Author Topic: generators (Read 7055 times)

twoodruff · « **on:** April 28, 2004, 09:39:04 AM »

ok, wondering how folks charge batteries at festivals, ie bonnaroo. wondering if a generator would do, I will be in a RV but will have many things to charge, anybody have a good solution?

jpschust · « **Reply #1 on:** April 28, 2004, 09:42:16 AM »

power strips :-D (sorry in that jackass kind of mood today)

twoodruff · « **Reply #2 on:** April 28, 2004, 09:45:08 AM »

Quote from: jpschust on April 28, 2004, 09:42:16 AM

power strips :-D (sorry in that jackass kind of mood today)

me too

nic · « **Reply #3 on:** April 28, 2004, 10:01:49 AM »

I have a power convertor that plugs into my cig lighter in the car. plug a power strip into that and plug my chargers into that. . .

not the best/easiest especially if having to charge over night...

it might honestly be cheaper overall to do a DIY SLA and take that for the second days recordings.

twoodruff · « **Reply #4 on:** April 28, 2004, 10:16:17 AM »

yeah I have like 6 6 volts and a few 12 volts, just wanna make sure they are *topped off* and my m148/248 will have to be charged at some point

fozzy · « **Reply #5 on:** April 28, 2004, 11:38:29 AM »

What's the climate for running my car in the morning @ bonnaroo for an hour to charge my RC batteries?

bkirby · « **Reply #6 on:** April 28, 2004, 11:48:57 AM »

Trey,
What about bringing an additional car battery, and plugging in a inverter to use for charging. I haven't tried this, but I have heard of people who have and never had a problem! With all of your batteries, the best bet may be to just buy additional SLAs and hope you have enough juice, and charge the 148/248 in the RV only... Good luck!!!
Brad K.

Kindguy · « **Reply #7 on:** April 28, 2004, 12:48:14 PM »

I charge mine on a power inverter. You can hook them straight to the car batt. or in the cig lighter.

You will have to start the car from time to time. I also have one of the portable car jumpers in case I screw up & it goes dead. They are 65 bucks at lowes.

At odyssey fest I just left the car running to charge up my 12v. Screw it gas is only 2.00 bucks a gallon.

Kindguy · « **Reply #8 on:** April 28, 2004, 12:49:56 PM »

Quote from: fozzy on April 28, 2004, 11:38:29 AM

What's the climate for running my car in the morning @ bonnaroo for an hour to charge my RC batteries?

Hot! So get in the car, put the air on , lay back & charge em.

fozzy · « **Reply #9 on:** April 28, 2004, 12:52:28 PM »

Quote from: Kindguy on April 28, 2004, 12:49:56 PM

Quote from: fozzy on April 28, 2004, 11:38:29 AM
What's the climate for running my car in the morning @ bonnaroo for an hour to charge my RC batteries?

Hot! So get in the car, put the air on , lay back & charge em.

+T lol

admkrk · « **Reply #10 on:** April 28, 2004, 10:10:21 PM »

last time, when i made a beer run in the morning and stopped for gas, i just plugged into an outlet at the gas station. had reading matt. and the ol' lady was still in bed when i got back, so all was good

JAH · « **Reply #11 on:** April 29, 2004, 01:22:26 PM »

Quote from: bkirby on April 28, 2004, 11:48:57 AM

Trey,
What about bringing an additional car battery, and plugging in a inverter to use for charging. I haven't tried this, but I have heard of people who have and never had a problem! ...

That is what I did the last 2 years and will do again this year....no running the car and getting stunk out (iukwim). No issues either. As you know the m148 are SLOW chargers.

c u there

jah

deadheaded · « **Reply #12 on:** April 29, 2004, 08:08:51 PM »

i know a place that makes chargers for car cig lighter chargers. no inverters so no battery drain. great for 6 or 12 volt sla's
email me for more info deadheaded@adelphia.net

JAH · « **Reply #13 on:** April 30, 2004, 09:07:16 AM »

Quote from: deadheaded on April 29, 2004, 08:08:51 PM

i know a place that makes chargers for car cig lighter chargers. no inverters so no battery drain. great for 6 or 12 volt sla's
email me for more info deadheaded@adelphia.net

sounds good but you ahve to take juice from one batt to charge another...so there is a drain on the source batt. maybe more efficient but still a drain.

