generator power/hire help?

[mattywizzy]

Hi all hopefully I can draw on your combined wisdom!

 

I need to power a mackie SRM450 and a wireless mic sennheiser EW135

there is no available power and so I'm thinking of using a gennie.

 

Could someone help spec the right kind of gennie to use and where I could hire one?

Its for this sunday evening.

 

thanks

Matt

[Sound Man]

According to Mackie's website, the speakers requires about 350 watts to work at full volume. The sennheiser mains adaptor will not demand much power.

 

So anything above 400 watts should be fine.

 

http://cpc.farnell.com/productimages/farnell/standard/SI15486-40.jpg

 

David

[Pyramid]

Just an added note of caution: we had problems a few years ago with our Senn G2 receivers refusing to play ball due to low or unstable power from a generator - The gen in question was a very large tow-along diesel job.

 

So - My advice would be to also take a wired mic that you can quickly swap over of you have any problems :(

 

Andy

[pisquee]

Also, be good to find a quiet gennie - so you don't have to turn the sound up even more to drown out its sound.

[risc]

When deciding on required generator output it is a good policy to build in a 30-40% safety margin on top of the current (Amps) you need to do the job.

Even though you only require 400w (less than 2Amps) I would recommend a 1kva to prevent voltage drop and or unstable frequency output from such a small generator.

[Chris Beesley]

I would be wary of little units similar to the one pictured above - the voltage regulation on such units tends to be a little hit and miss.

[timtheenchanteruk]

I agree, IO have used one in conjunction with a small UPS, gives the smoothing & regulation I need, and a bit of run time should I need to re-fuel (which TBH isnt often on those little units)

 

if you are going to use one on a regular basis, or are hiring, the honda whisper gennys are a good, small and very quiet (56Db for the 700W unit) compared with my little cheepie at 85db.

[mattywizzy]

thanks guys for the info, is there somewhere I can hire one with a UPS from? don't fancy damaging any of the equipment! or will the usual hire shops stock them?

I'm located in Kidderminster, just outside birmingham.

[aidso]

your best be is a honda 2.2-2.5 kVA that any hire shop will do. You shouldn't need a ups on these as your load will not be stressing the set therefor there "shouldn't" be any major voltage swings. If possible try get a diesel. yes a bit nosier but will run longer on a tank of fuel and not a dangerous.

 

edit:SPAG

[swampman]

With all generators for audio uses give it a little Resistive load: a 60W -500W Incandescent (if you can still get them - silly EEC/British banning them...) light bulb to keep it doing something otherwise the voltage regulation be it electronic or electrical (inductive) can go wild: over voltage or just not build up... At the least it gives you a visual that its still running.

Experience from living with them for 24hrs a day.