how to power a classic PC with a car battery

Question

Here’s the translation:

Alright, I’d like to install a PC in my car (yeah, I know I’m crazy lol) but I have 2 problems with that   1: Is there a power supply that could work like this (I suppose there is because laptops have this kind)   2: Is there a flat screen small enough, around 15 to 20 cm (I’m thinking about a car screen but I’m not sure if the resolution will be good enough under Windows)   And if you have links to any advice or equipment for sale that could help me, it would be nice to share that with me ;)   Thanks, see you soon

kton · Accepted Answer

Hello

I am an electronics engineer and I confirm that it is relatively easy to adapt a desktop PC to a car, although the interest is rather limited for that you need:

For a PC that consumes between 200 and 250 W:

- Filter and regulate the car's 12 V, which is between 11.5 and 14.3 V, using a series boost converter and definitely not a linear regulator like the 7812 ........ for a load calibrated at 10 A (graphics card, hard drive...)
- Generate the 5 V for USBs, hard drive controller... (2 A) using a linear regulator + ballast
- Generate 3 V for the microprocessor (20 A) using another series converter
- Generate the -12 V with an inverter (500 mA)

You should expect to spend around 200 euros on components for a decent solution (not made in China)

For the screen

A 12-200 V 100 W converter does the job, or choose a monitor that has an external 12 V power supply, and you’re good to go.

This makes it a rather disadvantageous solution compared to a laptop that you can find new or used with a 15 or 17 inches for a price comparable to that of a desktop modified for the car.

I would add that drawing 200 Watts from a 12 V battery is still 16 amperes continuously... which is 4 hours of autonomy on a 75 A/H battery! (diesel car) and quite a load on the alternator. Even with a less power-hungry PC (around 150 W), it’s not very eco-friendly at all!

andré · Answer

To use the computer with its screen in the car, buy a 12V-220V converter, available in stores.  Be careful about the power when purchasing.

abdel · Answer

As André said, you need to check the power. You won't find a powerful enough converter for your PC, however, there are some for laptops since laptops require less energy.

harley17 · Answer

You will find 12v/220v converters  at radiospares.fr  See you!

danymuanakin · Answer

Hello everyone,

I live in Africa and I found the topic interesting, why?
Because power outages are common, and the autonomy of UPS allows us to calmly shut down our PC while waiting for 1 hour, 3 hours, or sometimes 24 hours for the power to return..
So I throw a challenge to manufacturers or amateur electronics enthusiasts who might be interested in this project:
Indeed, why convert 12V DC to 220V AC when in a tower or a desktop there is only 12V, 5V, and 3V, if I'm not mistaken..
It would be more sensible to create a 12V ATX power supply that converts 12V to 12, 5, and 3 Volts, which would require much less power and the autonomy would be increased.
For info, the autonomy of a UPS is 15 to 20 minutes, while a laptop battery lasts 2.5 hours..
As for the screen, some flat screens operate on 12V, so that’s not an issue.

That’s it
A call to enthusiasts, I think if the product existed it could be easily marketed in Africa or in developing countries where power outages are frequent..

Yoan · Answer

It would be wiser to manufacture ATX power supplies powered by 12V from a battery and to replace the internal electronic circuit with a 12V to 5V and 3V converter; it would consume much less energy and increase autonomy.
That's not a bad idea :) But a PC power supply must be capable of providing up to 30A (and perhaps more for recent power supplies ...) and if we assume there is no energy loss, we have UpIp=UsIs (primary/secondary) Ip=(UsIs)/Up=(5*30)/12=12.5A
And that is only for the 5V.

It is certainly possible, I am not an electronics expert either, but that doesn’t mean it won’t consume a lot.
--
The urgent is done, the impossible is in progress,
For miracles, please allow for a delay ...

danymuanakin · Answer

Thank you for your response Yoan,

but I'm talking about a car battery, for example 25A/H, and it's not because it's marked on the power supply as 30A that it provides that, can you imagine the size of the wires in your tower??
I think your calculations are poorly estimated... and I've heard that this has already been done here in Congo but I don't have the contact..

Yoan · Answer

moui, we may not constantly run at 30A, but the power supplies must be able to deliver it; I doubt that manufacturers make powerful power supplies just for fun.

And if some mid-range power supplies burn out because the equipment consumes too much, it's clear that we have to go pretty high already. 30A only concerns 5V, but we still need to be able to deliver it.
--
The urgent is done, the impossible is in progress,
For miracles, please allow some time ...

ernest · Answer

Regarding the PC on the cigarette lighter, I just bought a used mini PC and a flat screen for my boat that are powered by 12V through a 220V/12V rectifier. I was wondering what would happen if I directly connected the 12V from the cigarette lighter instead of going through a converter to make 220V which is then transformed back to 12V. It's a shame to waste energy like that. I know that the 12V from the battery varies between 11.5V and 14V when the alternator charges, but would the PC suffer from that?? If someone has an idea or experience, it would be interesting to know...

flo · Answer

If we use a rectifier and a switching transformer, the 12V would always remain at 12V, as would the 5V and 3V. I power my setup with a solar panel and ALL my equipment is 12V because most devices have a transformer; even my external hard drives run directly on 12V and it works well. But my computer is a laptop and I would really like to have a desktop without a 12V/220V converter. If there’s a way, I would make it myself!!! Flo

Raymond · Answer

The best option might be to use a 12 or 24 volt PC instead of tinkering... available at NAUTICOM.FR or ANTEOR.COM (search with Google for 12V PC) - Raymond

keramos · Answer

Hello, my Sony laptop is powered by 230 V AC from a plug adapter that provides 19.5 Volt DC at 4.7 Amperes. This output charges the battery (Li-ion) at 11.4 V DC. This voltage difference (19.5 and 11.4) is necessary for quickly charging the Li-ion battery. SO, do not connect your car battery or any other lead battery directly to your computer. The Li-ion battery will not discharge and will charge slowly, given that the voltage difference is now smaller.
It is foolish to convert 12.3 Volt DC to 230 V AC, only to then convert it back to 19.5 V DC to charge an 11.5 Volt battery.
Why make it complicated when it can be simple. Best regards, Keramos.

Mathieu2 · Answer

Make sure to pay attention to the purchase of the inverter. Ensure that it has the same wattage as your power supply.

Mad · Answer

Super Kton, thank you for your participation!

Your message was the cherry on the cake! ------------> Even I wanted to install a PC (a tower) in detached mode in my car!!!
But after reading your message, I’m also opting for a laptop!

Thanks to everyone

Mad

kton · Answer

Hello everyone

I hope I haven't discouraged anyone with my intervention. It would be a shame to miss out on some really good ideas... Technical challenges are always very interesting to tackle. And when they serve a good cause, then what are we waiting for!

On this subject, I would be delighted to contribute to projects that combine electronics and computer science, both in terms of design and implementation, within the limits of my knowledge, of course.

Long live this forum

chi · Answer

Salut, do you know if there are 24 volt DC batteries or cells?? Thank you

kton · Answer

Hi chi

Yes, there are "batteries" of 6, 12, and 24 volts direct current in various sizes, shapes, and therefore different capacities besides the classic motorcycle - car - truck formats

They can be found in uninterruptible power supplies, pallet trucks, and generally in any application that requires autonomous power .......

I use a few in my work

@+

cp_engineering_srl · Answer

Cp_engineering SRL can do it: Research and project for 10,000 euros that allows to build 200 pieces for 100 euros per piece.

Ki² · Answer

There are only batteries or storage units in direct current; as of today, I do not know of any storage for alternating current.
You will find batteries and storage units with a wide range of voltages from 1.2 V to 48 V. However, the most common voltages are 12 V and 24 V.
So, 12 V batteries exist as well as those used in automobiles, while 24 V is more commonly found in trucks.

mad · Answer

I know that there are converters (12/24V --> 220V) that can produce up to 2000W of power! What I don't know is the difference between sinusoidal current and ordinary current!

Here is the converter:
[URL=https://imageshack.com/][IMG]http://img166.imageshack.us/img166/143/202015hy3.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

SKY9T_mad · Answer

Yes... these are 24V batteries that recharge during the day (using solar energy) and provide continuous current at 12/24, but they also won't last forever! One day their efficiency will run out!

jerry59 · Answer

Hello everyone,  I am a truck driver recently, so I have a truck with a 24-volt 300Ah system. My question is as follows: I bought a classic PC power supply that runs on 12 volts (not 220V) and I would like to connect it to a 12-volt traction battery. But I want to be able to charge my 12-volt battery using the 24 volts available in my truck. I was thinking of using a 24v / 12v 40A converter to charge my 12v battery. Does my project hold up?  For your information, my PC power supply has a maximum of 320 watts, so 320w divided by 12 volts = 26.6 amperes. My power supply will therefore consume a maximum of 26 amperes/hour from my 12-volt battery.  I intend to buy a 180Ah 12-volt traction battery that I want to recharge with a 24v / 12v 40A converter. My autonomy without recharging will therefore be 180Ah divided by 26Amperes = 6.9 hours.... let's say 5 hours to avoid deep discharging the battery.  What do you think of this project? If any electronics expert is reading this, I would like to get their opinion.... especially on charging the battery with just a simple converter. Thanks in advance.

MAXIM · Answer

Hello, I wanted to know if it was possible to power an external hard drive (which is normally plugged into the mains with a 12 V 1.5 A transformer) from the car's cigarette lighter. Actually, it's to have a large amount of music (unlike a small USB stick). I have a cigarette lighter cable that can fit the power input of the hard drive. But what will be the current output from the cigarette lighter? Am I at risk of burning out my hard drive? I don't dare to try plugging it in. WILL IT WORK? Thank you for answering.

bobdyclem · Answer

Hello, I am facing exactly the same issue right now. I work for a humanitarian association. I need to provide electricity using solar panels to a school in Cambodia. In this school, there will be computers and a projector among other things (which I need to find). I am encountering the same problem; I produce DC with my panels, while the equipment I find on the market is generally powered by AC with a rectifier at the input. I would therefore like to avoid these unnecessary transformations, as energy is precious there. My issue arises for: - screens - CPU units - the projector. Isn't it dangerous to bypass the power supplies provided with the equipment? Among the computers, there will be laptops, and we know that charging lithium-ion batteries is a delicate science and not fully mastered; the charge regulator's electronic system may be susceptible and react poorly to variable input voltage, right?  Any information, even the most basic, is welcome. Thank you Clément

jerry59 · Answer

Hello everyone!  I am a truck driver, I've installed a PC, a tower, a desktop computer in my truck and it works like a charm!  Here’s my setup:  in the truck: 24 volts direct current  1 converter 24v / 12v 40 amps. 99€ 1 traction battery of 12 volts / 120 ah lead-acid, waterproof 260€ 1 PC power supply 300 watts at 12 volts (no 220v input but 12 volts) I found it on a German site (150€)  LCD TNT TV 15 inches 220v or 12v with VGA input.  My 12v battery is charged when the engine is running, I have 3 hours of autonomy when the engine is off.  And everything works very well! And I have no risk of discharging the truck batteries...  If anyone wants information, website addresses, etc.. feel free to ask! bye, jeremy.

julfadi · Answer

I am an industrial computer engineer and I live in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. In response to the original question "how to power a standard PC with a car battery," I suggest:  1) option for the "wealthy": you replace the original power supply of your tower with a power supply of type: MPD-425C from Fabrimex http://www.fabrimex.ch/en/21_PowerSupplies/power_supplies.htm?pg=4&psg=15 this power supply supports from 10 to 30V DC input which allows you to work with either a car battery or better yet, 2 car batteries in series (to obtain 24 volts). Don't forget to provide a battery charger that can recharge the (or the) battery(ies) and supply power to the PC. As for the screen and accessories (ADSL modem, printer, scanner, answering machine/fax, etc...), the problem remains (partially) unresolved.  2) use an inverter (modifying it in the process). For my part, I am using a "Mercury" 1500VA inverter (locally purchased for 150,000 F.CFA) from which I removed the internal batteries and placed an external car battery (75A). I added a small external charger to help recharge the battery because the original charger (of the inverter) takes several days to recharge the battery. This system allows me to run for about 2 hours with the desk fan also powered by the inverter (not the air conditioning, though). Of course, this solution also allows powering the accessories through the inverter. I can tell you that in addition (when I’m not using my office), I have wired all the electronic parts of my living room to this same inverter (LCD TV, hi-fi system, multimedia PC, etc.), which allows me to watch a movie comfortably (about 2 hours).  ... julfadi

SKY9T_mad · Answer

Beware of the 12V to 220V converter!!  I strongly recommend those that have a smoother curve compared to those without a curve (spiking up and down). Let me explain = since you can vary power in Watts linearly or non-linearly! (linear = power rises and falls while maintaining a smooth curve).  --------> This system is called: SINUS  HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH OTHER CONVERTERS THAT OFFER MODIFIED SINUS, AND KNOW THAT SOME OF YOUR DEVICES DO NOT HANDLE THIS TYPE OF CURRENT VERY WELL (LAPTOPS, PDAs...)  --> Here’s a link: http://cgi.ebay.fr/convertisseur-12-220-350-watt-pur-sinus_W0QQitemZ370051253467QQihZ024QQcategoryZ1256QQcmdZViewItem

Gsoft · Answer

I really enjoyed the topic about PC power supplies. My concern is to know how to calculate the autonomy of a UPS.

