Hey everyone,
I've seen some people using cool batteries at shows for their cc machines etc. Any idea where to get one and why do you like it?
Thanks in advance... -P
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Nurit 2085 Card Payment Terminal, and One (1) Vector Power Inverter 1000 watt (2000 watt peak). You use a car battery for the inverter. I will throw in the one I used. It is three years old. Reach me at larry@larrysimages.com or 419-565-5207. I live in Mansfield, OH
Why use an inverter at all?
Inverters are notoriously inefficient primarily in energy loss through heat.
Instead I suggest
12 volt fan, Led lights and a car adapter for your lappy.
First "the load"
6 amps -- Laptop 12v car adapter
6 amps -- 4X 12 volt LED camping lamps @ 1.5 amps each
3 amps -- 12v, 3 speed box fan "endless breeze" on Hi
15 amps per hour total .
The battery:
You will use 15 amps an hour < worst case >
SO
If you have a 12 volt deep cycle marine battery that is a 96AH < amps per hour > it would last 6.4 hours @15 amps.
Obviously if you aren't running the lights you save 6 amps an hour
so you would get 10+ hours at 9AH
And if you are only running the lappy < 6AH >you would get about 16 hours out of it.
I am in the same boat as you (except that the show I'm doing doesn't offer electricity at all). I just posted a similar question but I accidentally put it in the wrong place on the blog. Am hoping that Amy will reply regarding where to buy the batteries and that someone will reply to your question about how heavy the battery is since I think that you do have to take it back to your hotel room to charge. Good luck! ~Emily
Robin Chard said:
I know this thread had been quiet for a while but I am really in a fix. I have a show coming up and I guess I didn't look at the hours close enough. It goes 'til 10 at night! and I missed the electric deadline! I went to lowes and looked at some trac lighting. And I have tried to investigate the marine battery vs duracell 600 before, but after reading things like, "If not, the extra expense and lower efficiency of a sine wave corrected inverter is pointless. He'll up to 20% longer operation with a non-sine wave inverter, by far. Finally, he should match the current capability of his battery to his inverter, and his inverter size to his loads. If needs 1000 watt of AC power for 4 hours, with a peak of 2000 watts, he's going to have buy batteries and inverters to power the 2000 watt peak load, but these will be more expensive by far than his average load would otherwise require, and the larger inverter will not be as efficient, generally, in powering the 1000 watt average load, as a 1000 watt inverter could be."
Then my eyes cross and I wake up with keyboard impressions on my forhead. If I buy a marine battery do I have to lug it up to my motel room at night? (don't laugh, ok maybe a little) I am at these shows totally by myself. Between the commercal end ezup. (yes I do like my tent) and the 40 lb weights and three tables and six bins of stock and display items I am already lifting a lot of weight for one 55 year old broad. Will a duracell 600 handle eight of the new fangled low watt lights for 6 hours? anyone? anyone?
Thank you for this incredibly helpful post. Could you tell me where you buy the marine batteries, inverters, and chargers?
Thanks so much,
~Emily
Amy Schulz said:
I use deep cycle marine batteries like Toni. I thought I would put a little more information about them. What Paula and Deb are talking about will work for a small amount of power. Maybe the credit card machine and a light or two. I use many lights and also engrave in my booth, so I need more power.
The deep cycle marine batteries are necessary for running down and then charging back up. Standard car batteries do not work well for this. You will then need an inverter to convert the DC batteries to regular AC current. You can get by with one of the smaller inverters for around $50. Then you also have to purchase a charger. Make sure you get one with an automatic shutoff. This is very important to the longevity of the battery. This way of bringing power is more expensive (around $250) and very heavy. If you can get by without it- I would go with one of the other options, but I wanted to share this for those that might be interested.
