Gasoline Generators

[Juanito]

It's been years since I've used a generator, but I'm using enough strobes these days that I'm thinking about trying them out again. There's a whole new generation of lightweight, quiet ones out there. The rule I remember is that the watt output of the generator had to equal or be greater to that of the watt/sec output of the strobe. So you needed 1,000 watts of gennie power to run a 1,000 watt/sec strobe.

Is that actually the case? Since the strobe is a capacitor that builds up energy it seems to me that it wouldn't need quite so much power. I like the idea of being able to use something like this: http://www.amazon.com/All-Power-America-Ge...31760_as_txt_5/ with a 2,400 Profoto 7a power pack. Is that possible?

How much juice is necessary to run a Macbook Pro with a tethered Leaf back?

I'm doing a lot of overpowering sunlight or at least matching it. Here's something I did out at the recent Burning Man with my Profoto 7b and Hassie/Leaf camera:



John

[Graham Mitchell]

It depends on the current drawn by the generator while recycling. The 7a has three recycle speeds, right? The slower the speed, the less current drawn and the powerful the generator must be. Have a look at the 7a's specs. There might be more information there.

[dustblue]

AFAIK, If you power your profoto by a generator you better use 110v as income, while the recycling time will be longer than using 220v as income. And if you want to keep the fast recycling time, go buy a stablizer or a so called "pro gas" which genarally does the same thing as stablizer does, then you can use your genny's 220v output.

The problem with using a 220v income without stablizer, is that when the powerpack recycles, the power assumption peak will destroy your genny, or even worse, itself.
I've heard that some guys used a cinema generator(looks like a truck)  to power stobes powerpack and destroyed the whole generator, just because the cine genny output squarewave instead of sinewave...so becareful, a modern stablizer could output nearly perfect sinewave and absorb power peaks, better use one.
 
Sorry for my terrible English and hope it helps.

Dustblue

It's been years since I've used a generator, but I'm using enough strobes these days that I'm thinking about trying them out again. There's a whole new generation of lightweight, quiet ones out there. The rule I remember is that the watt output of the generator had to equal or be greater to that of the watt/sec output of the strobe. So you needed 1,000 watts of gennie power to run a 1,000 watt/sec strobe.

Is that actually the case? Since the strobe is a capacitor that builds up energy it seems to me that it wouldn't need quite so much power. I like the idea of being able to use something like this: http://www.amazon.com/All-Power-America-Ge...31760_as_txt_5/ with a 2,400 Profoto 7a power pack. Is that possible?

How much juice is necessary to run a Macbook Pro with a tethered Leaf back?

I'm doing a lot of overpowering sunlight or at least matching it. Here's something I did out at the recent Burning Man with my Profoto 7b and Hassie/Leaf camera:



John
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[Graham Mitchell]

Good point, dustblue. Profoto generators need pure sinewave power. I wouldn't even take a chance with modified sinewave.

I use a car battery powered pure sinewave generator. Others use equivalent gas generators. There was a thread about this exact topic a while ago.

[James R Russell]

It's been years since I've used a generator, but I'm using enough strobes these days that I'm thinking about trying them out again. There's a whole new generation of lightweight, quiet ones out there. The rule I remember is that the watt output of the generator had to equal or be greater to that of the watt/sec output of the strobe. So you needed 1,000 watts of gennie power to run a 1,000 watt/sec strobe.


John
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Th eu 2000 honda generator will run a 7a as long as the recylce time is pulled down.  Check with profoto on the exact draw and settings.

I have two of the 2000's and use them for everything.  It will easily run acutes 2400 watt and a second 1200 watt if not on full, (i rarely go to full on any strobe).

They will also run 1.2 k arri hmi par and a comptuer station withtout an issue.

We use them all the time, even on locations where power is available as they are lightweight and sometimes easier to hide than running cable all across a scene.

Still, check with profoto or a rental house.  They will give you the specs.

If your in LA call Samy's Fairfax rental.

If you want to run a full day of production, don't forget extra petrol.

JR

Note:  If your shooting in LA county, check the municipality on genrator use as some allow it, some don't, some have special requirements.  We always carry orange cones to place fore and aft of the generator and a fire extingusiher for each one.

Also watch where the exhaust faces.  

The 2000's though are very quiet for a non cinema generator get good hours per gallon and are reliable.

