Author Topic: Playing through a generator?  (Read 3215 times)

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Offline Smoothwound

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Playing through a generator?
« on: February 23, 2014, 01:37:05 pm »
Hey Everyone,

I'm playing around with my 200s for months now at or below 1.5 on the volume due to my housing situation. Love this amp but I'm getting real antsy to turn this puppy up and am considering running it through a generator outside to do so, however, due to voltage considerations, etc, I don't want to mess anything up. Any advice, yea or nea? Am I outta my mind or is this possible. It's starting to get nicer here in Nor Cal and I would love setting up outside. I'm near the beach and parks and love the idea of seeing what happens with other musicians and patrons.

thanks All,
Smooth

Offline EdBass

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Re: Playing through a generator?
« Reply #1 on: February 24, 2014, 04:42:43 am »
I'm not sure what your concern is. Not only is it possible, but most huge outdoor music festivals run on mobile generators rather than public utility power.

Offline loudthud

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Re: Playing through a generator?
« Reply #2 on: February 24, 2014, 11:30:57 am »
Not all generators are created equal. The low cost units intended for home owners to use in blackouts have poor voltage regulation and may deliver excessive voltage under a light load. Don't be surprised if it damages your amp and it costs $300 to get it fixed.

Offline Smoothwound

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Re: Playing through a generator?
« Reply #3 on: February 24, 2014, 10:36:40 pm »
Most likely would be running a low end honda.
That's what I'm talking about, thanks guys, my instincts told me it was a bad idea. I've run those things for power tools before and the current seemed intermittent, so I wasn't sure if that would damage the amp or not...now I know,

Smooth

Offline jaywalker

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Re: Playing through a generator?
« Reply #4 on: March 07, 2014, 07:40:07 am »
Here are some more tips for powering a band. http://www.gearslutz.com/board/so-much-gear-so-little-time/502107-using-gas-generator-small-outdoor-show.html
Of course, if it's just you and one amplifier you won't need much power. This is where that power consumption label on the back of the amp comes in. The one that is frequently confused  as being output power such as 300 watts (consumption) on the back of a 100w (output) Fender Twin Reverb. Lacking a label you could  make a crude calculation based on the fuse rating (amps) and plug it into an Ohm's law formula to get watts if desired.