The problem: Power Failures
By now, most of us have seen the ads for the new electric Ford F-150 Lightning pickup truck. The most intriguing aspect of the ad shows the truck powering the home during a power failure.
The problem they’re addressing is a common one. Every day, approximately 500,000 Americans lose power, and during major storms, the numbers can be in the tens of millions.
Statistically, most outages are related to severe weather, and the average duration has doubled from 2013 to 2021.
So as far as backup power for the home, the public loves the Ford Lightning concept, and almost 200,000 have been ordered already.
The solution is already sitting in your garage.
Now, with advanced electronics, an electric golf car can also provide the same function. While not as powerful as the Ford Lightning, a 48V electric golf cart can power important loads, such as your refrigerator, freezer, fans, lights and electronics for days, and in some cases, up to a week.
It can also power critical loads such as C-PAP machines, oxygen generators, baby bottle warmers, electric blankets and electric wheelchairs.
How it works
Any backup power system consists of two major components, the electronics, and the battery. The battery is, by far, the single most expensive component, and the good news is, you already own it.
The average 48V golf car has between 5 and 13kwh of stored energy. A special inverter can be used to convert the 48VDC to 120V AC to power all standard household appliances.
The inverter assembly, called The Hurricane, includes circuit breakers, polarized connectors, heavy duty cable and other safety and convenience features. To use it, you simply connect the inverter to your golf car with a polarized Anderson connector. Simply turn the switch ON and up to 3000W of pure sine wave power is available. NO installation is required, though ring terminals are recommended.
It should be noted that battery backup systems are now preferred over conventional gas generators, as they are safer, quiet, non-polluting and can be used indoors.
A lower cost alternative to the Hurricane is the Storm Chaser. While providing a comparable 3000 watts of power, it lacks key features such as a built in AC charger, multiple outlets and onboard solar charger.
Costing well under $1000, the Storm Chaser requires no installation, and can protect your home for days during an emergency. It can also be used as an alternative to hauling a generator around.
Does the type of battery make a difference?
Interestingly, the type of battery does make a difference, as most lead acid batteries will outperform their lithium counterparts for one simple reason: capacity. A golf car using (8) Trojan T-125 batteries has almost the same capacity as a Tesla Powerwall – 12.8kwh vs 13.5kwh.
But because your golf car battery is just sitting there anyway, you can tap into it for a fraction of the cost of a conventional battery backup system.
By utilizing an existing battery, a golf car backup power system provides the most power for the dollar, by far.
POWER HOUSE is currently looking for select dealers, particularly in storm prone regions. A small number of sample units, privately labeled, are currently available for demo purposes ahead of the formal product rollout.
For more information go to www.powerhouse.energy and click on the Dealer icon.
Editor’s Note: This Press Release and the product name preceded hurricane Ian by several months. We wish to extend our sincere sympathy to our friends in Florida going through a horrific time right now and wish to make it clear his article means no disrespect or lack of empathy for them. On the contrary, the inventors past personal experience with hurricanes, floods and ice storm was the inspiration for these products.
