging onto our two RVs. One is a class A and the other is a class B.
The class A generator is powered off gas so essentially have a 75 gallon reserve tank.
The class B is diesel but can power the inverter or can run off propane so we have options in case of bug-out or bug-in.
I have a small Honda generator that was given to us. I keep it around to power our freezer and fridge. Almost had to use it about a month ago with a 16 hr outage. I was just getting ready to fire it up when my neighbor called me and told me the power would be back on very soon. How did he know that? He saw the power utility truck on our road checking the line before they reenergized. Dead giveaway.Originally Posted by Lester Polfus
In the P-F basket of deplorables.
We sold our 24' Nash trailer last year and I miss it. Totally self contained with 3 solar panels. We didn't have a shelter for it, if we had we would have kept it for emergencies.
In the P-F basket of deplorables.
FJ has a 400w inverter built into the cargo area. Which is enough to run a couple of lights and the fridge or lights and moderate space heater, without issue overall. It can also run my welder, charge the batteries for my power tools, run a medium sized pancake compressor, an electric griddle, a decent sized fan...etc. It's quite handy overall.
I would definitely recommend at least one inverter socket wired into a vehicle in general. Especially work vehicles or vehicles you're using for camping. If you're urban/suburban dwelling using a vehicle as a generator would be useful. BUT has some limitations. Namely, security of the running vehicle. Also, extension cords are kind of a pain in the ass to string out.
If you have a new F150, you can apparently make it through a Texas cold spell. If you have a Raptor, you almost certainly have a get a way in Arizona to bug out to, like Darryl. If you have neither, you airline to Cancun.
Likes pretty much everything in every caliber.
hmmm... that sounds like a thing I should figure out how to ghetto rig into working just in case we're that far down the rabbit hole.
starting to think my main panel needs to have some critical circuits with outlets right near the panel, so I can suicide cable on to them.
It sounds like the F150 guy ran the electric generator to power his home devices, but occasionally had to start up the gas engine presumably to recharge the batteries. Is that how it works?
I have a Tacoma too, bit it didn't get bad enough for me to run an extension to the house, besides I wasn't sure how long I could run it before the battery discharged. How do you run yours, rcbusmc24 so as not to kill the battery?
As long as the truck is running it won't drain the battery. The alternator will charge your vehicles battery. Turn it off and an inverter will drain your battery pronto. Think of your vehicle as a gasoline generator with batteries and some storage capacity but just enough to crank your engine to start it.
In the P-F basket of deplorables.
Rob, did you quote this wrong? Because 400W won't run a welder. 120V welders like a full 20A circuit which is 2400W, but will run on 15A at a reduced capacity which is still 1800W. Many 120V welders' advertised max outputs are achieved by being on overpowered circuits above 20A which no conventional home has.
Whatever amount of "weld" you get from 400W won't be capable of penetrating anything of useful thickness to get your butt out of trouble on the trail.
Reply With Quote