blackpaws 18 Posted February 27, 2014 I signed up for a couple shows this year that don't allow generators, and don't provide electric. I'd really like to have electric to run my laptop and graphtec cutter, enough to last me a good 10 hour day. I did some research and it sounds like my only option might be to get a couple marine batteries with an inverter. Does anyone else have any other suggestions? I wanted to originally just use a huge backup batter/powersource but I don't think any of them would store enough juice for me for all day. Then again I'm not even sure how much juice I need. Help? Thanks in advance. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZ SKEETER 4,709 Posted February 27, 2014 Good thing I have a good memory, and read a lot on here: From last summer. http://forum.uscutter.com/index.php?/topic/41715-free-power-well-after-you-pay-for-it-then-its-free/?hl=%2Bsolar+%2Bpanel Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cal 393 Posted February 27, 2014 Thanks Ms Skeeter, that was an interesting thread. Cal 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chipperi 45 Posted February 27, 2014 Being a amateur radio operator (HAM) I can assure you that a solar panel, inverter, and a good deep cycle marine or gel battery will do just fine for a laptop and cutter. Just my small 2 meter radio can draw 10 amps, and I can run all day as long as there are delays in transmissions so the solar panel has time to recover the battery. A laptop and cutter won't draw anywhere near that amperage, and you wont be cutting constantly so you shouldn't have any problems. I'll look up some links for you. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OWJones 1,981 Posted February 27, 2014 As the author of the original post, I can chime in here and say it's still working just fine. Harbor Freight lists their solar panel system on sale on a regular basis (currently available with coupon for $159). I'm actually considering adding a whole second set. I'm on a community events committee (we did ZombieFest last year) and we're going to be doing a big outdoor flea market/swap meet this summer in a park with very limited electric hookups and and I'm thinking with a second set I could sell some excess power to my neighbors at shows who need low amperage power for charging cell phones, running laptops, etc. Need to see if there is any way to make two systems fit on one wagon so it'll be easy to transport... Pic shows just the panels sitting out in the sun... with the authentic native american teepee in the background (the owners of which later bought 2 banners from me) 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Royal foam 0 Posted February 27, 2014 Which Material is better for hard coat ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bertie 5 Posted February 27, 2014 Solar panels are great if you're lucky enough to get a sunny day, what if it rains? the battery will need to have sufficient power to provide for this eventually. Good luck and I hope you get a sunny day Bertie Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OWJones 1,981 Posted February 27, 2014 Solar panels are great if you're lucky enough to get a sunny day, what if it rains? the battery will need to have sufficient power to provide for this eventually. Good luck and I hope you get a sunny day Bertie That's why you charge the battery before you ever leave the house... and if it's rainy enough that you can't get any sunlight, you probably won't get much of a crowd at your booth... These systems run off of a charged battery and the solar panels are there to keep the battery system topped off... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
blackpaws 18 Posted February 27, 2014 That is a really awesome idea. The only issue I can see having is not having the space to set up the panels. I know that the 1 event is on a street and tents are side by side. The streets get packed with people and so idk if it would be feasible there. The other show is in the woods (state park) so I have a feeling sunlight will be scarce there. Why I can't use a generator at either show is beyond me. I have a million questions now... If I were to just get some marine batteries and charge them up before the show, how many batteries do you think I'd need? If I use the solar panels to charge a marine battery, does it take the same amount of time to charge compared to using power from my house? How long does it take a marine battery to fully charge? Ok just 3 questions but I'm sure if they get answered I'll have even more, lol. Thanks for your responses everyone so far!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dawn's Design 403 Posted February 27, 2014 That's why you charge the battery before you ever leave the house... and if it's rainy enough that you can't get any sunlight, you probably won't get much of a crowd at your booth... These systems run off of a charged battery and the solar panels are there to keep the battery system topped off... This is what I was thinking. If it's raining there want be a show anyway. I know I wouldn't be out in it. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chipperi 45 Posted February 28, 2014 That is a really awesome idea. The only issue I can see having is not having the space to set up the panels. I know that the 1 event is on a street and tents are side by side. The streets get packed with people and so idk if it would be feasible there. The other show is in the woods (state park) so I have a feeling sunlight will be scarce there. Why I can't use a generator at either show is beyond me. I have a million questions now... If I were to just get some marine batteries and charge them up before the show, how many batteries do you think I'd need? If I use the solar panels to charge a marine battery, does it take the same amount of time to charge compared to using power from my house? How long does it take a marine battery to fully charge? Ok just 3 questions but I'm sure if they get answered I'll have even more, lol. Thanks for your responses everyone so far!! 1: Depends on the Amp Hour rating (Ah) of the batteries and how much you draw. 2: as long as you aren't running constantly they will do a pretty good job when combined with a quality charge controller. 3:Depends on the charge controller and the amp rating of the panel. Unfortunately no clear cut answers. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OWJones 1,981 Posted March 1, 2014 1: Depends on the Amp Hour rating (Ah) of the batteries and how much you draw. 2: as long as you aren't running constantly they will do a pretty good job when combined with a quality charge controller. 3:Depends on the charge controller and the amp rating of the panel. Unfortunately no clear cut answers. My marine battery is rated 122 Amp Hours @ 1A - I'm not sure how much current the inverter actually draws - I'll have to remember a multimeter next time I set it up and measure the current draw. The inverter has two 25W fuses, so if we assume it can draw a max of 50W, then that would be... uh, carry the 1... about 4.2 A at max draw, which should theoretically provide 24 hours from my battery - theoretically, but I imagine would be less. Since I turn the inverter off when I'm not cutting, that lengthens the battery life significantly - the laptop runs on it's own battery for at least a couple of hours before I would need to toggle the inverter back on. My charge controller has two 12V cigarette outlets (one high amperage for the inverter and one normal) and I kept a 12V fan plugged into the normal one that I kept running 16-18 hours each day and it didn't seem to affect the voltage level at all while the panels were getting sun. I had two cold cathode 12V lights plugged in for after dark and kept those going for a few hours, again with no significant drop in battery voltage. The controller also has a USB port for charging my cell phone and 3V and 6V ports with a multi-adapter that will power most devices that have a port for an AC adapter. The big factor on how long the batteries will last without sunlight (or a charger) is going to be the power level and efficiency of the inverter. I would not buy an inverter that is significantly larger than what you need (so far the 410W inverter I bought has been more than enough to charge my laptop and run the cutter at the same time. I looked at one of the BIG monster inverters that would also let me operate my heat press, but I have a feeling it would suck a battery dry really fast. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
