An Easy Way To Produce Emergency Backup Power
Looking for a safe, reliable source of emergency power? Emergency backup power is something we all know we should have, just like a fire extinguisher and smoke detector. Imagine not being able to heat your home during a power outage or watching your basement fill with water.
So, why do so many people get caught every year without a way to protect their homes and family? CarGenerator is the answer for both homeowners who want an emergency backup power source and RVers who need solar backup and power while off-grid.
Gas-powered generators are the most common means of backup power. These units are readily available at different prices and power ranges, but many people still don’t own one. Often, people will look at the cost, maintenance, storage and mobility, noise and smell, frequent refueling, and dangerous fuel storage, and decide for the possible once-a-year use, it’s not worth it.
The typical portable gas generator in the simplest terms takes the power produced by the engine and makes it usable by 110-volt AC residential items. The downfall is you have a noisy, smelly, primitive, gas engine that requires frequent maintenance and refueling to produce this power.
In an ideal world, you could have a quiet, emissions-controlled, fuel-efficient engine to use as a power source. Well, not only does this perfect generator exist, but you already own it.
What is CarGenerator?
That perfect generator I mentioned above? It’s the car you drive every day. The catch is, the power produced by your vehicle is not usable for household items and requires a conversion from 12-volt DC to 110-volt AC.
CarGenerator is the link between your car and safe, reliable, backup power for your home and RV. It integrates a high-quality inverter into a complete plug-and-play package, designed specifically to work with your car and home electrical systems, even in wet weather!
CarGenerator vs inverter
We have all seen inverters for sale online and in local electronics and auto stores. So, is this the same idea as CarGenerator?
Yes, the inverter is a main component of CarGenerator; however, it’s the specific inverter used, along with the patented weatherproof case, and high-quality, design-specific, jumper cables that make up the complete package that is CarGenerator. If a cheap, simple inverter from Walmart was the answer, then why isn’t everyone already using one for backup emergency power?
These specially designed components safely connect your car’s charging system to your home or RV’s electrical system. The result is a plug-and-play setup that was engineered to safely and seamlessly transfer the power produced by your car to be used in your home or RV. Let’s take a closer look at what makes CarGenerator so much more than just an inverter.
Patented fully weatherproof case
We all know electronics and water don’t mix. Considering that CarGenerator’s main focus is producing emergency backup power, it will likely be needed in rainy and snowy conditions. This was one of the main design challenges for CarGenerator.
Having both your vehicle and home’s electrical systems connected in foul weather conditions could easily spell disaster for both. The sensitive electronics inside of an inverter are most definitely not designed to be exposed to any type of moisture!
Combine this with the extreme temperatures under the hood of your vehicle and any big box store inverter and components not only become questionably unreliable but also possibly unsafe! Don’t take the risk—make CarGenerator your emergency power source today!
Multipurpose
CarGenerator’s patented case serves multiple purposes and is a major piece of the complete package. The main purpose of the case is to protect the high-quality inverter within, and emergency power is often called for during the worst weather. For solar backup purposes, again, cloudy wet weather is most often the reason for needing this backup power.
The sealed case shields the inverter from the wet weather, protecting the inverter as well as your car and home electrical systems from potential damage. Easy access is still available to the plugs on the bottom side of the case. The durable case also provides protection from bumps and bangs both while in use and while stored.
Finally, the case has an integrated handle for easy single-handed carrying. At only 11 pounds, this is without a doubt the lightest generator that you will ever lift and move around.
CarGenerator’s patented case protects the valuable inverter inside as well as your pride and joy. You can securely hang the case from under the hood of your car, and it is adaptable to all vehicles. There is a padded back to prevent scratching your vehicle and keep CarGenerator from moving around. When it’s needed, CarGenerator is quick and easy to attach and detach from your vehicle.
