how many amps/watts is the MK2

[SurberSigns 24]

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.

[mabscotthandyman 1,410]

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 .

[Rodger 527]

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 .

[arty-rc 719]

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.

[slice&dice 2,450]

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

 

 

[dwp99 283]

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.

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

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

[slice&dice 2,450]

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.

[SurberSigns 24]

That generator you posted slice n dice thats pretty inexpensive.... that would probably work

[OWJones 1,981]

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...

[slice&dice 2,450]

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.

[OWJones 1,981]

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....

[slice&dice 2,450]

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.

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

if you  want quiet there is only one name - honda

[SurberSigns 24]

im going to check out lowes and home depot for one in a bit.

[Rodger 527]

I bought 2 3500 watt generators from Harbor Frieght right before the snowstorm od 2012 . They have given great service since then .

[dwp99 283]

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. 

[mabscotthandyman 1,410]

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

[SurberSigns 24]

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): $99
Battery tender: $34
400W inverter: $50


$185 and you have 4 days worth of running your rig. No gas, no noise, no problem - easy.

[OWJones 1,981]

114AH battery (run your rig for 4 days): $99

Battery 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!

[SurberSigns 24]

Does anybody know how many watts the mk2 pushes out?

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

none - it can't produce power, now on how much it uses - you answered yourself in your first post in this thread

[SurberSigns 24]

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 VA
10.4 WATT
0.15 AMP
119.5 VOLT
59.9 HZ

that 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??

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

the kill a watt meter gave you the average - what was the max when running?

[SurberSigns 24]

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