This definately is not Audio or Video, but it's electronics, and no where else to post it (except maybe the Car PC subforum).

I have a 12VDC device I would like to run in my car. Natively it runs on a 120VAC-to-12VDC adapter, so my goal was to run it on straight regulated DC-DC. Unfortunately, all of the DC-DC regulators I've ever seen are step-down, so I'd need >12VDC to regulate it to a constant 12VDC and protect against load dumps. Last I checked my car was 12V (13.8 actually?), and it wasn't constant, so I don't really know if I can get a regulated 12VDC realistically or not... can I?

If not, do 12VDC-to-120VAC car inverters also act as power regulators and protect against load dumps? My thought is that while a DC-to-AC inverter would be less efficient (as I'm going from DC-to-AC-to-DC), perhaps it would provide me with a constant, regulated and protected DC supply?

Any ideas from the electrical gurus out there? Just need a regulated and protected 12V supply. Actually I need 2 or three of them, but I digress.

 

Honestly, by the time battery juice reaches car components like your cig lighter and home link, etc...its like 11.8-11.9. Buy an inline fuse man, whats the fuss about? I mean you COULD always hardwire the DC to AC behind the scenes, then plug into it, but thats too much BS work for nothing. The car will never really surge (drop below potential, yes, but never surge) unless hit by lightining in which case our car is already grounded properly, but thats what fuses are for! Now if your worried about current draw, thats a different issue, but just tap into any 12V power line OTHER than the ones that go to your Navi (if equipped) and use an inline fuse for protection...or buy a car circuit breaker as they seem to be popular with some folks.

Just check out the rated current draw and multiply by 2 and thats the fuse you need to buy. Or better yet, find peak current and buy a fuse for that value. No biggy. Check the manual/specs on your device.

 

Perhaps I did not give enough background. I am trying to power a 3.5" IDE HDD (they use 12v). Computer equipment is very sensitive to voltage drops, voltage spikes and otherwise non-regulated power. If people could simply connect their computer equipment to a 12v feedin their car and protect it with a fuse, there would be no need for these DC-DC power supplies that are heavily regulated and load dump protection.

I just found this, http://www.mp3car.com/store/product_...products_id=60, however, so I may have solved my problem.

 

^ That appears to be the perfect solution....now as to where to hide it...your on your own hahah....goodluck mang.

 

It's going to go in the trunk. I'll just run the output cables to the front lower glovebox, where the drives are going to be stored.

I pulled down the power requirements of the 3.5" ATA-IDE 300GB drives and I can easily run two + a slim DVD+-RW off of this thing.

W00ts.

 

A DC-DC supply is indeed what you will need. The only thing to test is if this thing emits a lot of EMI. You may want to keep it away from your audio wiring...