Plugging the furnace into the 4Runner?

Hello,

Would I be able to plug in my furnace into the 4runner, from my home in the event of a power failure ? so I believe the 4runner has a built in inverter let me know if this is acceptable thanx

 

Not an expert by any means, but I would think the current draw needed for the furnace would exceed the 4R's capacity.

 

kinda what I was thinking. might not fare well for the truck

 

Why stop with the your furnace. Don't be selfish with the power of your 4Runner. Plug the 4Runner into the grid so your whole neighborhood/area has power. 4Runners are truly that badass!

 

Yeah man that 100% is not gonna work.

@4X4Runner care to give us the electrical mathematics?

 

Props for the Beastie Boys intro

 

I have a gas furnace with a 1/2 HP 115v spec blower motor so I could run my furnace from my 4Runner if I had to.
1/2 HP is 373 watts, so whether I calculate using 115 volts or 120 volts, I'm good to go: 373/115 = 3.24 amps and 373/120 = 3.10 amps.

Or I could just start my 5KW portable generator...

 

Not to hi-jack this thread, but does anyone know where the inverter is actually located in our trucks?

It would be interesting to see if one could swap it out for a unit with higher output.

Of course, that would also depend what size wire is used.

 

standby genset for the win here. wouldnt be without one

 

I've installed a bunch of them. It's definitely the way to go if you have the means.

 

Your missing one key piece of data, it’s pretty easy to keep an electric motor spinning, but it requires a higher amperage to get it moving. It’s likely that initial start up of the furnace would pull enough to pop a fuse and never get going.

 

Thank you!

 

Good stuff,thanks

 

No household furnace draws 4 amps, I don't care what your label says.

You can't even run a furnace on a 2000w invertor generator since even the small furnaces that plug into a household outlet draw right at the max for that outlet. My small closet based furnace (new in 2017) draws 15a and I need to piggyback 2 2000w invertor generators together to run it and use the RV outlet with an adapter. I actually don't run it since there's other stuff I'd rather use the power for but under testing to see if I could run it that was what I determined.

 

A normal 1/2 HP blower motor 115volts is around 7amps.
if a motor is for 220v it draws 3.5amps.. so my pool pump motor 1/2Hp used 7.5amps ..

you have to use a clamp on current meter then do the E X I= watts..
the other issue is a motor will have a surge current on the starting of the motor...

what you should do, if you have power problems buy a 2000watt inverter and clamp the power leads of the inverter on the battery ..start up the runner then plug in the Gas furnace fan motor..

in todays world many GAS furnaces have blower motors to create the flow out of the combustion chamber and the air circulation of the internal house venting..so two motors and electrical components on these new furnaces.

I still have a 40year old GAS furnace just a blower motor only .. NO venting or electronic devices in it..I did not measure my blower motor current in the furnace but it looks to me a 7amp motor..I lube the motor every fall and clean out any dust.

 

This is false. Almost all household furnaces are run on a 15 amp circuit, which is 1800 watts at 120 volts. If that 2000 watt generator is worth a shit, it should have no problem running a furnace.

I just googled it, and without looking too deep I read that most residential furnaces draw 600 watts or less. I'm sure start-up is higher, but obviously not enough to trip a 15 amp breaker.

 

Correct, that's what I meant by piggyback

 

To clarify, my 2000W invertor generator is putting out 1600W in use (which is what it is advertised to do, it's a 2000/1600W invertor). That's 13 watts. 13 watts isn't an issue most of the time because most stuff plugged into outlets draws less than that. I can get the blower to run on my furnace with that but the heat element will not kick in - which I thought was super odd since it's a gas furnace, but clearly it uses electricity to "fire" and that extra electricity is causing the total draw to exceed 13 amps. Disclaimer: I know shit about furnaces.

So the circuit breaker isn't tripping, it just won't fully run the furnace. Both generators together in parallel put out 4000/3200W so that's not an issue to run it from both of them. The RV plug has to be used since that is 30A service and the 120v plugs are, as noted above, 13A service.

Regardless the main point of my first post above was that there is no way a household furnace is drawing only 4A (or more specifically 3.10 A as the poster stated). A brake light bulb draws 4A.

 

I am envious of all that understand this thread! I know nothing but the very basics of electrical anything. I have read every word (even if it makes no sense) & will continue to begin my understanding.
I have done stereo installs, understand the basics of all the circuits on my commercial mowers & can add simple electrical to a system. Oh, I can change a light bulb in the bedroom also! Lol
Serious props to all electricians. I wouldn't know where to start if I wanted to add another battery to our 4runner (I wish I did).
to all that know how to keep electricity going & keeping us warm in these arctic temperatures outside!

 

I don't understand how you're coming up with that. 1600 watts is 1600 watts, regardless of amperage or voltage.

13 watts is about .11 amps at 120 volts. That's hardly enough to power a single LED light bulb

That's 4 amps at 12 volts, which is .4 amps at 120 volt, or 48 watts.

 

Meefzah messed up on his typing. 2000watt inverter puts out 15amps.
so using a 15amp/2000watt inverter and running a 7amp motor that will work.
engine has to run to supply power to the inverter....... the battery will die over a short period with the engine NOT ! running.
I do use inverters to supply my air compressor.

 

This is what I'm interested in doing. But, most decent compressors draw more than our inverter is rated for.

 

That is insane. So what is the purpose of the inverter, besides fridge/freezers? I now have to check & see if my compressor will work in the receptacle. That is insane! I figured it would be strong enough for a fridge/freezer or an air compressor to air up after a day of fun.
Again, I know nothing about electricity. How are we to air up if needed? Connect straight to the battery temporarily?
Thanks.

 

You can run a small compressor on the built in inverter. I did this with my Tacoma, but it took awhile to inflate my tires after airing down. I would just like to be able to plug in something a little more beefy.

There are some pretty cool on board air set-ups from ARB, Viair(?) and others I'm sure.

I've seen guys carry an air tank as well.

 

What else could you expect without a generator? Air tools take way to much air.
Am I missing something? I am a FNG. Lol
Thanks.

 

Yeah meant amps not watts. 1600w delivers 13 amps. Sorry.

 

Ha! That makes more sense