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[Timbuk]

just a quick question about running stuff off a generator The camera gear i am bringing to film the different jobs is sensitive stuff what are generator's like for voltage spikes i dont want to knack my gear up as i have just gotten it 2 days ago. and would cost a good few thousand to replace.

I could run it off and invertor i have but i dont want to end up with a flat battery.

Craig

A generator will be MUCH cleaner than an inverter. I'd say avoid having it plugged in when welding, power tools, etc. in use but when the gennie is just powering a bit of lighting it should be fine.

Also, the reasoning behind a big generator is that ideally one that can power a welder plus a bit of lighting will do a better job. Otherwise, if you strike an arc with a welder whle the generator is unloaded, it won't respond quickly enough to the sudden increase in load (it has to increase throttle to maintain speed and that takes time) If it's got a bit of lighting load on it (and, being bigger, has more momentum and a bigger flywheel) it will already be loaded and won't struggle as much.

Same principle applies with my geeky ham radio activities when trying to power a transmitter that takes a kW or two on voice peaks.

Kevin

What about one of each then, We have got a lot of lighting to run?

[Kevin Wood]

just a quick question about running stuff off a generator The camera gear i am bringing to film the different jobs is sensitive stuff what are generator's like for voltage spikes i dont want to knack my gear up as i have just gotten it 2 days ago. and would cost a good few thousand to replace.

I could run it off and invertor i have but i dont want to end up with a flat battery.

Craig

A generator will be MUCH cleaner than an inverter. I'd say avoid having it plugged in when welding, power tools, etc. in use but when the gennie is just powering a bit of lighting it should be fine.

Also, the reasoning behind a big generator is that ideally one that can power a welder plus a bit of lighting will do a better job. Otherwise, if you strike an arc with a welder whle the generator is unloaded, it won't respond quickly enough to the sudden increase in load (it has to increase throttle to maintain speed and that takes time) If it's got a bit of lighting load on it (and, being bigger, has more momentum and a bigger flywheel) it will already be loaded and won't struggle as much.

Same principle applies with my geeky ham radio activities when trying to power a transmitter that takes a kW or two on voice peaks.

Kevin

What about one of each then, We have got a lot of lighting to run?

If we've got more than 4kVA to run then that sounds like a winner.

Kevin

[Jimbob]

Better safe than sorry!

an extra £1 each aint gonna break the bank!

[TheBoy]

just a quick question about running stuff off a generator The camera gear i am bringing to film the different jobs is sensitive stuff what are generator's like for voltage spikes i dont want to knack my gear up as i have just gotten it 2 days ago. and would cost a good few thousand to replace.

I could run it off and invertor i have but i dont want to end up with a flat battery.

Craig

A generator will be MUCH cleaner than an inverter. I'd say avoid having it plugged in when welding, power tools, etc. in use but when the gennie is just powering a bit of lighting it should be fine.

Also, the reasoning behind a big generator is that ideally one that can power a welder plus a bit of lighting will do a better job. Otherwise, if you strike an arc with a welder whle the generator is unloaded, it won't respond quickly enough to the sudden increase in load (it has to increase throttle to maintain speed and that takes time) If it's got a bit of lighting load on it (and, being bigger, has more momentum and a bigger flywheel) it will already be loaded and won't struggle as much.

Same principle applies with my geeky ham radio activities when trying to power a transmitter that takes a kW or two on voice peaks.

Kevin

What about one of each then, We have got a lot of lighting to run?

Before we all bring shit loads of lighting, how much lighting do we need Timbuk?

As for electronic equip of genny, the genny should have a filter/surge unit, if you can check Timbuk?

[Timbuk]

just a quick question about running stuff off a generator The camera gear i am bringing to film the different jobs is sensitive stuff what are generator's like for voltage spikes i dont want to knack my gear up as i have just gotten it 2 days ago. and would cost a good few thousand to replace.

I could run it off and invertor i have but i dont want to end up with a flat battery.

Craig

A generator will be MUCH cleaner than an inverter. I'd say avoid having it plugged in when welding, power tools, etc. in use but when the gennie is just powering a bit of lighting it should be fine.

Also, the reasoning behind a big generator is that ideally one that can power a welder plus a bit of lighting will do a better job. Otherwise, if you strike an arc with a welder whle the generator is unloaded, it won't respond quickly enough to the sudden increase in load (it has to increase throttle to maintain speed and that takes time) If it's got a bit of lighting load on it (and, being bigger, has more momentum and a bigger flywheel) it will already be loaded and won't struggle as much.

Same principle applies with my geeky ham radio activities when trying to power a transmitter that takes a kW or two on voice peaks.

Kevin

What about one of each then, We have got a lot of lighting to run?

Before we all bring naff loads of lighting, how much lighting do we need Timbuk?

As for electronic equip of genny, the genny should have a filter/surge unit, if you can check Timbuk?

I can check, but most of the stuff i get from this guy is usually pretty new, as for the amount of lighting, if we are working on 10 to 20 cars i would imagine everyone is going to want some sort of lighting with it being indoors?

