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Post by 58chevy on May 10, 2022 7:43:09 GMT -8
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Post by tv on May 10, 2022 11:29:42 GMT -8
I'd been looking at one like this
That gives you a couple hundred more watts for the same price. Something like this would be great for most of the evening if I'm cycling my 175W MV and some 40W BL bulbs.
It also means I don't have to drive around in the summer heat with a gas can inside my car.
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Post by kevinkk on May 10, 2022 15:10:29 GMT -8
Those are nice batteries, I use a refurbished Goal Zero 350 I bought on Ebay, it'll run my 15 watt uv lights all night. Nice and quiet,
and I can run my blu-ray player and an led stick as well.
It's a big investment, my first portable battery was stolen right out of my tent, now I'm more careful.
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Post by tv on May 10, 2022 18:37:00 GMT -8
Was the Goal Zero brand bought out by Yeti? I checked their site and they don't have anything listed by that name anymore. Everything is Yeti something or other. I'm not sure how they were priced before, but they're asking $2000 for 600W power supplies, so roughly double the price per watt of the two links above...
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Post by kevinkk on May 10, 2022 21:12:35 GMT -8
Was the Goal Zero brand bought out by Yeti? I checked their site and they don't have anything listed by that name anymore. Everything is Yeti something or other. I'm not sure how they were priced before, but they're asking $2000 for 600W power supplies, so roughly double the price per watt of the two links above... Apparently, no way would I spend 2k on a power system for anything but post apocalyptic survival. My battery was moderately priced, being refurbished at maybe 175.00. I think they were going for around 350 new, it's been a few years. I have solar panels, but they're not very practical, they will charge the double and triple A during the day. Seems like I got email ads for Yeti setups in the past, they were pricey, I suppose if you were off grid in the jungle and had some good sized solar panels. I can run ac and dc current off my battery, it was state of the art ...once. Until someone steals this one, and it'll be a gun fight, I'll keep using the 350. I really kicked around trying to justify buying an mv set up when Bioquip was closing, I've got a small generator, a nice quiet one, but I just couldn't take the leap. |
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Post by tv on May 11, 2022 11:03:14 GMT -8
Yeah even a "quiet" generator is still way louder than any of these battery packs. I have a pretty quiet generator as well, but you can't hear anything else when it's running. On my home setup, where I just have an extension cord from the house, I can hear beetles landing in the grass and moths flapping around, but with the generator I end up night blind because of the lights and half deaf. Not a great combination when I'm out in the middle of nowhere.
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Post by coloradeo on May 13, 2022 9:23:11 GMT -8
I was looking at these and wondering if I could run my MV lights for more than 45 mins... Does anyone actually have one of these mega-battery packs and have you tried running MV? I keep reading the reviews and it feels like it might not be enough juice to make it a few hours?
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Post by billgarthe on May 13, 2022 9:45:57 GMT -8
Just my opinion, but I’ll go ahead with my 1000w Honda generator. I simply run a 50-75ft ext cord out away from where I sit and it really is quite quiet and very reliable. I surely don’t want the power to wane just atm when the action picks up. I usually run a 400w and 250w bulb or two 250w bulbs w a 20w blacklight or two at the sheet. I’ve tried various battery set ups and no longer use them.
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evra
Full Member
Posts: 230
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Post by evra on May 13, 2022 11:49:07 GMT -8
It says 1002Wh, so it could run a 175w MV for a little less than 7 hrs on full charge, which isn’t terrible, but for the same price as a generator, the performance isn’t quite there. I wonder how long it takes to recharge on solar cells? Probably an entire day or more I would imagine. On a multi-night collecting trip I would definitely prefer a generator.
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Post by tv on May 14, 2022 7:46:47 GMT -8
Yeah it may not last quite as long as a generator, but it has half the size and weight of my 2000W generator. If I'm on a collecting trip in the summer in the south, I don't have to carry a gas can in the car. I've had that thing blow up like a balloon in the heat and you can't leave it out of the car while you're collecting or it wanders off with someone else. I also figure I have the opportunity to plug it in at the motel and get free recharges. It sounds like the perfect solution for me, but I'm probably not as hardcore about it as some folks.
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Post by vabrou on May 14, 2022 8:54:07 GMT -8
Think you failed at calculating how much power you will actually need. Not only do you need the electrical current to run the lamp wattage, but if a ballast is involved that may add 20% more current needed, then you failed to compensate for the loss occurring in any extension cords you may use. and the longer the cord the greater the loss in voltage. The you failed to compensate for current needed to run any cooling fans while sleeping and while pinning papering sorting storing collected specimens. Well lit work table in your tent is not a luxury when processing collected specimens. I usually have (4) 20" box fans on most of the day and night on my camping trips, or I do occasionally have a small window unit air conditioner in my camping tent, that wipes out any of your calculations, then there is the added current needed for battery charging and phone charging, operation of radios or TVs, or rechargeable flashlights, but high on the list is the current required for the refrigerator/freezer, after all how can we enjoy frozen daiquiris when the temps are 115F in the shade or enjoying the steaks cooked on the charcoal hibachi. And consider frozen daiquiris will be an absolute necessity every time after the first time you bring frozen daiquiris on blistering hot multiday fieldtrip. Then there is unexpected need as operating the air inflator trying to put air into truck tires holding 120 psi. Plan on 3 meals/day, because you can be stranded where there is no help available. Several times I left my camp site only to be blocked by huge trees that fell across roads and crews of persons with chainsaws were required to clear the road. These are some of the reasons I have two commercial grade 6,000 watt generators available for my field trips. The you need to consider the added expenses of bringing along gasoline for generator. I have brought along as much as (40) five gallon cans on long multi-night field excursions. And, if the generators run wide open, they become gas-guzzlers. It is best to bring along a spouse or collecting buddy which can be irreplaceable when trouble arises. If you do, then you will have to bring along more daiquiris, more steaks, inflatable bed, and pillows, and more fans, etc.. An unhappy spouse is not good for field collecting.
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