I know this thread had been quiet for a while but I am really in a fix. I have a show coming up and I guess I didn't look at the hours close enough. It goes 'til 10 at night! and I missed the electric deadline! I went to lowes and looked at some trac lighting. And I have tried to investigate the marine battery vs duracell 600 before, but after reading things like, "If not, the extra expense and lower efficiency of a sine wave corrected inverter is pointless. He'll up to 20% longer operation with a non-sine wave inverter, by far. Finally, he should match the current capability of his battery to his inverter, and his inverter size to his loads. If needs 1000 watt of AC power for 4 hours, with a peak of 2000 watts, he's going to have buy batteries and inverters to power the 2000 watt peak load, but these will be more expensive by far than his average load would otherwise require, and the larger inverter will not be as efficient, generally, in powering the 1000 watt average load, as a 1000 watt inverter could be."
Then my eyes cross and I wake up with keyboard impressions on my forhead. If I buy a marine battery do I have to lug it up to my motel room at night? (don't laugh, ok maybe a little) I am at these shows totally by myself. Between the commercal end ezup. (yes I do like my tent) and the 40 lb weights and three tables and six bins of stock and display items I am already lifting a lot of weight for one 55 year old broad. Will a duracell 600 handle eight of the new fangled low watt lights for 6 hours? anyone? anyone?
Well, Chris, I don't actually have a credit terminal- with or without a battery. What I have is a laptop, and a $50 credit card scanner from propay.com which is my merchant processing company. As much as I would love to "get off the grid", it's just not going to work for me. When I get to the point where I can afford a $200 plus card machine, I will, but in the meantime, I will use my laptop, and input things directly into my inventory as sales happen. Also, with all the overcast skies we get here in September, especially after 7 at night, I can't imagine not having lights for my jewelry. If I have to stand there with a flashlight in each hand, I am going to light my cases! Thank you for your opinion, I do wish it would work for me.
Dave, my Mom actually has one of those Sanyo gizmos, and she uses it to charge a battery operated coffee bean grinder when they go camping. She says it works pretty well for something that small, but only if they charge it every night. I don't remember which model she has.... I also know they have things like that for cars so that you can always trickle charge your battery if you have a steady drain, but I don't know that any of those are strong enough for a laptop, or a terminal. Nice thought though!
Kaelin
Linda, neat idea with the taxes, but I'm so afraid I'd mess it up. I have a hard enough time tracking how much to charge where!
We are going to have to agree to diaagree. I don't think I'm short sighted, just pratical. My register is with me at all 40+ shows I do per year. If I must decide whether to take 5 to 9% of my sales off the top to give the state in sales taxes or make change, I'll make change and collect the tax. I too am outside in the same dreary weather you are, and my canopy is well lit by Mother Nature.
I don't even own a laptop so Maybe I am old fashioned. So I'll keep my 15 year old Swintec and my 9 year old Nurit I guess.
I could write a book on my experiences and how much has changed in this business in the past 30 years.
Hi Chris,
As I am on the road going to/coming from art shows or finding interesting images to photograph 5 out of 7 days, my laptop is with me always. I found it extremely valuable to have available at a show to get current radar images as being near one of the Great Lakes at all times - the weather is always a factor. I then have it after the show to enter customer & sales info on my spreadsheets. Watch DVD's? Who has time - never seen an artist do that (and I do shows nearly every weekend). I had a Swintec but it now sits in my closet. But I'm one of those that simplifies and do not bother with change anymore. If a customer pays in cash, it's typically for purchases under $100 and I pick up the tax. If charging - they pay the tax. Fiddling with change and utilizing a large amount of desktop space did not work with my flow of things. I'm a photographer but can see the need for jewelers especially to have power to accent their pieces. A large percentage of shows I've had this year have had dreary or rainy skies and inside those tents gets quite dark at times..... I guess I will have to strongly disagree with your comment to get off the grid. You are sorely short sighted on this my friend.
Chris Hoyt said:
Maybe I'm just old fashioned, but why on earth would you bring a laptop to a show? I have only seen a couple do it and they ended up watching DVDs and ignoring the customers. My cash register is battery powered (Swintec) and my terminal is self contained too (Nurit 3010). And again, during outdoor shows, no jeweler I know uses, or needs power. You need to get off the grid.