Pure sine wave inverter
This is the heart of CarGenerator and maybe the most misunderstood part. There are two main ways of producing power without using the electrical grid: solar and internal combustible engines. In the case of internal combustible engines, the power produced needs to be converted to usable 110-volt AC power.
Inverters achieve this conversion of power. Simply put, inverters process the incoming 12-volt DC power from the engine alternator and release it as AC power. This makes the energy usable by common household items.
Not all inverters are created equally, and not all are designed for use with household items and sensitive electronics. Generators can ruin your phone, laptop, and many other common items by not producing clean power. This is where pure sine wave inverters are required and recommended by many product manufacturers (including RV manufacturers).
You must protect both your vehicle’s charging system as well as your residential electrical system. Drawing too much power too quickly from your vehicle can be harmful to the vehicle. However, you need to have enough clean power available to power your household needs.
CarGenerator’s inverter balances the power needs of your home or RV while ensuring your vehicle isn’t overtaxed. This is not something you want to be relying on a cheap inverter for. Add to this already difficult job, harsh weather including rain and snow, and the inverter needed must be of the highest quality. An industrial quality, pure sine wave inverter was chosen for use with CarGenerator.
Oxygen-free pure copper high-heat battery cables
We are all familiar with booster cables, and most of us at some point have had to use a pair. For anyone who has used the set of booster cables that came with your emergency roadside kit, you will know what cheap booster cables look like. Most booster cables are CCA copper-clad aluminum, which is perfect for 10 seconds to boost a car but not for hours of high power transfer like CarGenerator.
The continuous transfer of power from your alternator to the inverter requires a high-quality set of booster cables. Small clamping jaws and thin gauge cable with light insulation won’t do. The extreme temperatures under the hood of your car, combined with the likely wet weather conditions outside, demands the best cables to be used.
CarGenerator comes equipped with a set of industrial booster-style cables designed for this task. The copper used is oxygen-free, meaning the wet weather isn’t going to rust or corrode the cables like cheaper sets. Oxygen-free copper also stays cooler and is more conductive, making it a superior material. Wrapping the cables with thick high heat insulation allows for exposure to the high temperatures of the engine compartment.
And finally, the robust jaws ensure secure contact with your car’s battery, even with engine vibration. These cables are the connection between your car and CarGenerator, and they can’t be underestimated!
Years of safe real-world use of CarGenerator for thousands of customers
CarGenerator was designed and built for a very specific purpose—to safely link your car’s power system to your house or RV electrical system in wet weather for emergency backup power. Each component was chosen with this purpose in mind and rigorously tested before production.
Since its inception, CarGenerator has helped safely power thousands of homes, cottages, and RVs in some terrible weather with zero problems. This success is a direct result of the research and development, purposeful design, and quality components that as a whole, make CarGenerator the unique product it truly is.
What is a flooded basement or nights without heat worth to you? CarGenerator pays for itself after the first use.
Used after hurricane Ian
I received my CarGenerator one day before Ian hit Florida. My friend lost power and had no generator, so we unboxed CarGenerator and had it up and running in 5 minutes. It worked flawlessly, providing power to his refrigerator, fans and other appliances. I own a Honda 6500 generator and a smaller generator as well. I think I will sell them and get another cargenerator for my other car. I will have about 3000 watts of power instead of 6500 but I don’t need 6500. CarGenerator can be set up easily. I will have no generator noise and fumes. Nor will I have all the hassle of setting it up and providing fuel. Instead I can just drive to the gas station and fill my car. Done. This is a very nicely engineered product that deals with all the devilish details of the environment that it has to work in. I thought about building my own, but I am very happy that I did not. I would not have made anything as easy and quick to use, and I would have saved little. I could not be happier with this product and highly recommend it. I would suggest calling the owner Jonathon to discuss your situation. He was very helpful to me.
R.J. – Florida
My home is protected, but what about my car?
Although keeping your home safe and comfortable is the main function of CarGenerator, the safety for use with your vehicle has not been forgotten. Transfer of power from your vehicle to your home can be done relatively easily thanks to inverters. However, doing it safely takes the right combination of components.
