login
Using a bank of car batteries for portable power
-
No new posts
 2010-10-05 9:54 AM |
Master  1517   Western MA near the VT & NH border on the CT river |  Subject: Using a bank of car batteries for portable powerIm not an electrician, but I watch a lot of TV... Here is my dilemma - I am part of a 'spooky halloween play/scavenger hunt' fundraiser in Western Mass and we're using a new location that doesnt have power at some of the remote stages. We have generators, but even with a sound wall and loud music, you can still hear the hum. The generator may not be the best for our use, its a 5000 watt home model, where most of the stages can get away w/ 1000 watts - so we think RV generators may be better, but we dont have the cash to buy them at this point. But I also thought - what about 'recycling' used car batteries, (or deep cycle RV) lining them up in a parallel line, using a 2000 watt inverter and whala - power w/ no noise. We can recharge over night and during the day (16 hours) I saw this on 'The Colony' and they were powering a welder with their rig and repowering using a windmill so I thought why cant I do this. The simple answer is" I dont know how. I dont know how many batteries I need either. Basically, each stage needs to run 1000 watts (600w lights, 100w stereo, >200w peripherals) for about 6 hours. I used this calculator and found out I need 1500 amp/hrs to get 7.5 hours of run time at 1000 w. If I use RV batteries I need 8. Car batteries I need 30. Is this right? Am I crazy to think this will this even work? Thanks in advance. and [shameless plug coming] if you happen to be in Western Mass, near Vermont and New Hampshire and want to experience a halloween event thats not scary and is suitable for most kids 7 and up, then give us a try: Skeleton Crew Theater.  |
| 2010-10-05 10:30 AM in reply to: #3133435 |
Master 5557  , California | Subject: RE: Using a bank of car batteries for portable power My concern would be where you're going to place the batteries. You need some sort of compartment that's going to protect them against moisture. At the same time you need to be able to lock it down and with that size of apparatus I'd advise against going anywhere near it with any metal on you. Also need to make sure it has adequate ventilation and probably a fan setup to ensure you don't get a buildup of hydrogen gas in the compartment. In other words - safety first - and don't hesitate to chat with an electrician if you think you're getting in over your head. |
| 2010-10-05 10:35 AM in reply to: #3133513 |
Master 1517 Western MA near the VT & NH border on the CT river | Subject: RE: Using a bank of car batteries for portable power spudone - 2010-10-05 11:30 AM My concern would be where you're going to place the batteries. You need some sort of compartment that's going to protect them against moisture. At the same time you need to be able to lock it down and with that size of apparatus I'd advise against going anywhere near it with any metal on you. Also need to make sure it has adequate ventilation and probably a fan setup to ensure you don't get a buildup of hydrogen gas in the compartment. In other words - safety first - and don't hesitate to chat with an electrician if you think you're getting in over your head. Thanks - I know enough about electricity to know that I dont know enough. The bank would be covered and brought in at night (put on a wagon) and if its raining, we dont have a show. I also think that the batteries that would be ideal are too expensive for our first time out. I think we're stuck w/ the gennies |
| 2010-10-05 10:38 AM in reply to: #3133435 |
Veteran 191 Husk, NC | Subject: RE: Using a bank of car batteries for portable power It would be much easier/cheaper to rent a Honda 2000 generator and purchase 6 bales of hay. Surround and cover the generator with the hay bales and you will hardly hear it. EDIT: The Honda can run for 6-8 hrs on one gallon of gas Edited by bighorsecreek 2010-10-05 10:41 AM |
| 2010-10-06 9:47 AM in reply to: #3133435 |
Master 3546 Millersville, MD | Subject: RE: Using a bank of car batteries for portable power I very much agree that generator is the way to go! |
| 2010-10-06 9:59 AM in reply to: #3133539 |
Master 2380 Beijing | Subject: RE: Using a bank of car batteries for portable power bighorsecreek - 2010-10-04 11:38 AM It would be much easier/cheaper to rent a Honda 2000 generator and purchase 6 bales of hay. Surround and cover the generator with the hay bales and you will hardly hear it. EDIT: The Honda can run for 6-8 hrs on one gallon of gas Agreed. the Honda generators are unbelieveably quiet. Buy/rent with confidence. However if you have batteries/inverter handy, and a wagon to put it all in, then your idea sounds OK. YOu don't need a good enclosure for car batteries. In fact, its much safer without an enclosure. Just make sure they're strapped down to something. (or each other) if you're concerned about moisture (you don't really need to be) you can throw a tarp over the whole business. If you're using an inverter, you'll need to protect it from the weather. ETA: the only "protection" you'd need for the batteries is to prevent something falling across the contacts of the batteries and shorting them out. If you've got all of the batteries in a line, a simple wood cover of the posts will do fine. My guess is that by the time you get to the cost of connecting all the batteries together (big cables are big $$$) you will be in the neighborhood of a generator rental. Edited by moondawg14 2010-10-06 10:03 AM |
