You Can Use Your Car As A Generator?

[@MegaGamerGuy1701]

A few things to be aware of, the starter battery in vehicles are not deep cycle batteries. They are only designed to give a large inrush current to start a vehicle and power the electronics. They don't really survive being drained flat more than a handful of times before they refuse to take a charge again. Also all batteries have what is called a surface charge, where they will read 12-14v volts but lack capacity or rather "umpth." A lead acid battery requires like 12 hours for a proper charge. So stating that going out and running the engine every now and again for 10 minutes will only ever give some of that surface charge back, and people are going to end up with a dead starter battery. The last time I did this I ran the engine the whole time. These days cars tend to be efficient at idle. Except for those that kill the engine on idle, hybrids, and EVs. Another thing I'd warn about is the alternator can only supply so many amps for so long...so one might try to load down the alternator to the point of killing the rectifier diodes, then the alt needs replaced. Another factor being that some alternators depend on higher RPM for the output to be useful. My 03 Ford Tarus dumps 40 amps into my 100AH lifepo4 deep cycle for like the first 30 seconds that the engine is running, then drops down to around 30 and then varies between 20-30 until it's topped off. Thats only 390 watts figuring 13V@30A. I have 15 ft 2 GA jumper cables going to the battery /w 2kW sine inverter in a milk crate in back seat floor board. Tried to run 1200w space heater and alternator still only gave me 30A, heater still took 65A from the deep cycle. Food for thought.

[@FosterFarmsOk]

agree. I would never run this setup without the car running.

[@arj1165]

this is an emergency case; when everything else fails and the only other option is you freeze to death. I would rather get an inverter charger and a set of good rated batteries (lead acid or may be a lithium battery pack if i am rich) and put it up as an alternate to this for emergency use in case of power failure.

[@kaylamarie8309]

What if you had a deep cycle battery like a marine battery or maybe a bank of batteries such as on a golf cart, etc.? Serious question, not a smartass, "gotcha" what if troll question.

[@FosterFarmsOk]

@@kaylamarie8309 those are much better solutions but they still need more than just 10 or 15 minutes of charge at a time

[@kaylamarie8309]

@@FosterFarmsOk ok. Thanks for the reply 🙂

[@doug8718]

Also keep in mind that it's important to not only have a heavy enough gauge of extension cord, but length is important too. If the 12 Ga cord is too long for the current needed, it will drop the voltage too much, and possibly overheat. As with most things, especially electrical, you can't just use a blanket procedure for every general case. Know what you are doing! And I know someone somewhere will do this so I'll say it beforehand...don't hook up to your car and run it WHILE it's in the garage, even if the door is open. Prevailing winds can blow the exhaust back into the garage (and the house) and give you carbon monoxide poisoning. I personally know of a couple where the (educated) husband did this with a generator, and ended up in the hospital, almost dying.

[@davidtrindle6473]

Now the husband is even better educated!

[@extraclip]

My uncle died from monoxide poisoning because they were cold in a garage.

[@peterloichtl4512]

Thank you for letting me know, I have been using 1000 feet of extension cord to power my flat because i could not find a parking spot closer.

[@mrsseasea]

My dad is a now retired electrician, I have seen him do some crazy things. This is a great idea.

[@David-nn9mr]

Most furnaces have an single phase AC induction motor for the blower, and induction motors run very poorly on (and get damaged by) "modified-sine wave" inverters (i.e. the cheap ones). Need a pure sine-wave inverter for induction motors. With that caveat, a great idea!

[@chirotucc]

Ran a inverter in my Prius on one tank of gas For a week and powered my house (furnace, refrigerator, lights and more) perfect.

[@paultaylor7570]

how many watts was your inverter rated for..

[@iknowwherethewildthingis2555]

So… where do you put the inverter if you want to power fridge, lites etc??

[@funonvancouverisland]

​@@paultaylor7570 It's BS.. you can't get that kind of output

[@thegoodbadandugly25]

​@@paultaylor7570funonvancouverisland is correct, it doesn't matter how strong the power inverter is, if you don't have enough battery power behind it, it won't give you all the watts needed. Big power inverters are meant for big trucks, because they have 4 or more big batteries together

[@davesterchele2679]

Which battery did you use and how did you hook it up?

[@aaronc.brewster6527]

I'm in Buffalo and was prepped with the outlet and inverter on my car thanks to your video last year! Thanks!!

[@MrJdubbya36]

Yup, bought a Nissan Titan last December. Two days later we had a big snowstorm and I lost power. I heat with a pellet stove that has a battery backup but it only lasts for about three hours. That ran out then I thought about the plug in the bed of my new to me Titan. Ran a cord in the door and plugged the pellet stove in and kept warm!!

[@sailorgerard]

You said to connect the black negative first, BUT, as a retired mechanic, it is always been to connect the red first, then the negative to prevent any sparking.

[@bigdog5177]

Point being - hydrogen compounds accumulate on the positive side - so you want ZERO sparks on the positive terminal. Therefore, connect red first *THEN* connect black.

[@Bones469]

@@bigdog5177 This and that you can easily grab a good ground from nearly anywhere on the chassis so of it does spark it won't be near where the excessive hydrogen may be.

[@Praise___YaH]

Guys, HERE is The Savior HalleluYAH translates “Praise ye YaH” YaH is The Heavenly Father YaH arrives via the TENT OF MEETING YaH was Who they Crucified for our sins YaH was Crucified on an Almond TREE - Ancient Semitic Cuneiform of Moshe (Moses) - Isa Scroll (The Original Isaiah) Isaiah 42:8 "I am YaH; that is my Name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols. Isaiah 43:11 I, I am YAH, and there is no other Savior but Me. Isaiah 45:5 I am YaH, and there is none else.

