[portablegenerators]

Generators To The Rescue- Generator Reviews
Generators reviewed from electric, gas, diesel, and power to Honda, Coleman, Generac, Kohler generators, Yamaha generators, generator troubleshooting info
http://www.powerfulportablegenerators.com/

 

[darthvader420]

Bumping this. How hard would it be to put one of these into a battery electric vehicle already on the market? I suspect that the serial hybrid vehicle can be feasible and cost-effective without waiting for GM to roll out the niche-market volt. What engineering challenges are in the way?

 

[Joshua Bretz]

Bumping this. How hard would it be to put one of these into a battery electric vehicle already on the market? I suspect that the serial hybrid vehicle can be feasible and cost-effective without waiting for GM to roll out the niche-market volt. What engineering challenges are in the way?

That's funny. I think that the original post was spam, but we're talking about it now. Anyway, these generators were built to power a (mostly) resistive load. If you try to just rectify the output and hook it up to a battery, then it will be unstable as it goes above and below the point at which the rectifiers conduct.

 

[Eric E]

Joshua...

What's wrong with yer rectifier?






Oh...and congratulations on your 100th post. Yer a Senior Member now...I wish I was a Senior Member...

 

[darthvader420]

That's funny. I think that the original post was spam, but we're talking about it now. Anyway, these generators were built to power a (mostly) resistive load. If you try to just rectify the output and hook it up to a battery, then it will be unstable as it goes above and below the point at which the rectifiers conduct.

whoops I didn't check out that link before posting

So how much of a challenge was/is it for GM to put a range extending gas engine in the volt? From what I understand the engine only has to run at a constant rpm to recharge the batteries.

 

[pennor1]

these generators were built to power a (mostly) resistive load. If you try to just rectify the output and hook it up to a battery, then it will be unstable as it goes above and below the point at which the rectifiers conduct.

RATS! I sure wish someone had told me 20 years ago that I could not charge batteries with a portable generator... That means that for the last 20 years my tractor battery must have just abosorbed radient energy from a tesla wireless power transmitter in Colorado Springs or something.

You see, I regularly start up my Honda generator, plug in my NAPA battery charger, and charge the old battery in my tractor when it goes dead. I could have saved some gasoline running that generator had I know it wouldn;t work.

 

[Joshua Bretz]

RATS! I sure wish someone had told me 20 years ago that I could not charge batteries with a portable generator... That means that for the last 20 years my tractor battery must have just abosorbed radient energy from a tesla wireless power transmitter in Colorado Springs or something.

You see, I regularly start up my Honda generator, plug in my NAPA battery charger, and charge the old battery in my tractor when it goes dead. I could have saved some gasoline running that generator had I know it wouldn;t work.

Yes, this works because you have the all important "NAPA battery charger". This is a current source.

 

[Altazi]

I don't believe anyone would foolish enough to attempt to connect a standard generator directly to batteries, even with rectification and filtering.

At least, I hope no one is that foolish. . .

 

[darthvader420]

I just want to know what it takes fit a gas generator into a battery electric car. It seems like GM has put a lot of energy into the software that controls the range extender, I guess mostly to maximize battery life. But what's stopping other companies from doing the same thing?

edit: http://www.gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1126 well what do we have here! Now all we need is for someone to make this happen in a small car that doesn't cost 80 grand

 

[willdryden]

I just want to know what it takes fit a gas generator into a battery electric car. It seems like GM has put a lot of energy into the software that controls the range extender, I guess mostly to maximize battery life. But what's stopping other companies from doing the same thing?

edit: http://www.gm-volt.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1126 well what do we have here! Now all we need is for someone to make this happen in a small car that doesn't cost 80 grand

All you have to do is rectify it, filter it and connect it to the regen braking shunt. Works like a charm.