kamikaze2112

ok, cause the monitor, obviously is going in the dash, and the computer is going to end up in the trunk. I'm planning on having a slim slot load cdrw/dvd and usb hub up front as well, both of which should run off the 5v rail. I doubt i'll have any probs with them, but the monitor is what i'm concerned about. Thanks for the info

__________________

JasonWW

I think the creator of the M2 is who would know for sure. Most PSU will turn off very quickly if shorted, but the M2 is pretty unique. If they say it will protect itself from shorts by powering off quickly, then I wouldn't worry about a fuse for either of them. Just make sure the power wire to the M2 has a fuse close to it's source to protect the wire. Then the M2 has a fuse to protect itself.

checksum

Where did you buy the M2?

__________________
Just Starting my project

JasonWW

You might want to specify who you are talking to.

I got my 2 non-working M2's from MP3car.com store.

checksum

Thanks,
I was talking to Goofus...

__________________
Just Starting my project

Goofus

I got a test sample directly from andrewb. I was originally going to buy a DSATX since I was running a higher power setup, but then I saw that he was asking for testers so I figured I'd give it a try. I was purposefully reckless when I tested it because all along I assumed it wouldn't be powerfulll enough and I would have to buy a DSATX later anyway.

I'm not done with my review yet since I don't actually have it in the car, but so far it has easily met my power requirements and seems to be a much better value the DSATX.

JWise1203

I am in the middle of installing my Car PC ... I have been using a regular power supply to setup everything. Now that I am installing it in my car my main question regaurding the M2-ATX is about extending the three power wires.

I noticed that all three power wires are rated at 18 gauge. I was wondering if that will be suitable for the power load. What have the rest of you done with the power wires?

I have attached a rough drawing of my setup below (Note that I am using a 4 gauge power wire with 150A fuse).

JasonWW

If the legnth is only a few feet, then use the same gauge wire that comes with the M2. Now if you were going a much longer distance you might go one size bigger. 16g should be fine if you have some. All in all, it's not that important. The M2 should work down to 7v. Just don't use any wire thinner that what comes with the M2.

__________________
1999 Black Pontiac Trans Am
CarPC's in F-bodies
How to tune your sound system
How To Relocate Climate Controls on the 97-02 F-body Cars
(AMD Sempron 3000+, Opus 150)
Car PC system is out, Alpine system is in.

JWise1203

Thanks for the info. Two more quick questions:

1. The wire that I would use for the extention is 18 AWG wire which I bought from Radio Shack. It is the same gauge as the M2 wire but with two exceptions. First the wire is copper instead of aluminum. Second the copper wire strands are thicker then the M2 wire but there is less strands total; compared to the aluminum M2 wire. Will these things matter?

2. Since I have 4 AWG running from the battery running to a distribution block, will I need to put a fuse on the 18 AWG wire to the M2? If so, what fuse rating should I use?

Thanks for any help that can be given.

JasonWW

No.

I'm not sure the M2 wire is actually aluminum. It should be copper but have a silver coating on the strands for corrosion protection.


I assumed the distribution block was also a fuse block. If it's not, then add a 15a fuse right after the block. That way if the wire from the block to the PC get pinched and shorted, the fuse will blow to protect the wire from catching on fire. The M2 already has a 15a fuse in it to protect it from drawing too much current, but the wire to it needs protecting as well and the fuse has to be in the right location.

__________________
1999 Black Pontiac Trans Am
CarPC's in F-bodies
How to tune your sound system
How To Relocate Climate Controls on the 97-02 F-body Cars
(AMD Sempron 3000+, Opus 150)
Car PC system is out, Alpine system is in.

JWise1203

That worked great JasonWW ... thanks! I have my computer installed now. Two more questions:

1. Is a 15W fuse the right size for the 18 AWG wire I am using?

2. As you can see from the diagram, I am also powering a Xenarc screen as well as a USB hub. Should I install a fuse on each power wire of these also? I am using the same 18 AWG wire as I did for the M2-ATX. What fuse type should I be using?

Thanks again for the help.

JasonWW

I'd actually use a 20A fuse by the dist. block. That way it won't blow before the M2 fuse which will help identify whether it was a pinched power wire or something in the M2 that caused the fuse to blow. Fuses are mainly rated in amps, not watts. There are also slow-blow fuses which are used in certain electronics, but for auto use we are mainly talking about fast-blow fuses. That's what you'll see most of the time.


You can add a 2A-3A fuse to each of those near the PSU if you want, but I don't think it's necessary. All home PSU's (AC unit's) have fault protection circuits built in. If you short a power wire the whole PSU will shut down immediately. I'm guessing the M2 also has that type of protection built in. So you can add the fuses if you want to be on the safe side.

__________________
1999 Black Pontiac Trans Am
CarPC's in F-bodies
How to tune your sound system
How To Relocate Climate Controls on the 97-02 F-body Cars
(AMD Sempron 3000+, Opus 150)
Car PC system is out, Alpine system is in.

Durzel

Why are you powering the Xenarc off the M2-ATX instead of via USB?

JasonWW

Because you can't.
Maybe you can explain your question better because right now, it doesn't make much sense.

__________________
1999 Black Pontiac Trans Am
CarPC's in F-bodies
How to tune your sound system
How To Relocate Climate Controls on the 97-02 F-body Cars
(AMD Sempron 3000+, Opus 150)
Car PC system is out, Alpine system is in.

Durzel

Oh right, I thought the Xenarc had a USB connector to power it? I haven't got one yet - I'm busy speccing out the parts I need for my CarPC.