Portable/emergency battery system (inverters, chargers, batteries, etc)

[W2MC 1,699]

Harbor freight sells a small generator for less than $100 with coupon... 

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/engines-generators/gas-engine-generators/900-watts-peak800-running-watts-2-hp-63cc-gas-generator-60338.html

 

And they actually run quite well, actually, for what they are.  Not as quiet or robust as a Honda, but you can buy 10 of these for the price of one Honda.  I've got one, and several people I know do, as well.  "Internet wisdom" suggests that you ditch the cheap spark plug they come with and put-in an NGK or an autolite.

[ryan_j 0]

The small HF generator is 2cycle btw, so you are going to need to mix fuels, but that isn't the biggest problem in the world. 

 

 

I always have a supply of gas and oil on hand to run the weed whacker, chainsaw, leaf blower etc. They are also selling premixed fuel at the home improvement stores and they claim that it runs better than gas and oil.

[ryan_j 0]

And they actually run quite well, actually, for what they are.  Not as quiet or robust as a Honda, but you can buy 10 of these for the price of one Honda.  I've got one, and several people I know do, as well.  "Internet wisdom" suggests that you ditch the cheap spark plug they come with and put-in an NGK or an autolite.

 

Good to know. I have seen one of my neighbors using one after Sandy. They got it as a loaner from another neighbor. They could run the fridge and a few lights.

[liquidskin 3]

This $100 generator got me thinking, could this be a realistic means of charging a deep cycle battery?

 

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

[bhunted 887]

Never heard of those motors though. Seem to get decent reviews.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

[One_crazy_dude 1]

AN audio amp is a different load from an inverter. The capacitor is a band aid designed for that load. An amp doesn't continuously draw even 30A. Some more than that but it's not a continuous draw. It does work to some degree to prevent headlight dimming but most people put it for show (which is why they have the blue LEDs and the voltage meter).

 

 

But I'm also running a cobra 1500 watt converter on the same wiring ( see my very first post ). It powered almost my whole apartment including my fridge during sandy without a hiccup. It has a voltage meter for input and output and never went over 1000watts but it had to draw some high current for a long period of time I'm sure while the car was off. That doesn't include all the other applications I've used it for.

 

I'm almost sure by the way it is discussed here in this thread my car battery or altanator, fridge should have died in some way but still runs on. Could I be just lucky? Will my car catch on fire?

 

I do have full confidence in my car that the next storm will perform like it has done in the past no matter what is said here about wiring and what can't be done. I'm not an EE and don't know it all but I do know what has worked for me in the past and believe book knowledge is only half the story.

 

I would like to know the scientific reason why it works for me and how come it haven't killed my battery all these years or popped my cap( look at that cap it's been around for a long time that's why no lights of volt meter on it.) into a million pieces.

[reagor 1]

i use a small 300w inverter that plugs into a cig lighter, then i bought a jumpbox with built in charger and its plenty for phone charging in the tent for the weekend...not running crazy tvs and such but its small portabe and has a cary handle, advantage is you can charge it indoors and also use it to jump start a dead car (ive also chargetd it by leaving it hooked up to a running car)

you could probabily increase its capacity by clamping it to another battery for those long camping trips

[ryan_j 0]

But I'm also running a cobra 1500 watt converter on the same wiring ( see my very first post ). It powered almost my whole apartment including my fridge during sandy without a hiccup. It has a voltage meter for input and output and never went over 1000watts but it had to draw some high current for a long period of time I'm sure while the car was off. That doesn't include all the other applications I've used it for.

 

I'm almost sure by the way it is discussed here in this thread my car battery or altanator, fridge should have died in some way but still runs on. Could I be just lucky? Will my car catch on fire?

 

I do have full confidence in my car that the next storm will perform like it has done in the past no matter what is said here about wiring and what can't be done. I'm not an EE and don't know it all but I do know what has worked for me in the past and believe book knowledge is only half the story.

 

I would like to know the scientific reason why it works for me and how come it haven't killed my battery all these years or popped my cap( look at that cap it's been around for a long time that's why no lights of volt meter on it.) into a million pieces.

 

When your car is running, the alternator is supplying the power to run the loads (1t 14.4 volts). The car's battery is at a lower potential. It receives charge from the alternator. 

 

With undersized wire and alternator there is a significant voltage drop at high current when the load demands it. The capacitor installed close to the load charges up and then subsequently discharges into the load on demand (eg when that bass note plays). But if you play bass heavy music or run a continuous load like an inverter, the capacitor will run out of charge after a very short time. Then your alternator has to charge it back up.  Hence, band aid. With one amp you can likely get away with it but with continuous, heavy loads it won't work. When I used to go to audio competitions I would see guys start up their system, play the test disc and then the volt meter dips to around 11.5 volts then the whole thing cuts off. Then they'd have to rev up their cars to keep up... Meanwhile the guys with the proper high output alternator have no problems. 