The components that make up CarGenerator are designed to work with your vehicle and its systems. Vehicles have sensitive electronics and a narrow range of charging rates that they must stay within. Maintaining these healthy charging rates is important to your car’s operation. So, drawing power from your vehicle is done easily enough using an inverter. However, balancing your car’s needs against the amount you are drawing for emergency power is key.
Combining the industrial pure sine wave inverter, high temp cables, and weatherproof case results in no risk to your vehicle. There is no excess strain on its systems from its normal operation using CarGenerator. This can be easily proven using ODB vehicle readers showing real-time vehicle data while CarGenerator is hooked up.
Extreme engine compartment temperatures, vehicle running parameters, safe transfer of power, and wet weather operation are all challenges to overcome in order to have a safe, reliable power transfer. These were not afterthoughts or additions to CarGenerator, but the exact things it was designed for!
Is my vehicle made to run like this?
When you think about your daily commute, there is a good chance a good portion of it is spent idling or crawling along in traffic. Modern vehicle engines are designed with this in mind and are much different than engines in older vehicles. Engine monitoring systems continuously adjust sensors to keep the engine at its safest and most efficient running conditions.
Ford, one of the world’s top vehicle manufacturers, has gone so far as to design its new F-150 trucks with a built-in generator advertised to idle for 85 hours on a tank, providing 2000 watts of power.
These vehicles are sold with the same warranty and guarantee, knowing they will be used at idle with this new option. Around the world, vehicles sit in traffic idling, and work vehicles idle around the clock on job sites.
Running a vehicle in your normal day-to-day commute or running it to power your house during a snowstorm makes no difference to your engine.
What about EVs and hybrid vehicles?
Using your vehicle with its efficient and pollution-controlled engine to generate backup power is without a doubt a great idea. Now, what if you could do it without even using fuel? Well, good news; CarGenerator works just as well with hybrids and EVs.
As we all become more energy and environmentally conscious, EVs and hybrids are becoming increasingly popular. CarGenerator was aware of this movement and didn’t leave them out. There are no special additions or procedures for using CarGenerator with your hybrid or EV. The simple plug-and-play method is the same as with gasoline-powered vehicles. Imagine supplying power to your home or RV with a generator that uses no fuel!
“We got ours installed this past week with the home integration kit, and it works like a charm! So easy. Idle the car outside the garage, plug the generator into the house, visit our electric panel, flip one or more transfer switches, and our furnace, fridge, freezer, and/or sump pump is seamlessly running off the CarGenerator. Beautiful!”
Tom Loveland
Gas is expensive. How efficient is running your car vs gas generator?
Small gas generator engines are, for the most part, cheaply built and very primitive; essentially they are lawnmower engines. Gas generators, like lawnmowers, are usually loud, smell like gas, smoke a little, and won’t start at the worst times.
Vehicle engines, on the other hand, are highly efficient, and quiet, and they have emission controls to ensure they are running clean. Due to the build quality and technology, vehicle engines can run for many hours before requiring maintenance. Owners generally stay up-to-date on this maintenance, as it is your daily transportation. There is really no comparison between the reliability and efficiency of a modern vehicle engine to that of a small gas generator.
Vehicle idle times
Vehicle idle times vary depending on engine and fuel tank size; however, most vehicles can idle for 50-80 hours. Why is this important? Well, this means no refueling outside in a storm every four hours, as needed with a portable generator. Utilizing the vehicle’s large fuel tank also means there are no smelly dangerous gas cans to keep full and store.
At idle, modern vehicles burn very little fuel as they are not under any load. Vehicle engines, being much larger than small generator engines, don’t need to work nearly as hard to maintain the same power requirements from your home or RV. Idling your car uses about the same amount of fuel as a portable generator.
