Inverter-how much can it take?

The Prius electronic inverter has not been designed to withstand such a heavy load as you are presenting us but in the other hand, your signature shows you have " other type of hybrid" and not a Prius.

 

just get a 1000w inverter and tap off the 12 volt. leave the car in 'ready' when using any electricity. if you need more power, you'll have to get an expensive unit to tap off the hybrid battery.

 

As I recall the inverter 12V output is limited to 40 A. It's liquid cooled so overheating shouldn't be a problem as long as the car is in "ready".
It isn't designed to run "high power accessories".
Your biggest problem will be to ensure minimal voltage drop at the currents you are contemplating.

Be aware, if you do toast the inverter it's a pretty big hit cost-wise. In the area of 2-4 thousand dollars.

 

Not a good plan. Something like Sterno or Propane would be MUCH better.

 

There's a lot of threads on this topic, and many people bolt sine-wave inverters into their Priuses and use them for hours at a time.
This should also be instructive for your 12v camping equipment.

Using PIP As A Generator | PriusChat

110 VAC inverter installation | PriusChat

 

Some terminology definitions might help here;

Transformer: Converts AC to AC
Rectifier: Converts AC to DC
Inverter: Converts DC to AC
Converter: Converts DC to DC

So what the Prius has between the high voltage DC traction battery and the 12V DC auxiliary battery is a DC-DC converter.

The fuse in this circuit is 100 amps, which implies that Toyota designed the converter to supply this much current.

 

Why are you saying this ??? just top of you head ???

The actual fuse I believe is 100A ..

I (and many others) have set up the Prius as an emergency generator it can put out around 1kw AC that is around 70A + 6-8% inverter and other losses (probably more for short bursts from the 12V battery) the real issue is the internal cabeling btw the inverter and the 12V battery. I personally run test with ~700W (according to Kill-a-Watt) straight resistive load (heater and few incandesent bulbs) for over an hour without anything (cables, connector, inverter) overheating .... Note, that any substantial inductive load (i.e. motors) will generate high rush in current which which might trip the 12vDC/110VAC inverter or even the converter...

And TOYOTA sells something like this out of the box in Japan !!!

By the way HighVoltage DC/AC ivnerter would be a better more efficient solution but that require to tap the HV battery (not for the faint harted DIY project but people did that as well). In that secenario 2 or even up to 3 KW is possible on the AC side ...

 

If you need more than 1000W of DC power, I suggest you upgrade the DC-DC converter.

I'd be concerned about overheating the alternator by using it that way. It's not designed for continuous output as a power-plant. The circuitry may stand it, but the windings may overheat and burn off the lacquer insulation.

 

You are barking to the wrong tree my friend. I had been involved with the Toyota Prius since 2005.

First, get your knowledge straight up if you want to guide some nubby not to blow his Prius converter at their expense.

The max continuous capacity of the DC-DC converter circuit is about 550 watts.

As I said before, the OP is planning a type of outing with a lot of risk; there is other means to accomplish the same.

 

"I'd be concerned about overheating the alternator "

What alternator ???? Prius doesn't have such things !!!! Not even a belt !!!

 

But even if you call the MGs alternators, which no-one does, neither one of them is in the DC-DC converter circuit between the traction battery and the 12V battery.

 

I call them alternators and so does anyone who knows anything about electricity, including the engineers who build them.

What is the difference between an alternator and a generator? - Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange

 

They're still not in the DC-DC converter circuit.

 

'

Who said they were? The power for the DC-DC converter comes from a generator that produces alternating current, properly called an "alternator."

Is this a contest or something?

 

Well, the Toyota factory repair manual, presumably written by their engineers, call those parts "motor-generators". I would say that the use of "alternator" in the context of an automobile would bring to mind a little belt-driven part mounted on the front of the engine.

The motor generator in the context of the Toyota hybrid system is a three-phase AC motor.

As previously mentioned, the DC/DC fusible link is 100A so that defines the peak load. I am not aware of a continuous current spec for the inverter.

I think that a 12V source is a highly inefficient way to produce cooking heat. First of all, think about how much heat you will get from a grille that requires 50A at 14V: 700W.

Now compare this to a hair dryer which consumes 1,500W of power. How long would it take you to boil a cup of water using a hair dryer? Do you have all day for that one task?

Beyond considering the toy-nature of such a grille, also recognize that there are reasonably high power losses due to the 50A high current flow. How long of a power cable will you use to run between the car and this cooking grille?

Suppose you have 0.1 ohm of resistance in the power cables running to the grill. That results in 250W loss at a 50A current flow. The formula is P = I^2 * R

where P = power, I = current and R = resistance

Can you use wires that are so thick that you will only have a total of 0.1 ohm resistance loss over the two-way run, including loss in whatever connectors you decide to use?

The following website shows resistance vs. wire gauge and length.
American Wire Gauge table and AWG Electrical Current Load Limits
with skin depth frequencies and wire breaking strength

Then you have to account for resistance between the wire and whatever connectors you use.

IMO it would be much better and easier to use a camping stove that runs off a bottle of propane, and you would have no concern about damaging your power train while you are in the middle of nowhere, camping.

 

Omg they are not alternators. MG1 would closely resemble a alternator in size but still not quite since it is also the starter motor for the ICE. MG2 is a electric drive/generator. The correct term is generator. Not even toyota calls them alternators and doing so makes you look like you have no idea what you are talking about. If you do not know the difference or basics you shouldn't be toying around in the electrics

 

I don't have to post the link again. Electrical engineers define a generator that produces alternating current as an "alternator" which is a contraction of "alternating current generator." If that's not the terminology you want to use, it doesn't make it wrong.

 

Not wishing to get into the terminology discussion, but the Prius motors are not directly driven with the battery voltage. The battery supply is converted to 3 phase variable frequency AC supply. The motors if fed with a strait 560+ volts DC "battery boosted by buck boost" would lock the rotors and quickly burn out the stater coils.
So yes they are AC devices.
The real difference between the Prius "generators" and vehicle "alternators" is that the rotors in the Prius are permanent magnets. In normal alternators the rotor has a coil fed by a variable DC supply through slip rings to control the output. This system varies the strength of the magnetic field of the rotor controlling the output of the alternator.
Further as with alternators the Prius "generators" have a 3 phase AC output. So technically are alternators giving alternating current out.

John (Britprius)

 

Technically an alternator or not, 'alternator' is a loaded term in the automotive industry. Toyota chose to call it a "motor-generator" for good reason - namely, that name doesn't carry the baggage that "alternator" does when associated with a car. You can call it an alternator if you want, but some people will be confused if you do - and others will try to convince you not to, in order to avoid the confusion.

For all I care, you can call it the Information Superhighway instead of the Internet - just don't be surprised when people look at you funny.