peace
jah

John R · « **Reply #14 on:** April 30, 2004, 09:14:11 AM »

trey, you're probably going to be running that genny more than you think, AC, cooking, radio, etc. just run it to charge batts too. make sure you bring enough fuel, if, it runs on it's own fuel supply.

jr

deadheaded · « **Reply #15 on:** April 30, 2004, 12:10:15 PM »

yes there is slight battery drain, but nothing that you will make you have to start your car for like an inverter would.
you could charge your batteries for a weekend festival without any significant drain on the car battery. also can charge while driving from one show to another.

Scuba Jeremy · « **Reply #16 on:** May 01, 2004, 01:06:33 AM »

Yep, the DC inverter is a wonderful thing indeed! It will be coming with me to Bonnaroo this year to help run the fan in my tent as well as charge the batteries for my gear. I'll be bringing a 12V battery from WalMart like I did for other camping activities last year. A little cheaper than a car battery, and they take trade ins, so you just bring the battery back when you're done and you get a little bit back for returning it.

recordista · « **Reply #17 on:** May 03, 2004, 04:08:01 PM »

If you're schlepping a battery around, you definitely want a true deep-cycle (not the so-called marine deep-cycles which are sorta halfway between an SLI battery and a deep-cycle.) Think Trojan T-105s or similar if you have the space & weight capacity.

I use 400 AH of Dynasty AGMs and a 170W solar panel on the roof of the camper. Also have a 12V 140A generator I built with a truck alternator in case I need to run the DC microwave (75A when running!)

AT853rxwh · « **Reply #18 on:** May 08, 2004, 06:57:10 PM »

Quote from: recordista on May 03, 2004, 04:08:01 PM

If you're schlepping a battery around, you definitely want a true deep-cycle (not the so-called marine deep-cycles which are sorta halfway between an SLI battery and a deep-cycle.) Think Trojan T-105s or similar if you have the space & weight capacity.

I use 400 AH of Dynasty AGMs and a 170W solar panel on the roof of the camper. Also have a 12V 140A generator I built with a truck alternator in case I need to run the DC microwave (75A when running!)

+T! i am running 100ah of Golf Cart Batts into a 2.5kw inverter in our motorhome, and I have 5 panels making about 20a of charge. The 4kw genset doesn't hurt either!

fozzy · « **Reply #19 on:** May 09, 2004, 01:15:22 AM »

hey mikesus you gonna be atg bonnaroo, give me a patch (electircal patch that is)

AT853rxwh · « **Reply #20 on:** May 09, 2004, 01:17:56 AM »

Might have a extension cord long enough, to make it from VA...

No, won't be there...

fozzy · « **Reply #21 on:** May 09, 2004, 01:21:20 AM »

damn oh well.

I will be running the car in the morning for an hour to charge my RC batts. one hr charge for 12.8Ah ain't that bad.

AT853rxwh · « **Reply #22 on:** May 09, 2004, 06:40:16 AM »

All depends on the charge rate. If you can push it to 4a charge, then yeah, an hour is good, as you will get a third of your power back (give or take) But if you are pushing an amp or so or less, it prolly isn't worth it...

Divided · « **Reply #23 on:** July 02, 2004, 04:17:21 PM »

Has anyone ever heard of just using large solar panels? not gigantic but big enough?

of course.. probably just cheaper to buy a 12v batt.

any suggestions for charging my 12v's?

BCostigan · « **Reply #24 on:** July 08, 2004, 07:21:43 AM »

Just thought I'd mention something about generators.

At work we frequently have to use a generator to power tools while working on a house being built. With *some* generators we've had problems if the device being plugged in is....aa......smarter? than other devices. Battery chargers, for example, often don't work right (for whatever reason). My boss has a big badass Bosch hammerdrill....that often doesn't work either due to some kinda voltage sensing electronics.

If ya use a genarator at a festi to charge your batteries I'd do my best to be sure that they are in fact charging...more often than not my cordless tool batteries wind up not getting charged when I think they are.