Inverter for truck

[ultrarunner]

Air compressors , table saws, contractor grade circular saws, all seriously high amp draw items. My Makita 5007NB circular is 13 amps. If remember right the old beater Black Decker saw down at work and an old craftsman I once had are much less.

Electric Drills can vary a real lot. My Makita 3/8 VSR drill is only a 2.7 amp draw tool but the drywall screw gun, 9/16 hammer drill, and 1/2 drill draw up to 5.2amp each. Some heavy duty drills even more.

The Milwaukee battery charger is 2.1 amps the old Makita says 1.6. A while back I experimented running one, then both together for charging with my little 400 amp inverter while monitoring the voltage output and battery power/ duration with the engine running and engine shut off. Interesting results to say the least.


I'm a big cordless tool fan and I barely ever use extension cords anymore or even plug in lights or my radio either if I don't have to.

I hate paying an electric bill

Most high quality battery tools will perform as well as corded without the hassle of figuring out power. But not everything can be cordless at least not yet.

Nothing really beats having a decent generator for certain remote powered circumstances.

And I still own many feet of extension cords, droplights and air hoses :confused2:

Cordless was just starting back in the late 80's... I still have the Makita set I bought in 1982... still work too... everything was 7.2 volt and I had a saw, drills, several flashlights and a 12 volt car charger that is still mounted in my van...

 

[Xfaxman]

Eleven years ago, before I had cordless tools, I used an inverter to run a reciprocating saw from the TORO Traction Unit.

Six months later I put the loader on it.

 

[dieselcrawler]

First cordless drill I used was 7.2 volt... was about 1992, belonged to a friend of my dad's. We ended up buying a set shortly after, but it was the latest and greatest, the 9.6 volt version!

 

[DFB]

I just decided to put my 7.2 Makita out in the trash this week while cleaning up my shop. Battery begins to smoke when you plug in the charger. These types are soldered and not removable. I don't even know if you can still get the batteries. Those already were replacements too after the originals failed to hold a charge. Was a favorite drill of mine for many years

 

[ultrarunner]

TBN suggested Batteries Plus for rebuilds and I had some done there this summer... so far so good.

The local Batteries Plus was at least 50% higher than the one near my brother... same specs... so I dropped them off there.

In all the years I have owned it I only charged when fully dead... I would run the down the battery with a tool or flashlight and was still using batteries that were 15 years old... again... never charged unless I ran it to dead.

I did all the sheetrock in my first house with the 7.2 plus lots of other tasks...

At work I picked up a Dewalt 12v Drill which has also been good and it now lives in Washington...

My go to drill around the house is my 12v Bosch with 15 minute charger.

 

[Soundguy]

Your welcome.

I think it is an editor plug in issue...

 

[Soundguy]

honda makes bridgeable ( connect 2 units with special cable ) whisper quiet generators for this.

I bought a John Deere 2300 generator many years ago for camping and general use. I stored it in the box in my truck with my battery charger and took it wherever I went, just in case. Even though it was easy starting I needed it on one cold Wisconsin winter day and I could hardly pull it over. It wouldn't start. Plan A didn't work.

I figured I would use it to run my 15 amp compressor. My wife had a flat 50 miles away so I loaded up my Sears 1HP compressor and my generator and off I went. I got there and fired up the generator and flipped the compressor switch on and the compressor just groaned. It wouldn't begin to start. To many starting amps needed. So I changed the tire. I should have tested it first.

I figured okay, it is a nice quiet generator so I will take it camping to run in the State Park campgrounds. I fired it up one night after the sun went down and you wouldn't believe how noisy that was in relation to the quietness of the campground. My next plan was to run it inside a small closed in trailer I took along for my motorcycle. It had plywood sides and canvas top for noise reduction. After a half hour I shut it down before a ranger came and ripped my throat out. It was just to noisy and inconsiderate. If your campgrounds have a quiet time I would reconsider that idea.

But, I have seen some small 900-1000 watt generator are whisper quiet and I would try them in a campground, but no guarantees they would work for your needs or in your campground. They would be kind of useless for any compressor to speak of.

 

[DFB]

I really do hate throwing a fairly decent power tool out but its been stored in a cabinet for quite a while now as it was. I could investigate some batteries before I let it go (and I could easily solder them in myself too). Earlier I had it apart to determine if it was battery or charger that was malfunctioning and I hooked up a different plug in charger still one battery smoked.

Trouble is like most things in today's throw away world you can get the latest technology for not much more. 12v, keyless chuck, 2 speed gearbox, multi setting screw driving clutch, twin batteries, case, charger etc. and maybe that even includes a free additional tool for about $100 or less.

I think I paid $59 plus tax on sale for that drill way back in the 80's.

The old drill ran at 0-600rpm

My apologies here for thread jacking

 

[Chaffinyo]

Have you thought of a belt driven air compressor? I would think that you could find one that would fit on your 6.0

 

[Soundguy]

I just decided to put my 7.2 Makita out in the trash this week while cleaning up my shop. Battery begins to smoke when you plug in the charger. These types are soldered and not removable. I don't even know if you can still get the batteries. Those already were replacements too after the originals failed to hold a charge. Was a favorite drill of mine for many years

View attachment 451288

Soldered and not removeable? Please.. and the earth is flat and the sun revolves around the earth..

rechargeable nicad, nimh an LI batteries are readily available, including sub-class size batteries.