I am looking at traveling and I need to run a small fanless computer on board. I am looking at this ...

http://www.qotom.net/goods-126-Q180S++Q190S+(S02)+Bay+Trail+Mini+PC.html

These unites are 12V, 10W average, but I think they burst up to 30W. Their power supplies are rated 12V 4A.

What options do I have and what might be the best option to provide a regulated 12V, 4A power output from the variable automotive electrical system?

Thank you.

 

The easiest, though not very efficient, is get a 110v inverter that plugs into the lighter socket of your car, and plug the computers 12v power supply into that.

A more complicated but more efficient method would be a 12v buck/boost circuit. Maybe something along these lines:

https://www.amazon.com/DROK-Converter-Efficiency-Regulator-Stabilizers/dp/B01GFVHZUK?th=1

 

Oh that is Awesome. Thanks... I just found this too along side that one...

https://www.amazon.com/DROK-Waterproof-Automatic-Regulator-Stabilizer/dp/B018WZK5XQ

 

FYI. Turns out that this device
http://www.qotom.net/goods-126-Q180S++Q190S+(S02)+Bay+Trail+Mini+PC.html
Takes 9 to 19V input

 

I am looking at traveling and I need to run a small fanless computer on board. I am looking at this ...

http://www.qotom.net/goods-126-Q180S++Q190S+(S02)+Bay+Trail+Mini+PC.html

These unites are 12V, 10W average, but I think they burst up to 30W. Their power supplies are rated 12V 4A.

What options do I have and what might be the best option to provide a regulated 12V, 4A power output from the variable automotive electrical system?

Thank you.

The automotive electrical environment can be a bit noisy - spikes as high as 68V aren't all that unlikely.

The battery could sink as low as about 11V - the alternator will try to get it up to about 14.4V, but over voltage faults aren't totally rare.

The text book route is a buck/boost converter - and you need to protect that from the spikes.

Converting up to mains voltage and using a regular PSU block is probably the safest option, but it wastes more energy.

 

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/DC-15V-...518715?hash=item1c76ff2bfb:g:odcAAOSwnHZYROJk This is what I use to power my laptop in my vehicle.