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About Dave Nyce
Expertise
I have been an electronics engineer for 25 years. I can answer questions on analog and digital circuits and my specialty is sensors.

Experience
I am the inventor on 23 US patents, and also some foreign ones. Developed sensors for over 25 years. Licensed private pilot (airplane and rotorcraft), have HAM radio license. I'm not an expert in computer networking.
 
   

You are here:  Experts > Computing/Technology > Job Searching: Technical > Electrical Engineering > Alternators

Electrical Engineering - Alternators


Expert: Dave Nyce - 10/6/2009

Question
Hi, my friend and I are building a boat and we have electrical things aboard, if we put an alternator on it for the power do we need a converter? And could the alternator supply enough power for say a computer? thanks,    Morgan

Answer
You would probably use the alternator (and a voltage regulator) to charge a 12V battery. If you want to operate 120VAC equipment, then you will need an inverter.  An alternator & voltage regulator & battery combination of the type used in a car or motorboat should have no problem driving an inverter to operate a laptop computer.

Hope this helps!

Dave

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