Ok guys, here it is. You are not gonna run the AC and the shop tools with it, but that it is not its purpose.
The battery is from the Walmart brand and under $50 (comes with warranty). The battery box I got it at Auto Zone for $14.99.
The terminals literally arrived an hour ago and they suck. Cheap metal, screws won’t turn and the negative is oversized so I had to add a metal shimmy. I plan to make my own if I can’t find good stuff.
And next is the top of the box with the Heavy Duty DC Power Outlet Extension Triple Socket Cigarette Lighter Plug Switch Box. ($12)
Three holes, a couple of screws and nuts, threaded the wires inside and I was done. The USB transformer is the flush mount type and a pain in the as to pull out. and next, Ta Da!
I just grabbed stuff I had with a cigarette light plug and the USB charger for the phone for the picture. On the left is a battery charger that will be used when I am running the generator to bring the battery to full charge. The wife has one of those foldable dollies which I will have to appropriate (with her permission) to make this gadget mobile
I think I may add another bank of plugs on the other side or at least a voltmeter yo keep an eye on the battery status.
I hope I don’t have to use it, but if I do, I will give you an after action report.
PS: Disaster Battery Box? If you have a better name, go ahead.
I have built a couple of them. My first attempt..
https://maddmedic.wordpress.com/2018/03/25/it-works/
I use them when I go fishing keeps my phone charged when playing tunes through a bluetooth speaker and also when ice fishing, which you probably do not do to much of.
Use a 12 volt 9 amph battery. When I built this one had a couple of 6 volts handy for testing purposes.
Have another which is a bigger box and a few more features.
https://maddmedic.wordpress.com/2018/12/23/my-day-4/
Have also used them both for power outages.
Is an enjoyable project. Planning and looking for ideas for my next one….
You have a portable disco party! LOL. Very cool.!
I see you are using voltmeter and that seals it, I am installing one in mine.
They ar nice to have.
You cut/drilled holes in the top of your water proof box. Did you put any sealant there to keep water out?I see you have the covers for the outlets as well. Is that a sealed battery? If it is not, do you have vents in your box to let the hydrogen out when you charge it?
Fingers crossed that you don’t need it.
The box is far from waterproof. In fact it has vents in the over and I am not planning on taking it outside where it can get wet.
“Box o’ Portable Lightning©️”?
There are a bunch of similar product aimed at ham radio. One is called a “hammo can”. Similar scheme, some with space inside for radios.
One detail you might want to think about is “Anderson Power Pole” connectors. That’s a type of connector standardized recently in ham radio for 12 volt connections. There are a couple of different sizes of APP, the most common one is rated at 30 amps or so and looks like it can handle that easily. Larger ones go up to at least 150 amps, and I’ve seen those used for vehicle charging plugs or the like.
Cigarette lighter sockets are good to have, but they are extremely unreliable. The APP is much more secure.
I too likee powerpole connectors. I have an Andy Crimp Pro kit from quicksilver radio, qsradio.com, I’ve installed dozens of powerpole connectors as well has HF crimp coax connectors. One of my better buys.
>>PS: Disaster Battery Box? If you have a better name, go ahead.
Offgrid Home Failed Utilities Charging Kit?
O2
Ps. I’ll second Anderson Power Poles. Here’s a good source: https://powerwerx.com/anderson-power-powerpole-sb-connectors
> “>>PS: Disaster Battery Box? If you have a better name, go ahead.
Failed Utilities Charging Kit? ”
Omni-purpose Heavy Failed Utilities Charging Kit?
LOL… that’s one
SHTF UPS?
OK, this is good too.
Small Home Transient Failure Uninterruptable Power Supply
[…] It is plug and play. I can take it with me in my truck or leave it home and plug it with my Disaster Battery Box. […]