Power inverter>>>

[follow3]

Hey,

Can you run a Jet VS mini from one of those power inverters that you hook up to your car?

If so, what size inverter would be needed? I checked the specs on the lathe and it says it draws 3 amps., but all the inverters I look at are rated by watts.

How many watts would I need to run a lathe that draws 3 amps?

Thanks All,
Steve

 

[rduncan]

Generally speaking Volts times amps = watts

 

[hilltopper46]

Use the volts of the lathe, so 110 x 3 = 330 watts. Round up to 400 or 500 to be safe.

If you use an extension cord, make sure it is a good one = the flat appliance cords (I'm not talking about the flat cheapo ones here) are usually good. Look for conductor size of at 12 for a 50-foot cord. Connect the inverter as closely to the battery as you can (for this). If it comes with a choice of alligator clips that clip directly onto the battery or the cigarette lighter, the alligator clips will be safer. If the inverter has a fan, make sue the air can flow through it OK - if no fan, give it plenty of room, place it on something that won't melt or burn, and don't stack anything on top of it.

Sorry if I got carried away. These inverters are OK but give them a little respect.

 

[gcurran]

Don't forget about the other side of the system - the 12 volt input. For every amp you draw of 120 volt ac, you will be drawing 10 amps of 12 volt dc. Also, these little inverters are not very efficient, you may need to supply 15-20% more input amps just to power the beastie. Bottom line, for your 3 amp at 120 volt output, you will need to supply about 36 amps at 12 volts.

When you choose an inverter, you want to select one that is close to the maximum wattage you want to deliver. The reason for this is that the cheaper inverters dont give a very pure sine wave output unless they are loaded close to maximum. Not necessarily bad for a motor, but other electronics may not like it.

Hope this helps some.

 

[Gary Max]

I use a 1000 watt inverter with 1200 peak at shows.
Those small cheap ones are just that---cheap.
If you hunt around on ebay you can find a good deal on one.

 

[Marc Phillips]

Here's one of the better deals I have seen.... and yea, don't get one of those cheap ones; all they do is overheat and turn themselves off... for some reason (based on my experience only) they only seem to operate efficiently at about half their rated capacity...

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=95596

 

[redfishsc]

From my days running power tools on a generator (places where the power hasn't been turned on yet), here's a couple tips that will help you.


1) Run NOTHING other than the lathe off of this, especially lights--- incandescent bulbs suck a lot of juice: buy an LED stick if you must have a light.

2) DO NOT use a long drop cord if you can get away from it. Select a heavy gauge drop cord, not a thin one, and keep it to 15-20 feet max.

3) Remember that starting an electric motor takes a good bit more juice than when the motor is underway--- especially if you have the lathe on high (think of how it takes a second or two for most lathes to spool up to max RPM, 3700+). Ie, don't test your hookup from the outset with a high-speed run. Start on a lower speed and see how the lathe responds lest ye blow a fuse.

 

[follow3]

Hey All,

Thanks for all the good info.

What I plan on doing is:

1. Build a stand with wheels for the mini lathe. It will have a drawer directly beneath the lathe for storing tools and supplies. It will have a cabinet to house the battery and inverter.

2. The cabinet area will have no doors so the inverter can stay cool.

3. The inverter will be hooked up with alligator clips.

4. I plan to use a deep cycle boat battery. They tend to work best for charging over and over.

5. I will probably go with a 1000 watt inverter with a power fan, and will have it close enough that the lathe can plug in directly with no extension cord.

6. I will also have a 6 inch grinder for keeping sharp. I will use this with the lathe off, so as not to draw too many amps.

My last few questions:

1. How long should one battery last?
2. The show I attend weekly is only 4 hours. Will I need one battery or two? (I wont be turning the whole time, probably only 1/2 or less)
3. Am I forgetting anything?

Thanks,
Steve

 

[Marc Phillips]

Originally posted by follow3

Hey All,

Thanks for all the good info.

What I plan on doing is:

1. Build a stand with wheels for the mini lathe. It will have a drawer directly beneath the lathe for storing tools and supplies. It will have a cabinet to house the battery and inverter.

2. The cabinet area will have no doors so the inverter can stay cool.

3. The inverter will be hooked up with alligator clips.

4. I plan to use a deep cycle boat battery. They tend to work best for charging over and over.

5. I will probably go with a 1000 watt inverter with a power fan, and will have it close enough that the lathe can plug in directly with no extension cord.

6. I will also have a 6 inch grinder for keeping sharp. I will use this with the lathe off, so as not to draw too many amps.

My last few questions:

1. How long should one battery last?
2. The show I attend weekly is only 4 hours. Will I need one battery or two? (I wont be turning the whole time, probably only 1/2 or less)
3. Am I forgetting anything?

Thanks,
Steve

I am gonna just throw this into the ring for consideration.... just in case...

With the cost of the inverter and battery and the fact that the inverter will run down the battery pretty quick....

.... have you considered a small generator?