Useful 12vdc Devices

[sailorboy1]

A real great device I’ve gotten is a mirror cast unit for my tv. Now anything can get on our phone we can watch on the tv as part of our unlimited cell data.

[sparrowhawk1]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

A real great device I’ve gotten is a mirror cast unit for my tv. Now anything can get on our phone we can watch on the tv as part of our unlimited cell data.

More details please. I take it the TV has to have the proper port and ability. Bluetooth or hardwired, availability and cost would be most appreciated.

[Tillsbury]

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Digi...851164009.html

Dc-dc converter providing anything from 5 to 45v at 5A. Just dial in the voltage you want. You can substitute power adaptors for things like laptops and docks that need 19v or other weird voltages. Unbelievable value at less than nz$7 delivered, I’ll be getting more of these...

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Tillsbury

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Digi...851164009.html

Dc-dc converter providing anything from 5 to 45v at 5A. Just dial in the voltage you want. You can substitute power adaptors for things like laptops and docks that need 19v or other weird voltages. Unbelievable value at less than nz$7 delivered, I’ll be getting more of these...

How are they for RFI? Lots of dc-dc converters are noisy as hell.

Jim

[smith8273]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

A 12 Volt wifi router with a USB port.


Like this one:


https://static.tp-link.com/TD-W8968_...537399234v.jpg


Except that do get a newer ac/5Ghz capable model rather than the outdated 2.4 only one.


With a USB port you get 'like' NAT storage, media access, etc. etc.


No need for power bricks either.



Cheers,
b.

The link to the 12 WiFi router is broken, I’m interested in a 12v one, please repost.

[Tillsbury]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

How are they for RFI? Lots of dc-dc converters are noisy as hell.

Jim

I doubt if they’re brilliant, as they’re so cheap. Some ferrites would help, but I haven’t tried it with HF radio. Doesn’t worry the vhf.

[sailorboy1]

Originally Posted by sparrowhawk1

More details please. I take it the TV has to have the proper port and ability. Bluetooth or hardwired, availability and cost would be most appreciated.

It plugs into a HDMI port on the TV, that's all the TV needs. Mine is powered via a USB plug and there is one those on the small inverter I use for the TV. You need to download the app onto your phone and then it beams the signal from your phone to the receiver on the TV.

Got mine at Best Buy for like $40.

You have to have an Android phone and not an Apple because far as I know there isn't one for an Apple phone (you need an Apple TV if you have an Apple phone)

[rgleason]

Nice to see these suggestions. I had a tough location problem figuring out how to fit a modern 120vac EFCI GFCI Main Panel into our small boat. I had the BlueSeas panel picked out, but had difficulty finding a location in the main cabin. As it was, the back of the panel would have been in one of the cockpit lockers. I just found this WP unit. It is expensive, but mounting an enclosed WP panel in the cockpit locker is a much better solution for us. Blue Seas 120vac-30a-ELCI-Main-AC-Panel in Enclosure 3116


Question: Would there be any reason to change to 120/240 50A? It is a very simple system. What would be the advantage? Would plugging into shore power internationally be any easier?

[john61ct]

I would think AC distribution panels would be worth their own thread?

Relevant post wrt the international issue

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/....php?p=2694416

[rgleason]

Don't use inverters if you can avoid it. Use transformers appropriate to the job. For example Transform 12vdc house bank > 17-20 vdc computer power. There is a huge energy savings here.

Eliminate the normal computer transformer and inefficiency 120vac shore power >17-20vdc computer.
Eliminate the inverter inefficiency 12vdc house battery to 17-20vdc computer.
Probably close to 50% loss

Lind Electronics makes good transformers for many types of laptops.
https://lindelectronics.com/

Originally Posted by john61ct

Less so if you just give it its native DC current

[john61ct]

DC to DC, just changing voltage, best / simplest / most consistent to use the term

converter, conversion

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by john61ct

DC to DC, just changing voltage, best / simplest / most consistent to use the term

converter, conversion

Is it easy to step UP too?

I always imagined stepping down is just a resistor.

How do you step up DC?

There is no transformer, you know, these work on AC only.

???
b.

[a64pilot]

I know, pure magic, right cause you can’t transform DC, you need to turn it into either pulsed DC or AC then back to straight DC.

Somehow a buck converter does it though, through the miracle of modern electronics.

Remember vibrators back in the day, where a literal vibrator was run with a set of points in it, this made pulsed DC and Pulsed DC emulates AC as far as a transformer is concerned, then you rectified it of course like an alternator to get back to DC, likely need capacitors to smooth out the pulses though?

Anyway I believe a buck converter is a switching unit, similar to the old viberator just electronic as opposed to mechanical.

Just my theory of course, not sure how accurate it is.

[john61ct]

The more expensive converters can buck or boost, accept a wide range of input, you just dial in the output you want.

The cheap ones straight from Shenzen only get more than a meal at McD's when you need high amps.

[rgleason]

Ok, thanks, it looks like a tranformer, but it is DC/DC.
Isolated Adapters DE2045I-2542 $ 249.95
Bondi 90W Output Cable
Isolated
Low Input Voltage Disconnect
from Linde Electronics, for Dell Inspiron 1501
not inexpensive, but very useful.
https://lindelectronics.com/product-...ated-adapters/