Looking for an automotive DC-DC regulator

[spittet]

Hi,

What are you using for DC-DC power supply when you want to keep all your electronic devices alive even during a hard cold-start where battery voltage can drop down to 6V?

I was using these http://www.current-logic.com/shop/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4&products_id=201 , but I recently discovered that they have a low input voltage protection and when input voltage goes slightly under 8V, the output voltage goes to 0V and everything that is powered by this power supply goes off.

I liked this unit because :

- wide input voltage
- encapsulated/sealed enclosure
- easy mounting
- large power (120W!)

Please share what are you using as power supply.

Have a good day!

Sam

[Mike AA]

Sam,

I played around with using a small 12 volt lithium battery hooked to a charger running from the main battery bank. It worked well until guys forgot to turn off the master. We now have a 24 volt system and alternator and a 12v system battery and alternator just for the computer system and all the items we have swapped to 12 so we have no issues with engine drawing too much.

Mike

[oiltronic]

I've used Axiomatic and Phoenix Contact DC-DC converters.  They're nice, but like everything else off-the-shelf that I could find, will drop out or stop regulating below 6-9V once their internal energy storage is depleted. 

Phoenix also make UPS modules, and even better, capacitor-based Buffer Modules.  These are 24VDC, however.  Maybe something similar exists out there in 12VDC-land.

Related threads:
http://www.plus1forum.danfoss.com/index.php?topic=912
http://www.plus1forum.danfoss.com/index.php?topic=945