Using appliances

[lab_nomad]

This may be a dumb question, and I feel like I’ve seen a thread about this before, but can’t find it. I’m thinking of getting a small blender just for smoothies. It should be pretty portable, and while I’m working assignments and staying in housing, there’s no problem. But if I were camping, I’m wondering if I would be able to use it.

It says it’s 500W. Does that mean if I have a power station that is at least 500W, then I could use it? And I would be blending for mere seconds, so I can’t imagine it would drain much energy. I feel like I’ve read somewhere that watts isn’t really what’s important, so if that’s true, then what?

 

[PeterPiper]

With that close a margin, it's possible the power station may not be able to start that blender due to surge peak current. That blenders motor will draw a surge in current when you first start it. That may exceed the power stations ability to provide enough current on start up.
Sometimes you just have to try it unless you have the data for the particular appliance.

So what's more important is how much current the blender will draw when first starting up and if your power station has a surge capability that can handle it.
If you're in the USA, that 500watts is likely 4.2amps at 120v AC. But your power station draws it's power from a battery bank at likely around 20volts DC. So for the battery bank, that's closer to 25 amps the battery has to deliver to keep it running and several times that on startup.

Lot's of variables. Overall I'd take a guess it might be difficult to run that blender with that power station.
At best if it does it will be pushing it to it's limits.

 

[bullfrog]

Many camps have modified weed eater motors to run blenders, I imagine there is a reason for that! Lol!!!

 

[lab_nomad]

With that close a margin, it's possible the power station may not be able to start that blender due to surge peak current... 

So, what about a larger power station, say 750 or 1000. That should easily cover the surge, right?

 

[lab_nomad]

I may not need to worry about it. I just discovered portable cordless blenders that are charged via USB. They get mixed reviews, so I’m not sure if I’m going to get one. But that would solve the problem.

 

[hugemoth]

You can also buy gasoline powered blenders. Added benefits are it scares off small children and repels mosquitoes.

 

[jacqueg]

I may not need to worry about it. I just discovered portable cordless blenders that are charged via USB. They get mixed reviews, so I’m not sure if I’m going to get one. But that would solve the problem.

 There's always hand-crank blenders - https://bestreviews.com/best-hand-crank-blenders

I know of a serious homesteading family that uses the Vortex, including using it for canning.

 

[lab_nomad]

Very cool. I can’t imagine they would work for a smoothie with frozen fruit. Or put it this way…if they did work for that, *I* wouldn’t be able to crank it. I’ve got the upper body strength of a newborn.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

A couple of ideas:

Daiquiri Whacker:
https://www.amazon.com/SR-DW-The-Ex...as-20&linkId=185b40fe054d9711e1c120d5da75a7ba

Ryobi drill blender:


If you are really creative there are many ways to use a battery powered drill to power a blender.

 

[jacqueg]

A couple of ideas:

$500 to make a daiquiri???? Holy cow.

But that Ryobi idea is fantastic!

 

[nature lover]

I don’t have enough bandwidth to see that drill video. but women in our Amish community have been using battery power drills with a beater in for years. I suspect some woman saw one in her husband’s shop and said hey I could put a Beater in that. And then he had to go and buy another one for himself. They make great mashed potatoes.

 

[bullfrog]

^^^ It really is just a Ball canning jar with the blender part that has the same threads screwed onto the jar which uses a Ryobi 18 volt battery powered drill to drive the blender blades, simple.

 

[jacqueg]

I don’t have enough bandwidth to see that drill video.  but women in our Amish community have been using battery power drills with a beater in for years. I suspect some woman saw one in her  husband’s shop and said hey I could put a Beater in that. And then he had to go and buy another one for himself.  They make great mashed potatoes.

 It's the base of an Oster blender jar, which has always fit regular-mouth canning jars. I used to chop nuts and all kinds of other things with it and a small jelly jar. It's probably the biggest reason I kept on using Oster blenders. They're not great blenders otherwise.

What I never thought of was using a drill to power the blades!

https://www.budget101.com/tips-n-tricks/4361-myo-mason-jar-bullet/