Longer Lasting Power
 

I have a question with, from what I can understand and have heard, has way too many answers so I am going to put it to you and see what your thoughts are.

The Anvil has just a regular car battery and I use a laptop for the audio, the Vista media player is great to use and the fifteen inch screen anit nothing to frown at :D, and a power inverter to keep the laptop charged up.

My problem is that I enjoy using the the laptop during breaks at work and when the battery was new I could have the accessories switched on to have the system running and power to the lighter socketso I could run the inverter to run the laptop. Now, though, when the inverter is not getting enough juice it will beep. The sound is continious and I have to turn it off and run on the laptop battery which is only good for about an hour and a half.

Would using a deep cycle battery, a totally sealed red top type for high powered systems, with an isolator be set up in the back of The Anvil so that I could run the laptop and system, really just the head unit and speakers, and have enough power to keep the inverter plugged into the lighter socket for full power to the laptop?

What kind of power consumption might I need to consider and how do I figure it out?

Do I just need a better inverter or is my idea worth it?

There are all sorts of cars with stupid sized systems in them with thousands of watts in them and they seem to be able to run for hours. How can I get this kind of power output?

Or is it because I am using the lighter socket and the inverter just some how draws too much juice?

I need a power fix and some help :)


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RE: Longer Lasting Power
 

I would get a bigger deep cycle battery and maybe a capasitor to run inline. But overall might be better to run the car. Inverters pull alot of power.

RE: Longer Lasting Power
 

While running the car is an option, I would rather not waste fuel just to listen to tunes.

RE: Longer Lasting Power
 

You could try and Optima Red top battery, but they are spendy. Tech is right, inverters can and do pull a lot of juice. We use them at work and they will easily kill a regular battery if you are not careful

RE: Longer Lasting Power
 

Hello Psaboic and Tech,

Thank you for your thoughts.

As an idea I am trying to figure out how to go about setting up (properly)a deep cycle battery as a second power source as I have been getting more interested in adding an amp (nota foolishly large one (or more) because I dont need a half billion watts to move the car when the tail gate is open [sm=smiley36.gif])and changing the OEM speakers for some medium to high end ones with a ten inch sub. Again, not looking to break windows, justthicker sound.

And how is it that others can have these silly (Godzilla scaring) large systems and blast tunes at the park all day and not need a boost to gohome? I mean, I have looked at some of the set ups and I cant figure how theyre doing it. I never see multiple batteries, or they are well hidden.

Would one(or more)of the red top, or another spiral style deep cycle, batteries be suitable? How lage (power wise) would/should I go? Would it be a matter of just changing out my current (:)no pun intended) battery? Or would going the route of a second (deep cycle) battery in the rear with the essentials(proper wiring, isolator, fuse, cap)be a wiser choice? And, if required, how large of a capasitor?

I dont want to have the lights dimming with each bass beat and I dont want to be stuck in the lot after work because the Brick wont start.

I am looking for around five hundred watts total but I will still need to find a way for sustained power to the lighter socket.


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RE: Longer Lasting Power
 

Most big systems like that have 2 batteries and a capasitor.

RE: Longer Lasting Power
 

caps scare the hell out of me for longevity. I would go the two battery route first.Next I would strap a generator to the roof rack. lol:D

RE: Longer Lasting Power
 

I had a Optima Red Top battery in my previous Saab 9000 Aero and loved it.
They are expensive but on sale till the end of the month:
http://www.advanceautoparts.com/engl...ma/default.asp