# Electric Generators



## upliftmofo (Dec 14, 2008)

Does anybody have any recommendations for a small portable generator that could run a couple 300ws heads?


----------



## Pure (Dec 14, 2008)

You know this is going to hella loud?  They are loud as hell, unless you put them far far away, or it doesnt matter.


----------



## table1349 (Dec 14, 2008)

http://www.alienbees.com/VIIsystem.html

Clean electricity, quiet, affordable, environmentally and model friendly.


----------



## RyanLilly (Dec 14, 2008)

on small gas generators, they are all pretty similar, they are all loud. One with a Briggs and Stratton or Honda engine are pretty good, all small engines have a life of about 2000 hours, most engines can be rebuilt, however there are some honda OHC engines that are not rebuildable, the OHV models typically are rebiuldable, but That could have changed. That is all prettymuch a moot point if you cannot rebuild it yourself, otherwise its cheaper to buy a new one. Get one that has an easy regulator adjustment so you can compensate for voltage drop if you use long runs of cable to keep the generator at a quieter distance. Always meter power at the end of your cable run before you plug anything into it.


----------



## JustAnEngineer (Dec 14, 2008)

These are quieter than most:
http://www.hondapowerequipment.com/products/models.aspx?page=models&section=P2GG&category=sq


----------



## Village Idiot (Dec 15, 2008)

gryphonslair99 said:


> http://www.alienbees.com/VIIsystem.html
> 
> Clean electricity, quiet, affordable, environmentally and model friendly.


 
+1

Made for a couple of 300w/s monolights.


----------



## Big Mike (Dec 15, 2008)

If you are going to use a generator, you may need to clean the power before using it for your strobes.  I believe it's a Pure Sine Wave Inverter that you would need.


----------



## jlykins (Dec 15, 2008)

For the same price as the generator if not less, you could do the Vagabond system and it would be a whole heck of a lot quieter.


----------



## notelliot (Dec 15, 2008)

people are mentioning the V2 powepack - which is hands down the way to go.. if you're using bees or white lighting _monolights_. but, if you're using a _flash head_ that feeds off of a powerpack (like profoto 7b - which are something like 2000w/s) a generator would be the way to go. 

since you're asking about generators, the honda line isn't really that loud at all, and are very reliable. I mean, if you're out in public firing off strobes with 3 or 4 people around you, chances are that you'll draw quite a bit of attention anyway hah. you'll need to get a permit to use it though - not actually to have it running, but because of the space you'll be taking up with your lights, cords, etc.


----------



## Village Idiot (Dec 15, 2008)

notelliot said:


> people are mentioning the V2 powepack - which is hands down the way to go.. if you're using bees or white lighting _monolights_. but, if you're using a _flash head_ that feeds off of a powerpack (like profoto 7b - which are something like 2000w/s) a generator would be the way to go.
> 
> since you're asking about generators, the honda line isn't really that loud at all, and are very reliable. I mean, if you're out in public firing off strobes with 3 or 4 people around you, chances are that you'll draw quite a bit of attention anyway hah. you'll need to get a permit to use it though - not actually to have it running, but because of the space you'll be taking up with your lights, cords, etc.


 
The V2 works with more than Alien Bees and White Lightings and I did mention made for *monolights*. The V2 has been tested with Elinchrom digital monolights and would probably work with pretty much any monolight out there. Of course, bigger lights get less shots, but a claimed 1200 pops at full power with the B800 is pretty good.


----------



## table1349 (Dec 15, 2008)

notelliot said:


> people are mentioning the V2 powepack - which is hands down the way to go.. if you're using bees or white lighting _monolights_. but, if you're using a _flash head_ that feeds off of a powerpack (like profoto 7b - which are something like 2000w/s) a generator would be the way to go.
> 
> since you're asking about generators, the honda line isn't really that loud at all, and are very reliable. I mean, if you're out in public firing off strobes with 3 or 4 people around you, chances are that you'll draw quite a bit of attention anyway hah. you'll need to get a permit to use it though - not actually to have it running, but because of the space you'll be taking up with your lights, cords, etc.


