Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

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I've been powering a gps or charge a cell phone for several years and it works without any mentionable problem using a customary converter (220V mains electricity). To step up to step down like a sinusoidal curve isn't sophisticated, I grant, it even is the renunciation of sense of proportion.
Nevertheless please take into total account a couple of advantages that accrued:

- it works reliably for many years without installation, just plug & play,

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- the converter has an in-built universal applicability in contradistinction to USB
(my modern Canon camera has 4-pin firewire, my halfway new cellphone has MicroUSB whereas my razor and my laptop need their fill straight from the usual household socket, how about the apple music whatsit from my daughter, the GPS has a jack plug) and for the next generation ... I'm already prepared.



- it is mobil, one is enough for all your vehicles including motorboat and bike,
- is has overheating protection (but it isn't even noticeable warm when working),
- it has an overload cut-off plus fuse,
- it has adjustable undervoltage protection,
- it has even acoustical and optical alarm before overheating, overloading or undervoltage-ing,
- it has manual power on/off and timeout power management,
- it makes you free to operate great grandmothers floor lamp amidst the desert or a sausage slicer during rush hour traffic. Don't get me wrong, no deserts in Central Europe and barely a rush hour in Northern Germany but you never know.

Again I would like to express that my system is the height of inefficiency respectively defines the meaning of this word. And it works great.

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I cannot figure out what you are saying here. What is your solution? Power it from a 220VAC source?

Yes, respectively from a 120 V inverter. And sorry for my poor English, please turn a blind eye.

Meanwhile a lot of inverters have an additional USB-port installed.




But all I found were 12/110-120V inverters instead of 6/110-120V. If not available I would prefer Phil's universal 6/12V solution, handy, tried and tested.

This is the unit I usedhttp://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/6-8-12-Volt-Positive-Negative-Earth-Radio-Converter-/360386601470?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item53e8b721fe .
The handy thing is that you use the chassis for your ground.

The thing with usb is that you only need 5v constant at .500 miliamps. So if you are only going to use USB friendly devices, you don't need a big inverter. I built a usb charger that up converts 3v (1.5 AA battery x 2) to 5v constant, and is housed in an altoids tin. Perfect for charging on go, but gets very odd looks from TSA agents.

But the point I am making is that there are voltage regulator I/Cs that can provide a regulated 5v from a 6-18v dc source and have built in thermal protection.

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BigKev - Great minds think alike. What you did for 4 batteries, I did for the Packard. Your circuit would certainly work in the 6v car (reverse the polarity of course).

I used mine today with my GPS - just to test the accuracy of the speedometer (which by the way reads about 1-2 mph faster than actual speed)