Running PCs on 12v - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

16 May 2003

Hi
 Another solution would be to buy a 12 to 120V converter
and rewind the transformer to have the needed output
voltages for the PC. I've rewound one to create voltages
for my 20's battery powered radio. It isn't all that hard
to do. This way you only have to one stage of conversion.
The units for $200 are only that way because of the small
demand. Combining a PC power supply with an inverter by
rewinding the transformer is relatively simple.
Dwight

...
 From: "David Woyciesjes"
&lt;dwoyciesjes(a)comcast.net&gt;

"Cini, Richard" wrote:

 Hello, all:

         This is a bit OT (because of the PC being used) but I believe that
 the application of the solution is timeless :-)

         Anyway, I want to run a "book" PC on 12v while I'm outside using
the
 telescope (the PC will run the CCD camera setup). I gave some thought to
 simply using an AC inverter, but converting 12v to 120v AC and then back to
 PC power supply voltages seemed horribly inefficient.

         The power supply is rated 12v/5.5a and 5v/1a. It's an NLX-type
 motherboard, so the 12v is converted to 5v for various peripherals at the
 point of need. The 5v from the power supply is to support system standby
 mode only.

         I went hunting for DC-input PC-form-factor supplies but they're
 upwards of $200. I thought about directly connecting the battery to the PC
 and using a small DC-DC converter for the 5v, but the battery voltage isn't
 really 12v (it's more like 13.8v) so a regulator would be necessary.

         Any thoughts as to a simple, low-cost yet efficient solution?

 Rich 
	Have you looked around http://www.mp3car.com? A site for putting PCs in
your car, as a music source. Here's some DC-DC converters you could
buy...
http://www.mp3car.com/hardwarecats.asp?Type=H&Cat=P
	I vaguely remember seeing somewhere on that site a couple different
plans for building your own supply...

--
---   Dave Woyciesjes
---   ICQ# 905818 