Go Back   RCCrawler Forums > Miscellaneous > Chit Chat
Loading

Notices

Thread: School me on power for my trailer

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 07-24-2007, 01:35 PM   #21
Winner of the '07 RCC dumbass award!
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Up on a Mountain, out in the Woods
Posts: 661
Default Batterys + inverter + Alternator

I have found the best setup for my hi amp-draw lifestyle is to run 2 deep cycle batterys, a 2200 watt Power inverter and a alternator off a toyota to keep it all happy.

I ran my alternator off an Electric Start 11Hp Murry Lawnmower engine running about 1000Rpm. (relativly quiet with a good muffler)

We ran two large desktop computers networked together to wireless internet through verizon and a laptop for all night off the batts.
Hell, We ran the 800watt AC and 1500 watt heat off the batteries and alternator goin.

I have run my 15amp 110v welder off just the batteries for a couple quick beads. Or fire up the alternator and I can weld for as long as I have gas.
not 100% duty cycle of course...

We could play playstation hooked to a 20 inch TV through a VCR all night just on the batteries...

Not to mention all the R/C batteries being charged.... Cell Phones, Hair Dryers...

Obviously you don't need an 11HP...

At First we ran a 1.5hp to the alternator... It didn't have the power to keep up with high demand but it would full charge the batteries back up on a gallon of gas while we were gone.

You could scale the setup way down too...
I'm sure most people don't eat the kind of power we do in the woods...

Electronics don't like generators. Many will say different. We are all entitles to our own opinions.

The computer I am typing to you on now was run off that setup for hundreds of hours.

My setup will forever be as listed, Batteries, Inverter, Alternator.

I have never burned out one single piece of electronic equipment.

And I have put MANY hundreds of hours of use on it.

All on a E-Bay Inverter and Walmart deep cycles
WheelChair is offline   Reply With Quote
Sponsored Links
Old 07-24-2007, 02:56 PM   #22
I wanna be Dave
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Albuquerque
Posts: 2,206
Default

Did some calling around in town, the Honda EU1600 (1600 watt) is about $1079. Hrm, price vs silence, man that's a lot of money for a quiet small generator.

Especially hard decision compared to that Pep Boys Power Pro 3500 surge watts for $279.
Cloak is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-24-2007, 03:05 PM   #23
Rock Crawler
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Salem, Orcrc
Posts: 756
Default

go with the cheaper one and just build a shell to dampen the noise.
clod booster is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-24-2007, 03:08 PM   #24
RCC Addict
 
SPECIAL ED's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Utah
Posts: 1,124
Default

The honda gen. is a great investment. Solar panels are also a great way to go with recharging batteries. There is a guy that has a Tuff Shed cabin in the moutians and all he uses is solar to power his cabin. Any local rv/trailer shop will beable to send you in the right direction.
SPECIAL ED is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-24-2007, 03:10 PM   #25
Winner of the '07 RCC dumbass award!
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Up on a Mountain, out in the Woods
Posts: 661
Default

Inverter: $329
2 Deep cycle's: $160
Alternator: $10 from junkyard


Having quiet power cheap: Priceless!
WheelChair is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-24-2007, 03:19 PM   #26
I wanna be Dave
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Albuquerque
Posts: 2,206
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by WheelChair View Post
Inverter: $329
2 Deep cycle's: $160
Alternator: $10 from junkyard


Having quiet power cheap: Priceless!
Ok sure, but I'm still having to hook this alternator up to an engine, right? I'm totally daft when it comes to engines, I honestly have no idea what is involved in that.

Edit: Google tells me some sort of pulley system to transfer the rpms of the motor to the alternator and then from there either used or stored in the battery.

I can see the merits of that. You could always hook up a UPS in line to even out the flow of electricity to the electronics.

Quote:
Originally Posted by clod booster View Post
go with the cheaper one and just build a shell to dampen the noise.
I'm going to have to listen to the Honda and maybe listen to another one to determine what I think an acceptable noise level is. The tightwad in me is saying just get the cheap one and make a noise damper. I get much more wattage available and I can keep the whole electricity budget within $1000. I could still get an inverter, 2 batteries and the generator for under $1000, then I can run off batteries and/or the generator.

Hrm... doing that I could almost buy a cheap projector and still be under that $1000 budget.

Last edited by Cloak; 07-24-2007 at 03:30 PM.
Cloak is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-24-2007, 03:48 PM   #27
Winner of the '07 RCC dumbass award!
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Up on a Mountain, out in the Woods
Posts: 661
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cloak View Post
Ok sure, but I'm still having to hook this alternator up to an engine, right? I'm totally daft when it comes to engines, I honestly have no idea what is involved in that.

Before we had the alternator setup though....

We had the 6 connector trailer connector and the Jeep Charged the trailer Batteries.

Just make sure and disconnect the trailer if you are not running the truck...
Otherwise you could drain your truck Batt and be stranded.

All I did to build the alternator was run a belt from the engine to the alternator.
Then, being a one wire alternator... simply apply 12v and Bam you have a alternator!

My alternator is build in the woods @ 10,000 feet from a old aluminum polaris snow mobile tunnel I found.

The engine is mounted and so is the alternator.

Before that setup I just ran a bracket off a brigs and stratton to hold an alternator.

Nice and compact.

You would not need a huge motor if your not using all kinds of power....

Hell, I should start selling bracket kits, It has worked beautifully for me.



For your setup I would just run a nice inverter, 2 deep cycles, Get a CHEAP solar panel for the roof, And charge it off the truck when it runs low.

It sounds like you are not going to be pulling 1000watts all the time...
I bet you would be surprised at how long your Power would last with this setup.

Try to get an efficient inverter. I believe mine was like 90% efficient.