| 2010-10-06 10:03 AM in reply to: #3133435 |
Master 1517 Western MA near the VT & NH border on the CT river | Subject: RE: Using a bank of car batteries for portable power Thanks all - just trying to come up w/ different options and solutions. Maybe not for this year, but could be a good winter project. Generators and sound effects it is |
| 2010-10-06 10:13 AM in reply to: #3133435 |
Champion 16151 Checkin' out the podium girls | Subject: RE: Using a bank of car batteries for portable power Let us know how your Darwin award winning project works out! |
| 2010-10-06 10:59 AM in reply to: #3135919 |
Sensei Sin City | Subject: RE: Using a bank of car batteries for portable power Hook your bike up to the generator and use pedal power. 200 watts for six hours? No prob. Edited by Kido 2010-10-06 11:00 AM |
| 2010-10-06 11:26 AM in reply to: #3136100 |
| Master 5557 , California | Subject: RE: Using a bank of car batteries for portable power Kido - 2010-10-06 8:59 AM Hook your bike up to the generator and use pedal power. 200 watts for six hours? No prob. Invite Lance Armstrong. He'll think it's a celebrity apperance for the kids. Then when he arrives, send him out back to start generating watts  |
| 2010-10-06 1:02 PM in reply to: #3133435 |
Champion 7347 SRQ, FL | Subject: RE: Using a bank of car batteries for portable power In theory this will work. In reality the current models of Honda generators are very quiet. Just get a generator and some sound shielding. |
| 2010-10-06 1:29 PM in reply to: #3133435 |
| Subject: RE: Using a bank of car batteries for portable power I'm just curious as to how much a "bank of batteries" would cost in relation to a generator. |
| 2010-10-07 7:51 AM in reply to: #3136577 |
Master 2380 Beijing | Subject: RE: Using a bank of car batteries for portable power tri808 - 2010-10-05 2:29 PM I'm just curious as to how much a "bank of batteries" would cost in relation to a generator. It really, really depends. You can get a cheap, loud generator for about 700 bucks. You can get an expensive, quiet generator for about 1200 bucks. In this example, the loud generator has about 2.5x the power capacity. If you had to go out and buy batteries and an inverter to do what he wants to do, even the quiet generator is a bargain. If you already had the inverter and could "scare up" a few batteries... of course it would be "cheaper." |
| 2010-10-07 8:02 AM in reply to: #3133435 |
| Payson, AZ | Subject: RE: Using a bank of car batteries for portable power We use to get the dry cell batteries out of the buoys they use to mark the channels. They take them out before they are dead because ... well, because. But, there is still plenty of juice left in them to run a TV. Many a night at the camp with no electricity still getting to watch the hockey games with the dry cell batteries and rabbit ears. |
| 2010-10-07 8:07 AM in reply to: #3136577 |
Champion 5376 PA | Subject: RE: Using a bank of car batteries for portable power tri808 - 2010-10-06 2:29 PM I'm just curious as to how much a "bank of batteries" would cost in relation to a generator. 3 hrs of your time between 1am - 4am and they are free if you do it right. |
| 2010-10-07 8:09 AM in reply to: #3135862 |
Champion 5376 PA | Subject: RE: Using a bank of car batteries for portable power moondawg14 - 2010-10-06 10:59 AM bighorsecreek - 2010-10-04 11:38 AM It would be much easier/cheaper to rent a Honda 2000 generator and purchase 6 bales of hay. Surround and cover the generator with the hay bales and you will hardly hear it. EDIT: The Honda can run for 6-8 hrs on one gallon of gas Agreed. the Honda generators are unbelieveably quiet. Buy/rent with confidence. However if you have batteries/inverter handy, and a wagon to put it all in, then your idea sounds OK. YOu don't need a good enclosure for car batteries. In fact, its much safer without an enclosure. Just make sure they're strapped down to something. (or each other) if you're concerned about moisture (you don't really need to be) you can throw a tarp over the whole business. If you're using an inverter, you'll need to protect it from the weather. I agree. Vent off the hydrogen they give off while being charged. |
|
|
|
View profile
Add to friends
Go to training log
Go to race log
Send a message
View album
CONNECT WITH FACEBOOK