Houston...we have a problem!, Here comes Rita
- Thread starter AlexGT
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A small color TV/VCR combo will run about 40 watts.
12 VDC needs about 3.5 amps to give 40 watts figuring losses you are at 5 amps.
A car battery will run 80-120 amp hours and since it is NOT a deep cycle you dont want to go below 75% which gives about 5 hours. Add a 5 watt CFL bulb in a lamp and you are looking at about 4 hours with a 15 min charge between run with the car running. Just be sure to rev the engin up a LITTLE above an idle to get the alternator kicked in.
You COULD go as long as 8 - 14 hours if you have a second car to jump the first but a couple times of that will hurt your battery.
wwglen
12 VDC needs about 3.5 amps to give 40 watts figuring losses you are at 5 amps.
A car battery will run 80-120 amp hours and since it is NOT a deep cycle you dont want to go below 75% which gives about 5 hours. Add a 5 watt CFL bulb in a lamp and you are looking at about 4 hours with a 15 min charge between run with the car running. Just be sure to rev the engin up a LITTLE above an idle to get the alternator kicked in.
You COULD go as long as 8 - 14 hours if you have a second car to jump the first but a couple times of that will hurt your battery.
wwglen
BIGIRON
Flashlight Enthusiast
Just checked my little b/w 3way tv. Label says draw is 8 watts, so a 105 amp batt should run it for a long, long time. I've never run it over an hour or two at a time in my camper, so I have no feel for what it might really do.
I need to find a couple waterproof cases to put stuff in/documents etc that I will carry. Any ideas? It mentions a go/bag, but I want to put everything or almost everything in waterproof case and then into the go backpack.
What do you gus think of this case http://www.casesbypelican.com/emergency/kit.htm
Is it worth the price?
Curtis
What do you gus think of this case http://www.casesbypelican.com/emergency/kit.htm
Is it worth the price?
Curtis
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most average car batts are 40-60 ah.not rated in ah but you can get a good idea from the rc rating which is minutes at 25amps.a horribly inefficiant way of powering stuff but it works.i have a 140a alternator in my wagon and van.the van has a 1kva ups and a 300ah 8d agm in it on a isolator.mainly used for hamfests but great in an emergency.i put 2 group 27 deep cycles under the wagons hood(tray already there as it had a diesel option)for the same reason.nice thing is it always starts no matter what.these batts can be so run down that the hydrometor can read 1.1 something nearly water and it still starts.
wwglen said:
Thanks for the info. I will search out Aloksak. I also need to find a good lightweight car invertor for my survival package. Good enough to throw into a backpack but be able to run at least a small tv and/or laptop
Curtis
Curtis
Sigman
* The Arctic Moderator *
Rita just upgraded to a Cat 5 hurricane with 165mph winds!!
MSNBC update...
They say only 3 Cat 5 hurricanes have struck land in the last century.
MSNBC update...
They say only 3 Cat 5 hurricanes have struck land in the last century.
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Tree
Flashlight Enthusiast
Sigman said:
bwaites
Flashlight Enthusiast
It is expected to drop to CAT4 by landfall as the cooler water in the western Gulf drops the energy level. But if Houston takes a direct hit or a NE wall hit, it could be worse than New Orleans as far a damage.
Lets start a post of CPF'ers in the Cafe, so we can figure out who and where to contact.
I'll post a new Hurrican Rita check in post.
Bill
Lets start a post of CPF'ers in the Cafe, so we can figure out who and where to contact.
I'll post a new Hurrican Rita check in post.
Bill
Icebreak
Flashlight Enthusiast
Good idea, Bill.
3rd_shift
Flashlight Enthusiast
175mph now. 
AlexGT
Flashlight Enthusiast
And according to another site with gusts of 215 MPH!!!, I think they should start measuring this one on the Fujita scale (Tornado) instead of the Saffir Simpson scale(Hurricane)
Definetly an F3 hurricane!!!
Hope this monster weakens before the strike.
AlexGT
Definetly an F3 hurricane!!!
Hope this monster weakens before the strike.
