Re: powering an apple by a car battery?

[CUTblakeney@home.com (Jeff Blakeney)]

On 18 Dec 1999 07:51:21 GMT, supertimer@aol.com (Supertimer) wrote:

>This is a little off subject, but as I understand it, the alternator
>in a car that charges the battery is actually an AC generator.
>Although I am sure it is not the type of AC a computer power
>supply designed to plug into a wall outlet expects, it is kind
>of funny that one has to start off with AC, convert to DC, then
>invert to AC again.

A car's alternator does indeed generate AC (alternating current) as
its name implies.  However, it is definitely not generating anywhere
near 110V AC.  Also, there is a rectifier built right onto or into the
alternator to convert the AC to DC before it even leaves the
alternator.

Oh, and using an invertor to create 110V AC from 12V DC also allows
you to use a device even when the car isn't running.  If you were to
somehow get 110V AC from the alternator, you'd have to have the car
running anytime you wanted to get power that way.

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