You probably don't, but there are small things, like a radio, that could be
run off a car battery and inverter, or better yet, straight from the
battery. Inverters are inefficient, and big truck stops carry everything
from TV's to coffee makers that can run off 12V sources. I try to make sure
most of my important stuff can be run this way.
I have a small 300 Watt inverter. Ought to be okay to run a boombox.
Personally, I favor a setup that uses one or two batteries, a low power
inverter (300W), and a battery charger. A solar panel large enough to
charge one battery every two days or so is on my list of things to buy.
Makes perfect sense. I already have batteries, chargers etc, on a
small scale (not enough to run a ferrups UPS).
This will be enough to run a few things, such as my GPS, XM radio, CB, and
other gadgets, and it will also be portable (hence the GPS) so if I need to
move, I don't have to lug a generator into the car, which would take the
place of food and such.
That's nice.
It doesn't make sense to run a large generator for something small, such as
a cordless phone, so a setup like this could extend your running time
significantly.
Absolutely.
You could run the generator for maybe a couple hours a day, enough
to keep the fridge cold, charge the batteries, and charge anything
else that needs charging, and use the battery/inverter setup for
lights, radio, even a small TV.
My biggest concerns that necessitate having a generator is relatively
harsh winter weather (Northern Illinois), that makes running a furnace
100% mandatory, sump pump, fridges etc. I do not think that,
realistically, 2 hours a day is really enough, except in the end of
the world scenarios where I need to conserve fuel to utmost extent.
If space and the trouble of maintaning the battery turn you off, you
can have a mechanic install it in your vehicle, which would keep it
charged and allow you to start it if your main battery dies. When
the power goes out, attach some fused cables to the battery and run
them to your house. Your mechanic should install a battery isolator
for a dual battery setup, so when one is used up, you can still use
the other for starting the car.
As I said yesterday, I already have a bad ass 12V charger, batteries,
and two inverters: a small 300W unit from Costco, and a large 1400 VA
Ferrups FE UPS.
As for cost, a battery can be had for $60, a quality inverter for under $30,
and wiring and fuses shouldn't be more than $10 or $20. For the fancy
in-vehicle setup, I don't know, as I installed them myself, but I'd say
maybe $150 for installation and $50 for the isolator and battery box. The
battery should last at least 5 years, and may very well pay for itself if
you'd otherwise have to get towed.
Pagan
Thanks Pagan. I realized, yesterday, that I have a lot of very cheap
options.
i
