Cap Plus Inverter - Possible?

**we87** · 07-27-2008, 10:38 PM

I have a 300watt ATX powersupply in my carputer being powered from a 1000watt DC-AC Inverter.

I just bought a 1.5 Farad Capacitor. I wanted to know if I put the cap between the 12v from the battery and the +12v on the inverter, will that help regulate the power going into my inverter?

The reason I'm doing this is I'd like to get some power regulation, and I would like the cap to help provide the PC with power during crank. I am hoping to solve all of this with the cap.

My question is will this work? Or will the cap drain the battery by being constantly connected to the +12v of the battery.

Thanks in advance for any information.

**nobb** · 07-27-2008, 10:44 PM

Cap wont drain battery, and it probably wont provide enough power to survive crank. It really isnt necessary to use a cap to regulate power to the inverter.

If you are trying to have the inverter not shut off during crank, youll need an auxiliary battery (a small 4AHr should be enough) and high current diodes to prevent current from going to the starter motor.

**we87** · 07-28-2008, 01:16 AM

Thanks for the input. While granted, it isn't necessary I wanted to do it anyway... I have "noise" in my Lilliput LCD and I am hoping that installing the Cap will fix it aswell. But as long as the cap wont drain the battery, I think I'm gonna go for it. Surviving crank isnt really a major concern, it would just be nice if my machine would do it.

**nobb** · 07-28-2008, 09:53 AM

I am assuming you have your LCD powered by the ATX psu? I had noise on my LCD screen too when I used to have an inverter. I think it must be that when ATX psus are supplied with a modified sine wave AC, the +12v coming out from the rails just isnt clean. No matter how much you regulate the +12v going into the inverter, the modified sine wave coming out is the same.

However, you could try putting a smaller cap (NOT the 1.5F one) between the +12v and G on your ATX power output. That might smooth it out, but if I recall, the output rails should already have a capacitor within the ATX psu to smooth it out.

Cant hurt to try though, of course.