Inverters - 6V stepped up to 12V or 110V? Is there such an animal??

[truckmen]

Hello all once again. Ahh, I am looking forward to this wonderful road trip across country driving only two-lane roads. But, I was thinking Hmmm, how will I keep the Tom Tom powered up, and the cell phones? And if I want to upload photos of our trip as we drive, how can we get a little power for the laptop? So I thought I'd ask.For the trip across from Denver, CO to Bucksport, Maine, With the exisiting 6V system, I only need a small amount of power for those items, is there such an item that can be purchased? 6V to 12V or 6V to 110V.

[ply33]

This has been covered in other threads on the AACA forum so a search should turn up a number of options.

For myself, I've setup a USB charger that runs directly off of the 6v electrical system. Fairly easy to do as USB power for charging things like cellphones or GPS units is 5v DC. Only glitch is that a lot of old cars, mine included, is positive ground and the new stuff is negative ground. My write up is at Plymouth: First Decade - Cell Phone Charger

For running or charging a laptop, you'll need a much more beefy setup. I've read about fairly high power 6+ to 12- inverters. And, of course, you can get 12- vdc to 110 vac inverters everywhere. So it should be possible to power a lap top too. For myself, I use the power and WiFi at the motel at the end of the day for that so I don't need 110v generated in or from the car.

[john hanson]

I think i have a 6 v to 11o I will check it out today.

John Hanson

[truckmen]

This has been covered in other threads on the AACA forum so a search should ...

... For running or charging a laptop, you'll need a much more beefy setup. I've read about fairly high power 6+ to 12- inverters. And, of course, you can get 12- vdc to 110 vac inverters everywhere. So it should be possible to power a lap top too. For myself, I use the power and WiFi at the motel at the end of the day for that so I don't need 110v generated in or from the car.

Hello Ply33,

yes, I was thinking that the need for 6V - 110V is more a luxury than the 6V - 12V. And I too, would use the stops at motels, restaurants, etc to keep the laptop charged.

[truckmen]

I think i have a 6 v to 11o I will check it out today.

John Hanson

Thanks, John,

I also have received a PM sent me with one available as well.

Ralph

[Joseph P. Indusi]

TomTom and most cell phones will charge on 6 volts negative ground. There are also 6 to 12 volt converters available but you need to know how much power you will require.

Joe

[truckmen]

TomTom and most cell phones will charge on 6 volts negative ground. There are also 6 to 12 volt converters available but you need to know how much power you will require.

Joe

It's surprising that these devices will charge with 6V but the point with my Desoto is moot as the S-15 is a 6V Positive Ground.

[ply33]

It's surprising that these devices will charge with 6V but the point with my Desoto is moot as the S-15 is a 6V Positive Ground.

And most of these devices have insulated plastic cases so swapping the ground and the power wires works pretty well. I was cautious about running the 6 to 8v into a device designed to charge off a regulated 5v USB supply so I put a regulator in.

In my setup the car chassis ground goes to the power input of the regulator and the switched +6v from the ignition switch goes to the "ground" of the regulator. The regulator and USB plug are isolated from the car metal and my smart phone's case is plastic so it won't short out when it touches any part of the car.

[huptoy]

Have you researched a 12-volt "Portable Battery Power Pack"?

You can purchase them from about 750 to 1150.

Not sure what size you will need but you should be able to power a TomTom GPS all day.

When you are traveling, you can save the battery in an Iphone or Blackbeary by turning off the WiFi search feature when not on the internet.

Sears and others sells them and you can test it by running it all day after you charge it.

You can keep that one or purchase a bigger one if needed.

This makes it portable between cars but you will need to charge it every night.

A club member uses a Portable Battery Power Pack to power their GPS when on tour in their 6-volt car.

Are you going across paralleling I-70 or I-80 to Cleveland?

[Alfre]

You need a power converter that changes 6V DC to 12v DC I use one in my 29 and another in my 53 to power my tom tom or CB radio. an inverter changes DC to AC.

Al

[huptoy]

Can you provide the products name & where you have seen them?

[ply33]

Can you provide the products name & where you have seen them?

Seems to be amazingly difficult to come up with a search term to find those. I did find this one: Positive Ground 6V to 12V Converter | Classic Car Radio & Speakers using the search term "6v to 12v inverter antique car". I have no idea if it is any good or not...

