Author Topic: battery reserve capacity and inverter use  (Read 560 times)

Bogie

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battery reserve capacity and inverter use
« on: September 28, 2021, 07:36:30 PM »
So, I'm planning on a small inverter and an LED light strip. The light draws 40 watts. How long can I expect to run that with a 185 reserve capacity deep cycle battery?
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zxcvbob

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Re: battery reserve capacity and inverter use
« Reply #1 on: September 28, 2021, 07:55:21 PM »
A long time.  Your battery is rated approximately 3 hours at 25 amps.  (and I'm assuming this is a 12V battery, not 6V or 8V)  You're drawing about 3 amps, maybe 3.5 depending how efficient the converter is.  If the discharge curve is linear and the battery rating in honest, yours will go about 25 hours.  But it's probably not linear; I would guess it will run a good bit longer than that.

I would plan on 24 hours.
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Bogie

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Re: battery reserve capacity and inverter use
« Reply #2 on: September 28, 2021, 08:35:56 PM »
So, figure tuesday night and wednesday night, drive it to an O'Reilly's and get it charged on Thursday, then thursday and friday night, do it again on Saturday...
 
Of course, it would be nice if someone turns it off when the last person goes to bed...
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Bogie

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Re: battery reserve capacity and inverter use
« Reply #3 on: September 28, 2021, 08:40:36 PM »
Found my inverter collection from when I was playing Truck Driver.
 
Smallest is an 80 watter... And the light says 0.45 amp/40 watt.
 
I figure this will be quieter than a little China Fright generator.
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Brad Johnson

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Re: battery reserve capacity and inverter use
« Reply #4 on: September 28, 2021, 10:14:16 PM »
What brand and model of light. Might be possible to set it up for direct 12v power.

Brad
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Bogie

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Re: battery reserve capacity and inverter use
« Reply #5 on: September 28, 2021, 11:11:08 PM »
I think I bought for $15 from Walmart a couple of Christmases ago.... I'll see if I can pry anything off... Otherwise, I can drive a few miles to have a fellow team member help me out with a charge.
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Brad Johnson

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Re: battery reserve capacity and inverter use
« Reply #6 on: September 29, 2021, 09:58:45 AM »
For what you're going to have in fuel driving back and forth a couple times, you can buy a battery maintainer.

Brad
It's all about the pancakes, people.
"And he thought cops wouldn't chase... a STOLEN DONUT TRUCK???? That would be like Willie Nelson ignoring a pickup full of weed."
-HankB

Bogie

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Re: battery reserve capacity and inverter use
« Reply #7 on: September 29, 2021, 03:31:16 PM »
I think they run about $30, my price, for the solar ones... But we'll be using the light from about 7pm through midnight or so every night.
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Bogie

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Re: battery reserve capacity and inverter use
« Reply #8 on: September 29, 2021, 03:32:10 PM »
And we usually do at least one Walmart run about the middle of the trip.
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Brad Johnson

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Re: battery reserve capacity and inverter use
« Reply #9 on: September 29, 2021, 03:59:34 PM »
I take it this light is in a location with no utility service?

I know you already have a light, but in the interest of simplicity of operation, is purchasing a 12V-ready light an option? There are lots of 12v surface-mount strip lights being touted for RV use. Amazon has them cheap. Several options for length, too.

Brad
« Last Edit: September 29, 2021, 04:26:22 PM by Brad Johnson »
It's all about the pancakes, people.
"And he thought cops wouldn't chase... a STOLEN DONUT TRUCK???? That would be like Willie Nelson ignoring a pickup full of weed."
-HankB

Bogie

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Re: battery reserve capacity and inverter use
« Reply #10 on: September 29, 2021, 09:43:24 PM »
Yeah, I looked at them... I have a 6' strip under some counters that runs on a wallwart... It is theoretically 450 lumens. My shop light that I'll be putting up at the top of the tent will do something like 2500... It is basically two more densely packed strips.
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zxcvbob

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Re: battery reserve capacity and inverter use
« Reply #11 on: September 29, 2021, 09:57:23 PM »
How much light do you really need in a tent?  (I assume this is not a bigtop circus tent)  Check these out: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QX096L0

They make fabulous camping lights or emergency lights, and will run for hours on a little battery pack the size of a cellphone.
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Bogie

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Re: battery reserve capacity and inverter use
« Reply #12 on: September 29, 2021, 11:21:56 PM »
It's a 14x20 canopy. We call it the Freak Show.
 
Helps to see stuff to be able to cook.
 
I used to run a pair of two tube shoplights, but that was when I had the trailer - I'm somewhat pared down now.
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