Thread: what size inveter should i use for this setup

slow down geezer!

first thing is make a list of everything in your system and set yourself a PSU power.

Then mulitply this by 1.5 and that is your inverter.

As for speakers.....are you wanting to use some home PC 5.1 speaker sin your car? So you want to run them off an inverter too?

As for the laptop screen - don't bother - it will cost you more than buying a VGA screen as you will have to get some kind of controller - and you shall see why.

Also dont forget you will need some kind of startup/shutdown controller and to be honest i would reccomend a DC-DC solution over an inverter. If you are careful and dont get too greedy with the P4 spec and dont use lots of 12V devices (5.25" optical drives, multiple 3.5" HDDs etc etc) then something like the Opus 150W will do you or you can wait for the new higher power models while you get on with building your system.

Originally Posted by Scouse Monkey

first thing is make a list of everything in your system and set yourself a PSU power.

Then mulitply this by 1.5 and that is your inverter.

psu.. sorry not too electrically inclined

Originally Posted by Scouse Monkey

As for speakers.....are you wanting to use some home PC 5.1 speaker sin your car? So you want to run them off an inverter too?

yes i was actually thinking of usin pc 5.1 speakers

Originally Posted by Scouse Monkey

Also dont forget you will need some kind of startup/shutdown controller and to be honest i would reccomend a DC-DC solution over an inverter. If you are careful and dont get too greedy with the P4 spec and dont use lots of 12V devices (5.25" optical drives, multiple 3.5" HDDs etc etc) then something like the Opus 150W will do you or you can wait for the new higher power models while you get on with building your system.

can u fill me in on startup/shutdown controlers as in how or why they are needed. i really doubt the opus... i live in ghana west africa and stuff isnt exactly easy to come by.. i am sure u catch my drift...

waiting for ur reply.

PSU = power supply unit = what powers your PC!

domestic 5.1 speakers in a car - hmmm not sure about that. I suspect the amplifier you get with them will pick up a lot of noise from the car electrics.

startup- shutdown controller - you are best going and reading the FAQ's as everything will be there and i might miss something as I am in a rush.

would there be any way to reduce the noise the amp will pick up?

do not run a 5.1 sound in your car, ew. just hook it up to your car stereo.

y shouldnt i run 5.1 in my car? i can add the speakers in the car and get 9.1

because home speakers sound worthless and youd be gettin in too deep trying to add them in, just use car audio...after all look at the name CAR audio.

omg i cant believe it...scouse actually helped someone and didnt whore in this thread! too bad i cant say the same for myself lol

Startup/shutdown are ok if they are needed, i would drather have control of the power myself.. I dont always run my carputer, i know where the store down the street is, and sometimes setting up navigation takes longer that actully driving there. I run a switch controlling a relay, which controls the dc/dc converter in the destop in the trunk. You dont want to run a switch controlling a large amount by itself, let the relay do that and the switch to control the relay.

If your laptop or desktop already has 5.1, go ahead and run that thru amps into the rest of the car... but if you're like me and not going to have the cpu on every waking moment of the car's life, you're going to miss listening to the sounds unless you have your sound system independent of your carputer, then in that case, dont go 5.1, go regular car stereo with an aux in, or a regular car stereo with a FM transmitter configured to a blank freq on the radio (thats how i do it).

For every decision, there's another 100 decisions to be made...

Sit down and plan what you want. then figure the cost. then go from there, this is definetly something that is not done over night.

Hell, I dont think i have ever seen where someone has actually completed their project.. Have fun and don't go nutz