[TheBoy]

I can check, but most of the stuff i get from this guy is usually pretty new, as for the amount of lighting, if we are working on 10 to 20 cars i would imagine everyone is going to want some sort of lighting with it being indoors?

Does the unit get much natural light in during day?

[Timbuk]

I can check, but most of the stuff i get from this guy is usually pretty new, as for the amount of lighting, if we are working on 10 to 20 cars i would imagine everyone is going to want some sort of lighting with it being indoors?

Does the unit get much natural light in during day?

Yeah it does, plenty of it but as soon as it gets cloudy it gets pretty dark in there

[TheBoy]

I can check, but most of the stuff i get from this guy is usually pretty new, as for the amount of lighting, if we are working on 10 to 20 cars i would imagine everyone is going to want some sort of lighting with it being indoors?

Does the unit get much natural light in during day?

Yeah it does, plenty of it but as soon as it gets cloudy it gets pretty dark in there

Right, so a fair amount of light may be needed.  Each of those halogen spotlights is 500W - I had a twin on a tripod (could be aimed to point at 2 cars), so thats 1kw, and a single one that sites on floor (another 500W).  The flourescent tripod uses next to nothing.

[Jimbob]

I can check, but most of the stuff i get from this guy is usually pretty new, as for the amount of lighting, if we are working on 10 to 20 cars i would imagine everyone is going to want some sort of lighting with it being indoors?

Does the unit get much natural light in during day?

Yeah it does, plenty of it but as soon as it gets cloudy it gets pretty dark in there

Right, so a fair amount of light may be needed.  Each of those halogen spotlights is 500W - I had a twin on a tripod (could be aimed to point at 2 cars), so thats 1kw, and a single one that sites on floor (another 500W).  The flourescent tripod uses next to nothing.

I can bring another 2x500W on a tripod

[Timbuk]

I can check, but most of the stuff i get from this guy is usually pretty new, as for the amount of lighting, if we are working on 10 to 20 cars i would imagine everyone is going to want some sort of lighting with it being indoors?

Does the unit get much natural light in during day?

Yeah it does, plenty of it but as soon as it gets cloudy it gets pretty dark in there

Right, so a fair amount of light may be needed.  Each of those halogen spotlights is 500W - I had a twin on a tripod (could be aimed to point at 2 cars), so thats 1kw, and a single one that sites on floor (another 500W).  The flourescent tripod uses next to nothing.

I can bring another 2x500W on a tripod

I can run an extension cable from the unit next door aswell which is what i am doing at the moment and im sure a lead light would be good enough for a lot of folks

[Craig_R]

Kool I can run my stuff from your extention lead to be on the safe side i have a mighty long extention cable also with 4 plug sockets in it.

But i have been also looking at some info on my camera gear the equipment can run from 10.5v upto 17v and has a total wattage of 25watts so on 12 volts it draws 2 amps which is nothing.

The Camera Batterys i have are knacked and drain really quickly they are 13.2v 1.7Ah so a new bat will last for an hour
I could hook my gear stright upto my car Battery in theory but i dont know if the car battery having 100Ah will be to much, or will the camera gear just drain what it needs if the gear only takes 2amps in theory the car battery should last 50 hours is this correct ?

The reason i might go the extenstion lead way is i am thinking about recording this stuff stright to computer in the back of my car. and not bothering with tapes as on they are not cheap and two ill need to change them every 30 mins Betacam tapes are expensive.

Oh ill be bringing two Big Studio camera for cut away shots and different angles so i might need someone to help as a second camera man or woman  

Craig

[TheBoy]

Kool I can run my stuff from your extention lead to be on the safe side i have a mighty long extention cable also with 4 plug sockets in it.

But i have been also looking at some info on my camera gear the equipment can run from 10.5v upto 17v and has a total wattage of 25watts so on 12 volts it draws 2 amps which is nothing.

The Camera Batterys i have are knacked and drain really quickly they are 13.2v 1.7Ah so a new bat will last for an hour
I could hook my gear stright upto my car Battery in theory but i dont know if the car battery having 100Ah will be to much, or will the camera gear just drain what it needs if the gear only takes 2amps in theory the car battery should last 50 hours is this correct ?

The reason i might go the extenstion lead way is i am thinking about recording this stuff stright to computer in the back of my car. and not bothering with tapes as on they are not cheap and two ill need to change them every 30 mins Betacam tapes are expensive.

Craig

All your reasoning is sound

[Auto Addict]

No probs for chipping in with the generators.

[MikeDundee]

No probs chipping in for the gear EP's owe me a fiver anyway , I also have a halogen lamp on a tripod that I can bring along if needed 240v?

[Phil]

Just a thought but would it be a better idea to wire the generator directly into the fuse board at the unit then all lights and sockets work without having to worry about lead lights?

Assuming of course there are lights and sockets in the unit and its just a case of no elastictrickery being sent up the pole??

I have no issues with chipping in for the hire fees either