How to use Leaf during Power Outage for overnight electrical

[Graffi]

I have been notified that the Power Company will have a neighborhood power outage overnight. I sleep with a CPAP machine and need to power it. I have a car 12v inverter that I have used on overnight driving so I can sleep when my wife is driving. I want to plug this into the Leaf, then use an extension cord to bring the 120v into my bedroom to power the CPAP while I sleep.

The question is: What state should the Leaf be in so that I do not just run off the 12v battery and drain it dry? Do I push the start button once or twice to turn the car on and leave it on so overnight so the drive battery keeps the 12v battery charged? Do I need to actually push the break when pushing the start button to actually have the car in the ON position overnight?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Slow1]

I know it needs to be "on" but don't know if it has to be in the drive ready state (i.e. pushing the brake while hitting power). If you don't get a more precise answer, I would go with powered on/ready to drive. Set the parking brake and keep the key fob out of the car once in this mode to ensure nobody accidentally puts it in drive and takes out your garage door (or worse).

 

[Graffi]

I know it needs to be "on" but don't know if it has to be in the drive ready state (i.e. pushing the brake while hitting power). If you don't get a more precise answer, I would go with powered on/ready to drive. Set the parking brake and keep the key fob out of the car once in this mode to ensure nobody accidentally puts it in drive and takes out your garage door (or worse).

Good advice, I did not even think of taking the key out of the car so it could not be driven. Thanks much.

 

[KillaWhat]

I needs to be fully "ON" and drivable to have the DC to DC converter supply power to the 12 battery.

Removing the fob from the car in this condition will not make it non- drivable.

Just shut off all the lights, cover the dash display with something like a coat, lock it up tight and no one will know it's "running".

Did you see this thread about doing exactly what you want?:

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=13097" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[LeftieBiker]

I don't know what kind of current load a CPAP machine pulls, but if it's more than one amp or so at 120 volts (remember that you have to multiply the house current amperage draw by 10 to get the load pulled from the car at 12 volts!) you need to make sure you have both an adequate inverter and a heavy enough connection to the car. The car's accessory ports can only handle 10 amps, which equates to a little less than one amp at 120 volts - any more and the fuse will blow. If you use jumper cables run to an inverter (risky when unattended!), they need to be truck type, and heavy.