Outdoor event

[simon1969]

Hi Guys

Just wondered if anyone has had problems with amplifiers
when they have done an outdoor event,powered by a generator?
My amp kept cutting out when I was using it is this anything to do with power surges from a generator?

Thanks in advance .

[djeddie]

Firstly, I take it that it was a petrol genny? (i.e. the kind of thing from Machine Mart). They never give the power you're expect, you have to take account of power factor correction and other bits such as that. Always work out KVA rather that Watts. The other thing that can cause a problem is a lot of modern PSU's are switch-mode and they need a good earth, so was the genny earthed correctly, with a proper earth spike?
Anytime I've had no other choice than to run from a petrol genny I've always added a 500W halogen light (that's is on ALL of the time) as it helps settle the genny.
If you have to do it again go for a diesel genny from a proper supplier.

[rth_discos]

Generators come in lots of different flavours.

The small portable ones are rarely sufficient for anything other than a small pa system.

What generator were you using?

[yourdj]

Not ever had a dodgy generator, but I tend to work in decent marquees with big desiel ones. i have one of these in the garage, which can run for a bit in the even of a power issue. The battery is dead mind you but I am reliably informed that they do a reasonable job, especially with sound limiters and digital PA that will not draw much power.



https://www.ebuyer.com/113906-apc-ba...caAmPZEALw_wcB

[simon1969]

Hi

It was a big deisel generator powering lights etc (it was a wedding) .
The band were powered with that never had problems with this amp before I will take it to be checked out it didn't seem to be overheating warning light didn't come on.

[djeddie]

As it was a diesel, and presumably from a decent supplier, the next question is what amp was it? (Make and model).

[Excalibur]

Firstly, I take it that it was a petrol genny? (i.e. the kind of thing from Machine Mart). They never give the power you're expect, you have to take account of power factor correction and other bits such as that. Always work out KVA rather that Watts. The other thing that can cause a problem is a lot of modern PSU's are switch-mode and they need a good earth, so was the genny earthed correctly, with a proper earth spike?
Anytime I've had no other choice than to run from a petrol genny I've always added a 500W halogen light (that's is on ALL of the time) as it helps settle the genny.
If you have to do it again go for a diesel genny from a proper supplier.

Hard to disagree with that.

Toby's idea of an UPS seems logical, and since it's main purpose in life would be power smoothing, then I assume a fairly small one could suffice.

Since we now know it's a big diesel genny, as Eddie has said above, the amp itself is the next place to look. A well respected colleague was having kittens this weekend, because he had to run his switch mode amps from a generator, and he feared for their safety.