Mercury Vapor with Inverter

Fri Sep 15 22:12:45 EDT 2000

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The 10V difference shouldn't matter much, however, depending on the power factor
and efficiency of the inverter, if indeed the mercury vapor light uses 3A at
110V (assuming a continuous current level) and a typical efficiency of 85% for
the inverter then you will need to provide approximately 31A at 12.6V.

This is more than a typical car's cigarette lighter can supply. If the 3A is
just a start-up current, then you will need a slow-blow type fuse and it may
work.
Otherwise its blowsville for the fuse or potential fire starting in the car's
wiring.

Be careful and find out what the lamp specifically needs.

Good luck,
Dan Staver

James Hanlon wrote:

> Has anyone tried running a 175 watt, 120 volt mercury vapor light (BioQuip)
> off their car using a DC/AC power inverter? Jerry Larsen of BioQuip
> (Resource Excellence!), says the 175 watt mercury light draws a lot of power
> (3 amp draw), and he had trouble keeping the light going once when he tried
> an inverter.
>
> That may have been with an earlier model. Perhaps the inverters are more
> powerful now? Running off viagtricity or something :).
>
> Target advertises a 400-Watt, 110 volt, AC power inverter, which converts
> the car's cigarette lighter to 110 volts AC power (that's 10 volts shy, does
> it matter?).
>
> The objective is the ability to black light with a mercury vapor light while
> on the road, in true road warrior fashion of course, without having to lug
> around a heavy generator.
>
> Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Jim Hanlon
> Los Angeles, CA

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The 10V difference shouldn't matter much, however, depending on the power
factor and efficiency of the inverter, if indeed the mercury vapor light
uses 3A at 110V (assuming a continuous current level) and a typical efficiency
of 85% for the inverter then you will need to provide approximately 31A
at 12.6V.
This is more than a typical car's cigarette lighter can supply. If the
3A is just a start-up current, then you will need a slow-blow type
fuse and it may work.
 Otherwise its blowsville for the fuse or potential fire starting
in the car's wiring.
Be careful and find out what the lamp specifically needs.
Good luck,
 Dan Staver
James Hanlon wrote:
<blockquote TYPE=CITE>Has anyone tried running a 175 watt, 120 volt mercury
vapor light (BioQuip)
 off their car using a DC/AC power inverter? Jerry Larsen of BioQuip
 (Resource Excellence!), says the 175 watt mercury light draws a lot
of power
 (3 amp draw), and he had trouble keeping the light going once when
he tried
 an inverter.
That may have been with an earlier model. Perhaps the inverters are
more
 powerful now? Running off viagtricity or something :).
Target advertises a 400-Watt, 110 volt, AC power inverter, which converts
 the car's cigarette lighter to 110 volts AC power (that's 10 volts
shy, does
 it matter?).
The objective is the ability to black light with a mercury vapor light
while
 on the road, in true road warrior fashion of course, without having
to lug
 around a heavy generator.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Jim Hanlon
 Los Angeles, CA</blockquote>
</html>

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