I’m often asked the best ways of powering your equipment when out busking or gigging at outdoor events where power is an issue.
This is a good question to answer and depends greatly on a few main factors.
1. The size and type of gig you are looking to provide sound for.
Are you looking to provide an acoustic set for a beach party of 20 – 30 people, a full metal or rock gig in the middle of nowhere for 200, power for you and a couple of band mates in the middle of town or just for a small busking set up for yourself. It all depends on the equipment you need to provide power for and how electronically sensitive it is.
2. Budget.
How much money do you have to spend on the set up. If you have the cash then there are plenty of options available to you. A tighter budget lessens your options, but you can still build yourself a really effective power system without spending too much.
3. Usage and future requirements.
How long do you need to play for and how often are you going to use it ? If the gig is a one off, you can get away with a less robust system or think about hiring a generator, but if your daily income relies on it, it has to function effectively and efficiently for years to come.
4. Your technical capabilities and logistics.
Do you have the ability to safely install and carry your power equipment to and from your intended locations ? Installing generators, earth rods and lugging batteries around can be heavy work and technically demanding. If you get it wrong, you could end up frying half your band.
Small Systems and Lightweight Outdoor Power Applications
If all you’ve got to cope with is a guitar, a couple of battery powered fx units and a mic, then all you need is a decent battery powered busking amp with a couple of inputs. Get yourself a charger and you can easily power your equipment with ordinary shop bought Ni-Mh rechargeable batteries and you should get a good 4 to 8 hours playing time or more depending on the volumes you play at, the rating of the batteries (A/h) and the age of the rechargeables.
Busker Hadar Manor – 2008′s Queen of the London Underground with her portable busking set up.
The two types of consumer rechargeable batteries generally available are Ni-Cd (Nickel Cadmium) and Ni-Mh (Nickel metal hydride)
Take a look at my guide on which batteries to choose and why.
I go for the Ni-Mh.
Heavier Duty Power Supplies
If your equipment doesn’t have the facility to run off normal batteries or you want a heavier duty rig that is going to provide a much greater output and be capable of powering bigger speaker systems, P.A s and band set ups – then you could be looking at purchasing or renting a portable or stand alone generator or if your power consumption is not too substantial then you could also consider a set up along the lines of 12v Deep Cycle or Marine batteries, combined with a power inverter and a multi stage charger to run your equipment.
Read my battery guide and posts on inverters and battery calculations to get you up to speed with these.
Generators and battery systems each have their advantages and disadvantages. Once you have worked out how much power you need for your system, and how much cash you have to spend, you should be able to choose one of the options below to suit your needs.
Generators
Generator technology has come a long way over the last few years, and nowadays there are many companies out there making top notch noiseless and fumeless generators designed specifically for the entertainment and leisure market.
Years ago, having a generator powering your set up was a noisy and brutal affair. Having a generator chugging away in the back ground, spitting out gas and fumes everywhere meant you had to be staging your own mini Glastonbury just to be able to hear your own tunes over the noise.
Nowadays you can spark up a noiseless portable generator, stand next to it and barely hear the thing running from more than a couple of feet away.
Honda have always been the market leaders in portable generator technology and have made a name for themselves creating some of the quietest and most reliable equipment in the market.
You will often see professional buskers and musicians with grand set ups in the street blaring their music over the whole town or at outdoor events and you will almost always see the trademark red casing of a Honda generator slaving away in the background.
Honda EU2000i Noiseless Generator
The problem with portable generators is that they can be seriously expensive ranging from a few hundred pounds to anything up to a couple of thousand. Their output also ranges from a few hundred watts to many kilowatts depending on the price you pay.
If you’re lucky, you might be able to pick your self up a bargain second hand generator for anything between £150 and £300 (a quick Ebay search revealed a few weeks ago), but then you never really know what you are getting for your money or how long it’s going to last.
In my opinion, a second hand generator is a gamble, so if you have a lot riding on your set up and want guaranteed results, it is always better to rent or buy new.
If you can’t afford to buy one yourself, get your band mates to chip in. A few gigs or busking sessions and it will soon pay for itself.
Using Leisure/Marine – Deep Cycle Batteries And Inverters
If you can’t afford a generator, another reliable and cost effective method would be to determine the power output you are going to require and put together a heavy duty battery and inverter set up.
See my post on batteries for more information.