 

Undersized wire also has a safety issue, namely heat. 

[liquidskin 3]

Just to update anyone who may have been interested in doing the same, I just got done vacuuming my car with my 5.8 amp ridgid vac and my new 1000w harbor freight inverter didn't miss a beat. Out of an abundance of caution, I took readings of the battery to make sure I didn't drain too much. Barely drained any with the motor running. Such a cool feature to the car, really glad I did it. Worst part of the install was finding a good spot to run cable though the firewall. I'm no electrician or car guru, but I was able to do it.. Give it a shot.

 

Next I want to buy a portable jumper/inflator in case I forget to turn the inverter off.

 

Oh and the 1000w harbor freight generator : D

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[EX Carnival man 223]

IMO the technology for inverters and battery's and solar are just not cost effective . What I use is Honda Inverter generators. I can run 14 hours and 4.5 gallons of gas on my larger one. My two smaller ones are EU2000's that each can run up to 9 hours on a gallon of gas. I also parallel two together for more power. If you move you can take it with you. I also use them for backup at my Dairy Queen to keep the refrigerators and freezers going for emergency power. Even used they hold their value well.

[One_crazy_dude 1]

Just to update anyone who may have been interested in doing the same, I just got done vacuuming my car with my 5.8 amp ridgid vac and my new 1000w harbor freight inverter didn't miss a beat. Out of an abundance of caution, I took readings of the battery to make sure I didn't drain too much. Barely drained any with the motor running. Such a cool feature to the car, really glad I did it. Worst part of the install was finding a good spot to run cable though the firewall. I'm no electrician or car guru, but I was able to do it.. Give it a shot.Next I want to buy a portable jumper/inflator in case I forget to turn the inverter off.Oh and the 1000w harbor freight generator : DSent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Glad to here it all worked out and your happy with your install.

[Grapeshot 301]

  I also parallel two together for more power. 

 

Wait - you can run 2 generators in parallel with no problems? I did not know this. I always learn something new on this forum, even if it’s not necessarily about guns.

[Howard 538]

.... I also parallel two together for more power. If you move you can take it with you. I also use them for backup at my Dairy Queen to keep the refrigerators and freezers going for emergency power. Even used they hold their value well.

How can you do that?  I always thought that without special equipment that would create some bad problems as they are likely running at different frequencies.  I have a solar array on my roof and I know each time they go online the inverters have to sync with the frequency of the utility power before they come online or bad things will happen.  I would imagine that with two generators running at out of sync frequencies you would end up with lots of spikes and troughs in voltage.

[ryan_j 0]

The Honda generators have a special port and cable you use. It basically syncs the inverters together. I've seen this on Champion inverter generators as well. 

 

Don't attempt to parallel other generators together. It won't work and you may damage the generators. 

[ryan_j 0]

IMO the technology for inverters and battery's and solar are just not cost effective . What I use is Honda Inverter generators. I can run 14 hours and 4.5 gallons of gas on my larger one. My two smaller ones are EU2000's that each can run up to 9 hours on a gallon of gas. I also parallel two together for more power. If you move you can take it with you. I also use them for backup at my Dairy Queen to keep the refrigerators and freezers going for emergency power. Even used they hold their value well.

 

I have the same one you do, the EU6500iS. Has never skipped a beat. Great generator. 

[EX Carnival man 223]

Wait - you can run 2 generators in parallel with no problems? I did not know this. I always learn something new on this forum, even if it’s not necessarily about guns.

The Honda EU series generators all but the EU6500 can be.  They have a computer board built in. You have to plug in the parallel cables before you start them up.

[EX Carnival man 223]

I have the same one you do, the EU6500iS. Has never skipped a beat. Great generator. 

I agree Ryan. The Honda EU6500 is the best generator I've ever owned.  Its very quiet, very fuel efficient, and strong enough for my whole house. My house is natural gas so that saves me a lot of power. The CF bulbs also help a lot. An inlet box outside, and an interlock on the main panel make it easy and fast to hookup the generator.

[Howard 538]

Ok that makes sense then, I guess what it does is sync the waves so they are producing at the same frequency like my solar inverters have to work together.

[Grapeshot 301]

This is what I thought, and makes a whole lot more sense. Thanks.

[EX Carnival man 223]

I would never do this but it was interesting to watch.

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0Q0TSwKBNI