I'm going camping and I need you guys' help.

[RadSalacan]

So this summer I'll be making my yearly trip to a cabin that I have rented.  This will be the 3rd year I will be going.  I have rented the place for a week and have invited all my friends and co-workers to come along.  The crowd has grown each year so far and I expect 15-20 to come through this summer.  What I need help with is...I'd like to be able to be able to have power at night to run a couple lights, a projector to watch a movie or 2, or (and this is the big one I really want) to play some video games on the projector.  Some Mario Kart 64, Goldeneye....basically some fun multiplayer games like that.  I know where I can get a mini projector and the video stuff but what I need help figuring out is the power source.  I do not want to run a generator and I'm fairly certain I'm not even allowed to have one on site.  Are there solar solutions that can charge battery packs that can last long enough to do what I want?  Or battery solutions I can charge with my car?  I'm open to a lot of different solutions to make this happen.  I'm not a millionaire...but if it's a good solution that I can use again and again I have no problem putting money into it.  Bounce some ideas off me please.  I have to imagine some of you guys have done this sort of thing or know of things that will work.  Thanks in advance for any help/ideas!!

[NTDaws]

8 minutes ago, RadSalacan said:

So this summer I'll be making my yearly trip to a cabin that I have rented.  This will be the 3rd year I will be going.  I have rented the place for a week and have invited all my friends and co-workers to come along.  The crowd has grown each year so far and I expect 15-20 to come through this summer.  What I need help with is...I'd like to be able to be able to have power at night to run a couple lights, a projector to watch a movie or 2, or (and this is the big one I really want) to play some video games on the projector.  Some Mario Kart 64, Goldeneye....basically some fun multiplayer games like that.  I know where I can get a mini projector and the video stuff but what I need help figuring out is the power source.  I do not want to run a generator and I'm fairly certain I'm not even allowed to have one on site.  Are there solar solutions that can charge battery packs that can last long enough to do what I want?  Or battery solutions I can charge with my car?  I'm open to a lot of different solutions to make this happen.  I'm not a millionaire...but if it's a good solution that I can use again and again I have no problem putting money into it.  Bounce some ideas off me please.  I have to imagine some of you guys have done this sort of thing or know of things that will work.  Thanks in advance for any help/ideas!!

Why don't you just buy a battery powered projector?

[RadSalacan]

4 minutes ago, Dawson Wehage said:

Why don't you just buy a battery powered projector?

Because that doesn't solve my problem.  As I said in the post,  I know where to get a projector.  I would still need power for any game console I want to run, also the lights I'd like to run (not flashlights or lanterns.)  

[TheGleaner]

You could bring a charged UPS or buy a inverter, or both

[NTDaws]

2 minutes ago, RadSalacan said:

Because that doesn't solve my problem.  As I said in the post,  I know where to get a projector.  I would still need power for any game console I want to run, also the lights I'd like to run (not flashlights or lanterns.)  

You could look into solar panels, diesel generators, gas generators. Power Banks.

[NTDaws]

UPS

[RadSalacan]

1 minute ago, TheGleaner said:

You could bring a charged UPS or buy a inverter

I actually have a UPS for my PC.  Thats an Idea I had thought of.  I'll be going for a week though and I would need a better way of charging it up than what I'd have available.

[RadSalacan]

2 minutes ago, Dawson Wehage said:

You could look into solar panels, diesel generators, gas generators. Power Banks.

LOL, dude...you didn't even read the post did you?

[NTDaws]

1 minute ago, RadSalacan said:

LOL, dude...you didn't even read the post did you?

I did actually, IDK I DONT GO CAMPING MUCH....

[NTDaws]

1 minute ago, RadSalacan said:

LOL, dude...you didn't even read the post did you?

don't they normally have electricity on site.

[RadSalacan]

1 minute ago, Dawson Wehage said:

don't they normally have electricity on site.

Well, obviously, this one does not.  Hence the asking for help.

[RadiatingLight]

No battery you bring can supply enough energy for more than 1 hour of gaming, so you need a way to make electricity on site without a generator.

hmm....

 

No idea

[NTDaws]

1 minute ago, RadSalacan said:

Well, obviously, this one does not.  Hence the asking for help.

Just run a very long extension cord from your home.

[RadSalacan]

2 minutes ago, Dawson Wehage said:

Just run a very long extension cord from your home.

Hmmmm......I hadn't thought of that.  Know where I can get a 90 mile long extension cord?

[RadiatingLight]

2 minutes ago, RadSalacan said:

Hmmmm......I hadn't thought of that.  Know where I can get a 90 mile long extension cord?

Cablemod!

[RadSalacan]

3 minutes ago, RadiatingLight said:

No battery you bring can supply enough energy for more than 1 hour of gaming, so you need a way to make electricity on site without a generator.

hmm....

 

No idea

I was hoping someone might know about car battery chargers from solar and running an inverter?  Is that a thing?  

[NTDaws]

It will cost you maybe $270000 from walmart, what a investment for them.

[TheGleaner]

4 minutes ago, RadSalacan said:

I was hoping someone might know about car battery chargers from solar and running an inverter?  Is that a thing?  

Yes but very expensive for what you would be drawing

[SCHISCHKA]

2 minutes ago, RadSalacan said:

I was hoping someone might know about car battery chargers from solar and running an inverter?  Is that a thing?  

I would use an Nvidia shield tablet with the projector. You can buy solar panels that will charge the tablet but i dont know if you can buy a project that can be powered from USB

[RadSalacan]

1 minute ago, TheGleaner said:

Yes but very expensive for what you would be drawing

Really?  What does an N64 draw?  Or a PS2?  Or a few compact flourescent light bulbs?  I see those youtube videos of people turning those systems into portables that will run for hours off of LiPos.

[stconquest]

Sorry, no solution... all I can think about when I read your post is this:

 

'

 

I'm old, forgive me.

[RadSalacan]

1 minute ago, SCHISCHKA said:

I would use an Nvidia shield tablet with the projector. You can buy solar panels that will charge the tablet but i dont know if you can buy a project that can be powered from USB

This is an interesting idea....What exactly am I using the shield for in this situation though?

[RadSalacan]

2 minutes ago, stconquest said:

Sorry, no solution... all I can think about when I read your post is this:

 

'

 

I'm old, forgive me.

LOVE this!

[SCHISCHKA]

4 minutes ago, RadSalacan said:

This is an interesting idea....What exactly am I using the shield for in this situation though?

to play movies and games. it has a built in battery so you just need a solar panel and a way to power the projector. i mentioned the shield coz it has built in HDMI output

[RadSalacan]

1 minute ago, SCHISCHKA said:

to play movies and games. it has a built in battery so you just need a solar panel and a way to power the projector

While that is a neat idea...I don't think it has the type of games I'd want to play with my friends on it.  Also, would I need to have some sort of internet connection out there to make best use of the shield?