AlexGT
bobisculous
Flashlight Enthusiast
A little blog from me of recent events and news:
Cell phone service is about toast in my area already...I guess its just cause they are being overwhelmed with people using such. People are extremely up tight now. I got yelled at by some old guy at the gas station. I waited in line like everyone else, calmly with no hurry. Waited my fair time and just when I pulled up, I realized I made a mistake in that my lid was on the other side of the car. So quickly I pulled up, turned around and got back to the pump. And not but 2 seconds after I started pumping gas, this old guy comes up to me and starts shouting that I cutted in line and what not. Calling me names and what not...made me rather angry and just had to blow him off. I know the truth as does the gal in the car behind me so I am cool with that...If this hurricane stays down the middle of the yellow predicted cone, I suspect the eye will go over us. We'll see....
Cameron
Cell phone service is about toast in my area already...I guess its just cause they are being overwhelmed with people using such. People are extremely up tight now. I got yelled at by some old guy at the gas station. I waited in line like everyone else, calmly with no hurry. Waited my fair time and just when I pulled up, I realized I made a mistake in that my lid was on the other side of the car. So quickly I pulled up, turned around and got back to the pump. And not but 2 seconds after I started pumping gas, this old guy comes up to me and starts shouting that I cutted in line and what not. Calling me names and what not...made me rather angry and just had to blow him off. I know the truth as does the gal in the car behind me so I am cool with that...If this hurricane stays down the middle of the yellow predicted cone, I suspect the eye will go over us. We'll see....
Cameron
AlexGT
Flashlight Enthusiast
The wal mart is literally empty, almost all registers are closed, home depot is closed, starting to board up the windows.
AlexGT
AlexGT
PlayboyJoeShmoe
Flashaholic
Man, I'm getting more concerned by the minute! Most quickie gas/stores around here are closed and boarded. 59N is a creapy crawly MESS.
However, it appears at this poing that we will now be decently west of the eye.
My Cousin and his wife are here from Liberty County, where 100+ winds are forecast.
My buddie's Wife and Kids left Houston near Hobby Airport at 4am this morning and at last contact were STILL 50+ miles away.
I don't NEED this!
However, it appears at this poing that we will now be decently west of the eye.
My Cousin and his wife are here from Liberty County, where 100+ winds are forecast.
My buddie's Wife and Kids left Houston near Hobby Airport at 4am this morning and at last contact were STILL 50+ miles away.
I don't NEED this!
bwaites
Flashlight Enthusiast
Playboy,
A chance for some family togetherness!!
If all goes well and no one is hurt, it will be worth it!
One thing no one has mentioned, get everything loose picked up and put away, anything that can be moved, will be moved by the wind. Even stuff heavy enough for normal wind will be moved, like grills, lawn furniture, etc. make sure nothing can become a projectile if you have the chance.
Keep your chin up. Need lights or batteries, maybe we can overnight them?
Bill
A chance for some family togetherness!!
If all goes well and no one is hurt, it will be worth it!
One thing no one has mentioned, get everything loose picked up and put away, anything that can be moved, will be moved by the wind. Even stuff heavy enough for normal wind will be moved, like grills, lawn furniture, etc. make sure nothing can become a projectile if you have the chance.
Keep your chin up. Need lights or batteries, maybe we can overnight them?
Bill
DieselDave
Super Moderator,
My 93 year old great Uncle, his wife, and about 5-6 distant family others left Houston this morning at 6 headed for SA and my folks and sisters house. 12 hours later they had made it 80 miles to Columbus. They had to stop because they were out of gas. They started with a full tank but idling for 12 hours ran them down under 1/4 tank. They are hold in a Church and are being treated well. They are thousands of people in their same situation. They are being told there will be gas in the AM but I don't see how a few transport trucks can help with the numbers that are stranded.
The sad part is we told them last night to leave no later than 4AM today. I am betting they would have made it if they had left 2 hours earlier. I blame the Mayor of Houston, the Governor of Texas and George Bush for not going in their bedroom last night and moving their clock ahead two hours.
The sad part is we told them last night to leave no later than 4AM today. I am betting they would have made it if they had left 2 hours earlier. I blame the Mayor of Houston, the Governor of Texas and George Bush for not going in their bedroom last night and moving their clock ahead two hours.
AlexGT
Flashlight Enthusiast
Edit: And I'm feeling nervous about tomorrow.
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