Power Tool Battery Inverters
- Thread starter TeeDee
- Start date
-
Come along to the amazing Summer Moot (21st July - 2nd August), a festival of bushcrafting and camping in a beautiful woodland PLEASE CLICK HERE for more information.
Just bought one, working away all week so won't get chance to use it until the weekend, my thinking was to have 3 batteries, one to use, and one charging the third and switch them around, unlimited power? This was for work but then I got to thinking of camps, 200w could do a lot.
Will need some testing but yep, for sure, I'll post up some pics and results, albeit slightly/mostly unprofessional!
Which manufacturer unit is it Bopdude? The one I've seen most advertised is the Sakerplus
That's the one I bought, for DeWalt batteries, tracking hasn't even kicked in yet, maybe I won't have it to play with, we'll see?
Sorry bopdude, are you suggesting you'll be able to use one battery running the inverter to charge another battery? If so, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. An inverter will only be about 85% efficient, and the charger is probably about the same, so a 100% charged battery will only charge the second battery to about 70% capacity. Apologies if I've got the wrong end of the stick
A 5Ah 18v Lithium battery will give you a theoretical 90wh power availability - so will run a 60w load for about 1.5 hrs.
No you read it right, I was hoping to charge one to another, I'll have to experiment, no great loss of it doesn't do what I want, I'll still get use of it if on site, thanks for the info though.Sorry bopdude, are you suggesting you'll be able to use one battery running the inverter to charge another battery? If so, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. An inverter will only be about 85% efficient, and the charger is probably about the same, so a 100% charged battery will only charge the second battery to about 70% capacity. Apologies if I've got the wrong end of the stick
A 5Ah 18v Lithium battery will give you a theoretical 90wh power availability - so will run a 60w load for about 1.5 hrs.
You got any thoughts on these things Broch?Sorry bopdude, are you suggesting you'll be able to use one battery running the inverter to charge another battery? If so, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. An inverter will only be about 85% efficient, and the charger is probably about the same, so a 100% charged battery will only charge the second battery to about 70% capacity. Apologies if I've got the wrong end of the stick
A 5Ah 18v Lithium battery will give you a theoretical 90wh power availability - so will run a 60w load for about 1.5 hrs.
Eh? You can’t make infinite power.
I think you would be better off with ‘normal’ power bank. A power tool battery is anything from 1.5ah to 5ah (probably bigger units). In the scheme of power banks, that’s not much really. My main power bank is 20000mah and is less bulky all round.
I suppose the only real benefit is that it’s an inverter rather than 12v.
What are you wanting to run that needs 240v?
What are you wanting to run that needs 240v?
You need to convert everything to 'power' = Watts = Volts x Amps, then see if the device gives you what you want/need. A lead acid vehicle battery is typically 75 to 100Ah. So at 12v a 100Ah battery will give you 1,200wh - that will run a 60w mains load for a theoretical 20 hours; inefficiencies will reduce that to nearer 15 probably.
Taking Stew's point, a typical power bank is around 20Ah, but that's only at 5v, so only give 100wh.
Convert everything to power, then compare
Aah, yes - 5v!You need to convert everything to 'power' = Watts = Volts x Amps, then see if the device gives you what you want/need. A lead acid vehicle battery is typically 75 to 100Ah. So at 12v a 100Ah battery will give you 1,200wh - that will run a 60w mains load for a theoretical 20 hours; inefficiencies will reduce that to nearer 15 probably.
Taking Stew's point, a typical power bank is around 20Ah, but that's only at 5v, so only give 100wh.
Convert everything to power, then compare
It definitely depends on what is being powered as I can cope with that for most out and about stuff.
Nothing in particular it has been bought as an experiment to see what it can do, I watched a few YouTube videos of guys powering various things and thought it interesting.
I have a thing that goes on the top of my De-Walt cordless tool batteries.
They're either 5 Ah (at 18 volts) or 9 Ah (again at 18 volts) and I've used the 5 Ah one to provide 5 volts DC and charge several phones when at a festival.
Wasn't an inverter though, they give out alternating current
They're either 5 Ah (at 18 volts) or 9 Ah (again at 18 volts) and I've used the 5 Ah one to provide 5 volts DC and charge several phones when at a festival.
Wasn't an inverter though, they give out alternating current
Yes seen those and I know DeWalt make that one - no Three/Two Pin plug outlet however.
Yeah have had one of those for years, very handy as you say for charging phones, also small task lights when I'm on site, charge whilst using them.
I bought a cheaper version on ebay for dewalt 5ah battery, has the two USB on it and a torch, does the job when I'm away from a vehicle or 240v, charged the phone well and a torch, ran a little air pump and battery still had plenty of charge.
Lead acid batteries are only supposed to be drained 30% or so, more for a deep cycle leisure battery. So a 100Ah battery might only give you 30Ah of useable juice. Lithium batteries are better, ~90% for LiFePo IIRC. It's worth bearing this in mind to avoid disappointment and ruining batteries by draining them too far.
