Keeping it 12v

[Chris J]

Hi all,

I have a 12v 2A DC appliance, it's standard power cable has a AC/DC 3 pin adapter plug. I don't want to run the 12v appliance from the inverter and would rather wire it into a 12v circuit. Am I right in thinking that I can just chop the plug top of and wire it in as if it was a car stereo?

[Ex Brummie]

Yes. Commonly done with T.V.'s

[Tony Brooks]

slight caveat: The 12V DC circuits on a boat may well produce voltage spikes as inductive loads like the water pump turn off. The wall wart mains plug will be deigned to produce either no or very small voltage spikes so unless your appliance is designed to cope with such spike it is possible the appliance MIGHT be damaged by doing what you suggest. Much depends upon the appliance and exactly where in the circuits relative to pumps and such like it is connected.

For goodness sake make sure you get the polarity right. If you don't the likely effect will be magic smoke.

[DHutch]

Yes. If its a small cheap item, or one that's likely to be electrically robust to said spikes and 14v when engines running etc, just go for it.

'If its an expensive or irreplaceable price of kit that my well be sensitive you can get 'regulators' that will take in 12ish vdc and give out smooth regulatred output to replicated what the 240vac wall plug will give.

Daniel

[Chris J]

It's a relatively expensive router. Will probably put a regulator in..

Edited April 20, 2017 by Chris J

[WotEver]

Just now, Chris J said:

It's a little retry expensive router. Will probably put a regulator in..

I would. 

[Chris J]

Anyone send a link to something suitable please, only really seeing step down regulators.. 

 

Cheers in advance.

[WotEver]

4 minutes ago, Chris J said:

Anyone send a link to something suitable please, only really seeing step down regulators.. 

Any good?

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/12v-3a-universal-dc-power-supply-with-6-power-tips-a92jh

 

[Chris J]

7 minutes ago, WotEver said:

Any good?

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/12v-3a-universal-dc-power-supply-with-6-power-tips-a92jh

 

Well, I suppose I don't really know what I'm looking for. It's not what I imagined... I suppose I'm looking for the regulator without all the ends and cigarette lighter, I imagined something not much bigger than a bit of choc block that wouldn't just sit in line with the wiring.. Might not exist!

[WotEver]

Just search for 12V to 12V DC voltage regulator and see what you find. 

[dor]

The Amperor one has been well regarded in the past.   I think this is it:  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Amperor-LCD-Volt-Stabiliser-Regulator/dp/B000ZLRXG8

 

 

[Ratkatcher]

A little link for a potentially useful regulator from Ebay

Hope it helps.

[Chris J]

19 minutes ago, WotEver said:

Just search for 12V to 12V DC voltage regulator and see what you find. 

Funnily enough that was my first port of call. 

[Chris J]

13 minutes ago, Ratkatcher said:

A little link for a potentially useful regulator from Ebay

Hope it helps.

Ah yeah, good one. That's kinda more where I was looking, did see a few of them but the non variable version. Cheers.

[stegra]

I don't know the technicalities of how it was done but I remember from another forum many years ago that it was possible to cannibalise a PC power unit to create a 12v/12v dc voltage regulator. Might be worth looking up if you're inclined to fiddle about with old junk.