Re: (ET) inverter

[David C Robie <mycroftxx1 juno com>]

I have done this using both a 750W continuous and a 500W continuous on
the same tractor simultaneous. These are 'modified squarewave' garden
variety types and I put a spike protector on their outputs.  By shutting
off the main circuit breaker in the cellar which isolates the house from
the powerline, have run a lot of lights (all here are mini fluors) even
this computer with them.  I feed power into both legs of my 220 using the
220V 30A electric dryer and EV charge outlet in my garage.  Wiring
pigtail is a simple electric dryer cord coupled into 2 'male ended'  #14 
chunks of extension cord, 'white' wires being in common to the center
conductor of the cord.  At the tractor, I remove one pack jumper,
isolating the rear batteries into 2 independent 12V packs. 
      The downside is that it won't run big stuff (like my street gas
hydronic heating system or microwave oven or refer) (for which one of
those legs, if needed, can connect to my 1500W gas generator but ain't
had to do that yet)  The other downside is that you must be 'power
conserving' and use as little power as you can for long battery life, the
inverters self shut off at 10.5V.  With my inverters, even at near shut
down voltage, the 120V shows no fade.  First  test showed no problems
with flickering, hot inverters (both are fan cooled) radio interference
(can't say about TV, I don't own one) etc.  Feeling the battery clamps if
they are 'scratched in good' they dont get warm.  Ran that way all
evening, house lit a lot more than normal,  running computer and careful
not to use the microwave and no real discharge of the pack(s) (still over
6.2)  Now that I know it works good, my luck is that I'll never have to
use it.  Darn !
        Tractor batts here are always near full as one or the other is
always connected to the 36V  PV  system when it's job is done.  So it's
always ready to go. Intend to have the PV rig connected to charge the 12V
'connected' tractor batts (2 1/2A in) if we get a major outage (no AC
power use here days, other tractor will be 3 spare 12V packs)  
       So far, after the test run a couple yrs ago there have been no
significant power outs here.  But hurricanes are apt to put it out for 3
days (was out over a week back in '56) (and longer recovery time expected
now as the amalgamation of local utilities has taken away the independent
maint of each town system, there is less system recovery personnel and
equipment available within this conglomerate).  (ergo, the decision to
make up this emergency power source before It's needed, not when.) 
       There is also an auxiliary 12V PV system here using a 50W PV
(which in New England sems to want to do about 35W) and 4  6V 105 batts. 
This runs my shop stereo (big boomer auto radio type with 15" bass
drivers) also charges some portable power tools (the weedwacker etc) This
can connect to a third 500W inverter and run shop lights etc by just
shutting off the shop's breaker, running shop as an independent system. 
Haven't even taken that 500W (continuous)  inverter out of it's package
yet, had it for over a year.
      Gas generators.  There was a run on them a few years back a lotta
people bought them.  Foolish thought as prople don't realize that all gas
pumps are electric and these big gens eat up 5 gal of gas every couple
hours.  Where's the next fill coming from?   Mine is an antiqueish USA
made 1500W cast iron Kohler, run all day on it's 2 gallon tank.  It's job
will be, if necessary, only the gas hydronic furnace, refer and
microwave. Intermitent duty, 5 gals will run her a week or more.

This should set U up.  It is not for the 'electrically challenged' as
isolation of the AC using the house's main breaker, and determining the
circuit legs to isolate refer etc is beyond most people. So is Making up
the required cabling safely.  These people will likely sacrifice many
poor little hard to get 'mini 40'  inverter fuses to the Great God Boom. 
(these come mainly from hi end 'boomer' auto radio installers, if U ever
need a source). 

 But any of us Etrackers should have no problems as we seem to be well
practiced messing with eldritch exotic wiring schemes which would drive
the average licensed electrician to Pat N Mikes Grille for a couple cool
ones. 

Dave
Weymouth MA


      

On Fri, 4 Aug 2006 08:40:07 -0400 (EDT) Michael S Briggs
<msbriggs alberti unh edu> writes:
> 
> Has anyone installed an inverter on their Elec-Trak (or installed 
> one at 
> home to make use of the Elec-Trak), to be able to use the stored 
> energy in 
> the Elec-Trak's battery pack as emergency backup power when you lose 
> power 
> at home?
> 
> Thanks,
> Mike
> 
> -- 
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------------
> Michael S. Briggs
> UNH Physics Department
> (603) 862-2828
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
> 
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