I heard I can use a car battery to power my 400W.

Mrkiwi818

Active Member
I heard that it is possible to use car batteries to power your What ever whatt you have.. I just wanted to see if anyone could help me figure it out as far as doing it or at least testing it out.... If i got it down it would be a sweet way to cut down on the electric bill. Someone let me know if it can be done or let me know that its not going to work.. So i can go tell my friend hes full of shiattt!!!!
 

Mrkiwi818

Active Member
Sweet bro.. Yeah my PS3 is solar powerd so if i can just figure out how to get that dam 400W to burn off a goodyear battery! then I will be as cool as you. and your AAA battery DLP..:twisted:
 

mmmfive

Active Member
A car battery for a SUV or van for a 400w light will last 10 hours or so. You would need too many batteries and a way to charge them anyway, so you might as well just plug it in to your wall. haha
 

phaded420

Well-Known Member
I heard that it is possible to use car batteries to power your What ever whatt you have.. I just wanted to see if anyone could help me figure it out as far as doing it or at least testing it out.... If i got it down it would be a sweet way to cut down on the electric bill. Someone let me know if it can be done or let me know that its not going to work.. So i can go tell my friend hes full of shiattt!!!!

lol

i think you could like do the funniest grow ever and just get a big AstroVAN, setup your grow in the back and drive it around all the time to keep the battery charging (way way more expensive to burn gas to keep it charged than just plug it in at your house anyways)

Probably not possible but the thought seems pretty funny in my head :)
 

scias

Well-Known Member
yeah, if i can run a thermo-nuclear generator off a couple potatoes and some wire, i dont see why not.
 

scias

Well-Known Member
lol

i think you could like do the funniest grow ever and just get a big AstroVAN, setup your grow in the back and drive it around all the time to keep the battery charging (way way more expensive to burn gas to keep it charged than just plug it in at your house anyways)

Probably not possible but the thought seems pretty funny in my head :)
what a great idea. it actually could work, all jokes aside. I think im going to take that on as a project. ill just convert the engine to like some kinda hybrid biodiesel so i get stupid gas mileage and clean emissions
 

Mr. Limpet

Well-Known Member
what if you had like 2 or three batterys and a few ebay solar panels to run the charger. Something like that
 

email468

Well-Known Member
i haven't really noticed my electric bill going up very much with a 1000w - unless you are on an extremely tight budget doubt you'll notice much and save you the trouble of having to have multiple batteries charging all the time.
 

Your Grandfather

Well-Known Member
If you wanted to do this, you need: a) DC to AC power inverter capable of handling the power; b)a electrically strong enough connector to handle the current; c) wires of a gauge sufficient to handle the current (amps).

If you want to add a solar charger, make sure you have the potential for current to flow, otherwise you won't charge your battery. So, if you are going to charge an automobile battery_which is 13.3v, nominal you would need at least a charger capable of producing 14.4 volts. This would yield a 1.1v potential for current to flow. I would search for a solar charger capable of 'generative current' something like 17v and 1amp output. This would not yield a fast charge but it would certainly slow down the discharge process if hooked up to the battery at the same time the lights were connected_of course you'd need a small circuit to prevent problems.

An easier way would be. Go find a used 'UPS' Uninterruptible Power Supply from a computer shop that needs a battery. Replace the ac input with your solar and use your car battery instead of the small one inside the unit_remember to increase gauge of wire from battery to UPS. Then plug your cfl's right into the socket on back of power supply. You want a UPS and not an SPS. UPS always has the inverter running. SPS doesn't.
 

tusseltussel

Well-Known Member
or you could take the alternator off of your car, run it up a flag pole, with some fan blades attached, to charge the batteries and do a wind powered grow. i think you need to take out the regulator or sumthin in the alt. for it to work right
 

billybob88

Well-Known Member
sounds like to much work to get around a power bill. i have 2 600s and didnt notice any increase in power bill. it actually went down cause i became more energy minded around the house
 

phaded420

Well-Known Member
sounds like to much work to get around a power bill. i have 2 600s and didnt notice any increase in power bill. it actually went down cause i became more energy minded around the house
I dont understand how so many people post like this saying they don't notice an increase in the power bill.

I know for a fact if I put 2 - 600w's where I live there'd be a clear and significant electric bill increase.

I know someone whose 400w was a noticeable increase.

I don't care what people say, expect your electric bill to go up unless you start practicing some extreme power conservation.
 

billybob88

Well-Known Member
I dont man. I dont at all. I use clfs in my house instead of regluar bulbs. dont run the a/c as much unless the grow area is hot. turn computers off, tvs, stereos. etc. A normal water heater uses like 3000 some odd watts. Take that into consideration. I bought a timer for my water heater to only run when i need to take showers(morning and night). Im just talking from experience. i run 2 600s and a 250 watt mh plus fans, pumps etc. and my power bill went DOWN. almost 80 dollars. compared to my previous bills of hardcore summertime heat and a/c running all the time. now its getting cooler and i dont use it as much. But you dont have to take my word for it.
 

tusseltussel

Well-Known Member
hahaaaa my e bill went down when i got a new 400w and i was using only floros for that first month after i moved hahaaa hahaaaa
 

italia954

Well-Known Member
The battery idea would be good to know how to do in case of a power outage for just a few days. Have 2 batteries and rotate them, use a generator to charge them
 

spliffendz

Well-Known Member
get two big magnets and suspend them so they are repelling each other, and attach to turbine, voila! free power :-P
 

new smokey

Active Member
I'm getting ready to purchase a wind turbine to put on the top of my house. The 1 i'm looking at puts out a 1000 watts and with a large enough battery bank I will never have to pay a electrical bill again.
 

The Knuck

Active Member
I'm getting ready to purchase a wind turbine to put on the top of my house. The 1 i'm looking at puts out a 1000 watts and with a large enough battery bank I will never have to pay a electrical bill again.
1000 watts ??? you will still have a power bill
 
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