noteven Posted March 8, 2021 Report Share Posted March 8, 2021 If a dc dummy like me is looking at a “1500 watt” portable power unit (aka “solar generator” -dumb term) what does that equal to in 12v battery “amp hours”? I know I could “do a search” but maybe others will find this useful too. Quote "Are we there yet?" asked no motorcycle rider, ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darryl&Rita Posted March 8, 2021 Report Share Posted March 8, 2021 Watts are a measure of the amount of power, basically volts x amps. Amp-hours measure amps and time. 1500 w divided by 12 volts gives 125 amps. If you have a pair of T105 Trojan batteries, theoretically you could run the heater for 50 minutes. Practically, closer to 15 minutes. Quote I have been wrong before, I'll probably be wrong again. 2000 Kenworth T 2000 w/N-14 and 10 speed Gen1 Autoshift, deck built by Star Fabrication 2006 smart fourtwo cdi cabriolet 2007 32.5' Fleetwood QuantumPlease e-mail us here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldjohnt Posted March 8, 2021 Report Share Posted March 8, 2021 Noteven, you always come up with good and interesting questions, I'm NOT a Solar Expert but will offer what I learned over the years as an electrical engineer and RV owner: YOU HAVE TO UNDESRSTAND AND COMPARE APPLES TO APPLES HERE 1) Instantaneous Power in Watts = Volts x Amps 2) Energy (like what the power company charges you) is Volts x Amps x Time IE your bill is for Killowatt HOURS NOT Watts !!!!!!!!! 3) A so called "1500 Watt" device is supposedly/guessing ?? capable of delivering 1500 Watts (Volts x Amps) BUT FOR HOW LONG you need to know to derive at any Amp Hours of ENERGY STORAGE CAPACITY. Watts is Watts but Energy is Watts (Volts x Amps) for some X time. 4) A typical Deep Cycle 12 Volt Battery may be labeled and rated for say 100 Amp Hours OF ENERGY STORAGE CAPACITY. That means it is capable of delivering at the standard "20 Hour Rate" if used, 5 amps for 20 hours as 5 Amps x 20 Hours = 100 Amp Hours. 5) Soooooooooo that "1500 Watt portable power unit" (whatever it is, I have no specs or data whatsoever so no warranty) if its powers a 12 Volt Load I guess/assume could deliver 1500/12 or 125 Amps at 12 Volts or 12.5 Amps at 120 Volts BUT FOR HOW LONG ????????????? I have NO idea since I don't know its ENERGY STORAGE CAPACITY. I don't know if its a Charger,,,,,,, or an Energy Storage Device,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, or BOTH (internal battery PLUS charger) I ONLY know you say its "1500 Watts" ??????????????????????? Watts is Power while Energy is Power x Time 6) If a 12 volt battery"s" (say a couple common very typical 225 Amp Hour Trojan T-105 6 volters wired in series) were to deliver 1500 watts at 12 Volts, that would be 125 Amps (for a while). HOWEVER due to the Peukert effect and even if a 225 AH Battery at the "20 Hour Rate" could deliver 5 amps for say 45 Hours, when drawing such high current you don't get near that much. SUMMARY Power in Watts = Volts x Amps ........Energy is Volts x Amps x Time.........A battery can be rated in Amp Hours at 12 Volts as Volts x Amps x Time = Energy..........A Charger ALONE isnt the same as an Energy Storage Device.........An energy storage device (check out the jackery) COULD HAVE a built in battery (for storing energy) PLUS a battery charger so when plugged in it charges the battery (OR Solar could charge it) and it could be rated in its internal batteries Amp Hours of Energy Storage capacity and it could be rated at the 1500 Watts you spoke of (can deliver 125 Amps at 12 Volts or 12.5 Amps at 120) but thats ONLY its Power rating, again as far as ENERGY you need to know that 1500 watts FOR HOW LONG??? DISCLAIMER NOT being a solar expert OR NO IDEA OF THE UNIT YOU ASK ABOUT I would appreciate it if anyone can correct or add to this. I have seen Energy Storage devices with built in batteries PLUS a Charger (or use Solar) so one can charge them up then plug in loads to power them for however long the batteries last . Looks to me like they would be rated in Amp Hours as watts alone doesn't tell the whole story HOW MANY WATTS FOR HOW LONG would be my question !!!!!!! If I knew more of what the device is I may be able to answer better, sorry but I tried my best. A Portable Power Unit 'sounds like" maybe a Jackery which has a built in battery to store energy and maybe it can pump out 1500 watts, but absent the Energy rating I cant say for how long, maybe someone else with specs or data or a model can tell us ???????????????? John T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noteven Posted March 8, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2021 I should have worded my question better. If a portable power station has a 1000 watt/hour capacity, what is that equivalent to in deep cycle battery useable amp hours? I believe power stations (like Jackery) are rated in watts because they deliver DC and inverted AC power... Quote "Are we there yet?" asked no motorcycle rider, ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noteven Posted March 8, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 8, 2021 JohnT - I posted above while you were posting. I looked at a “1000 watt” Jackery and it is rated at 1000 watt/hr. Quote "Are we there yet?" asked no motorcycle