Outer Limits 4x4 Board

is this safe to use with a generator?
should i use the power board from my home computer?
cheers

They are OK to run off an inverter type generator Like the EU series Hondas, because the power output is very stable (Usually <2.5% distortion).

u can get a voltage stablizer fing from harvey norman 4 bout 120 i gt 1 when i gt da computer if your worried and it warrents the computer if it does get fried while connected

just buy a decent sinewave inverter and you dont have to worry.
i got my 1000w sinewave for around $300

Most laptop powerpacks will swallow anythign from 100v to 260v at 50-60hz. In other words, they are pretty tolerant. They convert straight to DC anyway, so apart from big spikes from changing the load too quickly, it should be fine.

You don't need sinewave inverters with decent quality switchmode power supplies.

Paul

me3@neuralfibre.com wrote:Most laptop powerpacks will swallow anythign from 100v to 260v at 50-60hz. In other words, they are pretty tolerant. They convert straight to DC anyway, so apart from big spikes from changing the load too quickly, it should be fine.

You don't need sinewave inverters with decent quality switchmode power supplies.

Paul

x 2

Jes

j-top paj wrote:just buy a decent sinewave inverter and you dont have to worry.
i got my 1000w sinewave for around $300

That would be a modified sine wave inverter. to run most appliances it OK, but more sensitive equipment may not be so happy with you.


That said laptop power supplies are pretty tough and will cope with relatively dirty power no probs.

Laptop SMPSUs will run off a wide voltage/frequency range, they will even happily run from 400v DC
Most generators would be fine - even the cheap GMC ones because they are more or less stable, doesn't matter if the voltage is 10v low or the frequency is 10Hz fast, the SMPSU will be fine.
It's the massive spikes in a waveform distorting under load from cheap MSW inverters that kill laptops and their batteries.

It's correct you don't need a true sinewave inverter to power a SMPSU, but don't use little POS MSW inverters if you can avoid it.

festy wrote:Laptop SMPSUs will run off a wide voltage/frequency range, they will even happily run from 400v DC

Is there a good story behind that one?

love_mud wrote:

j-top paj wrote:just buy a decent sinewave inverter and you dont have to worry.
i got my 1000w sinewave for around $300

That would be a modified sine wave inverter. to run most appliances it OK, but more sensitive equipment may not be so happy with you.

jaycar pure sinewave

mi-5088

I have heard of some switch mode power supplied not coping with a square wave input from an inverter due to the first stage rectifier diodes not being fast switching types. The high frequency component of the square wave destroyed the diodes. That was a long time ago however, and related to CFL's at the time. The solution was to run them from 240 DC by throwing a good quality bridge rectifier in front of them.

The other thing that could give you problems is if you are running one of these cheap gensets near rated capacity and abruptly switch load on / off. It's easy to induce large spikes from teh coils with relativley large load changes. A 240v fridge cycling would probably be bad. If it's just the laptop and other constant loads, you would hav eto be unlucky to have a problem.

Thanx
Paul

In the past I have used an old 1400VA ups that only had one 12V battery .. just hooked it up to the car battery.. dodgy but it worked (only to run a few sets of christmas lights)

its for willowglen..my daughter has a lap top.
i have a 850w GMC for camping..
I was thinking to charge the computer while it is off.
I was thinking kids get bored too quick and they need something to
occupy them

you could buy a ups run it from the generator and the run the laptop of that or you can buy an inverter to charge the lap top off 12v from the cig lighter.

i dont have time or $ to buy anything now..leaving tomorrow for comp

thunder wrote:its for willowglen..my daughter has a lap top.
i have a 850w GMC for camping..
I was thinking to charge the computer while it is off.
I was thinking kids get bored too quick and they need something to
occupy them

Do it you will be fine. Laptop power supplies are pretty tough .. especailly if the main unit is turned off. ( I would happily plug any of my equipement or any of the machines I am responsible for) full time professional computer nerd

thunder wrote:its for willowglen..my daughter has a lap top.
i have a 850w GMC for camping..
I was thinking to charge the computer while it is off.
I was thinking kids get bored too quick and they need something to
occupy them

I don't think they will get much excitment out of watching a computer charging

Sorry, but I couldn't resist.