12 volt device installation

[Spur]

A device like a wireless router is designed for the home environment, so it has a power adapter that plugs into the wall. How would one go about wiring it into a vehicle? Seems a waste to convert from DC to AC to DC.

Can the power adapter plug be cut off, a fuse added and then wired directly into the electrical system?

 

[Michael]

A device like a wireless router is designed for the home environment, so it has a power adapter that plugs into the wall. How would one go about wiring it into a vehicle? Seems a waste to convert from DC to AC to DC.

Can the power adapter plug be cut off, a fuse added and then wired directly into the electrical system?

The power adapter 'brick' for the router should have some info on it about the voltage and current output listed in small print. Radio Shack and other electronic supply houses sell adjustable DC adapters ("cigarette lighter" connection) with various types of plug ends to fit almost any device. On the adjustable adapters, you use a switch to select the voltage output you need to match what the brick was putting out. The current draw is determined by the load of the device, so no issues there as long as the adapter will produce enough or more current than is needed. One advantage of this type of cigarette lighter adapter is that the fuse is usually built-in.

I would definitely not just hook up the device to 12VDC unless that is the specified voltage output of the brick. Yes indeed, going from DC to AC via inverter is wasteful power-wise (about 10% loss each conversion) and it produces heat and probably fan noise.

If you post the voltage and current output of the brick, somebody here will surely find what you need

 

[MuddyOval]

Most vehicles put out more than 12V though. Some equipment is not that forgiving about having 14.4V when they're expecting 12V.

 

[Spur]

Ok. I see what you mean.

I don't need a cigarette lighter adapter though. I want to hard-wire it. A cig adapter is $20-25. I would think there is a cheaper solution.

 

[SAR_Squid79]

This is something I've been wondering about too.

The new Tacomas have a 12V power outlet in the bed of the truck. If I wanted to do that in my Land Cruiser or Tacoma - how do I go about it?

Anybody got a wiring diagram, pics, parts list, or How-To?

 

[MuddyOval]

There's a kit at Wal Mart of all places- waterproof 12V plug with the wire etc to mount in the back of a truck.

 

[gary in ohio]

You will need to look at the wall wart, it should have an output voltage. Most of the little routers run from 6-16v, Never seen one that ran on 12v. What you can do is get one of the "universal laptop" 12 volt power supplys and they have selectable power outputs. Pick and output that is within a 1/2volt or so close to what you need.

 

[Spur]

Right now, I can think of three such devices that I'd like to install in my truck:

1. Router to set up a mobile wifi hotspot
2. NAS - a simple 1.5 TB HD in an external enclosure with ethernet and USB out a place to store video, music, and backup the laptop
3. small battery charger for charging AA and AAA batteries.

I want to put all this into the electrical cabinet that I'm building into my storage system. I want to run the power for all of these to a switch so that it can all be turned off and on with one switch.

Maybe the cigarette plug adapter would be best. Wire up a 4 port female plug to a switch. Plug all of the devices into that. It would allow the easy removal and upgrade of individual components.