Deep cycle batteries provide a large power output and an almost endless supply of replenishable energy. When used in conjunction with a sine wave inverter, a clean supply can be achieved to power almost any electrical or electronic system with confidence.
When connected in parallel, deep cycle batteries can be stacked up to almost unlimited potential and if looked after in the correct manner they can last for years.
Deep Cycle Battery
See my post on battery connections for more information.
Depending on your requirements, you will more than likely need some form of sine wave inverter (either a pure SWI or a modified SWI to convert the dc output from the battery terminals into ac for use with your equipment.
See my post on sine wave inverters for more information.
A decent multi stage battery charger is also a must if you are considering this type of set up. As I’ve explained in my batteries page, battery life and capacity can be seriously compromised if they are not charged, discharged and stored in the correct manner. To get the best out of your batteries you will need to take care of them, or you’ll end up wasting your money.
Take a look at my guide on batteries to get an idea and see my guide on battery calculations to work out what you might need.
Using Standard Car Batteries to Power Your Busk
Powering your set up with an average car starter battery may work well for a while, but is not really advised they are not designed to be constantly charged and discharged without being permanently topped up by a charging alternator.
Standard car batteries generally loose their ability to hold charge effectively after a few deep discharges but may suffice if all you need to power is a little busking amp and it’s kept in a good state of charge when not in use. It is generally the way you care for your battery that effects it’s longevity and effectiveness, so even if you are using a crap battery, it will last much longer if you look after it.
I have met quite a few buskers and market traders who do use bog standard car batteries to power small busking and stereo set ups, but I wouldn’t recommend it for a long term solution. The efficiency of the set up will most likely become an issue in the long run.
Running Car Amplifiers From A Battery
Although car amplifiers are not designed to mimic the specific traits of traditional guitar amps and high powered P.A systems, many audiophiles do use them in outdoor situations in conjunction with deep cycle batteries to produce very effective and efficient sound systems capable of producing reasonably loud outputs with low power consumption.
An advantage of using a car amplifier is that it is designed to run straight off a 12v car battery, so you don’t incur losses from the inefficient conversion of dc to ac through an inverter, then back to dc through an amps power supply unit.
Conventional stereo amps and speakers designed for music respond differently than guitar amps due to the nature of frequency filtering that goes on inside each unit. If you play your guitar through a stereo amp, it might not sound great, but if you can eq it to sound good for your application such as an acoustic or busking gig in the street, you may achieve good results.
Using the car amp and speaker set up as sound reinforcement in conjunction with your other guitar amps and equipment could be a cheap alternative to buying an expensive high rated inverter and running everything off that. Purchasing a lower rated pure sine wave inverter to run the sensitive stuff and a running a car amp separately might save you some cash.
Bigger Events – Hiring Your Equipment
If you are looking to power a larger set up needing anything from five thousand to hundreds of thousands of watts you’d be better off renting a commercial generator from a hire company.
Commercial stand alone generators range from wheel barrow size to a huge great things brought in on the back of trucks. Any noise or fume pollution is kept to a minimum as they are normally set up a good distance away from the entertainment areas.
One thing you have to be sure of when dealing with larger power demands is that your generating equipment and mains boards are properly earthed. If you are out in the middle of no where this can mean driving an earth rod or number of rods deep into the ground to ensure good earthing is achieved. It may even be necessary to water the ground in the vicinity of the earth rods to ensure better conductivity and less ground resistance if the area is dry.
The safety and speed of your trip switches and circuit breakers rely on good earthing practices and infinitely low ground resistance values which can be tested via specialised equipment. If you are not comfortable with the situation, get a qualified electrician to ensure all safety precautions are adhered to.
If you are hiring from a respectable company they should have qualified people able to train you how to install and rig up the generator safely. You should also be able to get them to deliver it, set it up and take it away, all as part of a hire package. It’s not worth the worry and risk of frying a few of your mates, just to save a few quid and do it your self.
Generator Load
When the demand on your generator drops from high load to practically zero between song breaks and silent periods in your gig, it will have difficulty supplying the tiny amount of power needed to keep the electronic gear on stage functioning correctly, and may start to ‘hunt’ for power i.e ‘revving high and low’.
To keep the generator producing a constant supply of power and avoid fluctuations, a constant load of 200 or 300 w should be placed on the generator at all times. This keeps the sensitive electronics supplied with a constant current source and can be achieved by simply a plugging in couple of lights as a permanent load through out the duration of the event.
