Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: MARKLPENA on January 27, 2021, 05:07:08 pm
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HELLO I AM A NEW OWNER TO A RAINBOW SKILLED CRANE MACHINE AND I AM TRYING TO FIND OUT HOW MANY WATTS MY MACHINE IS. I AM TRYING TO TAKE IT TO A EVENT AND THERE IS NO POWER OUTLETS AROUND AND I AM WANTING TO USE A INVERTOR OR GENERATOR TO OPERATE IT FOR AT LEAST 6 HRS.
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It's generally an amps thing, but could easily be converted over to watts...There should be a build tag on the back where the card enters the machine...Or...Look at the manual...Or...Follow the line cord into the machine and it will run into a fuse just as it enters the cabinet, that fuse should be the amp rating (+25% generally for safety) Unless someone put the wrong fuse in there, but if the machine works that fuse would be a safe bet for calculations...the watts conversions are just a click away with online conversion charts.
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I AM TRYING TO FIND OUT HOW MANY WATTS MY MACHINE IS.
A quick online search reveals that there's not much info on these machines. :(
ChanceKJ posted a dropbox link to a scanned PDF of a manual here (https://forums.arcade-museum.com/threads/rainbow-crane-manuals.441046/) on KLOV.
- Not sure if the manual is for the same model as yours. :dunno
- ChanceKJ (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=profile;u=75965) also posts here so you can drop him a PM here if you don't have an account on KLOV.
On machines like this, there's usually a manufacturer's serial number plate that lists voltage and amps.
Plug that info into the formula for wattage.
Watts = Volts * Amps
I AM TRYING TO TAKE IT TO A EVENT AND THERE IS NO POWER OUTLETS AROUND AND I AM WANTING TO USE A INVERTOR OR GENERATOR TO OPERATE IT FOR AT LEAST 6 HRS.
If you're using a generator, you should have no problem powering your crane machine -- the limiting factor is how much gas the generator burns per hour.
If you're using a power inverter, you'll need one large enough to handle the crane's wattage and a battery that can provide that wattage for at least 6 hours.
For example, if you crane machine draws 4A @ 120v, that would be 480W (4A * 120v) so you would want at least a 500W inverter.
To run that inverter for 6 hours on a 12v battery, the formula is
(Run hours * wattage) / battery voltage = Amp Hours needed
(6 * 500) / 12v = 250 Amp Hours
Multiply that value by 2 if you're using a deep cycle/marine battery or by 10 if you're using a normal car battery.
- Discharging a deep cycle/marine battery more than 50% or a car battery more than 10% can shorten battery life.
250 Amp Hours * 2 = 500 Amp Hours for a deep cycle/marine battery
250 Amp Hours * 10 = 2500 Amp Hours for a car battery
Then add another 20% so you've got some wiggle room. (multiply by 1.2)
500 Amp Hours * 1.2 = 600 Amp Hours
This video also discusses wiring batteries in series and parallel to make battery banks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unlt_yEX75o
Scott