Connecting 240v device to 12v car battery
Submitted by buschy on Sat, 2011-05-14 22:37
Hey folks,
Looking at connecting up a flouro light with a 240v mains outlet to a spare 12v car battery (so I'm not concerned at running it flat). It's just for a couple of hours at a time between recharges.
I'm pig ignorant and despite a bit of Googling (which has left me more confused) still have no answers.
Can anyone here explain to me in laymans terms?
Cheers,
Buschy
Feral
Posts: 1508
Date Joined: 01/11/06
you need a 12/240 inverter
you need a 12/240 inverter .. you can buy them from any auto shop .. it converts the 12v into 240 for you and has a few mains plugs on it .. seeing its for a fluro light the smallest of them should be fine (over 100w)
glastronomic
Posts: 892
Date Joined: 16/02/11
Buy a 12V fluro light.Cheaper
Buy a 12V fluro light.
Cheaper & easier, or....
Even better a string of 12V LED lights.
240V will NOT work of an 12V battery as such without a Inverter.
UncutTriggerInWA
Posts: 2692
Date Joined: 05/09/08
Go the Inverter!
It gives you some options not normally available. You can take all sorts of things away with you. I'm not up to speed on how much power gets consumed from the battery by the devices but you should get a fair run between charges.
Vince.
Work smart and fish often.
Member and die-hard supporter of the mighty West Coast Eagles.
alfred
Posts: 3097
Date Joined: 12/01/07
If you want a 12v ballast let
If you want a 12v ballast let me know. Change it out and you can run the floro off 12v direct.
buschy
Posts: 626
Date Joined: 27/11/09
Cheers Alfred
Will check out the 12v lights first otherwise will get back to you. :)
kempy
Posts: 810
Date Joined: 28/05/09
Yer u need a power inverter
Yer u need a power inverter to run 240v off 12v luckily the prices have came down a lot recently
Dinkum Auto Electrical A/C & Mechanical Unit 10/16 Kent way Malaga 0438755754 Also Mobile
Open 7 days except when we are fishn For all your auto electrical needs
Ringy35
Posts: 138
Date Joined: 30/04/11
Get a 12 volt LED light your
Get a 12 volt LED light your battery will last 3-4 times longer and you wont have to keep rechargin, other wise you'll be up for around 50-150 bucks for an inverter that they recommend not to use with out the car running.... I have two inveters one 50 Watt for charging hand held radios/ Phones/ Computer (for fishwrecked while im camping of course) and all the little stuff, and a 3000 watt for a all the big stuff ie. flood lights/ filled someones compressor tank for them with it and also ran a grinder at work. They are defefinitly handy to have but in your case i dont think needed
So either way you'll still be spending money i'd spend the little bit extra and go LED
Check these out ive been looking at gettin some myself http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/4-X-52-CM-WHITE-LED-LIGHT-BARS-12V-BOAT-CARAVAN-CAMPING-/150604597327?pt=AU_Boat_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2310bbc84f
UncutTriggerInWA
Posts: 2692
Date Joined: 05/09/08
Pretty Impressive
Nice looking setup there Ringy. I may even add a set to my rig. Thanks for the link.
Vince.
Work smart and fish often.
Member and die-hard supporter of the mighty West Coast Eagles.
Vinesh87
Posts: 2751
Date Joined: 02/04/11
Yes for LED's
LEDS have come a long way now an are definatly a great options for most applications for under $100 you can get heaps of leds's from the bars to the spreader lights and very little current draw. Invertors smash your batteries! And LEDS are a hell of a lot harder to break than a fluro especially for offroading !
westline
Posts: 114
Date Joined: 01/01/09
cheers ringy
Those led's look the goods i just purchased some for the new rig :)
buschy
Posts: 626
Date Joined: 27/11/09
Thanks guys
From reading I was under the impression that it could be done without an inverter...for instance using a computer PSU. It's not for light so to speak, well it is...but not for me - just testing out a fishing theory. While I know an inverter is the best option because it opens up other options too...I will probably look into the 12v flouro lights.
Vinesh87
Posts: 2751
Date Joined: 02/04/11
Nope it can't be done unless
Nope it can't be done unless you change the fluro ballast to a 12v ballast or run a inverter. A computer psu is a step down transformer which will supply voltages of 5-12V from a input voltage of 100-230VAC!
fishy fingers
Posts: 1719
Date Joined: 28/04/07
I think he means a ups
an unintreruptable power supply which runs on 12v batteries essentialy an inverter but with only a short back up time