I need a cheap 12v power regulator. Nothing fancy, just one LCD

**JiminyC** · 08-18-2005, 03:53 PM

I've just purchased a 7" LCD touch screen. It comes with a cigarette lighter plug, but I'm a little nervous about just plugging it into the cig plug which will run the gamut of voltages and can spike, drop etc.

I really don't want to spend $100 so I can run my $170 LCD. I know that sounds crazy to some people since proper power is vital, but spending almost as much for a power regulator as I did for my LCD is too much for this poor soul.

My 'carputer' is merely an Axim PDA. I don't have any other DC power supply in my car from a computer or anything. I'm also not any good at soldering, so kits aren't really an option for me either.

Is there a ~$35 voltage regulator that I can buy to help me clean up my in-car 12v power? Do places like RadioShack carry anything that I'd find useful? Buying from a local B&Mortar would be an added bonus just so I can play with my LCD sooner rather than later

Thanks a bunch for any help.

**evandude** · 08-18-2005, 04:04 PM

http://www.allelectronics.com/cgi-bi...-25&type=store

I bought one of those not too long ago, haven't tried it out, but it is a ridiculously good deal for the price.

**psyrex** · 08-18-2005, 04:39 PM

I went with the sd-25a-12 ... shipping is fast and cheap from this site. The LCD was the most expensive piece of equipment in my project, so this was my dedicated PSU for it. The size is about the same size as a 3" (8cm) square computer fan.

-psyrex

**edrex** · 08-18-2005, 04:44 PM

Originally Posted by psyrex

I went with the sd-25a-12 ...

I have the SD-50A-12 unit for my 3 screens. I haven't installed yet, but it does seem like a nice, sturdy power supply. Got it shipped from Canada for about $47.

**JiminyC** · 08-18-2005, 08:00 PM

Wow, that sd-25a-12 looks like what I might need and in my price range.

So, if I'm understanding the info on that page, you can tweak the output range by 5v or so? Does it has some kind of minor voltage adjustment knob or something so you can get exactly the output voltage you want?

Also, how does the "over voltage protection" work? What happens if the voltage spikes, does the unit shut down, or????

The other thing I was starting to ponder was just buying a small ATX power supply (~$30), plug it into my inverter (already owned) and connect the LCD to a molex plug.

Thanks