• Steel Soldiers now has a few new forums, read more about it at: New Munitions Forums!

  • Microsoft MSN, Live, Hotmail, Outlook email users may not be receiving emails. We are working to resolve this issue. Please add support@steelsoldiers.com to your trusted contacts.

Using your CUCV as a generator

Squibbly

Squibbly

Well-known member
408
1,039
93
Location
Alabama
Has anyone ever put something like this on their truck as an emergency power supply for power outages (or just simply to run tools off of)?

Amazon.com: FLAMEZUM 24 Volt 2000W/4000W Pure sine Wave Power Inverter DC 24V to AC120V, with 4 AC sockets, with Remote Control 2.4A USB and LED Display, Suitable for motorhomes, Trucks and Emergency situations : Automotive

Is there something comparable that just plugs into the 24V front port on the truck?
I have an actual 4400W generator, but just thinking in terms of "The backup for the backup".
 
Tow4

Tow4

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
2,096
646
113
Location
Orlando, FL
Keep in mind a 4k inverter will probably pull more current at full load than the alternators can supply. You will also have to run the engine significantly more than idle to get full output and to keep the alternators cool.
Check to see what the inverter current draw is with different loads. I would keep the continuous load on the alternators under 50℅.
 
NDT

NDT

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
10,458
6,530
113
Location
Camp Wood/LC, TX
Yes, the military used US manufactured inverters on SECM (maintenance) HMMWVs as well as Special Forces GMV HMMWVs. They have thick cables feeding them, as Tow4 said, the poor CUCV alternators won’t like it if you decide to pull 4000 watts to power your house during an outage.
 
D

D6T

Well-known member
228
532
93
Location
Vermont
Better yet...put in an NP205 if you don’t have one already, find a PTO-driven generator, and win.

Disclaimer: I know PTO-driven generators exist, but I don’t know how they are hooked up to the vehicle or set up for use.
 
Skinny

Skinny

Well-known member
2,130
488
83
Location
Portsmouth, NH
Inverter is great to have in general. My concern is buying a 24v unit it wouldn't work with normal 12v vehicles. But I'm guessing you would permanently mount it.

I don't know if Id go through the trouble of making a PTO generator. Probably would just buy a used standby or light tower for that kind of money. Although the M1031 gen heads seem to be going for almost nothing.

Two is one, one is none? Where did you hear that phrase?
 
Curtisje

Curtisje

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
596
693
93
Location
Okinawa, Japan
I have an Outback FX2024M mounted on my M1028. I love it. I run power tools, radio battery chargers, lights, whatever. It is a military surplus out of an MRAP.

It also plugs into 120v shorepower and then charges the 24v system.
 
Skinny

Skinny

Well-known member
2,130
488
83
Location
Portsmouth, NH
Squibbly said:
During my military days.
Click to expand...
Cool

I do a segment on a show called The Survival Podcast. There used to be a guy who said the same thing on the show years ago. I never knew where it originated from. Sounds military...

Tow bar is on the list. I have a CUCV and my square Burb has all the CUCV bumpers. I'd like the ability to pull one with the other with an interchangeable bar. The bars seem to be $600 usually which I just don't have for something like that right now.
 
MarcusOReallyus

MarcusOReallyus

Well-known member
4,524
816
113
Location
Virginia
Tow4 said:
Keep in mind a 4k inverter will probably pull more current at full load than the alternators can supply.
Click to expand...

He'd probably be okay. You've got 2, 100 amp alternators. 4,000W @ 24V is 167 amps. That's pushing it, but within tolerance. And it will only pull that at max load, which isn't likely to be continuous.

Ain't going to happen at idle, as you pointed out.

I worked for [an unnamed chip maker that is Inside most PCs] for a while, and we were running 3500 watt and 4500 watt inverters with heavy loads on them (4-8 laptops) all day long in Honda Odysseys. Never any problem, and it was a stock 130 amp single alternator. Typically 2-3 hours of normal city street driving, interspersed with maybe 30-45 minutes of idling.


When it comes to inverters, always go at least 1.5 times bigger than you think you'll use regularly, or it won't last. By the numbers, we should have been good with 1500 watt units, and we started with those. Burned them up in a couple of months. 2500s lasted 4-6 months. Once we went to 3500 & bigger we had no more problem. These were quality units installed correctly with overkill cabling.
 
Tow4

Tow4

Well-known member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
2,096
646
113
Location
Orlando, FL
MarcusOReallyus said:
He'd probably be okay. You've got 2, 100 amp alternators. 4,000W @ 24V is 167 amps. That's pushing it, but within tolerance. And it will only pull that at max load, which isn't likely to be continuous.

Ain't going to happen at idle, as you pointed out.

I worked for [an unnamed chip maker that is Inside most PCs] for a while, and we were running 3500 watt and 4500 watt inverters with heavy loads on them (4-8 laptops) all day long in Honda Odysseys. Never any problem, and it was a stock 130 amp single alternator. Typically 2-3 hours of normal city street driving, interspersed with maybe 30-45 minutes of idling.


When it comes to inverters, always go at least 1.5 times bigger than you think you'll use regularly, or it won't last. By the numbers, we should have been good with 1500 watt units, and we started with those. Burned them up in a couple of months. 2500s lasted 4-6 months. Once we went to 3500 & bigger we had no more problem. These were quality units installed correctly with overkill cabling.
Click to expand...
Well, the inverter is not 100% efficient so the amps need will be higher. I have a 3500 watt inverter in my RV and I find the info in this link to be pretty accurate.

Typical current requirements for inverters.

While I agree that you will probably not run at max load under normal circumstances, a lot of people tend treat inverters like a generator. A generator can run at rated power all day long and most inverters can too. The problem comes with replacing the energy is takes to generate the power. It's easy to fill up the gas or diesel generators fuel tank. Not so easy with vehicle batteries in a static situation.

You can buy a gas inverter generator for less money than a quality inverter of the same output capacity. They are more reliable and cost less to operate than running your truck for hours on end.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
110,897members
165,315threads
2,326,233posts
2,048online users
Top
✖
AdBlock Detected

We get it, advertisements are annoying!

Sure, ad-blocking software does a great job at blocking ads, but it also blocks useful features of our website like our supporting vendors. Their ads help keep Steel Soldiers going. Please consider disabling your ad blockers for the site. Thanks!

I've Disabled AdBlock
No Thanks