How I Prepared My 2012 Prius Hybrid For Use As An Emergency Generator To Run My Refrigerator In A Power Outage. (Long)
My solution is pretty niche but I recently developed a quick-to-apply-and-quick-to-remove system to add a one thousand Watt power inverter to my hybrid car (a 2012 Prius).
I've written a lengthy record of why and how I did this that can found here: https://imgur.com/gallery/nX7t5ly or by searching the title of this post: "How I Prepared My 2012 Prius Hybrid For Use As An Emergency Generator To Run My Refrigerator In A Power Outage. (Long)"
This system is certainly not for everyone, but it is an inexpensive-to-initiate-and-to-remove, inexpensive-to-maintain, low-to-no maintenance, quieter, and cleaner method of preventing losing everything in my fridge- my primary motivating factor. Plus I don't have to store perishable volatiles in my garage.
The system cost me $277. I think this is a good investment to prevent even just a one-time loss in refrigerated and frozen food in the next (and what now feels like inevitable) power outage. I also have a disabled person in my home that has some medication(s) that require refrigeration so this will protect them as well- another motivating factor for me. I've lost all my fridge contents two times already and two is enough for me. I suffered through the heat and cold just fine (enough) but the financial loss of all the food and meds twice was very upsetting to my already-tight budget.
Following a recent test run, I've calculated that this system will use about 2.1 to 2.4 gallons of gasoline a day and that I could use this system for 4 days before needing more gas (my Prius has a 9 gallon tank). It seems gas was hard to find so having a 4 day supply right off the bat appeals to me.
The system I set up will run my refrigerator, some fans, some lights, the computer system (assuming our internet supplier continues to operate), will charge our phones, and can run some low-wattage cooking devices such as the coffee machine, crock pot, and/or rice cooker (which can make "one-pot" meals relatively quickly if you're creative). I do also have some camping gear that we can use for more complex meals that we did use successfully during the freezepocalype.
This system could not run my home air conditioner by any means, but it could run the fridge and a small, low-wattage (500 to 600 range) window unit air conditioner while still allowing the computer, lights and fans, but the low-Wattage cooking items would need to used when one of those two things were turned off temporarily. I can live with that inconvenience.
I also have another Prius so I can consider having 2 systems should I think I'd need it. At this time I don't think I need it.
I've written a lengthy record of why and how I did this that can found here: https://imgur.com/gallery/nX7t5ly or by searching the title of this post: "How I Prepared My 2012 Prius Hybrid For Use As An Emergency Generator To Run My Refrigerator In A Power Outage. (Long)"
This system is certainly not for everyone, but it is an inexpensive-to-initiate-and-to-remove, inexpensive-to-maintain, low-to-no maintenance, quieter, and cleaner method of preventing losing everything in my fridge- my primary motivating factor. Plus I don't have to store perishable volatiles in my garage.
The system cost me $277. I think this is a good investment to prevent even just a one-time loss in refrigerated and frozen food in the next (and what now feels like inevitable) power outage. I also have a disabled person in my home that has some medication(s) that require refrigeration so this will protect them as well- another motivating factor for me. I've lost all my fridge contents two times already and two is enough for me. I suffered through the heat and cold just fine (enough) but the financial loss of all the food and meds twice was very upsetting to my already-tight budget.
Following a recent test run, I've calculated that this system will use about 2.1 to 2.4 gallons of gasoline a day and that I could use this system for 4 days before needing more gas (my Prius has a 9 gallon tank). It seems gas was hard to find so having a 4 day supply right off the bat appeals to me.
The system I set up will run my refrigerator, some fans, some lights, the computer system (assuming our internet supplier continues to operate), will charge our phones, and can run some low-wattage cooking devices such as the coffee machine, crock pot, and/or rice cooker (which can make "one-pot" meals relatively quickly if you're creative). I do also have some camping gear that we can use for more complex meals that we did use successfully during the freezepocalype.
This system could not run my home air conditioner by any means, but it could run the fridge and a small, low-wattage (500 to 600 range) window unit air conditioner while still allowing the computer, lights and fans, but the low-Wattage cooking items would need to used when one of those two things were turned off temporarily. I can live with that inconvenience.
I also have another Prius so I can consider having 2 systems should I think I'd need it. At this time I don't think I need it.
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