| Author | Message | ||
| captain ron (Captain_ron)
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I bought a 5000/10000 watt inverter made by Aims for $356 plus shipping. so by next weekend my interior and electrical should be mostly done. Hope I'm happy so TwoDogs can't say I told you so  | ||
| TWODOGS (Twodogs)
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.................... | ||
| Brian Brown (Fishbowlbrian)
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Wow! That's one freaking huge inverter. Let us know how it works out for you. Where'd you get such a good deal?? BB | ||
| captain ron (Captain_ron)
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E-Bay. | ||
| Brian (Bigbusguy)
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12 or 24 volt? brian 4905 | ||
| captain ron (Captain_ron)
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12 volt. you can buy a new one for about 550.00 I think. I did a search on google for aims power inverter. theres some more inverters that size on ebay but a bit more money | ||
| Craig (Ceieio)
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Wow - that's huge watts for so little bucks! Too bad it doesn't come in a 24v for that price... I would consider one for a backup to my inverter. Craig - MC7 PS: Cap'n Ron - I like your style. In the words of John Cameron Swayze (the Timex dude) you "take a lickin' and keep on tickin'." Too many thin-skinned people out there (including me sometimes). | ||
| Sean Welsh (Sean)
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Ron, I looked at the specs for your inverter. I'm guessing you are not planning on cabling and fusing the DC side for 850 amps, which is how much this unit will draw before its output fuses trip. Whatever you cable for on the DC side, make sure you also fuse the DC side for that amount or less. After that, I recommend you put a main breaker between the inverter output and your main electrical panel, rated at no more than 1/12 whatever your DC fuse is. So, for example, if you fuse the DC side at 400 amps, put a 30amp main breaker in. This should ensure that you will trip the easily resettable 30-amp AC circuit breaker rather than blow the expensive and harder-to-replace DC fuse. FWIW. -Sean | ||
| FAST FRED Rating: N/A |
AS batterys dont like to be drawn down too fast , 10% being fine thats 8500AH of battery power for full output. About 8500 lbs and two bays worth! Have NEVER heard of a coach with this comittment to boondockin silently . GREAT!!! FAST FRED | ||
| captain ron (Captain_ron)
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My hook up for the inverter is the same as the shore power and the generator. I have a 30 amp breaker in a diconect box with a 30 amp plug to plug into. JJ designed my electrical and I have great confidence in his ability so every thing will be ok. only one power source can be used or hooked up at a time. so I can't accidently burn any thing up. JJ took in consideration for my ignorence in electrical stuff and made it idot proof . FF I plan on chaining 9 volt copper top batteries together to get the amount of amp hours you say I need. Then pulling a 24 foot trailer to hold them there fore freeing up bay space | ||
| Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat)
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Since it's a "modified sine" inverter (which is basically salesman's BS for "square wave inverter with some filtering") I'd be interested to see how your computer, television, and other electronic gear functions, as well as how it runs items with induction motors, like A/C and refrig. compressors. I tried a modified sine inverter before I made the decision to go 12 volt / Onan for everything, and these are the things I ran in to: *Computer would not boot sometimes, and it crashed often, going off into never-never land at random *Wireless devices would NOT work (mouse, keyboard, ethernet) *Motosat would NOT work at all (the one you now have, Sean...) *A/C would not run on it *LCD monitor that I use for backup camera/DVD had MUCH hash lines and distortion Once I got rid of the inverter, everything instantly cleared up. Bottom line, yes M.S. inverters will run a lot of things... lights, brush-type motors, radiant heaters, toasters, some electronic things... but they put out so much harmonic RFI that I won't have one again... Best of luck, and please report in what your experience is once you start using it... Gary | ||
| John that newguy Rating: N/A |
Bummer, Ron. I'll bet it'll rain all day the day you install it, too. Oh well. shiplap happens. Euthanasia may be the only answer, now.. (Them euthanasia work for peanuts, usually for Walmart) | ||
| Ron Walker (Prevost82)
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"AS batterys dont like to be drawn down too fast , 10% being fine thats 8500AH of battery power for full output. About 8500 lbs and two bays worth! Have NEVER heard of a coach with this comittment to boondockin silently . GREAT!!! FAST FRED" Well FF, I have 6-2v (in series)GNB "Asolyte IIP 100A57 batteries. NOM AH CAP (100 HR) = 3190 per cell. They measure 24"H x 18"W x 24"D weight is around 800lbs and fit in the bus battery bay where the 2 8D's use to be. Ron | ||
| TWODOGS (Twodogs)
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and...ron ....has two car batteries... | ||
| R. Steve Nichol (N4rsn)
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Ron: I hope this inverter works!! It looks like the cats meow. Take a look at it, as soon as you get it, and see if it is, (FCC accepted). Some of thes inverters are brought into this country, and they put out so much RFI that a receiver will pick up the RF, (RFI= Radio frequancy interferance), put out, by these inverters. It is not just a problem with Radio receivers, such as Ham, CB, Sterio equip, TV's, But can interfer with our local police cars, fire dept. and any receiver around. No problem if you are out boondocking, as long as some old, arnery, ham radio operator don't park close to you. These things usually have a warranty, so you are probably safe. Don't let all us sceptics rain on your parade. Enjoy building that bus, than enjoy using it!!!! Steve | ||