cyril · Answer

Here is a link to the ATX power supplies in 12V:  http://www.electronika.fr/blog/?p=98

blackat760 · Answer

Hello Kton  Just a little post to see if you are still on the forum. Your input has been a great help to me, but I still have a few issues to resolve to achieve my goals. If you are around and have a few precious minutes to spare, I'll tell you more.  Hope to see you soon.

bozec · Answer

Go to the following link https://doumai.pagesperso-orange.fr/Hacheur_TL494_1/Hacheur_TL494.htm  on this site you can make a 12V tower work by modifying the PC power supply.

kalvin26 · Answer

I'm going to tell you how! You need to find a inverter with an internal battery, then extend the two cables from the battery to your car battery. After that, connect your computer with your screen and that's it. It's simple and it's straightforward, but it works.   I did that in my Clio and then I installed my app from home which is a SONY STR-DE 335 - 600w power and it works perfectly... So it's your turn to play :)

SKY9T_mad · Answer

Hi kalvin26,  Can you give me more details about the inverter with an internal battery? The power and model, thanks.  Cool with your amp, you must be having great success :D I would love to try it! (But where have you hidden your amp? There isn’t a lot of space in a Clio??) lol

kalvin26 · Answer

Yeah, sure. I'll give you my Skype because I'm tired of typing :) so it's kalvin26 like my username.

goupil7 · Answer

It is enough to extend the cables of a standard PC UPS to the cigarette lighter of your car, paying attention to the + and - terminals.

XMZ · Answer

For those who are interested, the new Passat CC comes standard with a 230V 50Hz 130W outlet. Given the service offered, being able to directly plug in a laptop is much more interesting than a traditional PC, especially since the former are almost as powerful as traditional PCs these days. The power required by a laptop charger consumes an average of 70 watts, leaving you with an extra 60 watts that you can use for a portable printer.

tchoukanoff · Answer

hello  there is this too  https://www.mini-box.com/M3-ATX-DC-DC-ATX-Automotive-Computer-car-PC-Power-Supply?sc=8&category=13

scorpinou34 · Answer

If I'm wrong and I'm corrected, it's not because the PC's power supply gives  450wmaxi  that the whole PC is equipped with X hard drives continuously and a burner, and since they make portable hard drives that can be  powered by USB, why are all accessories useful at the same time ? Moreover, for the marine aspect, it seems that you can choose which battery to charge or discharge. I think it's possible to mix (excuse the term lol) a solar charging battery and one for the engine "or" 2 engines. The first one would be  vital  for the engine and as a buffer, and with a separate battery switch, the second battery would be disconnected during engine startup; the batteries are connected in parallel via the battery switch, which would isolate the voltage drop.

juste d passage · Answer

Dans ma voiture, j'ai un ampli Boss de 200W, un poste Alpine de 4x65W, des phares de 65W chacun, et vous réfléchissez à prendre le + et le - de votre ordi et à les brancher sur l'allume-cigare, au moins pas besoin de rajouter un porte-fusible vu qu'il y en a déjà, et ça marche avec mon HP.

Asturia · Answer

Hi, well, I may have found the answer that ultimately addresses everything: car, boat... The address of the link is created by a passionate person who has made a marvel with a custom power supply and even integrated a HDD and a USB GPS. http://users.skynet.be/media-car/hardware.html

Echtelion · Answer

I'm bringing up an old topic, but it helped me a lot:  Laptop power supply: https://www.medionshop.fr/mdshop/catalog/query.do?query=40019200 (reference 40019200)  Desktop power supply (180w) https://www.opussolutions.com/index.php?p=product&id=56  For a car, the power supply limit depends on the vehicle. For example, on my 1999 Scenic: 120 watts. So be careful not to create a configuration that may exceed these 120 watts even if the Opus Solutions supply allows for more. For your information, a device like the Aspire Revo, which is powered like a laptop, is equipped with a 65-watt power supply and typically consumes no more than 40 watts... The Asrock ION 330, which is slightly more powerful, does not exceed 45 watts even under intensive use...  Another thing in the car. Shocks are not uncommon. Avoid using hard drives and DVD players, and prefer electronic type disks (SSDs), and memory cards/USB keys for portable storage. Scratching a hard drive is very, very quick... for the DVD player, it's less serious; it just skips the playback... still annoying though.