[@allnoyz1414]

An electronics engineer once said - that don't matter. Electrons are agnostic to where the circuit is finally closed. Unless your are doing transmission line analysis (which you are not)

[@MegaGamerGuy1701]

if voltage is a difference in potential, then it doesn't matter what is connected first, it would depend on what they call bounce. So you connect one lead then another, from our perspective, when you connect there is a momentary spark. But if you slow things down when you connect the other lead it's not one and done on a microscopic level the contacts bounce off of each other, striking an arc, and they continue to bounce several thousand times in that fraction of a second. The arcs flash boil the metal and ions fly off (sparks), and leave pits behind. This also causes voltage spikes all over the system.

[@enigma51ted]

just had a electrician enable my brand new furnace for outlet power-plug !!! i now have a Dewalt 1000W invertor nearby, and showed my family how to connect everything - all this inspired by YOU last year :)

[@skyranchsoaps]

Test it to be sure

[@k.scheer5to1]

THANK YOU!!!!! You have answered many questions I have had about connecting auxiliary power sources to my Forced Air Gas Furnace!! You have the best solutions I have seen in a variety of Videos! In the late 1980's I was trained in, and awarded an Associate Degree in "Environmental Technology", especially Commercial HVAC, and learned a lot..... at the top in my classes. However, the market for attempting my own HVAC Service Business was poor in my region at the time, so my Business attempts were not successful, and I abandoned the trade. That training has since served me quite well in my own domestic needs, and the needs of my family and friends, and I try to stay informed about newer idea and techniques, mostly in the electrical and plumbing trades. Your videos are very informative and enlightening..... THANKS AGAIN!!

[@robertfrapples2472]

We figured out a long time ago that a small, old 4-cylinder Toyota truck made a great choice. We had a generator off an old ice cream truck installed in it, and it powered everything in the house all night long on a quarter tank of gas. It also provided an emergency pod in the truck itself if things got too cold inside.

[@trustbuster23]

This is a very cost-effective way to at least keep the pipes from freezing in an emergency. I wouldn't leave the vehicle off for long, though. Your car battery isn't meant to be deep cycled, and you will be burning your limited supply of gas in the car pretty inefficiently, but this could get you through an otherwise very bad night. Stay clear of those cheap inverters that plug into your cigarette lighter. Those are only good for like a laptop or a single small light. You need to connect the inverter directly to the car battery like this for any electrical loads that are even remotely substantial.

[@GeorgeWashingtonLaserMusket]

One of the worst things you can do to an engine is let it idle for a prolonged period of time. I'd personally just turn the water off (from the outside) then drain my lines. Much more reliable.

[@GraveUypo]

i keep a small 300w inverter that goes in the lighter port inside my car. sometimes i use that to power my starlink at my farm when power goes out. it's super useful.

[@jessihawkins9116]

you think having a farm makes you pretty special huh 🤨

[@truthseeker9688]

@@jessihawkins9116 wow...did you forget to kick your dog this morning??? The guy needs starlink because his farm is remote ...what on Earth is wrong with saying that!?

[@jessihawkins9116]

@@truthseeker9688 when the WEF is done you can say goodbye to your farm. You’ll live in a 15 minute city and have nothing and be happy. 😤

[@JM-ym8vr]

@@jessihawkins9116 found the pea brain that believes everything he reads on the Internet

[@wrongmouse1658]

Be sure to rate your inverter’s surge power rating to be better than the surge current for the furnace motors. That was what I found to be the downfall of one on my tries to do this. This example is for a small furnace. Second, lead acid batteries, do not let the charge fall below 50% of the batteries rating, or you will be replacing it very soon. A great way to destroy one. Also, always use some kind of charge controller if you are going to use a Lifepo4 battery to run the inverter. This is to save your alternator, but you will still have to monitor the alternator’s temperature, as this will most likely be charging longer than with the lead acid, per charging cycle.

[@MrDan1509]

When I look at those or a generator....if it won't run a coffee maker I won't own it. Coffee makers and microwaves call for lots of power!

[@dialdude]

I watched your original video on how to do this and did it to my furnace after buying the inverter and making clamps. Works Great. Hope you know how many families you may have saved with this modification. Awesome.

[@JohnnyDanger36963]

Ever heard of a wood stove? Down jackets? Herp derp!

[@davesterchele2679]

@@JohnnyDanger36963 Wood stove if you have it, down jackets, not so good for frozen pipes.

[@EXPIOWA]

I powered my refrigerator with an inverter from my sports car after the 2020 Iowa Derecho. It worked great. The generators got bought up immediately. $70 for an inverter and I was back up and running.

[@marusholilac]

I did this once after a hurricane, using my F150 for 5 days. It wasn't heating season but I did run refrigeration and electronics. Since then I have upgraded from a cheap inverter making ragged low-voltage (110V) power to a proper pure since wave type. I ran the truck whenever I was using the inverter, for about 50% of the time, and used half a tank. The truck couldn't care less if it was idling for hours at a time. A freezer uses much less power than a fridge. My 21 cu ft one runs on 135W and I can use "sabbath mode" to disable the defrost function. Fridges use more power and the defrost cycle may be more than the inverter can haldle. Best to measure the wattage of anything you plan to power before choosing the inverter.

