32amps enough?

[HillRock]

After John M's comment in my last post, I think its time for a real power supply. My biggest power draw is my Boston Mass Police sealed beam Code 3 XL bar. Take downs, rear flashers and rotators are all sealed beams, the thing needs Nation Grid to run it. My question is, will a pyramid 32 AMP power supply be strong enough to take on the job?


http://cgi.ebay.com/PYRAMID-PS36K-32-AMP-CONSTANT-POWER-SUPPLY-COOLING-FAN-/110631501154?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19c226bd62

 

[toon80]

Check this out. Thread about power supplies...


http://www.elightbars.org/forums/showthread.php?8023-Running-12v-DC-equipment-on-120v-AC-%28indoors%29


I would suggest getting a power supply that handles quite more than you need.


You may eventually want to power more light simultaneously and the initial surge of a halogen bar mean you could need say a 50 amps power supply to handle 32 without being always on the edge.


As an indication, when I power everything on my mx7000, my power supply shuts down. It's rated 50 amps and my bar pulls 50 amps; so on the edge is not good enough. Get some power margin.

 

[JohnMarcson]

A 50 amp power supply is usually the biggest that can be obtained for a reasonable amount of money.

 

[stansdds]

After John M's comment in my last post, I think its time for a real power supply. My biggest power draw is my Boston Mass Police sealed beam Code 3 XL bar. Take downs, rear flashers and rotators are all sealed beams, the thing needs Nation Grid to run it. My question is, will a pyramid 32 AMP power supply be strong enough to take on the job?

http://cgi.ebay.com/PYRAMID-PS36K-32-AMP-CONSTANT-POWER-SUPPLY-COOLING-FAN-/110631501154?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19c226bd62

I doubt 32 amps will be enough. You have 12 sealed beam bulbs, likely GE 7400, which are 37.5 watts each. That's about 3 amps draw for each bulb. Now add in the amps for two motors and you are somewhere around 40 amps. Factor in wear on the motors and it might be a bit more. The sealed beam PSE bars were energy hogs.

 

[fyrboy]

Amps = watts/volts.

 

[jdh]

A 50 amp power supply is usually the biggest that can be obtained for a reasonable amount of money.

Actually, I found a 125 Amp., 12 Volt D.C. regulated power supply on *bay awhile back. I paid about $70 shipped. It works great. I have 5 strobe bars (12 strobe Tomar 930, 10 strobe Tomar 925, 8 strobe XS8000, 10 Strobe Edge 9000, and an 8 Strobe Advantage) powered on it without a problem.


I got the unit quite a few years ago (5-6 years????) so I do not remember who the seller was, but the seller was having a blow out sale on them and I got the last one the seller had.


stansdds Wrote:


"I doubt 32 amps will be enough. You have 12 sealed beam bulbs, likely GE 7400, which are 37.5 watts each. That's about 3 amps draw for each bulb. Now add in the amps for two motors and you are somewhere around 40 amps. Factor in wear on the motors and it might be a bit more. The sealed beam PSE bars were energy hogs."


You've got that right. We had a Code -3 sealed beam Triple Threat w/ the 3 Stinger assemblies on one of our units, and the damn thing drew close to 80 amps.

 

[HillRock]

Thanks for the replys gents

 

[Black Hoe]

I would strongly recommend going with the Astron brand power supplies. They make a 50 amp model and they are priced fairly reasonable. I own one for many years and never had a problem with it.