I am trying to get my inventory on my laptop so I can keep track better. Ideally, I would have a printer that would work from that also, but I may be getting more complicated than it needs to be. It already takes me 5 hours to set up and 3 to take down so what's another peripheral thrown in the mix...
Maybe I'm just old fashioned, but why on earth would you bring a laptop to a show? I have only seen a couple do it and they ended up watching DVDs and ignoring the customers. My cash register is battery powered (Swintec) and my terminal is self contained too (Nurit 3010). And again, during outdoor shows, no jeweler I know uses, or needs power. You need to get off the grid.
Replies
Why use an inverter at all?
Inverters are notoriously inefficient primarily in energy loss through heat.
Instead I suggest
12 volt fan, Led lights and a car adapter for your lappy.
First "the load"
6 amps -- Laptop 12v car adapter
6 amps -- 4X 12 volt LED camping lamps @ 1.5 amps each
3 amps -- 12v, 3 speed box fan "endless breeze" on Hi
15 amps per hour total .
The battery:
You will use 15 amps an hour < worst case >
SO
If you have a 12 volt deep cycle marine battery that is a 96AH < amps per hour > it would last 6.4 hours @15 amps.
Obviously if you aren't running the lights you save 6 amps an hour
so you would get 10+ hours at 9AH
And if you are only running the lappy < 6AH >you would get about 16 hours out of it.
Hope that helps a bit,
Tom
I am in the same boat as you (except that the show I'm doing doesn't offer electricity at all). I just posted a similar question but I accidentally put it in the wrong place on the blog. Am hoping that Amy will reply regarding where to buy the batteries and that someone will reply to your question about how heavy the battery is since I think that you do have to take it back to your hotel room to charge. Good luck! ~Emily
Robin Chard said:
Thank you for this incredibly helpful post. Could you tell me where you buy the marine batteries, inverters, and chargers?
Thanks so much,
~Emily
Amy Schulz said:
Then my eyes cross and I wake up with keyboard impressions on my forhead. If I buy a marine battery do I have to lug it up to my motel room at night? (don't laugh, ok maybe a little) I am at these shows totally by myself. Between the commercal end ezup. (yes I do like my tent) and the 40 lb weights and three tables and six bins of stock and display items I am already lifting a lot of weight for one 55 year old broad. Will a duracell 600 handle eight of the new fangled low watt lights for 6 hours? anyone? anyone?
Dave, my Mom actually has one of those Sanyo gizmos, and she uses it to charge a battery operated coffee bean grinder when they go camping. She says it works pretty well for something that small, but only if they charge it every night. I don't remember which model she has.... I also know they have things like that for cars so that you can always trickle charge your battery if you have a steady drain, but I don't know that any of those are strong enough for a laptop, or a terminal. Nice thought though!
Kaelin
Linda, neat idea with the taxes, but I'm so afraid I'd mess it up. I have a hard enough time tracking how much to charge where!
I don't even own a laptop so Maybe I am old fashioned. So I'll keep my 15 year old Swintec and my 9 year old Nurit I guess.
I could write a book on my experiences and how much has changed in this business in the past 30 years.
I wish you well.
As I am on the road going to/coming from art shows or finding interesting images to photograph 5 out of 7 days, my laptop is with me always. I found it extremely valuable to have available at a show to get current radar images as being near one of the Great Lakes at all times - the weather is always a factor. I then have it after the show to enter customer & sales info on my spreadsheets. Watch DVD's? Who has time - never seen an artist do that (and I do shows nearly every weekend). I had a Swintec but it now sits in my closet. But I'm one of those that simplifies and do not bother with change anymore. If a customer pays in cash, it's typically for purchases under $100 and I pick up the tax. If charging - they pay the tax. Fiddling with change and utilizing a large amount of desktop space did not work with my flow of things. I'm a photographer but can see the need for jewelers especially to have power to accent their pieces. A large percentage of shows I've had this year have had dreary or rainy skies and inside those tents gets quite dark at times..... I guess I will have to strongly disagree with your comment to get off the grid. You are sorely short sighted on this my friend.
Chris Hoyt said:
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