Can Inverters for Outdoor Races?

[whites75]

I know people use the car batteries to charge their gear when racing outdoors when there is minimal or no power supply but does anyone use something like this, are they worth getting or is it best just to stick with a car battery?
cheers

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ring-150W-...item5d4684fa2e

[mark christopher]

It plugs into a car battery........

[whites75]

Originally Posted by mark christopher

It plugs into a car battery........

yep I know via the 12v point in the car ie cigarette lighter etc I was just wanting to know if they are worth getting over the car battery that many seem to use, as I guess when this is used you would need to run the car whilst say charging the rc battery so not to drain the car battery?

[bretts]

I'd get a 12v battery for two reasons:-

1. You can still start your car at the end of the day.

2. Your charger will get the correct current (amps) for charging. Also it's only 150w at 240volts, so volts/watts = amps i.e. 1.6 amps at 240v Ac

You'd have to see what input your charger needs at 240v to give at least 5amps at 12v

To conclude:-

Sounds like a bit of a faff to me.

[whites75]

Originally Posted by bretts

I'd get a 12v battery for two reasons:-

1. You can still start your car at the end of the day.

2. Your charger will get the correct current (amps) for charging. Also it's only 150w at 240volts, so volts/watts = amps i.e. 1.6 amps at 240v Ac

You'd have to see what input your charger needs at 240v to give at least 5amps at 12v

To conclude:-

Sounds like a bit of a faff to me.

hi bretts - so if I got the 12v car battery do you hook it up to the battery on my car to get the power? (sorry never done it before and not sure how it works)

[bretts]

nope, just get a cheap 12v car battery charger and make sure it's charged the night before.

Then just use croc clips on the terminals to give you power to your charger. All assuming you're charger accepts 12v input. no need to go anywhere near your road car battery.

it's the way we all did it back in the day as nowhere allowed us to use mains supply and also all the chargers where only 12v input (unless you where rich)