| Andrew Bowey
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Hey Ron Walker, does that mean six two volt cells at 3190 amp hours per cell for a total of 19,140 amp hours?? What does GNB mean? Asolyte IIP 100 A57 batteries sound pretty hardy. What are they originally used for and where does one come by them? Thanks. Andrew. | ||
| Sean Welsh (Sean)
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Andrew/Ron W.-- First off, FF (and the rest of us, usually) is talking about 20-hour rates, not 100-hour rates such as the one you quoted. So I'm guessing these are telecom batteries, a subject with which I have more than a passing familiarity. I think you will find the 20-hour capacity is much, much less than 3190 AH. I would guess, actually, that it is more like 800-900 ah measured at a 20-hour rate. As for "adding" the capacities, it doesn't work like that. 1500ah (for example) at 2 volts times six batteries in series equals 1500ah at 12 volts. This is why I hate using AH to describe battery capacity, since it depends on voltage. Watt-hours, by contrast, is a voltage-independent way to describe battery capacity. -Sean | ||
| TWODOGS (Twodogs)
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I guess'skeptic' was refering to me....I tried to get him to do some research first...now...he needs 14 more car batteries & it still might not make him happy.. | ||
| Ron Walker (Prevost82)
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GNB is the name of the company that manufactures them. Asolyte IIP 100 A57 batteries is the model of the battery. They are an industrial battery use in Cell phone and Sat. towers, on top of mountains, train locamotive,. ect. They have a 20 year life (8000 cycles)and cost about 3K per cell, new. The one's I got were off a sat tower on a mountain (they have 5 yrs usage on them)I paid $100 per cell... Ron | ||
| Sean Welsh (Sean)
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That's "Absolyte" -- may make it easier to find. These are PV batteries. Ron, are you sure you have six 100A57's? My chart shows these batteries are 470lbs each -- that's 2,800 lbs of batteries! At that size, I will believe the 8-hour rated AH capacity of 2,700. -Sean | ||
| Andrew Bowey
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Thanks all for the extra info. Wow, good price for all that power, even used. Thats too heavy though...even for all that power. They are probably few and far between to find used also. Oh well. The local Sams club here has Exide Golfcar STGC2 for $46.63 each. The amp hour rates are as follows...6/158, 8/165, 20/186. Then they listed "minutes of recharge at 80F"? that was 25 amp/390 and 75 amp/110, they weigh 61 lbs. each and are 10.1/4 x 7.1/8 x 11.3/8 in size. Do these look like good candidates for house batteries?? Or does, as the maxim goes, "you get what you pay for" apply here too? Thanks, Andrew. | ||
| Sean Welsh (Sean)
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Andrew, "You get what you pay for" always applies. Golf cart batteries are always a good value, as long as you are willing to do the weekly maintenance required with flooded cells. Even replacing these every couple of years, they will cost less in the long term than, say, Rolls or Trojan batteries. For my money, I would rather pay the premium for AGM batteries and not deal with the maintenance or the mess. -Sean | ||
| captain ron (Captain_ron)
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My computer is a laptop so all I need the power for is to recharge it. I may run into interferance with my music stuff thow but I beleive there are filters for that. It's a done deal now. If I'm unhappy with it I will later go to a better inverter and resale that one on ebay or use it in my trailer no big deal. | ||
| Brian (Bigbusguy)
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Ron, You can buy a smaller pure sine wave just for your music stuff and use the bigger one for the rest. Also I dont think there will be a Problem with using the one you just bought your lap top, TV and even Sat lite equip. I run all of that for years off a 1000W truck stop inverter. It all still works to day. My laptop even charges off the 74 volt dc plug found on most locomotoves. Was the trailer idea a real deal with the batts. or a joke? Do you plan on doing shows from you bus? Brian 4905 Klamath Falls Oregon | ||
| John that newguy Rating: N/A |
Ron- I have a small 70w inverter that plugs into the ciggie lighter that I bought at Walmart for $14.00. It powered a 13" TV just fine with no interference. I use the laptop with it, along with the cellphone in it's 110v charger/base. Some of us like to have the best, and money isn't an obstacle. Others of us try to keep as much as our hard-earned bucks we can, and try to take the least expensive route.... Let us know how that thing works out. I haven't bought an inverter yet. I don't like batteries, and I like my cash. | ||
| captain ron (Captain_ron)
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Brian I can't beleive you asked that! batteries in the trailer deal. I was talking about little 9 volt bats. for you transistor radio.... it was a joke Every thing is going to be fine | ||
| John Jewett (Jayjay)