Public Events – Contacting The Council
If you are thinking of setting up a gig in town or in a public location, you may find contacting the local council and organising a mini event could solve your problems. There are always certain places in town where power can be made available to merchants and traders for markets and street events etc. Give the local authority a call and they might be able to supply you with power for a few hours.
These power outlets are often hidden from public view at height, above shops, on ledges or in armoured boxes at street level. You wouldn’t notice them unless you were looking for them, but they are there. As an ex-electrician, we were always being contracted to connect up power supplies for street events like Christmas lights and carnivals etc. using these hidden sources.
If you choose to do a gig on the beach or in a park or bandstand, there will always be power available somewhere in the vicinity, just contact the area’s caretaker.
The only thing you might have to watch out for is if you do end up organising or sorting out any type of event involving the local council, even if it is just a one off street gig, you will probably have to secure some sort of public liability insurance covering you for around 5 million pounds. Councils are always pretty hot on health and safety issues.
Go Acoustic
At the end of the day, if it’s all too much hassle, just consider going acoustic. If you’re intent on performing in town, most people don’t want to be blown away by a bloody great rock gig anyway, and you’ll probably make just as much money busking with an acoustic set up as you would any other way. It’ll also save you a lot of effort and lugging your equipment around.
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For time and legal reasons I don’t answer reader’s questions on calculations or individual set up’s, but if you need to know anything about creating your own power set up or need advice on calculations, make sure you fully read through my battery guide and posts on inverters, battery calculations and battery connections.
There you should find all you need to know to help you get started.
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Other Posts of Interest
Battery Guide
Battery Calculations
Battery Connections
Inverters
Hi there !
Thanks for a brilliant overview of portable power systems !
Can you please advise me as to how I should go about charging a multiple bank of 4 to 6 deep cycle batteries hooked up in series or parallel ?
Best Regards . . . Eddie.
Most systems are set up for particular uses and have certain requirements i.e they have to be charged within a certain time limit, this defines what sort of charging time you have to comply to, which along with a budget defines the charging method.
I would work out the total capacity and voltage of your battery bank and use an appropriate multi stage charger that can do the job in the time necessary. Charging them in series or parallel is defined by the way the bank is connected in the first place. If they are not hooked up yet and you can choose either, then you can take into account the rating of your charger and work backwards.
Take a look at my other posts on battery calculations etc. for help with the maths.
Hi, great post. I’ve recently inherited a 12V battery, sine wave inverter, plus mains charger. In short, the ideal busking kit. It came with a yamaha PA I bought of a chap on ebay. I have no use for the busking kit – where’s the best place to sell it dyou think? The inverter is worth about 90 quid so I should be able to raise a reasonable sum….if I can find a buyer! Cheers
Stick it all in the local freeads.
Hi,
I’m going to busking with my keyboard, it’s a 88 key digital piano with two 6w speakers on top.
so I think I’m will use the light weight outdoor application.
But as what you mention above, I really don’t know how to use the Ni-mh battery with my AC adaptor. Do I need kind of converter?
The input is 230v~50hz 0.2A, output is 12v, 1.5A
Please give me some advice.
Thanks
Hi Josh, your keyboard is going to need a stable power supply and if it doesn’t already have the facility to run off batteries then you’ll probably need to create a power system using a deep cycle battery, inverter and charger. Read my battery guide and posts on inverters and battery calculations. By the end of that you should be pretty tooled up on how to do it.
Hi Kier,
Thanks for the advice!!!
No problem, hope it goes well for you. If you do get a good set up, let us know what gear you’ve used and it’ll help others looking to do the same. Make sure you can test your inverter and take it back if it’s not the right one for your system.
Hi, I need a light, portable setup for dancing/busking. I will be playing classic and alternative rock mostly. i have an mp3 player but don’t know where to go from there. please help. i need something that is loud, clear, light, and has a long life span.
If you need a system generally to just play mp3′s etc on and not specifically designed for instruments, then I’m sure you could easily use a semi decent battery operated stereo or ghetto blaster type sound system with a line in port for your mp3 player.
You could pick up a cheap second hand one or if you have the cash to spend, try out the Roland Cube – Street or another of thier battery operated amps. It’s a little pricey but supposed to be very good.