 

You mean something like this. 

http://www.profoto-usa.com/products/pro-7/pro7b.asp

I shall repeat myself then: "Clean electricity, quiet, affordable, environmentally and model friendly."

Anybody actually dragging flash heads and power bricks around really ought to look into either alternative power as posted above or monolights and something like the V2.  Flash head, stands, multiple cables, power brick(s), generator, gas, lots of extension cords etc. do not make for a convienient shoot.


----------



## benhasajeep (Dec 15, 2008)

The Honda generators are not loud at all!  Even some of the chinese knock offs are well under 60db now.  You can have a normal conversation standing right next to it, and not be bothered by it at all!  Honda's also puts out stable power.  Well under 3% (electronics safe).  This is where the knock offs differ.  They are upwards of 5-6%.  Honda makes a 1,000 watt version that is quiet, compact, and fairly light.  But you pay for it.  Also a 2000 watt, and bigger 3000 watt in the really quiet ones.  Yamaha also makes I think a 1,200 watt one that has similar numbers to the small honda.  And then there is lots of copy cats.  But the quality differs on them

I have 2 knock off ones.  They both start on first pull, quiet and the first one dependable for 3 years even though only occasional use.  Not as quiet as a Honda, but can be right next to it with no problem.  Just got the second one.


----------



## notelliot (Dec 15, 2008)

Village Idiot said:


> The V2 works with more than Alien Bees and White Lightings and I did mention made for *monolights*. The V2 has been tested with Elinchrom digital monolights and would probably work with pretty much any monolight out there. Of course, bigger lights get less shots, but a claimed 1200 pops at full power with the B800 is pretty good.



woops, my mistake. I actually just remembered that it'll work with dynalite stuff, too. 
but the op didn't say what type of strobes he/she was going to be using, so I'll maintain objectivity for the sake of my ego 



gryphonslair99 said:


> You mean something like this.
> 
> http://www.profoto-usa.com/products/pro-7/pro7b.asp
> 
> ...


I somewhat agree. For the op's purpose, the V2 would probably be a good option. 
Again with my ego here.. but the V2 is only rated/recommended for use with 400w/s strobes or lesser powered. Where as the profoto pro 7b packs are rated for 1200w/s - convenience sometimes wouldn't make up for those extra 800w/s when you really needed pump out the juice. Most of the guys using profoto gear usually have a small to moderate team of assistants and techs to help with lugging around and setting up all those generators, cords, and extras anyway, so I'd again say that the V2 would suit the op better. I just like to argue :greenpbl:


----------



## table1349 (Dec 15, 2008)

notelliot said:


> woops, my mistake. I actually just remembered that it'll work with dynalite stuff, too.
> but the op didn't say what type of strobes he/she was going to be using, so I'll maintain objectivity for the sake of my ego
> 
> 
> ...



Directly from Pauls site on the V2 page. 



> [SIZE=-1]The *NEW Vagabond II Portable Power System* provides portable, battery power for all of our Paul C. Buff, Inc. flash units and power packs, giving you the ability to power your AlienBees, White Lightning and Zeus systems in the field or on location where power lines are unavailable or unreliable.
> 
> With the advent of the high power Zeus system, we felt it necessary to provide a significantly improved Vagabond II battery powering unit, offering *faster recycle times* from a *single second generation PSI900GF pure sine wave inverter *(designed specifically for Paul C. Buff, Inc. lighting systems). This level of power from a single inverter is necessary for high power units such as the Zeus. The single PSI900GF inverter converts the power from the internal 20AH, 12 Volt battery into a current-controlled, pure sine wave power source.
> 
> ...



The Zues Z2500 is a 2500ws head.   I would never trust any strobe unit to an unregulated portable gas power source and a good Pure Sine Wave Inverter can be quite costly as well.  Plus it is one more piece of equipment to add to the chain.  I would rather have three deep cycle batteries in the back of the truck to hook the V2 up to for all day power and longer use of modeling lamps.  Again, cleaner and quieter and to me safer.


----------



## notelliot (Dec 16, 2008)

Did you by any chance read any further than that page? ie the specs. there's a little over 7 second recycle times with a 2600w/s head. That's a long time. 



