Bigdog57
Tallahassee, Florida
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Joined: 12/16/2007
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Wally's has a nifty battery box in the boating section that is equipped with two sets of standard post connectors, and two other sets of connectors. A good carry handle too - better than the basic boxes. I think it includes the inverter, I need to see it again.
BUT... it costs $60 for the box unit alone - the battery is not included!
I have a 400 watt inverter - after looking the Wal-Mart unit over - I can built it for far less. A bit bulky for car-camping - but it could double as an emergency unit for startng the car.
Edit to add: Just got the latest Sportsman's Guide catalog - they have much the same thing for about $45! No inverter, but I have that covered. Add a good deep cycle battery, I'm in business.
* This post was
edited 05/14/08 04:36am by Bigdog57 *
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tplife69
SoCal
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Joined: 11/09/2007
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I have found the deep-cycle batteries sold at WalMart for $65.00. I already own the inverter, so it may be preferable to connect the Wegan booster up to the deep-cell to provide reserve energy. Otherwise I have to have the front of my car within about 20' of my campsite to have all-weekend power. It's not possible for the booster to be both a thin-plate car-starter and a thick-plate deep-cycle power source at the same time, and I believe that is why these are great as car-starters and lousy as power stations.
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tplife69
SoCal
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The inverter takes 5 watts just turned on, and add 5 watts to the device while running, so a voltage buck converter is superior to the inverter for my applicaitons. Costco carries an 85 ah deep-cell for $58.00. I found good information on these power systems at
http://www.templetons.com/brad/burn/burn-power.html
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FantasticFauna
LaSalle, Ontario, Canada, eh!
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Joined: 05/01/2008
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We had a yard sale last weekend and I came across a 12v ceramic heater that I've never used and was going to put in our sale...then started thinking....
This heater is a 300w heater, 12v DC. How do I determine how long one of those battery packs or just a battery would run this heater?
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Vapor_Trails
Yucaipa, CA
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Joined: 09/29/2004
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FantasticFauna wrote:We had a yard sale last weekend and I came across a 12v ceramic heater that I've never used and was going to put in our sale...then started thinking....
This heater is a 300w heater, 12v DC. How do I determine how long one of those battery packs or just a battery would run this heater? Someone more knowledgeable with the ratings can chime in with exact numbers, but I can speak from observation. The typical battery pack will realistically run that 300w heater for about 30 minutes, maybe. An RV battery for an hour or two. To run something like that heater all night you need a generator.
68 Me & DW
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"I hope you like Guinness, Sir. I find it a refreshing substitute for...food." Col. Jack O'Neill, Stargate SG-1.
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Hiker3
Florida
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Joined: 01/21/2007
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Coleman Battery Operated Fan
This little $20 fan saved me during hot hurricane season when there was no electric.
Seriously. Best $20 camping item I've purchased. It works very well -- strong breeze 
Livin Lite Quicksilver 8.0 (Folding Tent Camper) only 900 lbs!
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Vapor_Trails
Yucaipa, CA
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Hiker3 wrote:Coleman Battery Operated Fan
This little $20 fan saved me during hot hurricane season when there was no electric.
Seriously. Best $20 camping item I've purchased. It works very well -- strong breeze I bought this battery operated fan from Walmart a couple of years ago. I really liked it. It has since gone missing. I'm pretty sure my oldest DD took it with her on a camp out with another family and it's packed away in their gear. But she denies it, of course. This is the same family that has my $10 5x7 tarp (not a $2 cheapie, but a good quality one) and a decent ice chest that someone in their family filled with dog food for thier huge slobbering mutts. Yuck. They can keep it. They are really very nice people, though. And they treat my DD very well. But, my camping gear doesn't go with them anymore. In any case, I will be replacing that fan with another one just like it. Walmart still carries them; at least my local stores do, I haven't seen it on their website.
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FantasticFauna
LaSalle, Ontario, Canada, eh!
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Vapor_Trails wrote:Hiker3 wrote:Coleman Battery Operated Fan
This little $20 fan saved me during hot hurricane season when there was no electric.
Seriously. Best $20 camping item I've purchased. It works very well -- strong breeze I bought this battery operated fan from Walmart a couple of years ago. I really liked it. It has since gone missing. I'm pretty sure my oldest DD took it with her on a camp out with another family and it's packed away in their gear. But she denies it, of course. This is the same family that has my $10 5x7 tarp (not a $2 cheapie, but a good quality one) and a decent ice chest that someone in their family filled with dog food for thier huge slobbering mutts. Yuck. They can keep it. They are really very nice people, though. And they treat my DD very well. But, my camping gear doesn't go with them anymore. In any case, I will be replacing that fan with another one just like it. Walmart still carries them; at least my local stores do, I haven't seen it on their website.
I was looking at that very fan yesterday. I have a question, does it have a 'cigarette lighter' plug so you can plug it in a 12v dc outlet?
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Vapor_Trails
Yucaipa, CA
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Joined: 09/29/2004
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You know, I don't remember. If not, one could easily be purchased from Radio Shack or Frye's. I do remember that it folded down on on it's base and the EIGHT D cell batteries were installed in the base. It was very stable. When I bought it I looked at a couple of other tent fans in teh camping section of Wall World. I pulled them all out of their boxes and gave them each a good once over. I liked the O2 Cool the best.
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Hiker3
Florida
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Joined: 01/21/2007
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No, the Coleman battery fan does Not have any other options -- it is only batteries. Yeah, I was hoping for dual.
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