Whatever you choose, you should definately make sure you test it out before you buy it as amps and stereos vary greatly in the sound quality they deliver and will also sound completely different inside as they do outside. You’ll also need decent rechargeable NiMh batteries and a charger. Check Ebay for rechargeables and you’ll save a lot of money.
Cheers. Let us know how you get on.
Hi,
I want to busk and need an amp to play backing tracks from my ipod. I will be playing the Alto Sax and I use the amp for backing music only. It will be mostly jazz and middle of the road stuff. I’m only a beginner so need to keep the budget small. What advice would you give
Hi, same sort of thing as for the comment above, if you are using a sax you obviously won’t need amplification or fx for the instrument so you can just concentrate on finding a decent second hand battery amp or portable music system for a few quid from a boot sale to get an idea. If you are going to get serious though, it is probably worth investing a fair bit to get a proper set up as the sax is a beautiful instrument and really you want a decent sound that will do justice to your instrument.
brilliant post.. thanks for sharing your knowledge regarding inverter and batteries..
Thanks.
Hi, I want to do some street performing/busking using a microphone, electro acoustic guitar, and backing tracks [midifile player]. I have a Marshall AS100D amplifier. What is the best way to power my system. Do I use a generator or do I use a battery DC to AC convertor battery unit.I need something that I can plug into 2 pieces of equipment……the amp and midifile player. I recently purchased the ION Block Rocker which has a built in 12 hour rechargable battery. But I did not like this as a stand alone unit. I felt that my sound was too much compromised so I sent the unit back for a refund. Hence I’m now looking to take out some of my usual kit but need to power it safely and quietly. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. [This is a very useful site]. Many thanks!!!!!
Hi Steve, it all depends on your budget. It’d probably be best to use a nice quiet small generator but a good one is expensive.
I would have a good think about exactly what you are going to need now and in the long term future, and then have a read of my battery guide and posts on inverters and battery calculations.
See how much cash you have to spend and by the end of that you’ll have a better idea of what your options are.
There may also be some other ‘all in one’ systems available by now, this post was written a year or so ago and advances in technology are always bringing new options to the table.
Let us know if you get a good set up going. Cheers
Hi I’ve just bought a Roland Street amp … I have also got rechargeable Ni-MH
I went busking but they seemed to lack the kick I needed ?
Would and larger battery be easy to hook up ?
can you please advise
Cheers
J
Hi Jodi..depends on how big your batteries were, how long and loud you played for, and how long and loud you intend to play for. Read my guides on inverters, batteries, calculations etc. and the Roland manual and you should get the idea.
The last paragraph hits the nail on the head!!! The idea that you need to really reach out great distances (in order to reach more people to make more tips) doesn’t really pan out. The louder you are, the more chance you become an irritant rather than a pleasant feature of the cityscape. I say, go acoustic because the only people who need to hear you are those who are close enough to tip you anyway. Few people will walk very far to tip, and you risk making a large number of people mad, when you are blasting their ear drums. Smile, nod and play your heart out for those who pass close, and they will reward you.
The time you need volume is when someone is paying you to entertain a crowd or when the crowd pays good money to see you. Otherwise your just intruding on their mellow.
I’ve just bought a JamMan Stereo pedal and this runs on 9V AC. Can I power it from the 12V DC battery of my PA amp.?
regards,
David
Hi David, no you can’t I’m afraid. Alternating current and direct current are the opposite sides of the scale, you’ll probably knacker your equipment if you do. Cheers
Really doubt it’s 9V AC… Sure it’s not got an AC/DC converter brick in there somewhere? Most pedals run off 9V DC for use with 9V batteries and us a 9V DC supply for power.
Cheers Garren, that’s right. Double check your current values before you start messing with them or you’ll burn out your equipment in no time.
Yes the JamMan Stereo definitely is 9V AC. What I have done is bought a pure sine wave inverter and hopefully will work out what sort of battery I require to power it all.
The JamMan is 9W, the Bardl wireless headset receiver is 0.5W and I have a small stereo amp which I salvaged from a set of ‘powered’ computer spears (AC again!). All I have at the moment is a SLA 12V 7.2Ah battery and also a 12V 4.2 Ah battery. Maybe I can run in parallel to get 12V and 11.4Ah??
Hi David
It will be interesting to see how your set up fairs, remember to take into account the many losses that mount up and may greatly reduce your overall power. Again, they are all listed somewhere in my battery guide, inverters and calculations posts if you need them.
