How Much electricity can the alternator create?

[oldspicejet]

Hi Guys

I plan on hooking up an inverter to the CX-5 and wanted to see if i can power a 10,000 lumen projector directly from the car as its running. The projectors I'm interested in would burn from 1100 watts to 2000 watts. I see amazon sells inverters for $120 rated up to 1600 watts. Basically I'm trying to bypass using a portable generator to run the big projector. Also if I'm idling the engine and pulling 1100 watts from it, what amount of fuel is used just to turn that alternator? thanks. Curious to see how many techy CX-5ers are on this site. (nailbyt)(nailbyt)(nailbyt)

Lucas

 

[erhayes]

#1. At an Idle you will not producing much power at all.
#2. Power in watts=currant in Amperes times voltage, so 1,100 watts/14.4 volts at ~ 2,000+ RPM =~ 76 Amperes required from your alternator.
#3. Your alternator and battery couldn't maintain this current draw.

 

[fdew]

The alternator is 100 amp but that is not at idle. You would need to monitor the voltage to see if you have the speed high enough. Then you need to watch the tempature. I would not be surprised if the car computer decides something is wrong and shuts down. Years ago I ran a 12 volt sump pump for many hours from a car with the hod up and a the idle adjusted to about 1500 rpm, but those were simpler cars. I would not try it with the CX-5

 

[CXVille]

It is my understanding that alternators (as opposed to generators on old cars) produce a lot more power at idle, but not full power, not close. Assuming the alternator does produce 100 amps, and you need 76 A for the low end (1,100 watts).

There is no way.

The inverter is going to absorb a lot of power. Think of it this way, those small portable Honda generators produce 2,000 watts. And they are a lot larger than your alternator. Go rent a generator, and don't damage your car.

 

[fdew]

I would not do it but inverters can run at 90% efficiency. They are most efficient at near max load. Many of the small Honda generators use a inverter.

That said I would not do it because it is running the alternator at near max and in a way that the car was not designed for. I would buy or rent a generator.

 

[tibimakai]

What if you would install two batteries?

 

[GAXIBM]

Don't forget the power the engine/car will be using to power the fuel pump, injectors, power steering, lights, windshield rain sensors, SCBS, ABS, Transmission Control, Traction Control, BSM, dimming mirror, battery recharge from starting, etc etc. You will not get anywhere near rated alternator capacity out for an extended time. You have a lot of line loss in low voltage lines so you need the inverter close to the car and run 110 AC to the projector but you still get line loss.

 

[Kelly_A]

Was going to suggest you try switching to a comparable lumen LED projector to cut the wattage requirement down under 1000, until i priced some of the name brand projectors (Panasonic PT-DZ13KU, $43k, wtf?).
Aliexpress has some cheap Chinese LED knockoffs under $1k but a generator is still probably your best option.

 

[oldspicejet]

Was going to suggest you try switching to a comparable lumen LED projector to cut the wattage requirement down under 1000, until i priced some of the name brand projectors (Panasonic PT-DZ13KU, $43k, wtf?).
Aliexpress has some cheap Chinese LED knockoffs under $1k but a generator is still probably your best option.

Nah. The one I need is the $8k one the pulls 1030 watts and is 10,000 lumens. LED projectors only go up to 700 lumens and I need to project huge ads on street walls with this.