Charging at the track

[BrianG]

Actually, a small generator is not a bad idea at all. When not being used for R/C, you can use it in emergencies if power goes out. 800W is not that much, but enough for lighting or maybe even heating the house (only if gas heat where it just needs power for ignition and the blower).

A regular generator produces 120v, which is stepped down to 12v via a PS, then stepped back up for whatever the charger needs. Why not cut out the middle-man and produce 12v right at the generator? Since only ~200w is needed for almost all but the strongest chargers, a weedwacker engine running a car alternator to produce the needed 12v. Put a 0.5F cap on the output to smooth the DC pulses (car alternators are actually three-phase generators rectified via bridge or fullwave diodes).

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[riverat1540]

i think u should just get a car battery 800cca shold be more than fine, charge it in the garage before u go to the track and it should last all that u need to use it for the day, most likely more than that, then all u have to do is charge it again before next time and if it does for some kind of reason get to low then all u have to do is open your hood, but i doubt your draining that much in one day

[jhautz]

Originally Posted by BrianG

Actually, a small generator is not a bad idea at all. When not being used for R/C, you can use it in emergencies if power goes out. 800W is not that much, but enough for lighting or maybe even heating the house (only if gas heat where it just needs power for ignition and the blower).

A regular generator produces 120v, which is stepped down to 12v via a PS, then stepped back up for whatever the charger needs. Why not cut out the middle-man and produce 12v right at the generator? Since only ~200w is needed for almost all but the strongest chargers, a weedwacker engine running a car alternator to produce the needed 12v. Put a 0.5F cap on the output to smooth the DC pulses (car alternators are actually three-phase generators rectified via bridge or fullwave diodes).

I love that car alternator idea! But instead of a weed whacker motor I say just use that nitro motor that most of us have no use for now. lol.

Kidding on this... Damn nitro fuel cost would kill ya if you actually tried it.