[Murray Fredericks]

As James said - the Honda EU inverters are great. They come in all sizes and can even be 'daisy chained'. They have a reputation for being great with photo film industry gear across the board.

I have just been using the smaller version for running laptops and raided hard drives out in the desert for the last 3 months...

Murray

[Gordon Buck]

This post really confused me!  This past week, Hurricane Gustav passed through south Louisiana and knocked out the power to some 800,000 homes -- including mine.  Since then, there has been a constant drone from tens, perhaps hundreds, of thousands of gasoline powered generators.  I ran about 20 gallons of gas through my own generator.  

Today the statistic is that power has been restored to roughly half the population of Baton Rouge -- including me!

[alexjones]

Honda EU2000iA

Quiet, inverter based, fantastic!  Look no further.  The choice is easy.

   http://www.northerntool.com/

$999.99 free ship. Bought one recently and have rented the same one numerous times.

James is absolutely on track with this one.

[jing q]

Hi James
Just to check with you, do you mean that one 2000 honda will run an acute 2400 AND an acute 1200 together? Or do you mean that 2 2000 honda's daisy chained together will run those 2 packs together.
Also, do you require a Pro-Gas (as recommended by Profoto) to run these on the hondas?

Thanks

Th eu 2000 honda generator will run a 7a as long as the recylce time is pulled down.  Check with profoto on the exact draw and settings.

I have two of the 2000's and use them for everything.  It will easily run acutes 2400 watt and a second 1200 watt if not on full, (i rarely go to full on any strobe).

They will also run 1.2 k arri hmi par and a comptuer station withtout an issue.

We use them all the time, even on locations where power is available as they are lightweight and sometimes easier to hide than running cable all across a scene.

Still, check with profoto or a rental house.  They will give you the specs.

If your in LA call Samy's Fairfax rental.

If you want to run a full day of production, don't forget extra petrol.

JR

Note:  If your shooting in LA county, check the municipality on genrator use as some allow it, some don't, some have special requirements.  We always carry orange cones to place fore and aft of the generator and a fire extingusiher for each one.

Also watch where the exhaust faces. 

The 2000's though are very quiet for a non cinema generator get good hours per gallon and are reliable.
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[CaptainHook]

Another EU2000 owner here. They're great.  

[dustblue]

Well is there any Kipor users?
Look at this one, IG2600h, which has a slightly bigger output, just suit a 2400ws profoto pack,has wheels,  this is about 1300$ and even much cheaper in China(about 700$).

Rated frequency  (Hz)   50    60
Rated voltage(V)   230    120/240
Rated current (A)   10      19.2/9.6
Rated speed(r/min)   3600
Rated output (kVA)   2.3
Max. output (kVA)   2.6
DC output   12V-8.3A
Phase number   Single
Current circuit breaker   Without
Structural type   Portable, H  with retractable handles
Fuel capacity(L)   4.6
Set fuel consumption(g/kW.h)   500
Continuous running time (hr) (rated output)   3
Noise level (zero load--full load) dB (A)/7m   58-65
Overall dimension(L×W×H)(mm)   590×330×480
Net weight(kg)   27.5
Starting system   Recoil starter
Fuel type    Automotive unlead gasoline
Lube oil type   CD grade or SAE10W30, 15W40
Engine model   KG166  
Engine type   Single cylinder, 4-stroke,  air-cooled, OHC, gasoline engine
Bore×Stroke   66×50
Displacement(ml)   171
Compression ratio   8.5
Rated power[kW(Hp)/(r/min)   3.3/3600
Ignition system   T.C.I
Spark plug   WR7DC
Lowest fuel consumption(g/kW.h)   395

Another EU2000 owner here. They're great. 
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[Juanito]

What is a Pro-Gas?

This whole sinewave thing is a little confusing but it may explain why I couldn't get a 7a to fire when I was shooting in an old Victorian house.

Is it possible to transport a generator on a plane? I'd think not, but I know that James does a ton of location work all over the place so maybe.

Does the Acute system have the same power requirements as the 7 series? In terms of both w/s and various wave forms?

If I want to run a Macbook Pro on it's own gennie, what's the minimum I can get away with?

Thanks,

John

[Juanito]

One more thing... the reason to run on 220 off a gennie is to get the faster recycle times. Otherwise, you can run off 110. What kind of difference are we talking about in recycle times?

John

[James R Russell]

What is a Pro-Gas?

This whole sinewave thing is a little confusing but it may explain why I couldn't get a 7a to fire when I was shooting in an old Victorian house.

