Right Lane Cruiser
01-24-2009, 04:40 PM
For safety, you can't leave your car running in enclosed spaces. (http://inventorspot.com/articles/hybrid_toyota_prius_used_power_refrigerator_and_more_22634)
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2010_Prius-III_Photo_12_News.jpgGloria Campos - InventorSpot (http://inventorspot.com) - Jan. 24, 2009
Buy a Prius and get a generator for free? --Ed.
It turns out Hybrid vehicles do more than just save gas. In times of crisis such as power outages due to severe weather (ice storms or hurricanes) a Hybrid vehicle which produces and stores electricity in its battery can be converted into a generator and used to power up a home. It's true. In fact, it has already been done a few times.
The most recent news of a hybrid used as a generator to power up a home comes from Harvard, Massachusetts. In Harvard Massachusetts, an electrical engineer named John Sweeney used his Toyota Prius, and five gallons of gas to power up parts of his home. For 3 days last month he powered his refrigerator, TV, woodstove fan and several lights in his home during a long power outage caused by an ice storm that hit December 12th. To do this he found an inverter and wired it into his Prius then converted the DC power from his car into AC power for his house.
If you're wondering why more people haven't tried this instead of buying an expensive generator its because not just anyone can to do this. As Ned Hibberd from Fox 26 news put it, there is nothing in the owner's manual to tell you how to... http://inventorspot.com/articles/hybrid_toyota_prius_used_power_refrigerator_and_more_22634
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/2010_Prius-III_Photo_12_News.jpgGloria Campos - InventorSpot (http://inventorspot.com) - Jan. 24, 2009
Buy a Prius and get a generator for free? --Ed.
It turns out Hybrid vehicles do more than just save gas. In times of crisis such as power outages due to severe weather (ice storms or hurricanes) a Hybrid vehicle which produces and stores electricity in its battery can be converted into a generator and used to power up a home. It's true. In fact, it has already been done a few times.
The most recent news of a hybrid used as a generator to power up a home comes from Harvard, Massachusetts. In Harvard Massachusetts, an electrical engineer named John Sweeney used his Toyota Prius, and five gallons of gas to power up parts of his home. For 3 days last month he powered his refrigerator, TV, woodstove fan and several lights in his home during a long power outage caused by an ice storm that hit December 12th. To do this he found an inverter and wired it into his Prius then converted the DC power from his car into AC power for his house.
If you're wondering why more people haven't tried this instead of buying an expensive generator its because not just anyone can to do this. As Ned Hibberd from Fox 26 news put it, there is nothing in the owner's manual to tell you how to... http://inventorspot.com/articles/hybrid_toyota_prius_used_power_refrigerator_and_more_22634