I have just bought a battery power supply for use as a portable starter. It has an inverter and a few other features so I’m going to test it as an all in busking supply and see how it goes. It breaks all the rules as far as what I really need but you never know, it might be o.k.
I’ll publish my results also when I’ve given it a try.
Thanks for your efforts.
I have a u.p.s 500v this would be fine yes?
Would a U.P.S work just as well as a deep cycle battery?
U.P.S means Uninterruptible Power Supply, so I’d imagine your battery is probably suited best as part of a chain of batteries, creating an uninterruptable power supply and will not be anywhere near as effective and robust as a good deep cycle battery. At a guess, it is probably Lead Acid and at 500va worth about £20 – £40 depending on its specs. I doubt it will be much good on its own but it all depends what you are trying to achieve.
Read my through my guides and you’ll get a better idea of it’s abilities with regards to your set up.
hello sir..excellent post.. my question is i have started busking and i am using a stagg mob 20 amp..i connect my electro acoustic guitar and a microphone to the amp,the amp is self powered..the problem is that it works fine for an hour but after that the sound goes all fuzzy..mate i would really appreciate if you can tell me in simple words how can i power it through an external source, i will buy whatever you are going to suggest..all i want to have is to make the amplifier last for atleast 4 hours in.
Thanks vey much mate.
Hi Imran, sorry, I don’t do calculations for readers, but you’ll probably need to create a power system using a deep cycle battery, inverter and charger. Read my battery guide and posts on inverters and battery calculations. By the end of that you should be pretty tooled up on how to do it.
Imran,
Get yourself a Crate “Taxi”. It’s a battery powered PA with a guitar jack, a mic and a stereo input too. I’ve run mine for about 7 hours without draining the battery and they’re about $180.
Hey guys thanks very much for your advice..really appreciate that
cheers
Hello,
I’ve been using marine batteries with a pure sine inverter to power my 300W portable PA for a few years, but now my very expensive inverter has broken.
While waiting to see if it is repairable, I’ve been looking into the inverter option. Are they really that quiet? Looking at videos on youtube they seem to be pretty loud, and where people get the db meter out they show them to be much louder than the manufacturers claim.
I’m really attracted to the idea of switching to a generator: so much lighter than two marine batteries plus an inverter, and the batteries do lose their capacity over time, but I’m just not sure about the noise factor. Putting the generator at any distance is not an option: it would have to be right next to the PA, on the other hand the PA is loud enough to play to crowds to 70 people.
Hi, I think with generators you may find the more you pay the quieter they tend to be. The more modern ‘noiseless’ ones way outclass the old noisy chuggers but can be hugely pricey. Could try and pick up a good bargain, second hand or in the free ads.
I think for a half decent generator, the noise it creates can be somewhat hidden by the background noise of a busy street. I suppose it all depends where you play. Some streets are quiet enough to busk without amplification, in which case a noisy generator would not go down well. I’m sure in a busy city spot you could get away with a much noisier generator than in a sleepy town.
I presume a transformer isn’t necessary? Though the voltage from a mains is 230 and the voltage from a battery is 12?
I think I can busk with just a battery powered amp like Roland Street, but have one pedal, the Digitech Vocalist Live, which has an input spec of 9V AC, (not DC), 1.3 Amp. Can you steer me. Seems very minimal power need, like just a car battery and an sine inverter? Or will I need something in addition. Or with the small a draw is there yet another simpler alternative?
Hi Felix, as usual I don’t advise readers on specific needs as each situation has many variables to consider depending on the userd needs, and also due to legal implications. But if you read my battery guide and posts on inverters and battery calculations, by the end of that you should have a better idea of what you’ll need for your set up.
Cheers.
Hi,
:)
Thanks SOOO much for your advice!! Makes so much sense! And thanks to this i’m starting busking next week
Nice one Cam, let us know how you get on.
K
Hey,
Thanks for all the info. I want to power a Roland Micro Cube and Digitech pedal outdoors (I know the Roland can run on its own batteries, but the pedal can’t so I figure I can use something to power them both). I just want a reliable power source that is easy to transport and not too complicated to set up. I don’t mind paying for a generator if that’s what makes sense. I was wondering what you recommend? Thanks.