[@atomicsmith]

How do you engage sabbath mode? I’m hoping it involves Ozzy, but guessing it’s more like a button or switch.

[@marusholilac]

@@atomicsmithI have a Kenmore Elite. It's likely that other brands made on the same assembly line had this same feature. From the manual: "Sabbath Mode provides the ability to disable all lights and other electrical activity from occurring with the exception of the compressor, which continues to operate automatically. Sabbath Mode is enabled or cancelled pressing the Control Lock and Temp Display buttons at the same time, and holding for 3 seconds. When enabled, "Sb" will be displayed for one second and then the display will turn off. When cancelled, the current temperature setting will be displayed, and all the functions resume normal operation." There are instructions on a sticker inside the door but there's nothing about Sabbath Mode except in the manual, so maybe this is a hidden feature on some other models. I have a second 21 cu. ft. freezer, a Home Depot GE model. It has something called Control Dormant Mode which is entered and cancelled using a similar procedure; but they don't define "Dormant Mode", and I suspect it just disables the controls and display, and not the defrost cycle (which is all we care about). BTW, I have a strategy in using these 2 freezers. This lesser GE freezer is populated only with stuff that can safely defrost - nuts, breads, cooking oil, jugs of ice, granola bars. If there is an outage it gets no power. I have so many jugs of ice in it that it's probably good for days. I was pleasantly surprised that my Kenmore uses only 135W and 1.4kWh per day, as opposed to my Samsung fridge, which uses 2.4kWh per day.

[@ri3m4nn]

7:01 Tacoma's are known for having a loud idle and Toyota's will auto shutdown as well unless the car is manually locked. I have a 2023 and use it for my camper as a generator.

[@rogermartin404]

Been doing this for years when the power goes out, runs everything in the house except the well pump. Don't hesitate to buy a quality inverter and some extention cords to keep in the garage for those occational power outages.

[@kjflyte5088]

My vehicle already has an inverter, so i see how this is done. This is awesome info. Could use this for many things . Great video.

[@truhunk1]

The invertor on your vehicle may not be strong enough? It might be ok, but you should verify.

[@OpusBuddly]

Connect the positive cable to the positive terminal on the battery then connect the negative clamp to the engine block or the car's frame. This method keeps the spark away from the explosive hydrogen gas that the battery produces.

[@g-whiz286]

A flooded (vented cell) battery will only produce hydrogen gas (of any appreciable amount) when it is being heavily charged. Even then I'd only be concerned if the battery was in a confined space. Not outside under the hood of a vehicle.

[@traktion9]

@@g-whiz286 That's good to know, I never understood this warning in all my years of messing with batteries.

[@peatmoss4415]

You connect the negative first and disconnect the negative last.

[@SuperVstech]

@@peatmoss4415this is opposite from all knowledgeable training…

[@marble2244]

I think you meant positive connection first, then negative connection last. Disconnecting is negative first:)@@peatmoss4415

[@JohnKelly-ch5im]

you should connect the positive first, then connect the negative (black) to the frame of the car to avoid sparks near the battery.

[@MV-wb2cz]

that's the first thing i thought when i saw how he connected the positive last...

[@FuncleChuck]

This might have mattered 20 years ago but it doesn’t anymore.

[@JohnKelly-ch5im]

@@FuncleChuck why not? Is it because batteries are made of different materials these days?

[@henrivanbemmel]

But isn't the frame painted? If the battery is well ventilated I don't see the hazard here. To me, connecting the positive could permit an errant connection if the black wire touched something accidentally. I f you connect black first the only way the circuit is energized is when you specifically connect to the positive terminal.

[@JohnKelly-ch5im]

@@henrivanbemmel the spark is what could potentially, historically set off a small explosion if the battery is leaking a volatile gas

[@LemonySnicket-EUC]

My diesel truck has 2 batteries and 2 alternators. I already have an inverter installed as well as one in my enclosed trailer. Thanks for reminding me of this use. I also have a wood burning stove that can heat the whole house very well. Charging cell phones and tablets is handy as well.

[@calholli]

1amp at 120v = 120watts.. Which means at your 12v battery, you will be pulling at least 10amps (because 10a x 12v= 120w).. Plus there will be some heat loss from the conversion, so It may be as high as 12amps pulling on your battery. So it's not going to take long to run your battery down and you'll basically have to keep the engine running all the time... With two batteries it will last twice as long obviously. I have a 2002 F350 7.3L diesel 6spd manual 4x4: and it has two batteries also. I might go ahead and look into getting a cheap inverter for this kind of thing.

[@DCJNewsMedia]

Having used inverters for about 25 plus ➕️ years And I used 4 battery block and as a double and single. As a rule if you use the inverter to power unless excessive power 🔋 usage. About every 30 minutes you crank up your car for 5 minutes on a single battery and no less than every hour for a double. If it pulls the battery down to far your car will not crank up. And your dead in the water. It also depends on cranking amps and age as well as if the battery is well maintained. 😊 Ty for sharing this with us. I've use it privately as well as in my public safety service and over the road truck driving. So I think my 1st experience was in 1996 or 1997 to current. Any battery that goes below 50% will cause the battery to go dead rapidly if it is done much. But each time it makes the battery less reliable. It has as many usages as you can imagine. From running a TV, game console, power tools and lighting for a outdoor party or keep a refrigerator or Freezer running or fans etc. God bless yall. ✝️

[@natersalad889]

Great idea!! I have a whole house generator with a hookup to power our breaker panel, but I like to be prepared with this setup as a backup incase generator doesn't start or stops working etc, to atleast keep furnace operating

[@siggyretburns7523]

Very smart 👍

[@turtletrade]

I have a 2005 Prius, quietest most efficient generator; on/off operation of car only uses 1gal of gas overnight. Connected to 3000w pure sine wave inverter ran furnace, hot water heater, refrigerator, internet, and some lights perfectly.