[truckmen]

Hello All,

Hi Huptoy,

We will be stopping at night so we should have little problem with charging up stuff afterall.

The Tom Tom doesn't have to be on all the time either. Actually, we will have detailed printouts of our route showing as many unique sights along the way.

We are also going to stick to two-lane roads the whole way (to be on the roads the '50 Desoto would have been driven on when new). So we're avoiding Interstaes wherever possible.

We will drop down below Colorado Springs after hopefully meeting up with Rodger. Once we leave there, we will head east on Hwy 50 into and through Kansas. Picking up Hey 54 and working our way to Galinburg, TN. from there it'll be the Blue Ridge Hwy up to front Royal. After that, we will work our way up to Maine avoiding hwys again and maybe route through New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and finally Maine. I've researched the route and will post details next week.

I have approximately 3100 miles to drive this way and we have around 9 or 10 days to enjoy it.

[rsb]

The best 6 to 12 out there: 6 Volt to 12 Volt Converter

For 6 to 110, search for TERADO TRAV-ELECTRIC

Ron

[Jim Bollman]

Awhile back someone posted, I think on this forum, they bought a small sealed 12 volt battery from Tractor Supply that is used for electric fences. Seems to remember it was under $20. It fit in a plastic coffee can which they then installed a standard cigarette lighter outlet. Now they could plug in USB power adapters or phone chargers etc. They recharged it in the evenings as needed.

Though it was a great idea, obvious other shaped boxes could be used.

[Alfre]

Can you provide the products name & where you have seen them?

they can be found on an internet search under 6V to 12V converter, these are only about 2 inches square and must be controlled by a switch on the incoming power feed

[truckmen]

Awhile back someone posted, I think on this forum, they bought a small sealed 12 volt battery from Tractor Supply that is used for electric fences. Seems to remember it was under $20. It fit in a plastic coffee can which they then installed a standard cigarette lighter outlet. Now they could plug in USB power adapters or phone chargers etc. They recharged it in the evenings as needed.

Though it was a great idea, obvious other shaped boxes could be used.

Is it this?:

Wildgame Innovations® eDrenaline 12 Volt Rechargeable Battery - 2188309 | Tractor Supply Company

[Friartuck]

http://www.metroccca.org/tech_articles/tech_08_summer.pdf

Since this article was written, things have changed abit. It is now possible for phone, GPS, and other electronics devices to run off USB power which is 5.0 volts. The 6 volts used on prewar cars is close to run the devices directly, however the one problem that will come into play is filtering of both the generator and ignition noise. Most modern vehicles have good filters. I don't know of a regulator and filter combo from that operates 6 volts to USB 5.0 volts. Someone in Sweden makes the regulator without filtering and some comments about GPS operation have been posted.

[truckmen]

The ones mentioned in the included .pdf file by Power Stream, DU-700 (located at; 6/12 volt DC/DC converters 180 Watts peak and 250 watts peak, positive ground to negative ground or negative to negative ground, even negative to postive ground.) is way out of line in price for what I need.

The Meyers unit: MES612-NG8A 8 Amp, Negative Ground $159.95 + $10.00 Shipping (new) is also too pricey for my application.

Actually, if these converters are anywhere more than $40 or $50. it would be cheaper for me at this time to just buy a full 12V battery (if not as convenient) that could be used in another (12V) car in the future. A new battery can get me across country with maybe a few re-charges.

Ralph

[ply33]

The ones mentioned in the included .pdf file by Power Stream, DU-700 (located at; 6/12 volt DC/DC converters 180 Watts peak and 250 watts peak, positive ground to negative ground or negative to negative ground, even negative to postive ground.) is way out of line in price for what I need.

The Meyers unit: MES612-NG8A 8 Amp, Negative Ground $159.95 + $10.00 Shipping (new) is also too pricey for my application.

Actually, if these converters are anywhere more than $40 or $50. it would be cheaper for me at this time to just buy a full 12V battery (if not as convenient) that could be used in another (12V) car in the future. A new battery can get me across country with maybe a few re-charges.

