SurberSigns 24 Posted April 5, 2013 i am thinking about putting a inverter in my truck to run my vinyl machine off of when i go to houses and do jobs, but i am wondering if the machine puts out too many amps to where it may kill my truck..... does anybody know how many amps the 34 inch Uscutter Mk2 machine is? the side of it says 84-264 watts. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mabscotthandyman 1,410 Posted April 5, 2013 That would work out to 2.2 amps at the highest rating and under 1 amp at the 84 watt you always figure the highest amperage for sizing a inverter , generator etc . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rodger 527 Posted April 5, 2013 Being able to buy a new 3500 watt generator for $300 , I would think that would be a better solution than a inverter . IMO , Cheaper to run a generator than a vehicle & it would be a more constant source of power & more versatile . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
arty-rc 719 Posted April 5, 2013 I've been using a 300 watt inverter in my van, without the engine running, for my MH-365 cutter. I usually have it powered up for around 20-30 minutes at a time and I use my laptop using it's own battery. When I work under the canopies at the flying field, I use a 12v car battery and the inverter for power for the cutter. Naturally, I conserve the battery power by turning everything off when I am not cutting anything. I have not yet had a van or portable battery go dead on me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slice&dice 2,450 Posted April 5, 2013 The amps are small potatoes. I concur with Rodger's idea of using the small portable generator. HomeDepot sells one for $135. (free shipping) http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/203576911?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=portable+generator&storeId=10051 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dwp99 283 Posted April 5, 2013 If you didn't want to run a generator and didn't want to worry about draining your vehicle battery, you could always run two 12 volt batteries with an isolator. That way you could run one battery down to nothing and still have a fully charged battery to start your vehicle. Once started the alternator would charge both batteries. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted April 5, 2013 also make sure to use a good surge supressor. spikes can kill equipment and some generators/inverters don't put out a clean sine wave ac. just a thought Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slice&dice 2,450 Posted April 5, 2013 If you didn't want to run a generator and didn't want to worry about draining your vehicle battery, you could always run two 12 volt batteries with an isolator. That way you could run one battery down to nothing and still have a fully charged battery to start your vehicle. Once started the alternator would charge both batteries. I like this idea a lot, however where would the second battery go? There's not a whole lot of extra space under the hood to squeeze in another battery. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SurberSigns 24 Posted April 5, 2013 That generator you posted slice n dice thats pretty inexpensive.... that would probably work Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OWJones 1,981 Posted April 5, 2013 The amps are small potatoes. I concur with Rodger's idea of using the small portable generator. HomeDepot sells one for $135. (free shipping) http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/203576911?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=portable+generator&storeId=10051 I've got one of these! I work PT at the city/county landfill and somone threw one in the metal items dumpster. I pulled it out, pulled the cord and it started right up - even had gas/oil in it! Boss told me it was OK to take home as they had bigger/better ones already. Of course now that I have one, we went the whole winter without a single power outage... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slice&dice 2,450 Posted April 5, 2013 It's small, and probably relatively quiet. (Let's ask OWJONES how quietly his operates -----) Since the engine is a two-stroke, you'll require mixing oil with fuel, but that's not a big deal. You can also keep your eyes open for people selling these types of units on craigslist, I've seen them going for under $100. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OWJones 1,981 Posted April 5, 2013 Quiet isn't a word I would use to describe it. But then it did come out of a dumpster, so maybe that is why they tossed it out. It's not uncomfortably loud, but if I was at a small outdoor flea market or craft fair, I wouldn't expect my neighbors to want to put up with it for long.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slice&dice 2,450 Posted April 5, 2013 Hmmmmmmmm, that's not very reassuring. I was planning on a flea-market operation. However, for the requirements of the OP (Surber) it might be fine. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted April 5, 2013 if you want quiet there is only one name - honda 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SurberSigns 24 Posted April 5, 2013 im going to check out lowes and home depot for one in a bit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rodger 527 Posted April 5, 2013 I bought 2 3500 watt generators from Harbor Frieght right before the snowstorm od 2012 . They have given great service since then . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dwp99 283 Posted April 5, 2013 I like this idea a lot, however where would the second battery go? There's not a whole lot of extra space under the hood to squeeze in another battery. The second battery could go anywhere. This type setup is what just about every motor home uses. There is the chassis battery that runs the vehicle and the house battery that runs all the interior lights, power inverters and other house related items. An isolator is no more that a series of large diodes that isolate each battery from a discharge but combine them when the vehicle is charging. A marine deep cycle battery is commonly used for the house battery. I've attached a simple diagram of the wiring and a photo of a battery isolator. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mabscotthandyman 1,410 Posted April 5, 2013 Like Dakota said Honda for quite . Mine are troy built and both are louder then hell . The jobbsite one is 5000 watt I don't mind the .noise on the job but when I run the one for the house even with the doors and Windows closed it is still a little annoying . Dan Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SurberSigns 24 Posted April 6, 2013 a guy on the truck forum told me this: Anyway - you can calculate a deep cycle size by its Amp-hour rating (yes - that simple in your application) and go from there. If you need a weekend's worth at 2 hours per day for 2 days that is 4 amp-hr - so almost any deep cycle battery will do that.Mount the battery to the trailer and use the trucks 12v AUX circuit in the 7way to charge it while driving (and if you let it go low - use the 2 batts simply by cycling the key on) - your truck has a built in isolator / battery charger.Use proper fusing.During down-time(at night, etc) - keep the batt on a battery tender ($25) so your truck is not taking the brunt of the charging.Heck - you can put a small solar charger on that with a regulator ($100) and never think about it again - you will be off the grid for that small a load.Battery, Converter, Solar charger - easy.BTW - Volts x Amps = watts - so you can get a 500 watt inverter and be fine.All from Sears / Walmet - or Western Marine would have the Battery Tender. 114AH battery (run your rig for 4 days): $99Battery tender: $34400W inverter: $50$185 and you have 4 days worth of running your rig. No gas, no noise, no problem - easy. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OWJones 1,981 Posted April 6, 2013 114AH battery (run your rig for 4 days): $99Battery tender: $34 400W inverter: $50 $185 and you have 4 days worth of running your rig. No gas, no noise, no problem - easy. I like that solution, especially the solar charging part! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SurberSigns 24 Posted April 7, 2013 Does anybody know how many watts the mk2 pushes out? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted April 7, 2013 none - it can't produce power, now on how much it uses - you answered yourself in your first post in this thread Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SurberSigns 24 Posted April 8, 2013 i bought a $30 kill a watt ez meter from home depot. i plugged it in the wall and plugged my machine into the meter and for 10 minutes of being on.... it reads:18.8 VA10.4 WATT0.15 AMP119.5 VOLT59.9 HZthat is the #s of my vinyl machine (MK2) that i will be running in my trailer.... so the 750W converter from walmart i have has a MAX output of 200-250 watts from the cig lighter, i should be fine right?? from the #s i put above?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dakotagrafx 7,297 Posted April 8, 2013 the kill a watt meter gave you the average - what was the max when running? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SurberSigns 24 Posted April 8, 2013 i have it running now.. the meter says its been on for 2 hours and 24 minutes. and currently everything is changing while it runs.... 122.6 volts 34.9 to 36.8 VA while cutter is running.. 19-21 Watt .30 AMP 60 hz Share this post Link to post Share on other sites