Running PC off car batteries

J

Jon509

New member
This is probably a dumb question but I have to ask: I live in an apartment and have no outside source of power. I was wondering if it would be possible to run a PC polisher off of my car battery via the cigarette lighter? I imagine it would run the battery down long before I was done. Any thoughts? :nixweiss

Fiona
 
fiona said:
This is probably a dumb question but I have to ask: I live in an apartment and have no outside source of power. I was wondering if it would be possible to run a PC polisher off of my car battery via the cigarette lighter? I imagine it would run the battery down long before I was done. Any thoughts? :nixweiss

Fiona
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Welcome to Autopia.



It's really not a dumb question. I sometimes run the PC off the car battery when I need power and nothing else is around. What you should do is go to circuit city or radio shack and get a car power convertor. Make sure you get one that can handle the power. You may want to keep your car running while you are using the PC, you don't want to get a dead battery.



You should also check out meguiars.com, they have a recharge PC that works off batterys that might be better for you. I have never used it so i don't know if it is any good, but they do give you your money back if you don't like it.



NYD
 
If you go this route I think you'd need an (inverter?) that can output 500 watts. (3.7 amps X 120 V)
 
you should also keep in mind that alternators are not very efficient when running at low RPM's (idle)..... with a 500W draw, you are putting on something close to a 45 amp load on the alternator (@12v, even tho realisitically it is prob 13.3V). I'm not sure if stock alternators can output that much power at idle.......





It might be a good idea to check first before you start burning out alternators, they get expensive.
 
yyc_tbird_sc said:
meguiars has a random orbit cordless...kinda cool. I got to play with one at a recent car show
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Have you seen the Simoniz cordless one at Canadian Tire? Does it seem the same to you (at least, in looks)?



This is made by Wen in the US by the way. This Meguiar's buffer came up in discussion months ago and it sure seemed similar to the Wen....
 
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