Christmas Lights and Inverters

[Ron Parkes]

I plan on running up some Christmas lights this year to the top of the mast and around the safety line path. It is my best guess that I will need about 6 30ft. strings of 100 mini lights each.There will be no problem powering them up while dockside, but I would like to go out for the Christmas Boat Parade. Now the fun starts. I haven't been able to find out the wattage (or the current draw at 110v) for the lights. I would like to buy a small inverter - one of those that plugs into a cigarette lighter socket ( I have 2 of them) and has a 110v outlet on the other side. efore I do that, however, I need to know an approximate wattage load.Does anybody have any experience, suggestions, and/or recommendations on small inverters and doing what I am considering?If worse comes to worse, I will just buy a string (of lights) and measure the current draw with a portable ammeter!Thanks,Ron Parkes s/v Contemplation h320 (2001)

 

[Steve Dion]

Ron, try this.

Ron:Here is a 12volt solution.Let me know what you think!http://www.bettyschristmashouse.com/special.htm

 

[Doug T.]

That looks expensive

To do the lifelines and stays of a 30 foot boat, you'd need at least 25 strings of those lights. At $4 each, that adds up pretty fast.

 

[Steve Dion]

Thanks Doug..........

Doug:I almost lost my mind. I forgot who I was dealing with SAILORS<g>! Here are a couple of other places to shop.www.realgoods.com/shop/shop3.cfm?dp=304

 

[Warren Renninger]

Inverters

For 4 years I used a 300 Watt inverter to run 4 to 6 strings of 100 lights. You need to make sure of wattage. Got mine at Walmart and if you look closely on package you find lights of 50 to 90 watts depending on brightness and voltage of string (most are 2 or 3 volt). I found the inverters work better if connected directly to the battery since they will be working hard.You'll want to watch out. You can run your start battery down to useless pretty quickly since you may be pulling more juice than your generator/alternator will generate.Good luck.