thumper_svx

Okay, to spark a little more interest... I'm trying to arrange a group-buy of the Astec DC-DC PSU for people outside the US. I'm in the US so I'm going to get them delivered to my place... which means no minimum unit-limit from www.mpja.com thankfully!

However, I need this to be worthwhile... there's a few interested parties. Please post here to let me know if you want one, and of course let me know how many you want!

I'd really like to get this going. I won't charge more than the cost of the PSU+getting it to my place+shipping to your home country... should still be pretty cheap. I'm hoping to get enough orders together that they'll give me a break on shipping in the US, at least give me a lower-cost shipment so I can keep your costs lower.

As I said, please post and I'll start getting the order together.

Thanks and regards

Gavin

r0cket-

I was looking at one of those earlier--has anyone actually bought one and gotten it to work? I've read through the archives a bit and it seems like a couple people were *talking* about getting one, or had *ordered* one, but nobody really mentioned whether or not it had worked out.

DodgeMp3Enabled

Don't bother with them... They suck! I tried using them a while back- in fact went through 4 of them.. They work great on the bench off a regulated +12VDC power supply...but when you put them in your car-they fry!

Goto Arise and buy the DC-DC their...much nicer!!

--James

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-JB

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-JB

r0cket-

How did you have it hooked up?

DodgeMp3Enabled

I hooked up all the wires like the diagram showed..and hooked +12 to the battery, and gnd to the chassis.

odd- it works fine off a regulated power supply, but fries everyone in the car.

--James

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-JB

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-JB

thumper_svx

I can believe that... the 12VDC in the car is... sporadic at best. Hell, I've seen my car's electrical system run at 8V, and I've seen it peak as high as 17... that's part of the reason my mp3car setup will use an inverter that's designed to deal with those wide ranging voltages and still provide a clean "almost AC" square wave (I'm going to do the "remove caps" PSU modification as well).

I take it that this new information puts a damper on the order?

r0cket-

Has anyone tried hooking it up to the cig lighter in their car? Aren't they limited to a max output of 12vdc?

TimW

Car voltage off= 12v
Car voltage on= 14.4v
This is RMS values.
Voltage can go as high as 18v at times, and as low as 8 v at times.
This is the main reason DC-AC converters are much better. they are designed to use car DC current, therfore can handle the dips and peaks. DC-DC is made to be ran from a constant dc source, such as a dc power supply.

Sum up:
dc-dc is fine if you dont drive your car.
if you will actually be driving and listening, ac-dc is best way to go.

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Fosgate

TimW i would strongly disagree with your comments about the Car voltage and the use of DC converter.
First of all, the voltage in the car CAN NOT go over 14.4v as it is regulated by a regulator in the altinator!!!
If it does go over 14.4 u can burn ur stereo system, alarms, even ignition system... and any other electrical circutry that uses cars supplied voltage. If you find that this voltage gets above 14.4v then you have a problem with your altinator.
the voltage can go down to 0v if you leave something on which will drain your battery.

And secondly DC->DC converters will work in any condition, no matter if you drive your car or dont. Your typical Flyback regulated DC converter has an input range of 8-16v which means it still will work even if you have a weak battery (~ 8v)as long as it can provide with enough current.
Also DC converters wont restart your computer when you start ur car... as again it can handle lower voltage when your car is starting.
The inverters on the other hand will not work if the battery is weak or they will restart your computer everything you start your car. The input range of the typical invertor is 12-16v which means they work best when the car is running ( they will also work when the car is off but output power value might go down)
And i dont want to go into a things like noise and stuff like that as we discussed this issue many times in the past.

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Fosgate

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