Archive 2015 · Anyone use a UPS for portable power?

r_o_b_s_o_n
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Anyone use a UPS for portable power?

My neighbour just told me that he uses a UPS as portable power on camping trips etc. and suggested that a UPS might be a good option for portable power for my lights. He said he got a UPS for about $85 ~ $90. I am not entirely convinced, so wanted to see if anyone's heard of or tried this? For under a hundred bux, I'd be quite interested in knowing more.

Anyone ever done this before?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/UPS-Backup/ci/12831/N/3945970066

Feb 15, 2015 at 05:55 AM

colinm
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Anyone use a UPS for portable power?

If you try it, buy somewhere with a liberal return policy. Most lights are going to require way more inrush (even in "slow" cycle mode) than a typical UPS is going to allow.

The most likely result is you get a screaming UPS that goes into overload and cuts the power.

Feb 15, 2015 at 02:30 PM

Gregg Heckler
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Anyone use a UPS for portable power?

A UPS is really designed for a steady load. You will notice with the one at B&H, the maximum wattage rating is no higher than its 450 watt output. A studio strobe can draw double its output on recycle. So, a 600 watt strobe may draw 1,100 watts on recycle. It will only draw that for a short period of time but on a UPS if you do that often enough you will burn it up. You really need a Pure Sine Wave Inverter with a maximum power rated of about double of what your strobe is. If you were to buy an off the shelf portable power source or do it yourself, I wouldn't buy one any less that 350 watts with at least a 7 to 9 amp battery. A good 350 watt Pure Sine Wave Inverter will have a maximum rating of about 700 watts. I built a unit using a 600 Samlex inverter and 9 amp battery, and it will recycle 2 600 watt Elinchrom strobes at full power in around 2 seconds.

Feb 15, 2015 at 02:48 PM

rico
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Anyone use a UPS for portable power?

Discussed here about three years ago: Vagabond or UPS?
Short answer is yes, you can use a UPS, but it will weigh 50 lbs and cost over a grand.

Feb 16, 2015 at 03:20 AM

Paul Buff
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Anyone use a UPS for portable power?

Be careful with non pure sine wave inverters on any AC studio flash. Feeding square waves to the multiplier capacitors in most flash systems can destroy the lights and cost expensive repairs.

Feb 16, 2015 at 09:14 PM


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