[@OGCJ10]

How did you rig that up ?

[@rangerwwc72]

Which inverter did you get?

[@truthseeker9688]

Wow, I want to do this...have old Priuses in the garage. They are the best and we plan to drive them until they just won't go anymore. What and where do you buy and install the correct inverter?

[@skyranchsoaps]

Ditto. What brand please? Was it 3000w continuous or 3000w surge?

[@ComputerGuyAndy]

GREAT IDEA! I have an 8000 watt gas generator but I always worry that one of these days it's not going to start when I need it. I can use this method, plugging it into the connector that I plug my generator into (the one that connects to my electrical panel). I can just flip the back-feed interlock and only turn on breakers for the furnace and a light or two until I can get the generator running.... Thank You!

[@jdgoesham5381]

Remember you can also start the vehicle up by remote start and if someone tries to take it and they put in in Park without the key it will shut off. Though it's always good to test and make sure for some reason your car/truck doesn't have that security feature(it should if it came with the remote start already and not a 3rd party one).

[@JT-lq4yd]

Good info. Before attempting this, everyone should know what their vehicle can provide in the case of the furnace, how much it requires to run. I had this same set-up ready for about 10 years. A Samlex 2,000 watt pure sine inverter. Upgraded the battery from a wet cell H5 to AGM H6 on my daily driver as it has a water cooled 15kw alternator. Previously, I had ran 1,000 watt loads for testing and the battery stayed at 13.6 volts.

[@MP-qn1jw]

Where can I get a water cooled alternator? That sounds bad ass!!

[@JT-lq4yd]

@@MP-qn1jw Some 90s Cadillac models have it. The one I am talking about is the stock alternator on 2013 Chevy Malibu Eco with E-assist, It is rated at 15,000 watts and this will generate 115 volts 3 phase AC and feed this power to the trunk mounted battery. I have seen, with a OBD scanner, 97 amps being pushed into the battery.

[@kamsiu7342]

You can do the same thing for a pellet stove, Comfortbilt HP50S uses about 1000w for the ignitor initially, but all the fans use only 60w after. You can fire up the stove manually as well.

[@24revealer]

Any idea how long the battery will last before needing to recharge it?

[@dinh71]

Thanks for the idea! We don't lose power very often, and when we do it's usually only for a couple of hours. Not worth dragging out the generator and doing all the setup. This would be worth the effort to keep the family warm until the power comes back on.

[@billharris6886]

Thanks Dave for measuring the furnace current draw, that was my number one question. In the video, you used such a high current meter range, I don't know what kind of accuracy you have. I have seen similar measurements performed and witnessed accuracies as bad as -90/+300%. What I'm getting to is, car batteries are designed for short term high current output to start the engine, when used as a steady state power source, they are easily damaged if the discharge is greater than 10% (meaning 90% battery charge remaining). So basically, you can pull about 300 watts from the battery for about 10 minutes before needing to start the engine. While idling, the car's electrical system can supply about 400 watts, assuming nothing is turned on in the car. You can gladly exceed these rates and there won't be any apparent problem right away but, there is a good chance you will need a new battery and possibly a new alternator within a few weeks. I don't mean to discourage anyone that wants to make use of Dave's (the maker of the video) furnace backup idea, I just wanted to point out the car's electrical limitations. Dave's idea can be a life saver in some instances.

[@craigswanson906]

Right on with your warning. I used a kill-a-watt to measure the load demand of my Goodman furnace that when combined with the condensation pump draws over 800 watts. Too much for a cheap 1000 watt inverter. A 2000 watt inverter can draw over 166 amps. The people who say it's okay to run your furnace on your car's battery are HVAC people NOT electricians. Beware, there be dragons here. You can easily ruin both your battery and your alternator.

[@billharris6886]

@@craigswanson906 Thanks Craig for some additional details. The furnace Dave is showing in his video seems smaller than average, I suspect a 600 watt draw is probably more typical for most home furnace installations. Those Kill-A-Watt meters are a "must-have" for anyone wanting to measure the power consumed by home appliances. For the cost and accuracy they deliver, they are unbeatable. I use them so much that I bought two of them. Also on Inverter choice, the type to get is the "Pure Sinewave" type. Most 12 volt power inverters are the "Modified Sinewave" type, which induction motors and some electronics have problems with. Remember that with a 12 volt inverter, the 12 volt DC input current will be 11 times the 120 volt AC output current.

