Powering Computer

[(unknown)]

Hi all,

I have a plan to just power my computer (has 400W power supply, 14'/15' CRT monitor, mouse, keyboard) modem, printer and fluorescent light about 12' long (table work light).

I am thinking of using wind or solar power and a power transformer.

I've never done a project like this before.

Does anyone have some solutions on how to tackle this?

Should I create a huge windmill like the guy who runs the site did and connect it to a truck/car battery and hook it onto a 12V DC->220V AC transformer? would that harvest enough power?

Future plans are to power my parent's entire house with wind or solar (they have 1 side by side fridge, 1 fridge/freezer and 1 6' freezer along with other power hungry appliances)

[inode buddha]

You could almost do away with the transformer altogether since most computers run on +12 V amd +5 V internally. All you would need is a battery and a couple of solid-state voltage regulators. The CRT and etc. is a different matter.

[drdongle]

You can also get power supplies for computers designed to run off 12,24 and 48 VDC

directly. I believe "Globaltek" is one make of these.

[stevesteve]

Hi,

You could have a look at www.mini-itx.com there are lots of low power (consumption) motherboards there and power supplies designed to run off car batteries etc.

[wooferhound]

The best solution is to change from a desktop computer, to a laptop computer and run it straight off of the 12 volt battery, it will use much less power too.

A coupla other points I should make . . .

there is no such thing as a 12V DC->220V AC transformer. You will want to use an 'Inverter' to go from 12vdc to 220vac. Never feed a DC voltage into a transformer

As for running the entire power hungry house from wind and solar. You are talking about a very large system to power all of that. You should know that it costs more to make your own power as opposed to buying it from the electric company. Start out by focusing your energy on conservation. Use all fluorescent lighting, add more insulation to the house and hot water pipes, change your large power hungery appliances to energy efficent ones, change your attitude about the way you use power.

After changing your lifestyle as mentioned above, then you can start planning out your Power generation systems.

[hardworkinghippy]

Well said Woof !

I'm typing this on a laptop powered by 4 x 75 watt solar panels and 2 x 75 watt dinky little wind generators, using a cheap and cheerful 12v car inverter.

All of the lighting in the house runs off the same circuit (house is 168 square metres) and we power hand tools, sewing machine and shearing machines plus other small appliances directly from 12v if possible or from a 600 watt inverter.

We've no big electrical appliances and store food by drying or sterilizing it.

Think about what you can do without or change your energy source - it's daft having all those 'fridges running if it's cold outside and it's crazy heating water with electricity if the sun is shining!

Good luck with your plans.

HWH

[fukenfooser]

his a question I also have!

I know how to run my systems, but would like to build one for the cabin.

I have a older laptop,(IBM thinkpad 360 if my personal ram is still working,lol).

I would like to use it's screen,(lcd) for the cabin system.

Does anybody here know how to do that?

I'll have a tower with a couple HD's and CDRW, PCI slot video capture, VGA display

Card, (do have one with a RCA type TV out on it with standard VGA), I don't want to use

the cabins 12VDC Solarsystem Battery bank. I'll have seperate one with wind gen and maybe a small solar panel.

AnyBody Have any ideas about using the thinkpads LCD for a monitor for my "SECURITY TOWER" PC I would realy like it!!!

Thanks to All here for all the great info I've gotten just by looking in a bit a

searching for the tuffer stuff.

ff