"Dave" wrote in message
...
Gary Smith wrote:
Hi all, i purchased a 12vdc to 240vac inverter for using my laptop. it's
a 300 watt model fromm Jaycar.
I asked the person running the shop if i could run my 100w IC725 from
it. NO WAY was the reply.

I was thinking of running the DSE D-3800 power supply from it when out
on contests and running the laptop and ssb hf rig from it.
I just wanted to know if it was capable of handling that (which i
presumed it would be ) as the lap takes about 60w maybe and the
transmitter 100w at times.

Anyway, if someone can please explain why a 300w inverter won't run 160w
of gear i will be very happy.

Thanks

Gary
VK3LCD

That's nuts. 12 VDC to 240 VAC back to 12 VDC for a laptop? Surely
there's a more elegant (in its simplicity) solution.

Probably because the radio likes to see 13.8 not 12.3 v. Big problem when
you do portable OPs. A lot of the laptops need 17-19v too.

There are inverters out there clean enough for that, designed to convert
10-whatever volts to 13.8 regulated for $600 on up. Some that will take
care of the battery charging and automatic battery revert too.

The biggest problem to look out for is ground loops. You could easily wind
up with the Battery negative at ground potential along with antenna and
neutral and have some low voltage component or personnel wind up DEAD with
much anguish left to the survivors.

IF you have designed around that to keep from blowing things up in the heat
of the contest don't expect the 300 watt supply to be able to hack it. If
it doesn't trip right off, you might be OK. But then you still might have
noise and you will have to keep your batteries up some how and if someone
plugs something in you didn't plan for then there's that Death problem
again.