[@youdontknowme5969]

YMMV. My itty bitty 40,000 BTU gas furnace (not much unlike the one shown in the video with 2 nozzles) for my small bungalow draws just 320 Watts (or about 400 VA accounting for power factor, says my Kill-a-Watt 😎👍) with full heat on (blower, inducer, etc.) My pickup's alternator is 130 A (probably *_not_* at idle?) × 14 V is around 1,800 W, but yep, I definitely would not run a 1,800 W/VA load (if inverter is rated for that much) for very long (or at all), in fear of ruining something. But at 400 VA, I might not quibble, but would do it with the engine running. But I have a standing pilot gas fireplace that I really only wake up for power outages (luckily rare), plus a basic wick kerosene heater if I really really need it (it gets more use as a garage heater otherwise). Plus that 20+year-old generator I use maybe once every 2½ years? LOL... But this inverter idea definitely seems like a proof of concept (just "use your head" kinda thing LOL) 😎👍

[@billharris6886]

@@youdontknowme5969 Thanks for your input. Car alternators generally have an output rating based upon an alternator shaft speed of 5,000 RPM, which translates to an approximate engine speed of 2,000 RPM. Obviously alternator output is lower at ldle, with one of the biggest problems being alternator cooling. The example of your kerosene heater is a good one, it's always a good idea to have at least one backup measure for anything affecting your survival.

[@glgermain]

Really should have measured the DC amperage draw, rather than the AC amperage draw. Do home heaters draw more than 700 watts?

[@anydamaddress1]

BRILLIANT! I'd add, the first thing everyone will think is "Gee, I can add a power bar and run my computer etc etc. Computers have VERY sensitive electronics, as do many newer refrigerators etc. Anything with a computer board basically..... BUY A GOOD QUALITY "PURE SINE WAVE" inverter for those. Motors are usually OK with modified/quasi sine wave etc. Electronics, NO. ymmv, jm.02 Edit, also, be sure you dont use more than your setup can produce. This is to draw attention to thin cheap extensions. :D

[@munozinni]

That’s a great idea for an emergency and don’t suffer from Artic cold 🥶 weather here in Texas where the politicians run to the Caribbean while the rest of us the working class are left behind with a inefficient power grid that killed dozens of unfortunate Texans last year due the insane freezing temperatures without electricity…Thank you for sharing this idea that will be a great help in case of a emergency but also buy the right stuff and don’t go cheap and be safe thanks for your advice and I hope we never have to deal with that kind of situation again and our families be safe I will keep supporting your channel watching the videos to the end give likes and commenting and sharing with friends and family 👋😊👋

[@VampireOnline]

It's very rare to not have power where I am at, but I didn't think of using my truck's bed plug in to run the house heater. Good to have in mind if it happens.

[@youdoer]

I did this years ago. My sump pit was filling up. I bought a siphon pump from HD, connecting a hose to it up the stairs to the outside and powered it using my inverter and van. Make sure you calculate the wattage.

[@klogjo]

Wonder why I never thought of this?? Very clever, thanks for waking me up. Plus, I already have everything I need.

[@anthonyhitchings1051]

My 1964 furnace pulls 4.2A at 120V. The furnace is an 80% effy unit (in theory). We have 1,200 sq. ft. of living space.

[@davidm9214]

I would think this would be standard in all homes and vehicles. What a world we live in.

[@hitekrednek66]

Very cool my brother. Love emergency situations solutions that you put out there. Very much appreciated 😊

[@tangobayus]

I have some AGM batteries for emergency power- 35 and 55 amphours. Normally I keep them charged with a battery minder. In a pinch I would charge them from my car, then use an inverter. AGM batteries will accept power very quickly, so you need heavy duty jumpers.

[@refuztosay9454]

Everyone should have this. I bought a 2500 watt inverter and it sat on the shelf for years - then - Texas had an ice storm and I lost power for 4 days. My Toyota truck idled for days with the invert attached. It was enough to keep a fridge and 2 freezers full of game meat frozen. I unfortunately don’t have gas service so there was no way to run my heat pump. But I was able to save hundreds of pounds of meat - what a mess that would have been. These are also handy if you need portable power off site.

[@johnbirman5840]

Good stuff. But I use one of my trolling batteries (deep cycle) I use for fishing. You can run a t.v. and light as well in power outage.

[@raoultesla2292]

All the comments are a Elec engineering semester. This channel is the best !

[@TinyGoHomes]

I plan on upgrading my alternator and also adding a second one when I swap my engine on the hummer. This way I can run batteries in their own bi on top of the hummer and a few solar panels. My vehicle will be a generator, off grid power supply and make a lot of power when it’s running.

[@gringoloco543]

Always buy the biggest car battery you can fit under the hood!! A small inverter would run for hours. It's also possible to buy aftermarket hi-amp alternators, but it’s not usually necessary. A small generator is ideal (1kW or so). Even better, install a transfer switch at your breaker panel

[@CaptK-py8rq]

Great video as always! We really appreciate you sharing your knowledge with the average Joe, thank you!

[@bobstaurovsky3506]

Some of newer vehicles don’t charge the battery at idle, so you might need to bring the RPM’s up to 2,200 to get the battery charging !

[@MP-qn1jw]

I am curious, which vehicles don't charge at idle? I have never heard of such a thing, and would imagine that would cause many issues.

[@Paiadakine]

Name one.

[@luvmydeck]

Thanks. Good info. Currently -1 degrees F . Nice to have a backup plan.

[@kencone6175]

Most car batteries are not designed for "deep cycle" use -- meaning they can produce a lot of amps for a few seconds, rather than a medium amount of amps for a long period. And if you draw a lead acid battery way down it will take hours, not a few minutes, to fully charge up. And if you draw it down below 50% on a regular basis, you will kill it pretty quickly. A one amp draw at 120V (house current) translates to a 10 amp draw at 12 V (car voltage), which is quite a lot for this little car battery to sustain long term. So this system works, but you really have to run the truck engine most of the time.

[@larrybell1305]

This will help many people get out of a jam. Thank you.

