| On Sat, 03 Nov 2007 03:23:59 GMT, "Martha Adams" <
[email protected]>
| wrote:
|
| >Well, it depends upon what the printer needs. This isn't
| >the place for a laser printer. Look in Radio Shack stores
| >for an inverter -- a device that takes battery DC in and
| >puts (very approximately) house style 120V AC out.
| >Get an inverter rated for continuous service at your
| >printer load plus 50%.
| >
| >You don't want a car battery for this: you want a *deep
| >discharge* battery, i.e., a battery which is designed to be
| >discharged far down. Car batteries are made for the load
| >cycle of starting a car: hundreds of amps for a few
| >seconds, they won't last long in deep-discharge service.
| >
| >Anyhow, borrow stuff if you can to try it out; then you
| >can buy hardware that will do the trick. Do test your
| >setup to see if it stays alive as long as you need.
|
| I'm actually planning to buy a 1500 watt battery/inverter pack, but it
| will cost $250 and will only run my photography setup. It will not be
| enough to run my printer and external hard drive. So, I need to come
| up with a second battery setup. Preferably not one that costs another
| $200.
|
| I had a cash register that ran with a battery pack that held 6 size D
| batteries. And I think something like that would be great for the
| printer and external hard drive, which I don't need to run all that
| much. Then I could use rechargable batteries in it.
|
| Most shows, I get power. But some shows charge for power, and I don't
| like the idea of paying $80 for 3 partial days of electricty. I have
| at least 3 shows a year at that location, so I have to maket my setup
| completely self sufficient before the next show there in January.
If the show charges for power watch out that they don't have some regulation
preventing you from using batteries. Might nail you for lead acid battery
but let you in with gelcell (then again they may not). We had a h*ll of a
time with a trade show where we had mock up batteries. Just plastic cases
with dead weight inside. The show HAMAT office about died when I smashed one
with a big hammer.
Try not to oversize the inverter as stand by/idel current is a function of
the total capacity. This is best accomplished by figuring out you max load
and duty cycle. FWIW most battery inverter systems are way over designed
for the job but often shorted on the battery capacity.
Also you may have to go to a modified sine wave with less than 5% distortion
of the electronics of your equipment may not work.
We have a hot full time system in our studio using golf cart 6 volt deep
cycle batteries in series. Our system is recarged by a small roof top
photovolt system.
I can use it to drive the gas central heat fan for 3-4 days. Less if it's
really cold out or the sun don't shine.