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Hey TD, we decided we're gonna' take Cap'n Ron's trailer and put my old jacuzzi on it, then using fiberglass barriers will divide it into 6 cells of 237.3 gallons each for 12VDC and a 11,522.406 amp hour rating. Should be good for about a month in the boondocks. Also planning on a Tesla Mobius TypeIII(c)inductive coil with 9 48.33 picofarad capacitors,and .008 micromho's of divergence so he can park under almost any 13.8KV (or higher) power line, and trickle charge the batteries for free! Power lines must not be more than 27 feet above the radial axis of the secondary core. Ron has approved the cash outlay and is ecstatic about the long term savings. I've got the same rig on my coach roof and have it on a telescoping tower. Mine is set up for direct use through angeric diodes (Class II's...the cheap ones no less) and at off peak hours I get almost 114VAC at 59.79 HZ (+/- .371HZ) and around 30,000MA capacity. Naturally by using the Tesla type (as opposed to a Breldinian) the sine waveform is excellent. I set it up for direct AC, since I don't have any batteries or inverters. I learned to go ahead and hook up to the local utility company though. Saves nosey people asking how I get by with no electric. Local Utility here is $.11 KWH and my elect. bill is $19.50 per month while the bus next to me is $87.00 (+/-) About $4,500.00 to build one though. Ron thinks he may upgrade to one like mine later. Cheers...JJ | ||
| Jtng Rating: N/A |
Hey JJ- HAR de HAR HAR! Good, man, -real- good !! | ||
| captain ron (Captain_ron)
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So Two Dogs What ya think ? I did a little studying on this method and every thing seems kosher. cheaper than one of those hifalootin pro sign modulater doodadds you guys been talking about. in the long run | ||
| TWODOGS (Twodogs)
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if you go back and read...I ain't been talkin' about any hifalooltin' things | ||
| Jim (Jim_in_california)
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Has anybody tried the Samlex pure sines? 600w of true sine wave for $300 sounds like a hell of a deal... | ||
| noopdoggy@gainesville.com Rating: N/A |
Well Capn' Ron, Now you know why I email you seperately, and don't chime in too much, ouch, I don't have enough heads to get bit off here! LOL, Sounds like you got a plan, hope it works for you, ours is working fine. Us po' folk seem to understand each other.... Linda | ||
| CoryDaneRTS Rating: N/A |
(" Has anybody tried the Samlex pure sines? 600w of true sine wave for $300 sounds like a hell of a deal... ") Here, I must agree with SEAN, "You get what you pay for". If you have little load, maybe a tv, satalite receiver, computer, a 600w inverter will do quite fine. But figure a 600w inverter is good for almost 5 amps MAX, it will not power the microwave and certainly not an air con, though I assume you already have considered this. A small true sine wave for the electronics is fabulous, leaving the remaining, less sensitive load for a chop (Mod Sine Wave) inverter where the noise is less a problem. Make sure you figure your loading needs for Sine wave, if under 600, great, if over, you may have to take something off to run another device. Figure you loads carefully and make the educated purchase you can live with. cd | ||
| Jim (Jim_in_california)
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I'm well aware of the limitations of 600w and would use one or even two mounted *inside* the coach as a sort of "those are the wall plugs where I get really good quality power for my expensive electronics" role. I would then mount a cheapo modified sine in the kitchen (the Coleman 1500/3000 or similar) for "short burst big power from low-cost stuff" like the microwave, coffee maker, etc. All of these "smaller inside inverters" would be shut off when not in use (rather than letting them "vampire"). I think this is a sound alternative to running a single giant "you're screwed if it dies" mega-inverter/charger in the basement. Three 600w Samlexes at $300 are a very good value in terms of price per watt of true sine and if one croaks I've got redundancy. And if a load of "short burst, high energy" happens and "browns out" it's circuit, the electronics on the individual mini-inverter would be unaffected. Hell, the microwave's power supply could blow up and fry the hell out of the nuker in a shower of sparks and a computer running off a Samlex wouldn't even notice. No matter how high the quality level of the "big basement inverter" it's feeding *everything* and a big enough spike from one device can affect others anywhere in the bus. Put another way: compare the price of three Samlex 600s plus a $250 multi-stage smartcharger to the cost of a Prosine 2.0 inverter/charger. | ||
| FAST FRED Rating: N/A |
"Put another way: compare the price of three Samlex 600s plus a $250 multi-stage smartcharger to the cost of a Prosine 2.0 inverter/charger." And compare the utility of being able to run an air cond from the stock coach alt , And the utility of being able to run 2 AC from a tiny genset. And the ability to stay on any old 120V 15A supply and run an air cond , AND do the laundry, watch sat TV and surf the net and microwave at the same time! Every choice is dependant on the lifestyle desired by the RV'er. FAST FRED | ||
| John that newguy Rating: N/A |
What ever happened to "roughin' it" ? (didn't we put our assorted mini french pastries in our 40 cubic foot bus-bay fridge?) | ||
| Jim (Jim_in_california)
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I would assume that at least half the people here are either fulltiming or planning to, and God knows how many others are setting up "fulltime capable down the road" rigs. "Roughing it" doesn't apply . | ||
| Pat Bartlett (Muddog16)
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The last time i roughed it, i was on Uncle Sam's payroll........those days are over, before the Bus came along........roughing it was deciding between Omni Plaza, or a Hilton......from a 11B to a BusNut.......and loving it! |