Generators and alternatives (solar)

DrGonzo · 2014-02-03T11:52:14+00:00

Howdy doo ? Anyone know anything about Generators, Im looking at getting a really small sound system together for a art work/ installation piece we are do...

Generators and alternatives (solar)

G-Man

petercornell wrote: What about a UPS? The batteries in a 3kva UPS should give you a couple of days minimal use and you should be able to hire on as well. Give Meissner a call, they were very helpful when I spoke to them.

If you can run your setup off 12v, a car battery or 2 should also suffice.

Peter

That's what I do when I go camping, I have a big 2kva ups and I made a multi plug with a female kettle connector and I power my led light and laptop and speakers. Normally lasts the weekend.

DrGonzo

petercornell wrote: What about a UPS? The batteries in a 3kva UPS should give you a couple of days minimal use and you should be able to hire on as well. Give Meissner a call, they were very helpful when I spoke to them.

If you can run your setup off 12v, a car battery or 2 should also suffice.

Peter

Who and where is Meissner??

CDee wrote:
Deep cycle battery and a power inverter should do the trick.

Can you elaborate a bit please Mr CDeeee?

peterleroux

A Deep cycle (or 'marine') battery is designed to tolerate running almost flat before recharging, unlike a car battery that needs to be kept charged most of the time. They're more expensive (and sometimes heavier) than an ordinary car battery but are still 12V lead acid batteries.

An inverter takes 12V DC and gives you 220V AC power. You might instead be able to go with a step-down transformer or power regulator to give you the 5V, 6V or 9V DC you need to run your ipod without going DC/AC/DC, which would have some losses at each conversion stage.

petercornell

Seems like Meissner are no more.....

They used to make very good UPS's

Peter

DrGonzo

Cool thanks Peter('s) :goodtimes:

So would I look at boating shops and such for a deep cycle battery?
how much more or less are we talking?

CDee

peterleroux wrote: A Deep cycle (or 'marine') battery is designed to tolerate running almost flat before recharging, unlike a car battery that needs to be kept charged most of the time. They're more expensive (and sometimes heavier) than an ordinary car battery but are still 12V lead acid batteries.

An inverter takes 12V DC and gives you 220V AC power. You might instead be able to go with a step-down transformer or power regulator to give you the 5V, 6V or 9V DC you need to run your ipod without going DC/AC/DC, which would have some losses at each conversion stage.

Yip, what he said. ?

Inverters you can find in camping stores and some even stock deep cycle batteries.

V8

Personally I'd find someone with an "expedition vehicle" and invite them along. My mate's has an inverter + bits, can power quite a bit and at idle it's not offensively loud. Also got the option of trickle charging the batteries with a solar setup, so *thankfully* there hasn't been too many push starts (it's a 2ton+ Land Rover)

If you are looking at purchasing batteries - chat to these guys : http://www.battery2000.com/. They're in Paarden Eiland and their prices are prettttttyyy good.

Really like the idea of a Raspberry Pi, that plus a few of them shox speakers, could make a fun project for Afrika Burns.

Me, I just laughed at everyone stuck in the mud last year ?

DrGonzo

V8 wrote:
Really like the idea of a Raspberry Pi, that plus a few of them shox speakers, could make a fun project for Afrika Burns.

Me, I just laughed at everyone stuck in the mud last year ?

yeah the rasberry is a cool idea!

Haha - I think the mud was the previous year.. i was there last year and there was not a drop of even the remotest of saturation in sight. :-\

ANother thing I want to do, if there is time, is obtain/ build a theremin of sorts that I can install in the artwork so that people can make hand gestures and trigger sounds...

Thats a whole other story tho but would need power nonetheless!

V8

DrGonzo wrote: Haha - I think the mud was the previous year.. i was there last year and there was not a drop of even the remotest of saturation in sight. :-\

ANother thing I want to do, if there is time, is obtain/ build a theremin of sorts that I can install in the artwork so that people can make hand gestures and trigger sounds...

Ahh, my bad - these things do get lost in the database sometimes. I had my arm seriously twisted to go last year - perhaps that's why I was confussed.

Yebo, interactive installation's is where it's at imho. I like electronic drumkits for that (headphones w/mix in), but a Jean Michelle Jarre style controller would be great fun - me I like to hit stuff ? - The HPD-10 has a IR controller too, but I find it gimmic-y.

What you really want is one of these : http://www.landyonline.co.za/locals/redbull_defender.htm

DrGonzo

V8 wrote: Yebo, interactive installation's is where it's at imho. I like electronic drumkits for that (headphones w/mix in), but a Jean Michelle Jarre style controller would be great fun - me I like to hit stuff ? - The HPD-10 has a IR controller too, but I find it gimmic-y.

What you really want is one of these : http://www.landyonline.co.za/locals/redbull_defender.htm

Cool Myron, are you gonna go this year??

Sjoe, i was watching some clips from burning man, and some of the sound installations they had there were insane! people really put insane amounts of time money and effort into that festival (and AB of course)

Shot for that link!

V8

DrGonzo wrote: Cool Myron, are you gonna go this year??

Sjoe, i was watching some clips from burning man, and some of the sound installations they had there were insane! people really put insane amounts of time money and effort into that festival (and AB of course)

Shot for that link!

Heya Dave, my arm is in the process of being twisted for AB and Easter Vortex, but I'm doubtful - there's just not enough cold beer at either :?

Though...if I could hijack that Redbull Landy, I'd do itttttttt. My mate was playing a set from it one year and I got to poke around and ask the guys all about it - I was told it was around R1 mil to re-produce it....!

I'd keep the UPS & PA setup, replace LCD screens with optima projectors for VJ'ing and toss the DJ equipment - most people are laptop based (or bring their own decks). Still a huge chunk of change - the UPS setup is eye-wateringly pricey.

V8

DrGonzo wrote: yeah the rasberry is a cool idea!

ANother thing I want to do, if there is time, is obtain/ build a theremin of sorts that I can install in the artwork so that people can make hand gestures and trigger sounds...

Thats a whole other story tho but would need power nonetheless!

Well, just saw this Pi based device - damn awesome imho - http://arduino.cc/en/Main/ArduinoStarterKit#.Uv5S24W2F8k

I'm told it's about R1500 locally...