Run Desktop PC off DC

N

Northender

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Thanks to all the rocket scientists and brain surgeons in government having to deal with Covid and not Eksdom, and leaving us with load shedding for the next couple of years, I need a decent UPS for my desktop. So I can get some work done!

The whole inverter UPS seems like a lot of unnecessary steps to me. AC into DC battery. DC battery back to AC PSU, AC back to DC for my motherboard.. And a power loss at each step along the way.

So I was thinking, what about powering my motherboard (and screen) directly off DC? And I came across this (I currently have a 450W PSU)

Pico Box Cropped.png


And as my screen actually runs off DC anyway, maybe something like this could power it:

DC-DC converter Cropped.png

And while I am at it, to power my speakers, a DC mini amp!

Breeze Audio Cropped.png

Then I need a serious deep cycle battery that I can connect all this up to, and a proper battery charger?
Electrical stuff is not my field, Maybe someone out there has gone a similar route?
 
So, buying an inverter and battery specced for your devices power draw and optimal depth of discharge over a loadshedding period is more steps than all of these things you want to buy and then build, over and above your admitted lack of electrical knowledge..?

Just buy this or the higher specced one.. plug and play..

www.geewiz.co.za

1200VA Mecer Inverter + 2x 100AH Batteries Trolley (8 HOUR BATTERY LIFE) KIT - (720W) (150-200 cycles) - 12 Month Warranty

Mecer Inverter 1200VA (720W) + 20A Charger SIMILAR to INTELLIPOWER 3 or TESCOM 1000-200 UNIT Includes 2x 100Ah Battery + Steel Cabinet + Wheels All cabling included Unit Dimensions: 44cm(H) x 39cm(W) x 38cm(L) 12-month warranty on the inverter PLEASE NOTE: The 8-hour battery life is based on a...
www.geewiz.co.za www.geewiz.co.za
 
If the efficiency of the inverter is 80%, and of the PSU is 80%. Then yes, I think it is worth it.
And the system will be silent.
 
I had the same thought a few months ago, for the same reason as you, and came to the conclusion that it was just better to get an inverter. I agree that you are losing efficiency at every step, but the now the issue is that different components need different voltages (just the motherboard needs 12V, 5V and 3.3V inputs) so you would need to monitor those individually.
 
The Dc to DC PSUs are typically used in the industrial / control sector. You feed them with 24V and they do the rest. These are expensive since they are relatively specialized items when compared to normal PSUs.

Here is an example, although at a lower power capacity than you are looking for: http://www.cme.co.za/Products/Details.aspx?code=ACE-828C
 
mecer inverter is fine for pc, ran mine for years now.

Its sold really quite compared other models, fan is really not loud.

Get 720watt mecer inverter and 105ah battery and call it a day
 
Thanks guys, so a Mecer Inverter it will be...
I did find the Pico DC PSU from my first image interesting though. It slots into your MB 24 pin socket and has connectors for your GPU, and other MB inputs as well, presumably at the correct voltages. You just need to feed it 12V DC power.
Most of their products are for lower voltages where you want to save space, so you can do away with a PSU
 
Gtx Gaming said:
mecer inverter is fine for pc, ran mine for years now.

Its sold really quite compared other models, fan is really not loud.

Get 720watt mecer inverter and 105ah battery and call it a day
Click to expand...
I have the same setup. 720w Mercer and a single 105ah battery.
Even when I am running my pc and screen, a laptop charger , two mobile charger and a nitecore i8 charger the ups indicates "load at 25%"
It ran for almost 6 hours. More than enough for me I will say.
Unfortunately I only got to use it twice before loadshedding ended.
 
joker08 said:
I have the same setup. 720w Mercer and a single 105ah battery.
Even when I am running my pc and screen, a laptop charger , two mobile charger and a nitecore i8 charger the ups indicates "load at 25%"
It ran for almost 6 hours. More than enough for me I will say.
Unfortunately I only got to use it twice before loadshedding ended.
Click to expand...
Don't worry loadshedding is coming pretty soon lol
 
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