[@roncarnino8313]

Awesome job! 14 gauge is what we wire furnaces on a 15 amp breaker. So 14 ga. cord is adequate.

[@asbestosfiber]

If you are running a distance with 14 you can end up with a voltage drop depending on what the furnace draws

[@growleym504]

A longer cord calls for the bigger gauge due to line losses. With wire, if it fits, bigger is always better. 14ga is fine for short cords, say 25' or less, if the current rating is not exceeded.

[@realToby]

@@denverbraughler3948 12 AWG is necessary for the long runs to avoid voltage drop. That looks like a 100ft cable. You can use 14AWG if your cable length is short (like 25ft or less).

[@JSATI]

I did the furnace switch conversion earlier this year. Fantastic mod! Just recently got a everstart 1,000watt modified sine wave inverter for this exact purpose. For $90 with the 10% coupon your pure sine wave is a steal in my opinion. One question for it.. the included crocodile clamps what was the AWG size of the wire? The one i got came with 8AWG wire and I believe for the 1,000watt inverter a minimum 4AWG should be included.

[@romanyel]

The Grand Highlander has outlets built in, and it comes in a hybrid.

[@scavenger888]

Please bear in mind to keep the car's exhaust as far away from any window or door. The furthest away the house as possible. Keep at least 2 carbon monoxide detectors in the house closest to the car. Use a very long extension cord.

[@gcarson19]

Scared much?

[@mynameisprivate158]

@@gcarson19 it is good advice, I wonder how many people watching this will run their car in the garage with the garage door open and think it is safe! Many people die every emergency running generators in their garage!

[@Xander081987]

@@mynameisprivate158 GOOD. LESS STUPIDITY IN THE GENE POOL. DUH. SURVIVAL OF THE SMARTEST.

[@dantea6]

yes, that is a good idea . I am sure your alternator will love it.

[@bjohnjunior]

Speaking from 35 years firefighting experience...... This is a "sketchy" way to provide alternate power, at least for those that are not familiar with proper connections under the hood of a vehicle. Too much draw equals heat - a loose or arcing connection anywhere under the hood (i.e. -when your friend hooks up your awesome new stereo amplifier without a fusible link or fuse) and just a little leaking gas fumes equals a 911 call, usually in a crowded parking lot. I've seen it many times. AND - if you choose to go this way DO NOT close the hood so it latches. If you need to shut it due to weather cover the latch mechanism with a towel and lower the hood down. Why? Well, when a fire starts under your hood the plastic covering over the hood release cable will melt, the cable will fail from heat and the only way to open the hood is to cut, bend, destroy the front end of the vehicle. Remember, the latch mechanism is designed to keep the hood closed in case of an accident, not to easily open. Hope this helps!

[@patrickhoganchilif802]

This is a modified sine wave inverter. The electronics controlling the furnace could be damaged by this type of inverter. I would spend more and get a pure sine wave inverter. It costs a lot more, but circuit boards for furnaces aren’t cheap either. 8:57

[@Damageplan138]

I'd LOVE to see you do another video like this where you put a Battery Backup system in the mix that can be used while it is being charged. This would allow for more time between having to start the vehicle as well as a way to monitor when more power is needed by watching the battery backup system for low voltage. Thank you for your videos! Preciate you and HAPPY NEW YEAR SIR!

[@kadmow]

- Inserting a DC-DC Smart Battery Charger - in between the starter battery and a deep cycle battery - one with a solar input makes it very user friendly - is the simplest way to have a standby power system (use a "reasonable quality" Pure sinewave inverter) - available with or without the vehicle / generator, engine running - a couple of low voltage (check the open circuit voltage of the panels vs the capacity of the automotive DC-DC charger ) solar panels in parallel can keep the thing online, offgrid indefinitely - the Charger can even tend the starter battery if you get the right one - or another 12v battery tender can be added (for times when the vehicle isn't started very often while "camping" - stuck in blizzard, excluded from the grid...) ... Such a system can be added to any "motor" power unit - add a secondhand truck alternator to any petrol or diesel motor, add in a 50Amp DC-DC charger and immediately you have the basis of an inverter generator with deep cycle battery for offgrid, silent nights.

[@John-sq1eb]

I wouldn't want to run my vehicle for hours to run lights and the fridge, but this is a good idea for an emergency situation

[@evictioncarpentry2628]

When it's -40 and your power goes out, youll be happy to run your vehicle. Just for lights though, not worth it.

[@avflyguy]

Surprisedd nobody has asked about newer furnaces that get finiky if it doesn't see a bonded neutral instead of a floating neutral. I suppose you could use a 'grounding' plug for the inverters second socket. I know on my furnace, I did have to modify the floating neutral to bonded neutral even on 2500 watt inverter generator. There could be electrical hazards either way, but far safer to bond the neutral.

[@calholli]

All neutrals and grounds are bonded inside the breaker box. They are the same thing- basically just 'grounds".. The reason they even added a second ground is because: Lets say your power wire is tied to a motor, if the ground side or "neutral" was unhooked or broken for some reason, it would turn that neutral into a hot wire at the broken end; which is counter intuitive. See because the power is going through the hot wire, through the motor, and out through that neutral and it's looking for a ground--- so it will be 120v when you test it. Of course, as soon as you repair or reconnect the break-- it would then test as a ground again........ The kind that you're talking about sound like it's similar to a GFI plug, which are also finicky sometimes.

