Pusher/generator trailer idea.

[oil pan 4]

Remember most consumer grade backup generators can not run any where near full load continuously.
Typically the wiring in them is under sized for max rated load.

For example my 30 amp generator only had AWG12 wire, typically only used on 20 amp circuits.



Does anyone even know if the leaf can even move while power is being applied?
It seems to me that would be simple idiot proofing feature to keep some one from driving off with the cord plugged in.
I am sure it can be disabled.

[Isaac Zackary]

Originally Posted by oil pan 4

Remember most consumer grade backup generators can not run any where near full load continuously.
Typically the wiring in them is under sized for max rated load.

For example my 30 amp generator only had AWG12 wire, typically only used on 20 amp circuits.

That's something to take into consideration. If a 7,000W generator costs some $4,000, and yet it burns up on your 6.6kW charger, then that would be a big waste of money. But a 10,000W generator isn't going to be very costly nor light weight.

I was under the impression, however, that the Honda EU generators are built to put out their rated power continuously. But then again, I've never owned one so I'm not sure.

But there is that problem I mentioned about generators being hard on electronics. It would be pretty bad to go buy a 10,000W generator and it burns up your on-board Nissan charger! From what I understand, Nissan even warns owners in the owner's manual to not charge from a generator. I know that generators tend to burn up electronic devices. I'm not exactly sure why. Perhaps they don't put out a pure sine wave current. Or with any change in RPMs the frequency changes, so it's never really 60hz. Or maybe something else. If you're going to charge by means of a generator it needs to have smooth AC current. The Honda EU generators do have smooth AC current and work with any electronic device. So that leads me to the Honda EU7000 for level 2 charging or the Honda EU2000 for level 1 charging.

Originally Posted by oil pan 4

Does anyone even know if the leaf can even move while power is being applied?
It seems to me that would be simple idiot proofing feature to keep some one from driving off with the cord plugged in.
I am sure it can be disabled.

Yep. You are correct. Nissan designed the Leaf so that when plugged in, you can't go anywhere. Which means that either you have to disable it if you're going to use the on-board charger. Or you're going to have to use another charger. Or like I mentioned, make a DC generator and just charge the battery directly.

_________________

However, here's an idea that just came to me. Let's say you can't figure out how to disable the inter-lock so your only option is to stop and charge. Instead of an already massive and expensive 10,000W generator in a trailer, stack 10,000W of solar panels in the trailer. That would also be massive and expensive. But whenever you stop, you could just pull out your solar panels, prop them up, point them into the sun, plug them in together (parallel), and plug them into your car. If you made +400V solar panels you could plug them into the quick charge port and not have any losses due to the charger. The biggest problem is that you'd need an area that's about as big as three semi-truck parking spaces or more. You could make panels that are 8' x 15' out of about 800 3" x 6" PV cells in a series. Each panel would put out around 1kW under full sun. So if you stacked 10 of these in a trailer you could get as much as 10kW and charge up in 2.5 hours under full sun. You'd need a voltmeter, though, or design a shut off circuit so that when they reach about 400V the thing shuts off. Of course 8,000 PV cells and 1,200 sqft of plexiglass, plus frames, isn't going to be cheap, nor light weight, nor aerodynamic. But neither is the 10,000W generator.

[Hersbird]

Just my opinion on small generators, the little Westinghouse is the bang for the buck leader. It does everything the Honda does as quite and efficiently at 1/2 the price.

[Isaac Zackary]

Originally Posted by Hersbird

Just my opinion on small generators, the little Westinghouse is the bang for the buck leader. It does everything the Honda does as quite and efficiently at 1/2 the price.

Those are cheaper! But I don't see any that could provide level 2 charging.

[oil pan 4]

I use my generator to power my plasma cutter which uses IGBT based inverter.
Problem with using a generator is they don't continuously produce 60Hz. At no load they run about 63Hz then slow down to about 58 to 60Hz under some load.
At full power my plasma cutter will run the generator RPMs down and cause the machine to fault out due to under frequency.
Maybe miller needs to start making EV chargers.

I don't know why it would burn up an inverter. I worked on 270kw, 275VDC inverters that took 115v 3 phase 400Hz power and made it into 275 volt power.
The AC generators that powered them were all over the place as far their AC power out put goes, they worked fine down to 380Hz (when the AC generator faults out) and down to 105 volts, then the inverter just couldn't make 275v power.

[Isaac Zackary]

Originally Posted by oil pan 4

Remember most consumer grade backup generators can not run any where near full load continuously.
Typically the wiring in them is under sized for max rated load.

Your right! I just saw where the EU7000 is only rated for 5,500W continuous. That's about 22 to 25amps depending on whether it's at an actual 220 or 240V.

So for a $4,500 generator, you'd have to drive for an hour and a half, then park, start there generator, and wait for 4.5 hours. Then drive for another 1.5 hours.

I've been finding there's more level 2 charging stations around than I realized. But between here and Denver there aren't very many. Looks like there's a guy who shares his 220V 50 outlet in Salida. Another lady so does the same in Buena Vista. But from there through all South Park the really aren't any. And having to cross the Continental Divide just to get to Salida kind of gives me doubts.

[Isaac Zackary]

Speaking of Leafs (is it Leafs or Leaves?), I just saw one here in town. It must be the second time I've seen one in real life, and the first time in town.

[Isaac Zackary]

Originally Posted by oil pan 4

I use my generator to power my plasma cutter which uses IGBT based inverter.
Problem with using a generator is they don't continuously produce 60Hz. At no load they run about 63Hz then slow down to about 58 to 60Hz under some load.
At full power my plasma cutter will run the generator RPMs down and cause the machine to fault out due to under frequency.
Maybe miller needs to start making EV chargers.

I don't know why it would burn up an inverter. I worked on 270kw, 275VDC inverters that took 115v 3 phase 400Hz power and made it into 275 volt power.
The AC generators that powered them were all over the place as far their AC power out put goes, they worked fine down to 380Hz (when the AC generator faults out) and down to 105 volts, then the inverter just couldn't make 275v power.

So do you thing a vehicle like a Leaf will be ok on a regular generator? It does say in the manual not to charge them with a generator. I guess until someone tries it we may never know.

[oil pan 4]

My 7Kw is only rated for about 5.5kw also.
But I went into it and ripped out all the 12 gauge wire and rewired it with 10 gauge.
It should be able to hold more like 6.5kw now, that is where it starts to drop off at due to thin air here.

[oil pan 4]

I don't know why a generator would not charge a leaf.
It may just be Nissan doing the legal CYA thing.

I didn't know that the leaf could not be generator charged, all the more reason to build my own EV when I decide I need one.