Off Grid 300 Watt Power Source for AC Amp

Dr.Ukenstein

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 19, 2019
Messages
72
Reaction score
1
Location
Florida Keys
Just a quick share. The RYOBI Power Source inverter that uses the 40 volt power tool lithium battery delivers a pure sine wave. At 79 bucks, this is a very good lightweight solution to power a bass amp off grid. Up to 300 watts! Best solution I have found, so far.

Dr. U.
 
I put together my own inverter battery rig that is extremely small and light weight. It powers my Carvin MB15 200w/250w 15" bass amp with an 115MBE ext. cabinet for at least 6 hours. Including a small sealed lead acid battery and charger, it's under $100.

Wagan EL2600 Elite Pro 200W Pure Sine Inverter from Amazon with two a/c outlets and one USB. Universal UB1280 AGM 12v 8Ah battery from my local hardware store, with a 12v DC floating charger from an electronics store. I used Velcro strips to hold it together and be a handle.

battery rig w hand 400.jpg



This is Michael Kohan in Los Angeles, Beverly Grove near the Beverly Center
9 tenor cutaway ukes, 4 acoustic bass ukes, 12 solid body bass ukes, 14 mini electric bass guitars (Total: 39)

• Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children in hospital music therapy programs. www.theukc.org
• Member The CC Strummers: YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/video, Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheCCStrummers
 
Last edited:
Yes Mike,

I use two 35 amp UB1 batteries to power my motorized kayaks. One for getting there. The other to get home.

On the quest for a powerful elec. chain saw, I found the RYOBI combo at Home Depot. Being able to use the lithium battery for multiple purposes really appealed to me.

So, now that 40 volt battery (got two because of a RYOBI weed wacker deal) is the power storage source for the chainsaw, a weed wacker, a 300 watt Hartke bass amp, and my e-bike (another story).

Electrons rock!

Dr. U
 
Last edited:
I don't play bass, but I lived on a boat for 12 years so know a lot about running mains devices on batteries.

AGM batteries are old hat these days. Fine if you have one, but don't buy a new one. Lithium batteries are much better, and probably safer.

That Ryobi thing looks ideal. I'd much rather have that than something I'd rigged up myself.

Electrons do indeed rock.
 
So, now that 40 volt battery (got two because of a RYOBI weed wacker deal) is the power storage source for the chainsaw, a weed wacker, a 300 watt Hartke bass amp, and my e-bike (another story). Electrons rock! Dr. U

I have almost the complete set of Ryobi 18v One+ tools, love them.

AGM batteries are old hat these days. Fine if you have one, but don't buy a new one. Lithium batteries are much better, and probably safer. That Ryobi thing looks ideal. I'd much rather have that than something I'd rigged up myself. Electrons do indeed rock.

When I first put together the rig in 2014, I used a lithium motorcycle battery that cost $250, it lasted about a year and half, so I replaced it with another that lasted just over a year, $500 down the drain. When I saw that an AGM 8 amp hour cost $35, I realized I'd rather do that. The sealed lead acid batteries I've used in the past lasted years.
 
So much has changed over the past 5 years with availability, quality, and cost of lithium batteries and pure sine wave inverters. Home Depot has been selling a heavy duty, expandable 40 volt RYOBI elec. weed wacker, 40 volt 4 amp lithium battery, and charger combo, all for $139.00. The RYOBI 300 watt Power Source inverter is $79.00. The whole package is less than that old lithium motorcycle battery was. Also, I did note from doing a little homework on Mike's post how the prices on pure sine inverters have dropped. My two 35 amp UB1 lead acid batts may be tasked with audio duty, too. But, the RYOBI combo is the best rig I have found for pumping bass into the mix when off grid.
 
One other element in my case, when I do a gig with the Carvin amp, I keep it in an old lady shopping cart that I roll up to the stage ready to go and the battery/inverter fits perfectly behind the amp. Here's a photo of the old inverter and battery, but you get the idea.

3 Battery in cart back 600.jpg
 
When I first put together the rig in 2014, I used a lithium motorcycle battery that cost $250, it lasted about a year and half, so I replaced it with another that lasted just over a year, $500 down the drain.

You would be astonished at how far batteries have come since then. My boat had the full range of batteries from 660aH lead acid with two alternators and a generator to 70aH when I decided it was better to have less complexity. These little battery packs are a no-brainer. No more bits of wire.
 
Yes, Chris, this RYOBI off the shelf solution beats all of my former self engineered off grid rigs. And, it will kick butt for elec. guitar pickers or amped ukers. For everything that I have tried and searched, it is truly the bottom line for the bassmen. Oh, and it has a folding handle, too.
 
Just a quick share. The RYOBI Power Source inverter that uses the 40 volt power tool lithium battery delivers a pure sine wave. At 79 bucks, this is a very good lightweight solution to power a bass amp off grid. Up to 300 watts! Best solution I have found, so far. Dr. U.

Can you put up a photo of your rig that shows it's size in some way?
 
SUNP0022.jpg

Well it did go thru. The RYOBI battery + power pack is sitting on top of a 300 watt Hartke amp head. The speaker is a 4 ohm 15" Hartke HyDrive mounted n an enclosed TOA PA cabinet with the horn guts removed. The rig is setting on a standard milk crate for size and reach. Sandwiched between is a Vox MV50 AC 50 watt amp head powered by a 20 volt Black & Decker 6 amp lithium battery.

The Vox amp sounds like the old pre-CBS black panel Fender Bassman amps and is good for a quick jam w/ acoustic instruments. Pus, can be a spare in a catastrophic situation.

The 300 watt Hartke has the volume, tone, and sound quality that Hartke delivers. The HyDrive speakers have a much better sound spectrum than the harsher all aluminum cones. IMHO. 4 ohms allows for max. wattage available w/o amp damage.

That Hartke works fine for outdoor venues without running into the PA system. I am looking forward to testing out the RYOBI inverter under those circumstances. Especially during offshore jam sessions.

Till then...
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom