12V Accesories in a 6V car?

[Steve Braverman]

Does anyone know of a device to power 12V things like a GPS or DVD player in an antique car? I'd rather not tap into the car's electrical system, I'd rather find a stand-alone power supply. Any ideas?

[Jay Wolf]

I used a 12 volt jumper box in my 1955 Thunderbird.

It has a 12 volt outlet on it.

[Friartuck]

Steve,

I just wrote an article on this topic and is posted at:

http://www.monmouth.com/~friartuck/6-12Converter.pdf

Since the article was published, another vendor was discovered that also has converters/inverters:

http://www.radiosforoldcars.com/powerF.htm

Keep in mind the most important issue is to not run the 12V accessory while the car is not running (recharging the battery). The current draw for 6V to 12V can drain the battery quickly.

Chris

[Guest]

Any reputable electronics supplier should have or be able to get a 6 volt to 12 volt inverter. Just be sure to add up your requirements so you get enough amperage. At one time I had three inverters installed at the same to cover the items I wanted to run.

[Rusty_OToole]

A friend of mine ran a 12 volt stereo in his 6 volt VW Beetle for years. All he did was put a 12 volt motorcycle battery in the front luggage compartment and hook it up.

Once a week he would put a battery charger on overnight.

[Steve Braverman]

I wanted to keep it simple, and not tax the car's electrical system. I bought a battery pack for about $30, and I'm very happy with it. It runs the DVD player for a few hours, and can re-charge a cell phone or GPS.

http://www.das-roadpro.com/roadpro/

[KGround]

http://www.fifthaveinternetgarage.com/parts/parts_counter_2.html#runtz

solid state 6-12V inverter $100, about halfway down the screen on the right