Question regarding Power supply

[matthewkristjan]

So here is the situation.

I'm currently working on two separate projects and both are being shot at night on location. SO I am needing a power supply (probably not the correct term) I need to have power for a computer (laptop and larger monitor), Fans, Fog Machine and a light source for fixing up make-up and what not (nothing too powerful as most of that will be finalized off set at a proper location.

So I have never used anything like this before and that's why I'm asking what should I be looking into? What are my best options?

Anything helps.

Cheers!

 

[480sparky]

If you're running electronics, make sure you get a 'pure sine wave' model. All those little diodes and resisters and capacitors 'n' such may not like the cheap 'modified' or 'square sine wave' types.

 

[Buckster]

Can you get a vehicle near the location? If so, you might be able to get away with using an inverter or two hooked up to the vehicle's battery, depending on how many amps you need to pull.

Otherwise, I'd guess you're going to need a little generator, like construction contractors use. Here's a bunch on Amazon: Amazon.com: Portable Generators

 

[matthewkristjan]

Can you get a vehicle near the location? If so, you might be able to get away with using an inverter or two hooked up to the vehicle's battery, depending on how many amps you need to pull.

Otherwise, I'd guess you're going to need a little generator, like construction contractors use. Here's a bunch on Amazon: Amazon.com: Portable Generators

Thanks Buckster, I should be able to get my car in close enough for both shoots and run an extension cord, the longest distance should only be about 50 feet so thats great.

 

[KmH]

You need a generator. If you do this often buy one that has sufficient output. If you don't do this often, rent one.

You will need to know how many watts each device draws. The generator has to make more watts than the total wattage draw of all the devices it will be powering.

Champion Power Equipment 46515 4,000 Watt 196cc 4-Stroke Gas Powered Portable Generator
DuroMax XP10000E 10,000 Watt 16 HP OHV 4-Cycle Gas Powered Portable Generator With Wheel Kit And Electric Start

 

[480sparky]

If you're running a lot of motors, there's two numbers to keep in mind: The starting current and the running current. Motors take far more power to get started than they do when running. That's why inverters and gennys are typically labeled with peak and run values.

Whichever you get, choose one that will not only run the loads, but also start the motors.

 

[matthewkristjan]

You need a generator. If you do this often buy one that has sufficient output. If you don't do this often, rent one.

You will need to know how many watts each device draws. The generator has to make more watts than the total wattage draw of all the devices it will be powering.

Champion Power Equipment 46515 4,000 Watt 196cc 4-Stroke Gas Powered Portable Generator
DuroMax XP10000E 10,000 Watt 16 HP OHV 4-Cycle Gas Powered Portable Generator With Wheel Kit And Electric Start

Thanks Kmh, I checked online and I can get a 2,9kW generator for only 33$ a day, which should work perfectly. Excellent.

 

[table1349]

If you go the portable generator route, with some of the equipment listed, make sure you use a line conditioner/ surge protector combination.

 

[Kerbouchard]

You should take note of one thing. The generator will probably be loud, so you will try to get it as far away as possible. Because of that, you will try to use a long extension cord. From what it sounds like, you will actually have quite a bit of load on the generator and you might run into issues with a cheap extension cord. Especially, if you try to daisy chain stuff off of it.

If you are going to be able to park your car fairly close, put the gen on the other side of it so the car will kill some of the noise. Also, use multiple, preferably, heavy duty extension cords. You will have a voltage drop over a long, cheap extension cord, and it could be enough to harm your gear, not to mention the cord could get very hot.

You need a generator. If you do this often buy one that has sufficient output. If you don't do this often, rent one.

You will need to know how many watts each device draws. The generator has to make more watts than the total wattage draw of all the devices it will be powering.

Champion Power Equipment 46515 4,000 Watt 196cc 4-Stroke Gas Powered Portable Generator
DuroMax XP10000E 10,000 Watt 16 HP OHV 4-Cycle Gas Powered Portable Generator With Wheel Kit And Electric Start

Thanks Kmh, I checked online and I can get a 2,9kW generator for only 33$ a day, which should work perfectly. Excellent.

 

[480sparky]

You should take note of one thing. The generator will probably be loud, so you will try to get it as far away as possible...........

There's plenty of gennys out there that you can sit on while talking on your cell phone.

 

[Kerbouchard]

You should take note of one thing. The generator will probably be loud, so you will try to get it as far away as possible...........

There's plenty of gennys out there that you can sit on while talking on your cell phone.

I have never seen one. Not saying they aren't out there, but it certainly is not the norm.

 

[tirediron]

This is WAY too much load to run off of an vehicle's alternator via inverter. Unless you're running a big diesel pick-up, or other dual-alternator vehicle, you probably only have about ten amps to spare if you're lucky. 12-13 if you turn off EVERYTHING in the vehicle. My recommendation would for a Honda, EU series generator, 2Kw model. It will run about $1200, (or you might be able to rent one) has pure sine-wave output, is just about the quietest generator on the market and also the cleanest. That combined with a few 12 AWG or larger (NOTHING smaller!!!!!) 100' extension cords and you will be in business.

 

[Kerbouchard]

This is WAY too much load to run off of an vehicle's alternator via inverter. Unless you're running a big diesel pick-up, or other dual-alternator vehicle, you probably only have about ten amps to spare if you're lucky. 12-13 if you turn off EVERYTHING in the vehicle. My recommendation would for a Honda, EU series generator, 2Kw model. It will run about $1200, (or you might be able to rent one) has pure sine-wave output, is just about the quietest generator on the market and also the cleanest. That combined with a few 12 AWG or larger (NOTHING smaller!!!!!) 100' extension cords and you will be in business.

I think 12 is on the small end. At 100', if anything is pulling close to 20 amps, ideally, it needs to be 10 guage wire. I do agree that 12 AWG is the absolute bare minimum and is seriously pushing it for that length of cord.

 

[Garbz]

I have never seen one. Not saying they aren't out there, but it certainly is not the norm.

If you do look into it at some point, Honda make a whole series of whisper generators for personal use. I've had no problem having a quiet conversation next to one. Though you do need to look around. Many generators are indeed quite noisy.

All those little diodes and resisters and capacitors 'n' such may not like the cheap 'modified' or 'square sine wave' types.

Way to go listing pretty much the only components which DON'T have a problem with a modified sine inverter

The components are usually just fine, what really is the problem is the design of circuits which work by suddenly charging or discharging power. E.g. a large capacitor bank experiences quite hefty stresses on initial turn on, but they are designed to be charged once and then produce only a smooth ripple. A flash effectively stresses the component quite severely every time you push the button. It's also usually a shortened life expectancy thing, not instant death.

Now a circuit which relies on fast switching of 240V will die very quickly if the 240V supply itself is fast switched.

 

[tirediron]

I think 12 is on the small end. At 100', if anything is pulling close to 20 amps, ideally, it needs to be 10 guage wire. I do agree that 12 AWG is the absolute bare minimum and is seriously pushing it for that length of cord.

I've run my portable electric air-compressor at the end of my 100' 12 AWG cord; 10 would be great (I'm too lazy to do the math to work out the load-loss), but finding a 100' 10 AWG cord might be a challenge, and if you did, it would probably cost as much as the generator.