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My install and review of the AIMS Prius 2kW Pure Sine Wave Inverter for Backup Power Generator

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Accessories and Modifications' started by AHetaFan, Mar 3, 2013.

  1. techntrek

    techntrek Member

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    What is their asking price? The AIMS Prius inverter I saw on ebay was $395.
     
  2. Old Smokey

    Old Smokey Junior Member

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  3. Flying White Dutchman

    Flying White Dutchman Senior Member

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    just read the firts post in this topic

    do you cover your andersons plug? i mean you now have a direct open connection to 201+ volts DC....
    if anyone sticks the vinger in that plug you made...
     
  4. Old Smokey

    Old Smokey Junior Member

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    on sunday toronto ontario was hit with a massive power failure,i hooked a 1500 watt modified sine wave inverter with heavy duty jumper cables to the prius gen 3 12volt battery,put the e brake on. put the car in ready in park, ran the extension cord through the basement window to the furnice,then upstairs to the 12 cu ft frig, a 21 in. tv and a 26watt cfl floor light.i ran the furnice untill the thermostat shut the off at 72 degrees, I turned the thermostat off and started the frig ,ty and floor i light,when i wanted more heat i turned the frig off first,I less the 1 bar of fuel in 9 hrs. for cooking i used a propane camping stove and kept awindow opened about 2in.
     
  5. 04priusnow

    04priusnow Active Member

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    Just bought the eBay one. Its 200$ cheaper then the site mentioned earlier.. And that one is on sale. Also I emailed the eBay seller and confirmed it comes with all of the necessary wiring

    LG-G2 ?
     
  6. techntrek

    techntrek Member

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    Shouldn't take you more than an hour total to get down to the battery connections and then back out. I can do it now in less than 45 minutes. Make sure you add a fuse close to the battery terminal - and also make sure you connect to the posts farthest from the battery. Those posts are disconnected from the battery by relays when you turn off the car so if something goes wrong all you have to do is turn the car off and everything is in a safe condition.
     
  7. 04priusnow

    04priusnow Active Member

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    do you have a cover for the hot end of the connection when not in use? Any info or part numbers for this?

    LG-G2 ?
     
  8. AHetaFan

    AHetaFan Member

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  9. AHetaFan

    AHetaFan Member

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    See links in post above. If you have small fingers it would not be a good idea to stick them in both positive and negative sockets of the connector at the same time with the car powered on. The connections are dead when the car is off. On my install, the Anderson connector is hidden under the edge of the seat with a dust cap on it. If the inverter isn't connected to it you would not know the connection is there until you put your eye down there and lift the edge of the seat to look.
     
  10. Flying White Dutchman

    Flying White Dutchman Senior Member

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    wy not place the inverter in the trunk? maybe above the 12 volt battery
    you will not have backseat passangers poking any vingers in that area beside the owner of the car loading something
     
  11. AHetaFan

    AHetaFan Member

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    For your project you are free to do whatever you like. If you are concerned that you might have backseat passengers free to roam around the floor of the back seat poking fingers while you have the car turned on it may not be safe to assume they will not climb over the back seat and roam around the trunk poking fingers.

    For my project I am not realistically concerned that anyone with small enough fingers to fit inside an Anderson connector might roam around the floor area of the back seat, lift the bottom edge of the seat, not read the warning label, remove the dust cover (questionable if they could even do that) and stick two small fingers into both the positive and negative terminal holes while I have the car powered on. I would secure anyone with that potential in a child safety seat before turning the car on. At all times I would follow the same vigilance as I would in the house to keep small fingers and objects out of power sockets.
     
  12. techntrek

    techntrek Member

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    I ran the tap from the battery to the empty tray at the rear-left corner of the trunk. I used a standard 120 volt outlet so I can run a normal 12 gauge 50-foot extension cord from the car to my garage where the UPS is. Then I have a pigtail which converts from the 120 volt outlet to the Anderson connector on the UPS.
     
  13. 04priusnow

    04priusnow Active Member

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    No issue having twice the voltage on the extension cord? I guess most cables are rated for 600 volts..

    LG-G2 ?
     
  14. techntrek

    techntrek Member

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    Correct, everything is rated for 600 volts, the max I see from my Prius is 244 volts. At 190 volts (the minimum I see as the engine is starting) 3000 watts equals a little more than 15 amps, also well within the ratings.
     
  15. Randy B

    Randy B Member

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    Please beware. The Ebay system on sale may not have all the needed features for safety. Time, expertise and more components are required for appropriate safety. Be careful. - Owner of ConVerdant.
     
  16. AimsPower

    AimsPower Junior Member

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    the inverter store also carries this inverter.
     
  17. AimsPower

    AimsPower Junior Member

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  18. jdcollins5

    jdcollins5 Senior Member

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    With the Winter Storm on the coast of NC with freezing rain, sleet and finally snow the local electric utility was preparing for widespread power outages. I was prepared last night with my AIMS inverter but fortunately the freezing rain turned to sleet very quickly so we were spared from the predicted power outages.

    It is comforting to know that we can use the Prius as an emergency generator when needed. I had the car in the garage, the flexible exhaust extension, the inverter and the power cables ready to connect if needed.
     
    DadofHedgehog and mrbigh like this.
  19. IanIanIanIan

    IanIanIanIan Member

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    10/10 for having the components ready but it is well worth setting everything up and trying it all for an hour or so in case there are any glitches you have overseen and to practice the setting up.

    It is not so easy when stressed, in the dark, with just a torch and it is blowing a hooley.

    My mistake was overlooking how I was to get the mains supply cable into the house with all the doors shut. The tumble dryer vent was the eventual answer.
     
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  20. mrbigh

    mrbigh Prius Absolutum Dominium

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