Is it possible to transport a generator on a plane? I'd think not, but I know that James does a ton of location work all over the place so maybe.

Does the Acute system have the same power requirements as the 7 series? In terms of both w/s and various wave forms?

If I want to run a Macbook Pro on it's own gennie, what's the minimum I can get away with?

Thanks,

John
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No you can't fly with them, gas and all that exposive stuff is somewhat frowned upon.

On the road we rent and nearly any market has a lighting/grip house that will rent them and usually for less than a dedicated stilll photography rental house.

In fact the more you can stay away from still rentals the cheaper it is, as grip hosues will negotiate a package price, usually down to 2 days as a weekly rental.

Some will drive up the truck for a gauranteed base package and then charge you for any item beyond the package you need.

As far as power goes, pro 7's draw a lot more than acutes.  I've had 7's not work on standard 110 household electricity and we had to spike the box to get enough power.

That is why I've always used actues, except for a few instances.  Now with digital I rarely need the power and recycle of a pro 7 so why carry the weight and extra expense?



JR

[dustblue]

The current stay the same when powerpacks charges their capacitors, so low voltage means low power which ends up with longer charging time.
For example: Charge a 2400ws powerpack, when 110v,  110V*10A*2s=2200ws
                                                            when 220v,  220v*10A*1s=2200ws
So that's why high voltage means faster (2s vs 1s)
And that's why you better use a stablizer like progas when using 220v output(your powerpack suck a 2200w power when full load at this time, and a honda eu2000's max output is 2000w)
The stablizer has lots of capacitors, when the load suck more power than usual, which could exceed the genny's max output and therefore destroy it, the stablizer would give itself's backup power out, and save the genny.

Am I clear? Correct me if I'm wrong.

Dustblue

One more thing... the reason to run on 220 off a gennie is to get the faster recycle times. Otherwise, you can run off 110. What kind of difference are we talking about in recycle times?

John
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[HarperPhotos]

Gidday,

With my Honda EU10i 1000 watt generator I can run a Bowens Estime 3000 watt generator at about 2600 watts and a Mac Book and Leaf Aptus back.

I also have a Kipor 2600 watt generator and that will run 2 Bowens Estime 3000 watt generators at full power and both generator's run on 91 octane petrol.

Cheers

Simon

[Misirlou]

Hondas are great. They have a terrible cost/kilowatt ratio, compared to the cheap generators at the big box stores, but they're quiet, efficient, and put out very clean power. I have two EU2000s. Sometiome I use just one, other times I chain them. You don't get quite double power in that configuration. I think they're good for like 1.8 times the power of a single unit.

[jing q]

Gidday,

With my Honda EU10i 1000 watt generator I can run a Bowens Estime 3000 watt generator at about 2600 watts and a Mac Book and Leaf Aptus back.

I also have a Kipor 2600 watt generator and that will run 2 Bowens Estime 3000 watt generators at full power and both generator's run on 91 octane petrol.

Cheers

Simon
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Thanks for that info. To double check again, does this mean that I don't need to have a 2400w generator to run a 2400w/s pack like the Acute2 2400?
This is very very important information as we all know how heavy these generators are....
James Russel, would you be able to share your experience with this?
Thanks in advance

[HarperPhotos]

Thanks for that info. To double check again, does this mean that I don't need to have a 2400w generator to run a 2400w/s pack like the Acute2 2400?
This is very very important information as we all know how heavy these generators are....
James Russel, would you be able to share your experience with this?
Thanks in advance
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Gidday,

With my Honda EU10i I have to admit that it is working at its limits with my Bowens generator, it does the job fine but if you are rapid firing then I would  personally  recommend the Honda or Kipor 2000 watt generators to run your flash.

The Kipor 2600 watt generator is a powerful beast but at 26kg compared to the 2000 watt model at 22kg it is heavy


[a href=\"http://www.kipor.co.nz/products/inverter/main.html]http://www.kipor.co.nz/products/inverter/main.html[/url]

Cheers

Simon

[marcel b]

i ran some bron and materzok with 3500 Ws on a honda 2000 without any problems, and even if you need more power, you got the nice feature of stacking two hondas to get 4 k, or 6k with two 3000i, also a profoto D4 4800 on full power on a 3k honda worked fine. but be careful with cheap, nonsynchronised generators, they might blow your flash generator.

best regards,
marcel