2000 Watt Continuous

2200 Watt max

4000 Watt High Surge

Freq 60Hz +or- 3%

Pure Regulation Modified Sine Wave


Like I said before, If you are wanting to run electronics, Inverters are easier on things.

I love mine, When I am home, It plugs in and charges that batteries at 20 amps and then keeps them maintained whan I am not using the trailer.

Just my thoughts and findings man.... You might be better off to just get the $279 generator and build a quieter muffler.

Use a Toyota muffler, I used to have a hard time knowing it was still running it was so quiet.

Little things like a laptop and i Pod and the occasional R/c Battery charge donot take much power.

You might also be able to get away with one deep cycle, a Small, (>1000w) inverter and just charge with the truck.

Hope I have helped!

I love my Power in the middle of nowhere!
WheelChair is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-24-2007, 04:10 PM   #28
Newbie
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Oshkosh
Posts: 26
Default

I deal with portable generators every day at my job (I am a test tech for Baldor Generators)

This in my opining is one of the best made generators out there:
http://www.wisesales.com/RG4300iS.html

Basically the inverter technology it basically only works as hard as it needs to. The engine RPM will change based on load!

The cost may be a little more but you wont have to buy anything else to deaden the noise these are very quiet generators!!!

If you have any other questions feel free to ask, like i said i deal with this ever day and i have a very extensive background in the power generation field
HVFracingwilly is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-24-2007, 04:13 PM   #29
I wanna be Dave
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Albuquerque
Posts: 2,206
Default

Eek, and here I was complaining about the $1100 price tag. Thanks for the info.

I'm going to poke around and look at the solar panels as well. That's an interesting idea, especially since we're talking about me being in the southwest. We don't usually have a shortage of sunlight around here.

Edit: Hrm, very interesting - ebay inverter.

Edit 2- these solar panels are kinda cool. Briefcase one

Last edited by Cloak; 07-24-2007 at 04:22 PM.
Cloak is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-24-2007, 04:25 PM   #30
Winner of the '07 RCC dumbass award!
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Up on a Mountain, out in the Woods
Posts: 661
Default Inverter I use:









Use LARGE battery cables!
WheelChair is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-24-2007, 04:30 PM   #31
RCC Addict
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Sin City
Posts: 1,852
Default

Go to a equipment rental co. and see if they have a used Honda for sale. a good used E2000 should run $650-700
drumbeater is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-24-2007, 04:31 PM   #32
Winner of the '07 RCC dumbass award!
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Up on a Mountain, out in the Woods
Posts: 661
Default

13 watts solar is not much.... It will take a couple days to fullcharge a deepcycle....

But it seams the price is comming down from when I was looking years ago...
WheelChair is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-24-2007, 07:12 PM   #33
I wanna be Dave
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Orlando
Posts: 7,420
Default

You can always buy the cheap generator and stick it 200 feet away from where you work.I would not go with the solar panels.What else besides R/C would this trailer be used for.
ColquittCustom405 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-24-2007, 07:31 PM   #34
I wanna be Dave
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Albuquerque
Posts: 2,206
Default

Well, semi-short term I'll be using it for moving out of this house and into the new one. The new house will be done in October, so that could be any time between now and then.

Out side of that, I'm thinking mostly just a good excuse to carry crap back and forth on weekend trips. I really plan on doing some more camping and I would love to have some power available for that and I can bring along stuff that won't fit in my Liberty.
Cloak is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-28-2007, 07:14 PM   #35
I wanna be Dave
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Albuquerque
Posts: 2,206
Default

Update on what I'm doing.

1) I ordered that 2500/5000 watt inverter. I'm still deciding on the batteries. I don't know if I want to go with the Optimas purely on price alone. I'm going to check on Monday with one of the local battery companies. They often have blems where nothing more than superficial scratches are seen. I might buy one or 2 of those.

2) I had pretty much decided on waiting on the generator. I almost bought the Honda this week, good thing I had forgotten my wallet at work.

Then I was looking today and I scored a great price on a brand new EU2000i off of ebay, so good I just couldn't pass it up. So it looks like I'm going to get me a Honda generator after all. One great side benefit is that it will fit perfectly inside that locking metal box in front of the trailer.

On to non-electrical things. I put in flooring today and shelves. Tomorrow I'm going to make a 2 piece folding work table. That way I can have one long area or 2 smaller ones. I still have to buy and run lights.

Pics!


Last edited by Cloak; 07-28-2007 at 07:29 PM.
Cloak is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-28-2007, 07:18 PM   #36
I wanna be Dave
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Orlando
Posts: 7,420
Default

Sweet start Pete,both pictures are same......
ColquittCustom405 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-28-2007, 07:29 PM   #37
I wanna be Dave
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Albuquerque
Posts: 2,206
Default

If one is good, 2 is better, right?

Fixed.
Cloak is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-28-2007, 08:34 PM   #38
Rock Crawler
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: LaSalle
Posts: 819
Default

I have a suggestion for ya cloak on your shelves/cubbie holes take a piece of wood about 2" tall and 1" thick and screw it to the shelves to keep stuff on the shelves from falling off while its in transit. you get what i mean?
Mikekx65 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-28-2007, 08:39 PM   #39
I wanna be Dave
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Albuquerque
Posts: 2,206
Default

I thought about it and I was even telling the wife that after I finished. I was also thinking of putting eye bolts up there and either get some netting or just use bungee cords to strap them down.
Cloak is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-28-2007, 08:43 PM   #40
Rock Crawler
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: LaSalle
Posts: 819
Default

i would even take some of that 2x2 you have left over and put it on there just in case you put smaller parts on the shelves that the net or bungie cord wouldnt catch
Mikekx65 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply



Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:21 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO ©2011, Crawlability, Inc.
Copyright 2004-2014 RCCrawler.com