Jugs Jr speed controller

Sorry for the late reply. My circuit board appears a bit older than the picture you provided (which I very much appreciate). I have been dealing with a shoulder surgery and coaching Select soccer so the machine went on the "back burner" for a bit.

Here is the direction I went... Through some research, I bought a Dart Controls, model 125D variable speed controller off of ebay for $54. (125D 1HP DC Speed Control | Dart Controls). Much cheaper than the 280 that Jugs wanted. I probably spent another 10 dollars in materials to get it running. The controller has more capability than the original so the card is larger, but still fits in the opening. I did have to space the cover out 3/4". In its completed form, it looks like it's a factory installation. I tested it this weekend and it works perfectly.

Also, I built a battery unit mounted on a small hand truck to power the machine by using a 12v deep cell battery and a 12v dc to 120v ac inverter. The inverter easily ran the machine for 2 hours of continuous use and had a stereo plugged in to play music while we held BP. The beauty of the battery power instead of a generator is that it is silent and there is no exhaust.

If anyone has any questions on either the circuit card or the battery unit, don't hesitate to ask.

Again, thanks for all of your help! I appreciate it!

Titans12u said:

Also, I built a battery unit mounted on a small hand truck to power the machine by using a 12v deep cell battery and a 12v dc to 120v ac inverter. The inverter easily ran the machine for 2 hours of continuous use and had a stereo plugged in to play music while we held BP. The beauty of the battery power instead of a generator is that it is silent and there is no exhaust.

If anyone has any questions on either the circuit card or the battery unit, don't hesitate to ask.

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I've considered using an inverter connected to my truck battery, but the inverter or the ones I've looked at are expensive, what inverter are you using?

PEPPERS said:

I've considered using an inverter connected to my truck battery, but the inverter or the ones I've looked at are expensive, what inverter are you using?

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Peppers, I have a B&D 750 Watt Power Inverter.

I have a battery and inverter in a "Job Box" picked up at HD or Lowes:

Whistler Group - Product Catalog

This is the one I'm using. I permanently mounted it to a hand truck along with the battery. The inverter can be purchased from Amazon or ebay for less than 80 dollars.

The girls love the fact that it has a USB connection so they can plug in their music!

I will post a pic of my battery unit.

My B&D Inverter is many years old, doesn't have that new fangled USB gizmo. I purchased mine at wal-mart for around $70.

I'm sure a 750w inverter would work well. Jugs recommended 1000w minimum. You would have to max out your pitching machine to come close to over amping a 750w. The price was close enough that I just got the 1200.

For anyone concerned about battery life, I ran the machine off of the battery for a couple of hours this weekend with only approximately .8 volt drop on the battery. I'm sure I could run it for more than 4 hours, if required. The drop in battery voltage has NO affect on the speed of the pitching machine as the inverter maintains its 120v output to the pitching machine.

I have a Honda EU2000 generator that I use for our pitching machines...very quiet, lightweight, and dead reliable. Not a lot of noticeable exhaust and also runs for 6-8 hours on a tank of gas.

ScottyDont - that generator is a GREAT option, but how much did it cost? In total, with all new parts, the battery setup cost me about $225. This includes $90 for the deep cell battery, 70 for the inverter, 25 for the hand truck, and another 10 for miscellaneous (wire, screws, and connectors).

Titans12u said:

ScottyDont - that generator is a GREAT option, but how much did it cost? In total, with all new parts, the battery setup cost me about $225. This includes $90 for the deep cell battery, 70 for the inverter, 25 for the hand truck, and another 10 for miscellaneous (wire, screws, and connectors)

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Titans, I have a similar setup as you. The positives are quiet operation, lower initial cost relative to a generator, and exhaust free. One cost you did not mention is a battery charger if you do not already own one.