Hi Tom, as I always say, your set up depends solely on your individual requirements and cash outlay. Take a read of all of my guides as linked in my comment on the 23th and hopefully that should help you choose the best way to go.
I am part of a acoustic duet who is looking to start busking with my partner. What rig would best suit 2 vocals, and an acoustic guitar? Thanks
To all Sound Engineers/Audio techis
I do a lot of outdoor parties. What would be the best battery/Generator setup to cater to 20 ppl at a distance 10 ft?
My setup
We play a lot of progressive and trance music. so the current setup includes a 40 watt RMS 4000 PMPO low power 2 channel amplifier which is connected to a AC rechargeable car battery. Two 8inch 50 watt 2 way speaker are connected to the amplifier. We are able to achieve 14 – 16 hrs of continuous backup when playing at 3/4 volume on the amplifier.I am only able to achieve reasonable amount of sound. I want to achieve more loudness,more bass and a good thump at a distance of 10 feet while not compromising much on the battery. Now my questions are
How much more sound can the amplifier support.
Is it better to use just one monitor instead of two 8 inch speakers
If yes what would be the configuration( I.e Ohms, Impedance, Watts, RMS )
Budget is also a concern. Max 300$ and we rent the battery
Also if possible forward me links which I can read on as there is very little
I’m 12 years old and I really want to start busking. I sing by myself and I’m getting a guitar for christmas that I’ll want to use. I don’t have an amp, but I do have Singstar microphones. Would they work? I’m on an extremely tight budget. I can’t figure out what type of amp would be best for my situation, but I know I won’t be able to go busking without one. Could you suggest some to me?
Hi Kathryn, it all depends what type of guitar you are getting and where you intend to busk$. If you get an acoustic, there is every chance you’ll be able to busk and sing without an amp if you’re in a typical town street situation. With an electric, you’ll need an amp and maybe some fx to help your sound. The amp you get depends on your budget so I’d wait until you’re good enough to busk and have some cash saved before you splash out on a good busking amp. If you haven’t got much cash I’d go for a second hand cheap amp bought from the local paper or internet until you are clear about what you need it for. i.e. acoustic, vocals, electric etc. Check out some amp reviews online to see which one is best suited and most affordable for your needs.
Cheers
Kathryn,
Peavey Solo battery powered busking amp. http://www.peavey.com/products/proaudio/publicaddress/solopa/index.cfm/item/93630/Solo%20PA.html Can be found second hand on ebay for under £40. The best and most practical cheap busking amp in my opinion.
Thanks Kier for the advice. And Harding, I’ll be considering that one, it sounds good for its price.
Hi Kier, thanks for the great information…. my daughter has just begun live performances (indoor and out!) and so have had to do research on portable equipment and found this site invaluable.
I have a quick question for you, we have a portable pa (street cube) – but we’ve to do a small show in a shopping center next week – and where our ‘charity’ group are .. there’s no power supply being given – Daughter has a Korg SP-250 stage piano – 12v Dc input and I think it eats about 42w or so.. I was wondering .. would a “Halfords Power Pack 200 with Compressor ” (not sure about why I’d need a compressor… ??) – rather than go to the expense of an inverter and deep cycle battery? Also .. it looks handier
… Thanks..
Hi, I believe the Halfords power packs have a modified sine wave inverter included, which to be honest, may work, but is not the best thing to run a keyboard from due to the electronics involved. It may suit for a gig or two but I wouldn’t want it as a permanent solution. Whatever you do, if you buy it, make sure you test it at volumes first to ensure it works and doesn’t create excessive noise/fuzz etc. through your speakers… and ensure you can take it back if you’re not happy. The compressor is for pumping up tyres.
If you are going to spend a lot on that, you may want to put in an extra few pounds and find a permanent solution such as ready made all in one battery amp or pure inverter setup etc. . There are a few recommended on these busking pages.
I hope that helps a little..
Cheers
Hi Kier, thanks for the quick answer! .. Yes, it isn’t a pure sine wave – so it may not be suitable. Just wanted something neat – I’ll have a look around for battery amp solution – I did look at the deep cycle/inverter combination – but it was going to cost at least twice as much for that set up. (We probably need one of the Halford things anyway, just for general purpose use, so I’ll let you know if it’s of any value just for short term use which is what we want it for at the moment .. i.e. an hour or so somewhere)..
Thanks again, Cheers, Belinda