A neighbor at this past weekend's show shared with me her new River Battery that she uses for her LED lighting setup. This was her first time using it so she could not give me a full review. Anyone out there using this device with a bit more experience for a solid review?
She bought in during the Indiegogo campaign at $459-$499. It now runs about $599-$699.
At 11 pounds, this would be nice to carry around rather than the ole' marine battery.
Many thanks.
Replies
I have the Anker Powerhouse that Greg mentioned. It runs my 28 watts for 7.5 - 8 hours. I got the extra half hour by shortening my cord and not curling it on top of itself (husband's suggestion). I used to use wheelchair batteries which are lighter but would only last for 4 hours which meant I had to have four if I didn't want to charge overnight. I know that my weight limit (that which I can lift out of the van and onto a cart) is 61 lbs. I wanted to go with a marine battery that would last all of a two day show - 28 watts for 16 hours. I had a hell of a time getting anyone who sold marine batteries to commit to that. I also had issues with the converter to choose. They told me 150 watts, it overheated within an hour. I tried 200 and then 250. The 250 one worked okay but also cut down on my time. Don't forget that when you work with a marine battery you also need a converter and a charger. The price adds up.
I am very happy with my Powerhouse. It charges overnight, which the wheelchair batteries sometimes didn't. It's 10 lbs. and small which works for my overloaded van. The only thing I have to worry about for where I put it is that I don't accidentally turn it on (which has happened). Those wheelchair battery terminals will cause acid damage. I have the holes in my jeans to prove it. I got it on sale from Amazon for $350 probably spending about $150 more than for a marine battery setup. The light weight and ease of use are well worth it to me. I'm trying to set up solar to charge the powerhouse while it is running but I've run into problems with the length of the cord between the two. Once I get that set up the Powerhouse should last longer than I need it to.
GoalZero has some good solar panels (portable) and also power packs, similar to what you write of.
Your spouse suggestion about not coiling is correct. However if you need the length just switch to a lower resistance cord. Larger gauge, better quality material, better connection points, research twisted VS solid.
This part can get interesting as advantages of flexibility of stranded. Yet you may have debates as to the difference in resistance. Is it pure DC, are all the conductors exactly the same, etc. Understanding capacitance opens up a new can of worms.
Easiest is use very good terminations, highest gauge, good quality copper wire, that is practical. As few connections as possible. Get a very good inverter. Many, of the battery units that have built in inverters, are very inefficient. A good inverter can make a big difference.
Why not skip the inverter. Go native DC on everything. More efficient.
Here is another option. from Anker I don't use this power pack but I do have a bunch of other Anker chargers and products. They have a very good repuration for quality products.
I have no knowledge of this unit.
However it does not seem like a good value for the amount of power.
Less than 42AMPS.
Agree the weight is nice compared to a marine battery. However will it produce enough to carry your lighting needs for the time needed?
Marine battery, more weight however far more capacity, also Much lower cost factor.
Indeed Larry, I agree with the Marine Battery Specs/Cost Factor. The only 'review' she could give me was that it powered her lights (total of 45 watts) for about 10 hours. The unit certainly has my attention, but so far the only reviews I can find are mainly people charging their drones while being outdoors.
If you find the lower power capacity is sufficient for your needs. Then why not look into a marine battery of lower power? It would be much lighter than a high capacity. Much cheaper.
The weight would still be more than the lithium Ion, but very manageable.
One of my batteries is:
Group 34
Deep Cycle Marine AGM
955amp
55AH
44 pounds
Circa $120
Yes, it is four times heavier.
However one that is substantially less AH would be much lighter and even less expensive.
Li is higher in cost. Has some advantages. For the difference in cost, you could purchase, several of the marine models, use one at a time. Don't have to charge overnight. Just exchange each day of the show. Gives you a backup in case of failure, also.