[VAC] Re: Invertors / transformers

[Jim Dunmyer <jdunmyer@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Gerald,
 Actually, those devices may NOT go up in smoke if fed DC to the
Wall-Wart input, even if the output of the latter is AC. Many of them
have a rectifier circuit as the first thing inside them and will operate
just fine on DC. If you look at this picture,
http://www.oldengine.org/members/jdunmyer/personal/computer/jun08_03.jpg
you'll see 33 Supra modems, all fed from a big Astron power supply, set
on 9 volts. The Supras are designed to operate from a 12VAC wall-wart.
Not only did they work fine, but they ran considerably cooler because
the internal voltage regulator didn't have to dissipate so much heat.

I'd still use a small inverter and not worry about the little bit of
efficiency loss. If Bob is truly concerned about AH consumption from his
battery, he'd consider going to a smaller screen TV instead of the 13"
outfit that he's looking at.

                                          <<Jim>>