Cheap Powerpack with compressor and inverter

unseenone

Explorer
The largest battery it takes is is the U1. Take this battery spec for example. http://www.trojanbatteryre.com/PDF/datasheets/U1AGM_TrojanRE_Data_Sheets.pdf

This would run the inverter near capacity to flatten the battery in short order, less than thirty minutes.

In my opinion, you would not be backpacking this, and if you were, you would be carrying extra stuff you do not need, like jumper cables. Maybe a folding solar panel and small battery controller / charger would give you what you need.

What's your idea of what you want to use power for, and where, ie: car, backpacking, etc.
 

fike

Adventurer
I am considering this for car-served photo expeditions. I would use this to charge camera batteries and run a laptop. The jumper cables are really kind of an extra for me, but I do currently carrya 12volt compressor, so it would remove the need for that. I am touring with a Subie forester and rooftop tent, so my biggest need is for charging camera batteries and light weight computers and phones and tablets.
 

unseenone

Explorer
What's your budget like. This is a neat product that has been posted in other places on the site, for a compact transportable system. http://www.aspectsolar.com/solar-power-pack.html This unit is ideally designed for charging phones, laptop or camera batteries, etc. The price isn't a deal killer. You don't want to keep this kind of battery in the direct sun though, they can have a meltdown, same for cell phones and the like. http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/126002-Exploding-GPS

For close to the same money you might be to able add a solar charger to the vehicle, and then add accessory sockets for charging stuff. Whenever possible of course, you want the 12v version of battery chargers for your devices. Bearing in mind, the vehicle battery is small, and you are basing your main operations at the vehicle, it might be a nice option. Particularly when you might also add a fridge, 2 way radio or something else down the road.

If you're really hooked on the idea of the compressor thing, then go for the best unit you can get and the best battery. Bear in mind, if you've used up the battery charging laptops and batteries, then the compressor and jumper won't do you much good. I like the idea of being able to replenish the batteries. That being said, a 100 watt panel is going to get you about 5amps or so in ideal conditions, the unit listed above, probably half of that or less.
 
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fike

Adventurer
That's a pricy "alternative." I charge lots of batteries: two or three a day. I prefer to charge through a 110v inverters because the gird party 12v chargers only get the batteries to 75 or 80% on my Olympus system. The OEM charger is only provided for 110V. I know the power is probably not very smooth" but is suspect the charging would be better. I have a battery protection circuit installed on one of my car's power ports, but if am reluctant to plug in an inverter all night or something. I'm really looking for some explanation of why this isn't good...I assume it would be as good as the battery I put in.

Any thoughts?
 

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