[aprssig] Emergency Power for Ham stuff

[KF4LVZ]

On 2016-01-19 15:30, Robert Bruninga via aprssig wrote:
>> Is there particular reason you're looking at powering a full blown laptop?
> 
> 
> 
> Not a “laptop”, but a “Laptop supply” which can power all kinds of stuff
> and are readily available by the box full at most hamests and yard sales.
> 
> Look carefully for ones at 15v which, with one diode are ideal for charging
> a 12v battery.  Or go ahead and use a 19v one with a simple $3 DC/DC
> converter to 13.8b.

Or you skip the inefficiency snad safety issues of using an AC/DC
switching power supply and use a direct DC/DC converter from the panels
to whatever project you want.

There are plenty of isolated DC/DC converters on the market that will
take up to 800 volts DC input and convert it down to 12 or 24 volts
output safely (the important thing is the full isolation) that you can
then use for other tasks.  They typically also provide low dropout
voltages (30 VDC) and peak power tracking.  Plus you can combine panels
with them such that a panel can be partially shaded without affecting
the others (just like grid-tie inverter modules but with DC outputs
instead).

A much better idea than a AC/DC switching supply.