Expert: Garry S. McLemore - 7/13/2004

Question
Hi Garry,

Sorry if this isn't your area of expertise, but I'm not sure where to ask.  I need some AC power for my next outdoor art show.  I saw someone using a power inverter with a battery at a show last week, but wasn't able to speak with them. I will use if for my credit card machine, maybe a fan.  I was thinking of buying one that handles 400 watts at Home Depot, but my main question is regarding the battery.  What kind of battery should I buy?  How long will it last?  Is it rechargeable?  I won't be close enough to plug into my car.  Also, I read that the inverter should be about 10 feet from the battery, but I haven't seen how people extend that length.  Any advice, or direction to somewhere on the web, will be greatly appreciated.  Thanks!

Perplexed Paul


Answer
well the more wattage the unit is, the more power is required from the battery. use as small an invertor as possible, and get the highest cold cranking amp capacity battery you can. invertors are very power hungry and your battery won't last long with continuous use. you might be advised to have a second battery available as a back-up