chaoticaaalil · Answer

For my part, a laptop with a lithium battery for computers, 5V 2.5Ah at full power (for a laptop) lasts 2 hours   The higher the amperage (well, the more your computer needs the power), the shorter your charge will last   Now, if you connect your motherboard to the cooling circuit of your boat, by arranging a tube (it will draw 5 times less current) and it will even increase the speed of the processor. So the efficiency of your PC    But well, the best, if you want to convert 230V~ AC 30Ah (well 30Ah, your fuses never hold up) it's generally 15Ah   To supply your PC (which consumes 22V - 5Ah max for a desktop), the best is to get an electrotechnical book or find a diagram on the web, take a resistor with the power you want to use (it will reduce up to that) and place it after a diode, (zener diodes and your current, if you do it correctly, you can return half by placing a second diode on the same input, and at the output of the second diode, connect a third one (on the output side too) this will form a z, and from that you can make your DC input.   Finally, connect the input of the diode (from in1 to out1 =>) then the second diode (from out1 to in2) and the third (from in2 to out3), the resistor will be connected (regardless of the direction on OUT1 too) (a diode prevents the current from passing in one direction but not the other) the resistor reduces the current, for that connecting in a z allows to create a continuous circuit of the base current, which splits into 2 at the intersection which has the effect of separating the passage of the current, (In1 connected to the main input, Resistor to PC current input, PC current output to in3, Out3 to general output), then for the diagrams, figure it out (the whole thing is 3 diodes, like for the 15 electrical wires, and a suitable resistor (for the 30A output) or instead of the second diode, a transistor, it has one input and 2 outputs one input on out1, one output on the resistor and the other on OUT3, then everything will be fine (ah, the more the transistor heats up, the more it produces electric current, so you pay less in bills)..

webTrotter · Answer

Hello,  Here is a link to a French site specialized in rugged PCs and vehicles. You can even access the product documentation. I hope you find the right product.  https://www.my-ipc.com/  Happy searching!

Targa2 · Answer

Hi everyone,I solved the problem by having a technician build a 12-volt PC that I can power directly with onboard batteries. Proof that it's possible. My laptop is identical to others, not smaller or too big...The advantage of this solution lies in the fact that you can order exactly what you want: USB, COM... to connect auxiliary instruments. Kenavo

archet33 · Answer

It's much simpler, there are special power supplies for computers with a cigarette lighter plug. See at EUROPILES tel: 05 56 54 47 28

talebmoh · Answer

Hello to everyone who has the pleasure of helping others Following the reading of the responses I used a solar panel that I connect directly to my computer where it says (DC IN 15.6v --3.85A) and it worked without problems but going through a regulator, is it the same for an advanced PC? Thank you in advance to the responders.

pilesetplus · Answer

It's great if it can work. I've already seen the topic for powering a DSLR camera, so it should be possible for a PC! As for the batteries, I've heard about https://www.piles-et-plus.fr/102-batteries-au-plomb-12v Has anyone tested it?

soundwave 49 · Answer

Learn to write French correctly; for that, you don't need a computer!!

transistor · Answer

The simplest way is to connect a netbook or laptop to the car with a 12v to 18v voltage converter for charging.A desktop PC consumes too much.A small LCD screen costs the price of a netbook and consumes as much.For my 4x4, I need mapping software on PC with GPS.The netbook is mounted at the front, high under the roof and opens downwards.Reversed video and trackball keyboard in the glove compartment.Advent 4213 PC that includes Wi-Fi and 3G modem for transmissions.Best regards.

Transistor 92 · Answer

Hello  I had the same problem: having a PC in a vehicle. In my case for off-road navigation in a 4x4.  The key point is the power consumption. The battery is not eternal.  Initially, I used an old IBM PC and then a Netbook. The latter consumes only 15W max with 2GB of RAM and a 320GB hard drive running at 7200rpm. Advent 4213 upgraded in memory and with a faster disk.  To use a laptop or netbook in a car, you need to regulate and increase the voltage (12V when stationary and 14V during charging). Solution: a switch-mode power supply adjustable between 16V and 20V. Adjust according to the laptop (check what is indicated on the original power supply). A 50W peak power supply at 20V max is sufficient for a laptop.  You can find this type of equipment in hardware stores, Pearl, Conrad online. It costs around 30 Euros (be careful to adjust the output voltage and polarity according to the PC).  I preferred this solution over an embedded PC because it is less fragile, and just the consumption of a 14-inch desktop LCD screen consumes more than a laptop. (Netbook Advent 4213 consumes 15W, which is about 1.5A on the car battery). With this type of solution, you can use a solar panel for recharging.  Best regards

cv bn · Answer

kik0u

How to power a classic PC with a car battery

51 answers

Startup load error on windows 11

Unable to sign in to word, excel...

Error message during et2861 driver installation

Almost full ink absorber pixma ts8350 - how to do it

Unrecognized wireless mouse on my macbook pro

Gmail improves 2fa code copyability

Nvidia gtx 1660 super driver

I would like to delete my search history

Secure boot issue

Place htmlspecialchars in php script