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i'm planning on building a desktop computer (well motherboard and video card) into the trunk of a car for a custom built navigation and music playing system. (yes, i am worried about heating problems, but i'll worry about that later on...) Is there an ATX style power supply that uses 12 vdc as the supply (rather than 120 vac)?
Also, the computer will be in suspend mode (hard drives turned off, no fans) when the car is off. how fast will this drain the car's battery?
i run my laptop of my an inverter that plugs into a cigarette lighter. you can buy step down inverters in quite a few places.
i think you misunderstood my question.
i need to run my desktop computer off of a car battery (12 vdc) and i don't want to step up the voltage (using an inverter) just so the power supply in the computer can step it back down. it uses too much electricity.
i'm pretty sure that if the only change of voltage in the supply is from 12 vdc to 5 vdc, i can go without fans in the power supply (a big plus in this case)
the computer may be on (in suspend mode) while the car is off. i noticed that when the computer is in suspend, all the moving parts are stopped except the fan in the power supply.
let me know if you need any other information...
ill have a go this evening with my pc at hope and let you know if it explodes! (i don't think my boss would like me using my work pc!):D
good luck... let me know the schematic if you get it working.
I believe that computers need more that +12VDC and +5VDC theres also -5VDC and -12VDC!
+3.3v too. You may have to use laptop hard drives also or risk a head crash at the first speed bump you run over. You might be better off trying to use a laptop and a docking station.
it wouldn't turn on. hmm... any other ideas.
i guess i'll have to do it with an inverter then... i'll wire some thermo-couples so i can remove the fan or something...