[@rispatha]

Back in 1990 I had a really decent vehicle and I had room inside of the engine compartment where I could install a 2nd alternator and have it to where I could switch it to where it would run when needed and not run when not needed. I had a bank of 20 heavy duty truck batteries wired in parallel and when I got to my camping location where this was all setup all I had to do was drag out the cables to hook up to the 2nd alternator and charge the battery bank. I had the power inverter hooked up for the output from the batteries that powered the 10 lights and radio. I could have made some improvements and made it all better but for my needs at that time it served the purpose and I had power that lasted for days. Before winter set in I made sure to discharge as much of the battery power and them remain viable for the next summer. I only had to charge them twice and that included a full one month of use from them in one long shot. Another note for this type of project you have is to have a 2nd battery that you can attach to the vehicle so that you do not drain the main battery and can easily disconnect from it to go do your thang as needed.

[@dialyork9]

You are right. "Pretty stinkin awesome... " Thank you for this information.

[@lunatik9696]

engineering note: electrons flow from - to +. we think of "conventional" current as going from + to -, but that is electron hole flow. It is more safe to connect + 1st and - last. We can thank Benjamin Franklin for the +/- current confusion. He assumed the charge was positive when in fact it was negative.

[@noelburke6224]

EMF is the electrick motive force which travels down a conductor which elements are made up of one free electron which flows current down the conductor in a domino effect and which flows from negative to positive to point of outlets

[@90thHeavyBG]

Based mostly on yer vids, I completed this set up earlier this week. Used the Bestek 1000 inverter and cut down a Duralast Gold set of jumper cables (wanted 2 ga wire.) Makes it portable to other vehicles.👏🏻 My only add would be: Ta cut down on doors, windows open to run cord maybe add a wall Tube access to outside. I had an old dryer vent tube to use, worked like a champ! Ps I also set up the vtoman 1000 u did a vid on……Both work like a champ!!!! Thank you !!!👏🏻🇺🇸👏🏻

[@diyhvacguy]

Awesome. Thanks for sharing!

[@jons5898]

Great information ! It looks like your furnace fan pulls from 36 watts to 72 watts depending on if it’s starting or running. My propane fireplace fan pulls about 35 watts while running and like your furnace fan it only runs occasionally as needed so when we have a power outage I bring in a 12 volt deep cycle RV battery, hook up a 400 watt inverter and it will run the fan for hours with very little drawdown. I don’t see how your setup could possibly damage the charging system on a modern vehicle, the load is less than the headlights on the car draw.

[@JT-lq4yd]

The problem with modern vehicles is that the alternator is not intended to charge a battery but only top it off and supply power to run the equipment like headlights, fan motors, modules, power windows, etc. On my car for example, it needs around 35 amps at engine idle to run. If you turn everything on, power usage will increase to 110 amps. It is recommended that once a month, the battery is fully charged using a charger for longer battery life, but also the alternator and starter will thank you for it.

[@calholli]

1amp at 120v = 120watts.. Which means at your 12v battery, you will be pulling at least 10amps (because 10a x 12v= 120w).. Plus there will be some heat loss from the conversion, so It may be as high as 12amps pulling on your battery. So it's not going to take long to run your battery down and you'll basically have to keep the engine running all the time.

[@fvrrljr]

*you improved "Did you know you can heat your home with a car battery?" video* *glad to see you followed thru*

[@marlonhernandez8411]

The battery looks in great shape 4:40

[@greatwhitewing]

I did that with a 1500 watt inverter with mini-van running and killed the battery. Glad I did it and was worth it but there may additional costs involved

[@LarryRichelli]

I just got a ford lightning and so happy that I don't need any of this equipment.

[@frankdelucey2137]

Glad to see the update ❤ The the jumper cable clamps are definitely a excellent upgrade👍👍

[@tomTom-lb5cu]

Happy new year and thank you for your videos one of my favorite learning channels . God bless you

[@RedsFishin]

It is better to know how many watts, since you are going from 12v to 120v. Peaking at 1.4 amps at the furnace x 120 volts = 168 watts, which is well under the 1,000 watt capacity of your inverter. Leaves yiu with spare capacity for other connections is needed. Great idea and good job!

[@YZF648]

I can`t imagine that the main fan was circulating air through the house at that low of a current. I measured my furnace once and it was drawing around 6.5A at 120VAC. There is no way to run all of the furnace electronics, the inducer motor and the main blower on 168 watts.

[@sueharris6616]

This is some good information. Thank you so much everyone needs to be aware of this neat trick!

[@lgrantnelson2863]

I have used my EV with an inverter while leaving the car on. Use it to charge my yard tool batteries whenAC is unavailable. Even used it to keep a refrigerator running.

[@jasonbrown467]

some furnace control boards require a neutral ground bond, not on all inverters accept this bond

[@homeauthorityllc]

Thanks, Dave. Get yourself a can of CorrosionX - clean that battery hold down and spray it!!

[@evictioncarpentry2628]

I idled my F150 for 5 weeks straight 2 winter ago. Barely used 1/8 of a tank (136L) per day. I wouldnt think twice about using it to power something like a furnace in a winter outage.

[@splocal]

My Tacoma has an outlook in the bed that puts out 120V at >100W. It is a 2018 4x4 and came standard with the truck.