> [SIZE=-1]
> The Vagabond II, with a fully charged battery, *will recycle most flash units at a rate between 270 and 400 WS per second*. A good rule of thumb for estimating recycle rates with three to five monolights is 335 Wattseconds per second. Larger power packs and larger numbers of monolights may approach the 270 Wattseconds per second range. Recycle rates will become longer when the battery gets low.  The recycle rate is dependent on the design of the flash units, the power levels they are set to and the number of flash units connected to a single Vagabond II. Recycle rates will be fastest with a single monolight (such as a single AlienBees or White Lightning flash unit) and slowest with larger power packs (such as Zeus, and others), or with multiple monolights. Of course, recycle rates with Vagabond II can never be faster than the recycle times when the lights are operated directly from power lines.
> 
> *What does this mean?  *Suppose you have four AlienBees B1600 (640 Ws) or White Lightning X1600 monolights connected to a single Vagabond II, for a total Ws rating of about 2600 Ws. If all units were all set at Full Power, you would divide 2600 by 335, and a recycle rate of about *7.75 seconds* would be indicated.  If the same four units were adjusted to 1/2 power, the number of Ws being recycled would be 1300 Ws, and the calculated recycle rate would be about 3.9 seconds.[/SIZE]



The Zeus system has its own pack, here
It is possible to use the V2 for Zeus heads, but honestly why would you want to? It would hinder the overall charge of the battery, and drain so quickly that you'd be wishing for a generator, or a Zeus powerpack..


----------



## kitedemon (Oct 6, 2009)

Hi I'm new here I have a question and some confusion and perhaps someone will be able to clear up. 

I see there are some ppl whom have knowledge of Alien bee vagabond II system. I am looking for a viable portable power supply for a day 8 hours of shooting with a dynalite 500. I have looked at the Vagabond system and a Honda Gen. 

Questions,
How many batteries would a vagabond need for 8 hours of operation, at say mid range around 250 w/s over a day of use? 

What size generator would be needed to power a 500 Ww/s pack (about 6000 volts) and  how much power for a 1000 w/s pack (about 15000 volts)?


gryphonslair99 I don't actually understand your point...
"You mean something like this. 
Pro-7b | Profoto USA

I shall repeat myself then: "Clean electricity, quiet, affordable, environmentally and model friendly."

What is the difference between Pro and Vagabond ? Both use lead batteries, I just don't get why a Vagabond is so much better environmentally. They technology of the battery is almost the same. If it were a bigger job or if I had not sold off my old profoto heads I'd likely buy a 7a 1200 the big brother of the 7b you quoted. It is hard to look at specs... the vagabond @ 960 w/s @2.7 seconds as the pro in max (1200w/s) power max output is 0.08-0.07 seconds. That is WAY fast. It is too bad that the price tag 3-5 times more. 

Environmentally speaking lead batteries are lead batteries. I am also not convinced that a high efficiency 4 stroke gas generator is much worse that the coal power plant that make electricity from my wall. 15 hours of power from one Gal of gas is quite good.


----------



## Big Mike (Oct 6, 2009)

Welcome to the forum.

I can't answer your question but the length of your shoot (8 hours) matters less than the number of shots you take (number of flash pops you need).  Some shooters could make a Vagabond last all day...some could probably wear it out in a couple hours with the same equipment.

What about a vehicle?  You may be able to use a vehicle to keep a battery pack charged up, rather than using a generator.


----------



## Derrel (Oct 6, 2009)

You might want to check out the competition for the Vagabond II, the Tronix Explorer XT, which also offers the convenience of a piggyback battery that can be hooked up for long shoots.

Innovatronix Incorporated | Explorer XT

This sine wave inverter/battery pack can handle power packs up to 2400 watt-seconds, and has two built-in power outlets. The Explorer XT is also a 24 volt battery system, while the Vagabond is a 12 volt system.

If you need added capacity, the Tronix Explorer XT is clearly the better choice. It costs more, but it has higher capacity and better specifications as well.


----------



## kitedemon (Oct 6, 2009)

I have not looked at the Tronix Explorer XT I did check with a mechanic about running off the alternator. I remembered Dynalite had a thing years ago but apparently it is very hard on alternator to the point of needing to replace it in a short time. I am unsure if that is totally true.


----------

