Make Your Own Emergency Power Plant

By The Mother Earth News Editors
Published on January 1, 1985
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Nearly everybody owns — and uses most every day — a reliable and generous source of electrical energy without even knowing it: the modern automobile! Here's what you'll need to to make your own emergency power plant.
Nearly everybody owns — and uses most every day — a reliable and generous source of electrical energy without even knowing it: the modern automobile! Here's what you'll need to to make your own emergency power plant.
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The choke pulldown diaphragm opens the throttle on a signal from the vacuum switch.
The choke pulldown diaphragm opens the throttle on a signal from the vacuum switch.
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Power to the people!
Power to the people!
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The control panel, resistor element and receptacle box.
The control panel, resistor element and receptacle box.
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Note: All wiring 16-gauge; 12-gauge high output leads optional. The panel and receptacle boxes should be located as close to the alternator and regulator as possible to limit line losses.
Note: All wiring 16-gauge; 12-gauge high output leads optional. The panel and receptacle boxes should be located as close to the alternator and regulator as possible to limit line losses.

If you’re anything like the folks here at MOTHER’S
Eco-Village, you’re probably swamped with nagging little
chores that require some drilling here, some grinding
there and a bit of cutting somewhere else. Trouble is, all
these work sites somehow manage to be nowhere near a source
of 110-volt power — so, unless you’re particularly fond of

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