I read in Popular Science Magazine couple of years ago about a US company invented an electric generator you can install in your car compartment similar to the car alternator.

Considering the extreme change in the global climate this can be an excellent emergency back up power source as well as handy power anywhere your car can go.

Does any body know the name/address of this company ?

stomie@nortelnetworks.com

-- Sal TOMIE (stomie@nortelnetworks.com), January 18, 2000

Answers

Sal - I have a great link for this, but it's (unfortunately for the moment) on my machine at the office. I'll look for it in the morning and post it for you. There are also 120VAC inverters specifically made for this purpose - you don't have to do anything other than hook up to your battery with the car engine running. I checked a couple of them out recently at Costco. The 700W flavor was priced around $100.00, and a 300W version was around $50.00. This is probably a whole lot less hassle (for emergency power purposes) than trying to hook up a gen set to your car.

-- Rick Cowles (rick@csamerica.com), January 18, 2000.

When I used to work for the US Geological Survey thirty-ish years ago, we had "something" like what you are talking about on some of our trucks. We were able to plug in drills and other power tools without having to lug out (very heavy) gas powered generators around.

I once drove two or three hours into the back country all prepared to do a little construction job. When I turned on my variable speed electric drill motor, the speed switch melted down. I had to drive all the way back to town, where someone who knew a lot more about power supplies than I did at the time informed me that my inverter (or whatever it was) wouldn't work with a variable speed drill. So make sure you know the pros and cons of any system you use.

Now that I think about it, this unit MIGHT have been producing 110 volt D.C.power. I wish I'd have had even a modicum of understanding about electricity back then.

Sorry I can't be of more help....

-- jumpoff joe (jumpoff@echoweb.net), January 19, 2000.

Sal - I finally found the link that I was thinking about:

http://www.webconx.com/charging.htm

-- Rick Cowles (rick@csamerica.com), February 03, 2000.