[@kylefrandsen2665]

Without a battery monitor and knowing the condition of your battery, pulling power without the alternator seems like a surefire way to drain the battery to zero or beyond what's good for the battery. For this scenario, I suggest leaving the engine running if possible so that you're getting power from the alternator rather than the battery. It looks like a Tacoma alternator may be as small as 60 amps (although I see higher amperage versions). While you can connect a 1,000 watt inverter, do NOT try to pull a continuous 1,000 watts out of a 60 amp alternator unless you want to leave it a smoldering carcass. I would make sure you're only drawing a maximum of 2/3 of your alternator power (about 550 watts on a 60 amp alternator). You should be fine running a gas heater this size, but don't plug in a 1,000 watt electric space heater.

[@Retirednycboricua]

I Would add a battery tender..and yes...positive is connected first always.

[@gbrown9273]

Another thought about the battery.... some of the old "classic" cars ( especially very old british vehicles) are "wired backwards" Never knew that until I got a new battery charger, and was reading the instructions...

[@jeff3741]

If I'm running a stinger to my truck, I typically will route it down through the engine compartment onto the ground. This way you don't have to pinch it under the hood.

[@woohunter1]

You can buy a remote start plug and play pretty cheap and very easy to install, took me about a half an hour, and then occasionally start and stop your engine from the house to keep the battery charged. Also have an AC plug in the bed for smaller things such as internet and maybe 1 TV. Also did the pigtail/plug thing you did on your furnace for my well pump (15 amp 110v)

[@JACK-wh6jl]

Chances are if you have a major outage, wether the cell uses a generator backed-up or not; , bands will be over loaded wiith usage : zombies freaking out !

[@wayneh8767]

This really is the forgotten oh crap moment. Whats the first thing we think of when power goes out in the winter. My heat, I picked an inverter up a year ago, now I just habe to to the power recepticle conversion you did, great info!

[@staytight6340]

Yesss Exactly what I needed to see!!! Happy new year!!!

[@MJ-iy4fb]

Excellent!! I have one of those I never use, I will try it on my furnace.

[@silverfox-59]

I personally think you are most likely a very caring person. I have seen all of your videos pertaining to this and I personally thank you. However I do have a question, the only pigtail I can find where I live is a 15amp,my circuit breaker is a 20amp. Can I use the 15amp pigtail. Thanks for all you teach us .

[@1pcmedic]

Powered the 1200 total watts I needed from a 3000 Pure Sine Wave Inverter from my Trucks 145A alternator during hurricane Sandy for 4 days. Letting the vehicle idle at 1000 rpm. Was only down for 10 minutes total. The secret is purchase a Kill-a-watt plug in power meter and see what all your deices pull in WATTS. Total it up then double it for your minimum size INVERTER or GENERATOR to fit your needs. All devices in your house do not all run at the same time.............works best if you have CITY water, sewer and hot water baseboard heat by natural gas.

[@rogermcjunkin5963]

I’ve always known That this was possible but I never knew Hell until now thank you

[@tomarsandbeyond]

I plan to do the outlet mod with furnace power so I can plug it in and put a meter on it to see how much it draws. I have a nice fairly cheap meter that goes in series, you plug it in and plug into it. If I do try to run it from an inverter with a vehicle, I'll use the older vehicle.

[@randyosborn7160]

I bought a 1500W pure sine wave inverter and hooked to my truck battery to run my furnace and it starts up but stops in about 15sec. furnace works with my generator and regular plug in.

[@randywells9676]

i did the same thing after a power outage for days in OK after a tornado, except, electric ac (was summer) so i was able to power a fan, a tv, dish network, internet and fridge... ya know the basic necessities lol i drive run the truck, off street parking

[@kikacruz4560]

I can't wait to try this on my EV

[@TronixGuy93]

PROTIP: NEC/ANSI APPROVED: When making taplines for such applications you want the shortest possible tap with a properly rated gauge for the application.

[@davewallace5008]

I know a guy that did this using 1mm lighting cable! He ran it from his battery over 45ft into the basement and apart from wrecking his alternator and battery, he almost caused a fire through the voltage drop. If you do not know what you are doing LEAVE IT ALONE! Better to just get a 2kw silent generator designed for the output and use that instead, outside of course :)

[@edq2240]

Hello this is Ed I'm a retired electrical electronic engineer and I have been using vehicles for emergency backup for years I was in Florida for one of the last two hurricanes and we had driven to the middle upper part of the state to be away from any serious storm but the wind still knocked out the power to this farmhouse we were in was a friend's farmhouse and it was out of power for three and a half days I ran a 2000 watt inverter nautical sine wave off of a 10-year-old Chevy truck 3 days straight 24 hours a day idling I made the idle run about $1,000 RPMs we had power to make coffee cook eggs safety lights in both bathrooms and a full size double double wide refrigerator and a double wide freezer ran off of the inverter

[@ToddMalz]

I figured power was going to out with hurricane Beryl, purchased a harbor freight 2000 watt inverter, hardwired it to my beater mini van and plugged my 5000btu room ac to it. What a relief! Idled a good 10 hours and still had 3/4 tank of gas. It probably could've ran the fridge too, though I didn't chance it. I'd cut the ac for a little while and then plugged the fridge to keep the food from going bad.

[@winstonian88]

How many watts should the sine wave inverter be, ideally for this type of backup power application?

[@MRKNIGHT]

My current and last 2 RAM 1500 trucks came with an inverter built into the dash.

[@bandit8623]

thank you for the amp test

[@markj284]

Size your inverter to the information on your furnace lable. A pire sine wave inverter is better for tvs, laptops. Non sine wave for running your heater, the gigher the watt rating the higher the price. Monitor your battery connection wires as the more watts you run the hotter they will get when the battery volts drop the current will increase causing hot wires. This method works in a pinch.