Insight Generator?

[Cobb]

Anyone ever tried to use an Insight as a generator for power?Ive read stuff online where people have used the Prius HV lines to power stuff tapping their hybrid system. I have also read where they use the 12 volt side. Either way the car maintains its electrical system at a charge using the engine off and on.

We know right off the engine needs to be started, but once started and lets say you press the foot brake and get it to go into auto stop. It will exit auto stop to top off either battery if it does go low. Now will it reauto stop or would you need to reapply the brake?

Would you tap the hybrid system or 12 volt? I am thinking 12 volt would be easier, but its amperage would be limited. The hybrid side you may need a different converter to make the power usable.

Then you would just let it idle to keep the battery charged.

[Cobb]

A friend of mines ran his geo metro as a generator with an inverter connected to the 12 volt battery. He left the car idling with it on.I guess unless we know the upper limits, maybe 50 amps tops should be considered the absolute draw when sizing and of course going with the least load possible.


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[firsthonda]

Isn't the IMA generator 10kw? With that amount of power you could power your entire house in a blackout. I'd say you could, if you hooked up an inverter. Interesting concept.

BTW, In think you can find a way where you can use you PHEV kit for emergency power. Enginer sells a generator based on the PHEV Kit



http://enginer.us/products/PPS.php

[Cobb]

In all fairness 4 kilowatts wont last long, plus its not a good idea to drain lifepo4 batteries til the bms shuts down the circuit.

I am sure there is a need for what he made, it allows a discount for customers to buy it for its real purpose.

Wow, forgot that with the ima motor and ipu we are talking about 10 thousand watts. I was thinking from the dc to dc converter to the front of the car. Now if we can just foind an inverter to run from the 10mm bolts on top of the ipu which ranges from 95-117 volts. We can already buy 12 volt ones for the accessory side.

I used an 800 watt harbor freight generator for a week, 5 gallons of gas a day.


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[samwichse]

I actually had wondered this myself, as I frequently go play volleyball where there are no lights or electricity.

Usually we play till dark and anything we use uses batteries or gas, but it'd be awesome if we could just plug in a radio, some flood LED lights like these: LED Sports Lights - LED Stadium Lights - MyLEDLightingGuide.com and we could play a lot longer.

I'd need about 1.5 kw, and there's a 12 kw generator sitting right there in the lot, but how to make it work?

Sam