Is there such a device that you can plug into your car and is capable
of turning the car's DC 12V power into household 110V AC ? Please
don't laugh if this is a stupid idea, I am just wondering if the power
generated by the
small alternator on a running car would be enough to drive a force air
furnance during black out ?
My neighbour is buying an expensive Honda generator as a backup power
supply.
Since I can't afford to do the same and black out is not uncommon in
my area,
I am thinking if the alternator on my three cars can do the same trick
and
power at least the furnance during a winter black out ?
Appreciate if you can share your knowledge / experience.
Getting the generator is the easy part. Getting it connected to your house in a
safe manner can be much harder and potentially more expensive.
Most furnaces are hard-wired to the breaker/fuse panel - there is no cord you
can unplug and plug into the generator. Making a "suicide" adapter with a plug
on each end is not a good way ;-)
=========================
There are also non-electric ways to heat, light and cook.
A 22,000 BTU kerosene heater can heat 800 to 1000 sq ft on 3 to 4 of gallons of
kerosene per day.
The heater is about $120, kerosene is about $1.75/gallon.
A windup/solar am/fm radio (FreePlay) is about $70.
Camp stoves (Coleman) are under $100 and propane cylinders for a week's cooking
might be $10.
================
I'm not an off-grid person, I just happen to be prepared for the most likely
local problems.
I bought a kerosene heater in 1999 used it for the first time in January 2000
(during an ice storm - 36 hours without power is the longest so far).
I also have a older Coleman stove and lantern (left over from camping with the
kids) that use liquid "stove fuel" (basically low octane unleaded gasoline) and
my wife has several (mostly decorative) oil lamps - but they always have a
little fuel in them. Cooking on a liquid fuel stove is something of an art, but
I make great omelets ;-)
Oh yes, the home network and DSL have over an hour of backup from a small UPS.
There's also a car charger for the laptop. I have been known to use the laptop
by the light of an oil lamp ;-)
More about me:
http://www.jecarter.com/
VB3/VB6/C/PowerBasic source code:
http://www.jecarter.com/programs.html
Freeware for the Palm with NS Basic source code:
http://nsb.jecarter.com
Drivers for Pablo graphics tablet and JamCam cameras:
http://home.earthlink.net/~mwbt/
johnecarter at@at mindspring dot.dot com. Fix the obvious to reply by email.