Ralph

I believe all the parts for the one I made for my '33 Plymouth, which runs my Nexus One smart phone with mapping/GPS, for around $10. That was the first response on this thread: http://forums.aaca.org/f120/inverters-6v-stepped-up-12v-110v-337377.html#post1085893 I did have the USB cable extension cord sitting in a box so I didn't count that in the parts cost, so your expense might vary. Advantage for me is that the USB charger outlet is always in the car ready for use.

I've been pricing small sealed 12v for a different application and it seems like $20 to $25 is the cheapest that would have enough storage for a day or two running something like a cell phone or GPS. So that is about twice the price with less convenience.

[truckmen]

I believe all the parts for the one I made for my '33 Plymouth, which runs my Nexus One smart phone with mapping/GPS, for around $10. That was the first response on this thread: http://forums.aaca.org/f120/inverters-6v-stepped-up-12v-110v-337377.html#post1085893 I did have the USB cable extension cord sitting in a box so I didn't count that in the parts cost, so your expense might vary. Advantage for me is that the USB charger outlet is always in the car ready for use.I've been pricing small sealed 12v for a different application and it seems like $20 to $25 is the cheapest that would have enough storage for a day or two running something like a cell phone or GPS. So that is about twice the price with less convenience.

Thanks again, Ply33.But allow me to ask for claification- is your system a 6V negative-ground? Our Desoto is 6V positive-ground.

[ply33]

Thanks again, Ply33.But allow me to ask for claification- is your system a 6V negative-ground? Our Desoto is 6V positive-ground.

My car is positive ground. Thus the reason to isolate the USB power from anything metal in the car. Fortunately the case on my smart phone (and I think most all cell phones and small GPS units made today) is non-conductive plastic, so achieving electrical isolation is not a problem.

[john hanson]

Checked out the one i have it says its for alternator 12v to 110 v. Called Insta Power new still in box with drictions 25.00 +shipping

John Hanson

[rsb]

Another possibility: Antique Automobile Radio, modern stereo for vintage cars

Ron

[Grimy]

Re posts #15 and 17: I think I'm the guy Jim Bollman was referring to in #15--Folger's plastic coffee can holding a sealed 7ah battery with Radio Shack cigar lighter socket (cut off alligator clips and solder on female push-on sockets). The reason I use this method is that I have several 6V positive ground cars but also two 6V negative ground cars, and I was seeking an inexpensive solution easily transferable from one car to another, without having to put a permanent piece of equipment in any of the cars. A different container would work as well.

The battery in Ralph's attachment to #17 is the right kind of battery and will work. I recently replaced my old battery at Tractor Supply with Mighty Mule brand 12V battery, 7.0 amp hour, looks like part number FM 150 on the bar code, no other part number on box (which I'm looking at). The battery itself says "Genesis" brand, model no. NP7-12, "sealed rechargeable lead-acid battery." These batteries are also used for gate openers and as backup power supplies for home alarm systems. It was about $27. Radio Shack sells similar batteries for $35, and Lowe's used to have them (on-line only) for about $17--but I needed it 'now.'

I checked the state of charge out of the box and it was 12.6V. After SEVEN full days of powering my Garmin GPS while touring in two different cars a total of 750 miles within the last month (no recharge during that period), it now reads 11.73V but worked well all the way home last night (it's now time to put it on the trickle charger). **Do not charge at a rate exceeding 1.25 amps**, and I strongly suggest using a timer for an hour at a time until you see how quickly a particular battery recharges.

[Guest]

Have you researched a 12-volt "Portable Battery Power Pack"?

You can purchase them from about 750 to 1150.

Not sure what size you will need but you should be able to power a TomTom GPS all day.

When you are traveling, you can save the battery in an Iphone or Blackbeary by turning off the WiFi search feature when not on the internet.

Sears and others sells them and you can test it by running it all day after you charge it.

You can keep that one or purchase a bigger one if needed.

This makes it portable between cars but you will need to charge it every night.

A club member uses a Portable Battery Power Pack to power their GPS when on tour in their 6-volt car.

Are you going across paralleling I-70 or I-80 to Cleveland?

[ATTACH=CONFIG]156707[/ATTACH]

If your going to go to all that expense, use your daily drivers 12 v. battery, make a secure tray for it in the trunk, buy a cheap battery charger so you can re-charge it at night at your hotel and your good to go.