rider, ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hemsteadc Posted March 8, 2021 Report Share Posted March 8, 2021 (edited) I'm sure the other answers are fine, but this may help a lot better than I could: https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ALeKk03aD14mTAb_LF3uk10kefgTMzz0XQ%3A1615228641676&source=hp&ei=4W5GYI-fJr7P0PEP25yv4AE&iflsig=AINFCbYAAAAAYEZ88Vy2gj1s4u1qkSoAN-j7VKbYvpVc&q=amp+hours+to+watt+hours&oq=amp+hours+to+watt+hours&gs_lcp=Cgdnd3Mtd2l6EAMyAggAMgYIABAWEB4yBQgAEIYDMgUIABCGAzIFCAAQhgM6BAgjECc6CgguEMcBEK8BECc6CwguEMcBEK8BEJECOggIABCxAxCDAToFCAAQsQM6CAgAELEDEMkDOgsILhCxAxDHARCjAjoFCC4QsQM6CAguELEDEIMBOg4ILhCxAxCDARDHARCvAToICC4QxwEQrwFQ_QpY4i5g0i9oAHAAeAGAAdgBiAGgGpIBBjAuMjEuMZgBAKABAaoBB2d3cy13aXo&sclient=gws-wiz&ved=0ahUKEwjPk6nLq6HvAhW-JzQIHVvOCxwQ4dUDCAo&uact=5 Edited March 8, 2021 by hemsteadc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lou Schneider Posted March 8, 2021 Report Share Posted March 8, 2021 (edited) 57 minutes ago, noteven said: I should have worded my question better. If a portable power station has a 1000 watt/hour capacity, what is that equivalent to in deep cycle battery useable amp hours? I believe power stations (like Jackery) are rated in watts because they deliver DC and inverted AC power... They're rated in watt-hours because amp-hours are meaningless without also knowing the battery voltage. Amps x Volts = Watts 1000 watt-hours divided by 12 volts = 83 amp-hours. The same as an 100 amp-hour lithium battery discharged to the 20% level. Or a bit less than a pair of GC2 6 volt lead acid batteries discharged to the recommended 50% maximum. Edited March 8, 2021 by Lou Schneider Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldjohnt Posted March 8, 2021 Report Share Posted March 8, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, noteven said: If a portable power station has a 1000 watt/hour capacity, what is that equivalent to in deep cycle battery useable amp hours? Thanks for the update, now that question makes more sense and is easily answered: Power in Watts = Volts X Amps, THEREFORE 1000 Watt Hours/12 Volts = 83 Amp Hours at 12 Volts Some prefer to use Watt Hours since the voltage may or may not be exactly 12 volts constantly A normal sized 12 Volt Deep Cycle AGM might typically be 100 Amp hours so the 1000 Watt Hour device is close at 83 Amp Hours. If FLA or AGM batteries are used its best NOT to discharge them over 50%, however if Lithium as many of such devices are, you can draw them down deeper but I still wouldn't like a lot over 70% on any frequent basis. There ya go thanks for the new info John T Edited March 8, 2021 by oldjohnt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldjohnt Posted March 8, 2021 Report Share Posted March 8, 2021 3 hours ago, noteven said: I believe power stations (like Jackery) are rated in watts because they deliver DC and inverted AC power... Possible, since 1000 Watts is still 1000 Watts regardless. If you need to know Amp Hours you have to take the voltage into consideration...........People often hear about 12 Volt Battery Amp Hours (and how labeled and sold) which is all well n good HOWEVER the voltage may be 12.6 or down to the low 12 which is why some solar gents prefer to talk in Watt Hours versus Amp Hours John T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noteven Posted March 9, 2021 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2021 Thank you everyone. "I'm learnin'" Quote "Are we there yet?" asked no motorcycle rider, ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted March 9, 2021 Report Share Posted March 9, 2021 (edited) I have never consider watt hours a good way to rate batteries. Example I have 21k of lithium wired for 48v battery packs. That is only 437.5 watt hours. So at a glance one would think I have no more than 4 12v batteries. Edited March 9, 2021 by GlennWest Quote 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldjohnt Posted March 9, 2021 Report Share Posted March 9, 2021 1 minute ago, GlennWest said: I have never consider watt hours a good way to rate batteries Mornin Glenn, Thats all well and good MANY however prefer Watt Hours because Watts is Watts PERIOD and NOT dependent upon voltage. If one has a 12 volt battery its voltage when under load (subject to how much) may range from 12.6 down to 12 SO WHAT VOLTAGE DOES ONE USE if converting to so called "12 Volt" Amp Hours ??? IT CHANGES while Watt Hours isnt dependent on voltage YOUR CASE If you have 21,000 Watt Hours, at 48 Volts, that's 437.5 Amp Hours If you have 21,000 Watt Hours at 12 Volts, that's 1750 Amp hours NOT 437.5 If you did have FOUR 12 Volt Batteries in parallel each of which were 100 Amp Hours, you would have 400 Amp Hours at 12 Volts wayyyyyyyyyy less then the 1750 12 Volt Amp Hours you have !!!!! Got it ?? John T NOT any Solar Expert but believe this to be true, see what any Solar Experts have to say ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GlennWest Posted March 9, 2021 Report Share Posted March 9, 2021 I worded that wrong. Should have stated amp hours. Quote 2003 Teton Grand Freedom towed with 2006 Freightliner Century 120 across the beautiful USA welding pipe.https://photos.app.goo.gl/O32ZjgzSzgK7LAyt1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.