Leaf Charging W/out Grid Power

Inspired by PC member pEEf (engineer Phil, on the Leaf forum) and his successful demonstration of off-grid charging via his little 120V Honda generator - I thought I might give it a try on our bigger 240V Honda generator.
Success ! ... evidenced with a quick <1min video.

I've got a nice regulator that'll let me run our generator off propane or CNG, besides the usual gasoline. The portable charger cable (modified to accept 240V by EVSEupgrade.com) normally would see a generator/inverter as having grounding "issues" - which would not allow the charge cable to operate. A quick note to Phil, generated (pun intended) a quick remedy - workaround and I was up and running in less than 2 minutes. Like I mentioned in the vid ... it's nice to have alternatives. Maybe I could set up a bicycle generator ... get my exercize in at the same time.


On my next video, I hope to show a way to utilize our 7.1kW AC rated grid tied PV system for off grid use. Once the main panel is disconnected from the grid, I've found a way to spoof our (normally) grid tied PV inverters into believing that we are still on the grid. The panels, along with our Honda can easily provide us with an excess of 10kW of daytime power in case of emergencies. Here's to hoping I don't blow up me or the house. :madgrin:

.

 

Oh, I've already read how using a genset is WAY less efficient than grid power, or even just burning the fuel in a gas burner ... and each of the 3 fuels I can run has it's own varying degree of btu's to boot. It's more a proof of concept deal than actually trying to find a better way.

EDIT:
This February, I finally got around to approximating "Range" - using 1 gallon of fossil fuel - which rendered 8.5kWh of electricity into the Leaf. At my current rate of efficiency, 8.5kWh of juice yields about 42 miles ... or an equivalent yield of 40mpg ... or 20% worse than a 50mpg Prius. HOWEVER - since the epa rates the Leaf at about 3 miles per kWh ... one could say the Leaf charge would render about 25mpg on a generator charge. Still not to shabby, considering it's not designed to be charged in such an inefficient manner.