This ability to idle and produce the power needed, as opposed to revving much higher like a generator motor, also means a large vehicle engine can actually run quieter in these situations.
Gas generators rev high and have the most basic exhausts resulting in loud operation. Modern vehicles, on the other hand, have complex exhaust systems that are regulated to keep them both quiet and environmentally friendly.
How much emergency power do I need?
CarGenerator has multiple models available; however, their most popular and recommended model is the 1000-watt Allweather. This model has a continuous 1000-watt and 2000 surge-watt rating. A common question for the folks at CarGenerator is, of course, is that enough?
There are two questions that need to be answered. The first question is, how much power will I use? Secondly, how much power can I draw from my vehicle?
To answer the first question, for most people in a temporary power outage, 1000 watts is enough to power the essentials. Providing emergency backup power means protecting your family and home, running your furnace to stay warm, keeping your sump pumps working to prevent flooding, and keeping food stored safely. Small conveniences like charging laptops and phones, and having some entertainment to get you through the outage, are also important.
A typical furnace draws approximately 300-400 watts. Your sump pumps draw 800 watts intermittently. Chargers draw about 45 watts, and LED lights use about 25 watts. So, you can see that 1000 watts are more than enough to power what you would need in an emergency situation.
Things you won’t be doing with 1000 watts may include doing laundry, running central AC, or powering your hot tub. Again, this is an emergency backup power source, not a full-size generator to power every appliance in your home.
Pro-Tip: A smart way to cook during an outage is to buy a simple butane or camping stove for around $20. They are readily available from any hardware or camping store. You can cook, fry, boil water, etc. very easily.
Next, we need to look at your vehicle’s potential for output. Buying a huge 3000-watt inverter is pointless and dangerous if your vehicle can’t supply the power to run it. The average minivan, for example, has an alternator rated at 160 amps; this translates to about half at idle. Multiply 80 amps by 12 volts equals approximately 960 watts available.
Is CarGenerator right for you?
CarGenerator was designed for a very specific purpose—to use a vehicle to produce emergency backup power for your house. Running a gas or oil home furnace, sump pump, and necessary household items during power outages is its main purpose.
We have limited space for items on camping trips. Transporting a gas generator along with the required fuel cans can be very inconvenient just to have in case you need it. Storing CarGenerator in the trunk or behind the seat allows you to supplement solar or power when boondocking without the hassle of a portable generator.
Should you use CarGenerator?
If you are someone who requires emergency power very regularly or requires large amounts of power, a traditional gas generator will be your best option.
CarGenerator isn’t a replacement for portable gas generators. Rather, it is an alternative for people who want an emergency backup power source. It powers the essential household items without the hassle and commitment of a portable gas unit. Check out these testimonials and reviews of customers.
We all know we should have an emergency power backup, but many don’t want to commit to a gas generator. The small, maintenance-free package that CarGenerator offers gives you the peace of mind that your home and family will be safe and comfortable during a power outage. This peace of mind can be had without the mess, noise, maintenance, and unreliability of a traditional generator.
You can conveniently store CarGenerator in your car, so wherever you are, you will have your generator with you. You can’t afford to not have power when CarGenerator makes it this easy!
Need more information?
CarGenerator has been successfully powering homes, cottages, and RVs for seven years without any issues and has tons of happy customers! The product is proudly made in North America with all the best components available. Most importantly, their customer service will support you with any questions or help when you need it.
The CarGenerator website is a wealth of information on the product. There are lots of videos and resources for current and potential customers. Real-world stories of customers who have been using CarGenerator for emergency power and recreational use are all over the CarGenerator Facebook page.
Multiple publications have touted the benefits of this product. Media appearances, including winning a $100,000 deal on Dragons Den (like Shark Tank), prove the product has huge value!
Still not convinced? There are some very informative podcasts and interviews that will give you all the information you need about this unique product.
A full product review is also available here for a more personal look at how CarGenerator works and if it’s right for you!
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