ATTN: Art Car Specialist / Art car power supply ideas

[eatdrinkadam]

Burners..

I need some technical advice on an art car related project for this year.

To keep this simple.. i am trying to build a bubbler tank for my car art project. (yes the kind you see in a science lab)

I have device technically mapped out. It will consist of dyed liquid and internal air tubing (to create the bubbles like a fish tank)

However, the air pump supply will need to be powered by AC outlet (like in your house) I am looking for ways to supply AC power through the art car battery (1996 Club Car / Golf Car setup)

I know there are many adapters and such for this sort of setup, but i am worried it would drain the battery. (or would it?)

So in a nutshell, has anyone had experience with powering AC appliances
through their art car? Or can anyone lend any ideas for air pump setup as mentioned above.

Thanks in advanced!!!

[TomServo]

Are you pre-approved with the DMV? Not an expert, but think a big Inverter would be needed..and the only ones Ive used run off gas or diesel systems... 12v that is..

[eatdrinkadam]

Yes pre-approved.

Ive used AC converters (big adapters that plug into your battery) that have one outlet, on standard vehicles. They worked fine.

However, I am worried about battery longevity since it is a golf cart set-up, with smaller battery.

Just looking for some advice on this, or perhaps some better ideas.

thx

[TomServo]

sounds like you will want another battery seperate from your cart..Im not the one to answer..but, good luck!

[TomServo]

try posting this in tips and tricks?

[hsdavis]

Try to find a pump that works on 12 volts. You may need to be creative, but windsheild washer pumps may work and also if there is a fish tank pump that uses a converter to power it. BE CREATIVE!

[Kenny Z]

What size is this bubbler? How much draw does it use? It sounds to me like you should buy a deep cycle (marine) battery and run it off that. Deep cycles last much longer than a regular car battery and are designed to be fully drained over and over. Charging it will be your obstacle. You may need a few solar panels to let it charge during the day, however, this means you could only use the pump at night.

Another option would be to buy one of those mini 2 cycle generators. Not exactly quiet nor green but will get the job done and probably weigh less than the marine battery.

[Token]

Have you tried and failed? Tried and Died?

or are you just a worry worm?

Get an automotive air compressor from Kragens, Pep Boys, etc. They run on 12V.

[Marscrumbs]

They make 12V fish bait aerators. I've seen them in Kmart. Much better than any diaphram aquarium pump. Else I got a 2 D cell portable aerator for an airstone.

[Kenny Z]

Oh and yes you can run household type appliances off DC power with an inverter. My mutant vehicle has an inverter that we ran a few A/C plug outlets off it. We run some lights off it and I charge my MP3 from it. Basically, the inverter is big enough to run a small tv or computer from it if I wanted.

[Captain Goddammit]

If your mutant vehicle is an electric golf cart, forget what has been said about buying a deep-cycle battery. The cart already has several large deep-cycle batteries! The power draw from a small pump shouldn't be any big deal.
I'm assuming you have a way to recharge your cart at camp.

[eatdrinkadam]

wow.

Thanks for all the helpful replies.

I failed to mention that the golf cart is gas powered.

Great call on the fish bait aerators (Marscrumbs).. i didn't even know the exist.

Also thought about the additional marine or motorsports battery, but was unsure of its longevity, especially since its not being cycle charged by my motor.. Perhaps i would have to get a portable AC battery charger, and leave it charged via my RV generator.

All great ideas. thanks a million folks.

[Captain Goddammit]

If it's a gas-engine cart, it should have a battery and alternator already. If you can hit a wrecking yard, get an alternator from a late-'80s to mid '90s GM small car. They put out like crazy and are super cheap. I'm using two in my mutant vehicle, and each is handling about a 700 watt AC load, through an inverter.

[tubahurl]

I don't know what your budget is, but we have used and are still using small on-board honda generators to give a constant supply of giddie up. They use VERY little fuel and are VERY quiet. Coupled with an on-board charger, you can go indefinitely. Plus when you loose power at home, you're the envy of the nieghborhood.

Hope that helps.

Cap'n o the Tub

http://www.tubahurl.net

[eatdrinkadam]

Great idea.. silent too!

any idea on which model you carry and how much they run?

[Kenny Z]

Ha, well since it's gas, it's sounds like a deep cycle ain't such a bad idea anymore, unless you plan on only running the pump, lights, etc. while the engine is running.

Tubahurl has the right idea with the Honda generator but just know that they ain't cheap.

[Captain Goddammit]

I've been using a Honda generator to power all the lights, sound, etc. on my mutant vehicles for years but since installing 2 high-amp alternators, each with it's own battery and inverter, I don't even need it anymore (but I'll have it for backup just in case).
I've found through practice that the Honda generator is great for mutant vehicle power, but it isn't perfect; it gets clogged with playa dust and requires a lot of maintenance - oil changes, air filters, carburetor disassembly and cleaning.

[tubahurl]

The Honda's we use are the eu1000i on Tiltahurl and the eu2000i on Tubahurl. As far as maintenance goes, we ran the crap out of the 1000w unit last year on Tilt and the air filter and oil weren't that bad considering it sat at ground level in the thick of the playa dust. The only thing that scares most people off is the price. It's about $.90 a watt. You do the math. You can also mitigate the playa intrusion by mounting the unit in a box with "clean" air coming in through furnace filters on one side and let the exhaust out the other side. We run our camp on a eu3000i in the afore mentioned box. It does a pretty good job of keeping the generator clean.

Hope that helps.

Cap'n o the Tub

www.tubahurl.net

[Captain Goddammit]

I was using a Honda EU1000 on my Land Yacht. This year I went with 2 GM CS-130 alternators, $10 each at the wrecking yard from late '80s - early '90s GM small cars. Add a 1200 watt (continuous rating) inverter ($90) and a deep-cycle battery ($100) and I'm holding a 1150 - 1200 watt 120VAC load at idle. That's more than the EU1000 was making, for less $$, and it's less trouble.
I do love Honda EU generators, and I use two EU2000s at my camp, but this is a great system if you're on a vehicle where there's already an engine running anyway.

[Kenny Z]

You can also mitigate the playa intrusion by mounting the unit in a box with "clean" air coming in through furnace filters on one side and let the exhaust out the other side.
Hope that helps.

Cap'n o the Tub

www.tubahurl.net

That sounds like a good idea for keeping generators clean. Question though: Does it interfere with cooling?

[tubahurl]

Since I seem to be having difficulties posting pic's of the generator box, I can email them to anyone who want's them. We have run several generators in the boxes with no ill effects. Plus your neighbors don't even know its there.


Capn' o the Tub

www.tubahurl.net