alhbass Posted June 24, 2017 Share Posted June 24, 2017 Advice welcomed. Apologies if there are other threads that would answer my question, but I'm very short of time to get sorted, so I'm leaping right in to ask.... Just learned that an outdoor gig I have tomorrow afternoon has no provision for power. I've arranged in the last half hour to borrow a 3kva petrol generator, but the owner expressed doubts about whether it would be up to powering my rig. I'm not up with the electrickery, so don't really know myself. I would like to use my markbass LMK head, rated at 300w into a single 8ohm cab. It wouldn't be powering anything else. Can anyone enlighten me? Thanks in advance.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bay Posted June 24, 2017 Share Posted June 24, 2017 I have done it a couple of times with a 500w rig and smaller generator than that with no issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alhbass Posted June 24, 2017 Author Share Posted June 24, 2017 Thank you. That's what I hoped to hear! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bay Posted June 24, 2017 Share Posted June 24, 2017 I have even run a mig welder off mine :-) you can hear it dip and then pick up (the spot welder is too much for it though), a bass rig is a lot less on a pull on a genny than most people think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mottlefeeder Posted June 24, 2017 Share Posted June 24, 2017 My experience is that class D amplifiers have better filtering than old school amps, so you are less likely to get a whine from your bass.Wost case scenario, your bass will pick up generator brush noises and whine, most of which can be reduced by EQ settings, and by keeping one hand on your strings - at all times. With regard to power ratings, my Ashdown 500 Watt amp takes 24 watts on standby, and about 35 watts when I play through it. This is a major advantage of class D amplifiers - my class AB amplifier has the same standby power, but takes about three times the power in use. In general, a bass amplifier's average power (what the generator must deliver) is about an eighth of the peak power (which your amplifier is designed to deliver). David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skidder652003 Posted June 24, 2017 Share Posted June 24, 2017 3K Gennie will be fine with your rig, so long as no valves are involved Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deedee Posted June 24, 2017 Share Posted June 24, 2017 There was a GK MB200 sold on eBay recently for spares or repair. The seller stated that it went pop after he had 'used it on a carnival generator'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alhbass Posted June 25, 2017 Author Share Posted June 25, 2017 Thanks all for your comments. I'll give it a go. What's the worst that could happen? (Don't answer that.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deepbass5 Posted June 25, 2017 Share Posted June 25, 2017 Power wise it will be fine, Should run the whole band without traditional lighting. But have had issues with generator gigs, Frequency is an issue if not maintained, Should be 50Hz as the mains, but could be anywhere either side. Do you know any sparks to check if it is earthed properly, They are also usually center tapped to earth to give 55 volts to earth through the yellow sockets, but this also means the blue socket and or 13 A socket is also connected this way, It shouldn't affect it but confusing when testing it. Use an RCD socket outlet on your extension to be safe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Dare Posted June 25, 2017 Share Posted June 25, 2017 Class D heads tend not to have such stiff power supplies - no large reservoir caps - so are more susceptible to shutting down when the power supply sags. My PA sometimes doesn't like generated power. It will just cut out as the safety circuitry kicks in, but it's annoying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted June 25, 2017 Share Posted June 25, 2017 (edited) It's biker rally season at the moment so I'm on a generator every other week. I always use a surge protected power supply, no idea if it helps but it makes me feel better! The only problem I've ever had with generator gigs have been where the supplied generator as been too small for the PA and so it's tripped it. Once, I think we got to 7 times in the first set before the sound man saw sense and turned the thing down and disconnected one of the sub stacks. Never hurt the amps on stage though, or the PA amps as far as I know, I think most modern amps have a whole heap of protection so if anything goes wrong with power they'll shut down immediately. Annoying but better than letting themselves get damaged. I wonder if generator power might actually be an argument for those rack mounted power conditioners that don't really seem to do anything? Edited June 25, 2017 by Jack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
machinehead Posted June 25, 2017 Share Posted June 25, 2017 You'll be fine. The supply frequency is effected by the engine speed. The engine will be so lightly loaded that the frequency should be rock steady. The same with the voltage, there shouldn't be voltage drops, again because the alternator is putting out a small fraction of its full power. Frank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mottlefeeder Posted June 25, 2017 Share Posted June 25, 2017 [quote name='deepbass5' timestamp='1498375458' post='3324094']... Use an RCD socket outlet on your extension to be safe [/quote] Sorry but I disagree with this - domestic 'plugtop' RCDs are intended to be used on electrical systems where there is a connection between the neutral conductor and earth at the distribution board. On small generator powered system, if the generator is connected to the earth by a metal stake, and not electrically connected to the generator neutral, many RCDs of that type will not allow you to power up. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alhbass Posted August 7, 2017 Author Share Posted August 7, 2017 Thanks for all your replies. It worked fine. Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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