12V Power Supply Needed for a on-board Car Computer

[ap0the0sis]

hello peeps,

Im not sure if this is the correct section of the forum I should be posting this but here it goes...

Im looking into installing a small (micro small) computer in my SUV and wanted to know if there was any other method of powering this PC aside from using a power inverter to convert my 12V DC to 120V AC.

I was thinking more along the lines of making my own power supply. All i basically need is a 12V+, 5V, and 3.5V DC outputs to get the PC going.

Is there a reasonable/simple solution to my requierement?

Thanks for your time.
ap0

[Da5id4Vz]

So you’re looking for something like this?

http://store.yahoo.com/ituner/posoformi.html

Except one you can build yourself? A bit pricy at $50


I like what this guy did with a bunch with mini-itx boards:

http://www.mini-itx.com/projects/cluster/

Mini-itx.com has a lot of other resources. Sorry, but I don’t have THE answer for you.

The generic name for the widget is DC to DC converter.

[Da5id4Vz]

How bout this guys web site:

http://home.concepts-ict.nl/~cybersake/carmp3/index.htm

http://www.qsl.net/ke5fx/cplayer/power.html

Schematics and PC layouts too.

[ap0the0sis]

i ran into these sites already. Below is probably the power supply that will work for me but the fact that i can get a 400W power supply for $20.00 and this 60W 12V Power supply costs $50.00 is rediculous.

Im looking more for a way to modify a regular power supply to work for what i need. Much cheaper.... I just need a way to get my cars 12V source split down to 12v, 5v, 3.5v and -12v.

[ap0the0sis]

pic:

[Da5id4Vz]

This article popped up in my mail today:

http://www.elecdesign.com/Articles/I...ArticleID=7460

Its a design application note for a dual output DC-DC converter.

If you mess with the circuit a bit, and add a few outputs, you might find it to be a low nonsense solution for your application.

I dug up a schematic for a 200 watt PCAT power supply last night. The good news is the first thing it does is rectify the AC waveform to DC. The bad news is it didn’t look like it was going to output +- 12 until it was getting at least 48 volts (a guess of sorts).

I think that you’d be flying wild not to be using a regulated supply for each of the rails.

From every thing else that you’ve said, your best bet is likely to go with an DC-AC inverter into the PCAT power supply.

If it were me, and I’ve yet to compel myself to stuff a PC in my car, I think Id either take one of my old laptops and repackage it, or save my soda cans until I could afford a mini-ITX that all ready comes packaged to run 12VDC.

The three best reasons I’ve come up with are:

GPS- I’ve been lost for years and I can buy a nice laptop for the cost of an automobile maker OEM guidance system.

MP-3- my car is the only place I would ever be caught dead listening to them. Its also the only environment I encounter with enough masking tones that I could tolerate them. I’ve always figured If I did this that I stuff in a wifi card and set the sucker up to auto sync the music files when parked the garage.

XM-Roadie. If the PC is there, might as well use the GUI.

That is of course I had the bug to build a SMPS, then Id likely start reading the application notes and use a chip-based solution. There are some guys here who know SMPS’s very well. If you repost looking for help with SMPS or DC-DC conversion you’ll likely get much better help than I can offer.

-Ciao

The 4 best reasons I’ve come up with for a PC in my car are:

GPS- I’ve been lost for years and I can buy a nice laptop for the cost of an automobile maker OEM guidance system.

MP-3- My car is the only place I would ever be caught dead listening to them. Its also the only environment I encounter with enough masking tones that I could tolerate them. I’ve always figured If I did this that I stuff in a wifi card and set the sucker up to auto sync the music files when parked the garage.

XM-Roadie. If the PC is there, might as well use the GUI.

Envy/Geek factor- Do it before any of the other engineers in my office do it. But I’m getting kind of old for that.

[JOE DIRT®]

Great thread guys!...lots of good reading on the links

I needed a similar application in my Explorer and I went about the lazy way and bought 2 12v 6.5 AH batteries for a incar surveilance system that tricle charge off the alternator.
I just use reg`s for the lower voltages

[Da5id4Vz]

Yo,
Someone did the footwork...but is this realy a good way to do it?

http://www.acs.comcen.com.au/atxps.html

Here is a forum on automobile PC power suplies for MP3:

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=11

[Da5id4Vz]

These guys make scads of High quality 12 volt DC-DC supplies, but they look industrial and likely cost like industrial. Perhaps they show up on Ebay too.

http://www.voxtechnologies.com/Power_Supply/

Humph,
I wonder if the -48VDC PC supplies are NEBS certified...

[ap0the0sis]

Good find. I ran into that site yesterday while searching for my 12v psu. He made what I need but the details on his site are less that favorable to follow.

There are a few power supplies on ebay that would work perfectly for me except for one thing. It needs 24V DC input.

link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...EBWA%3AIT&rd=1

Anyway I can step up my car's 12V supply to 24V? Without adding another battery? (Cost of a second battery + this power supply isnt worth it when I can get a 12V power supply for my ITX board for about $50.00 shipped)

ap0