Driving down the highway, I remember my Mom typing away on her laptop that was plugged into a power DC-DC converter (that was plugged into the cigarette lighter). Dad would be telling her to put away the computer and enjoy the trip.
Nowadays, I find that I am the one who has the need to be plugged in anywhere. The DC-DC converter works this way (in general terms): the power inverter converts DC power, typically the 12 V kind from a cigarette plug in cars, etc, to 120V available through standard grounded electric plugs found in your house. Now you can plug in computers, TV’s, or if you are camping or going on a picnic, you can plug in a small refrigerator to keep your food and drinks cold.
These are extremely handy pieces of equipment to have. I have one in all of our vehicles because you never know when you might need to plug something in that can only use house current.
At one time when we sold construction software, we would drive out to construction sites that had no electricity. There was a computer loaded in the back of the company van with an inverter in place and demonstrated the value of the software. There are many packages now that can help run any business that is project driven. You can read more about that at projectschedulingsoftware.org if you are interested.
Anyway, the thing that you should know about DC-DC converter is that they are convenient to have available in your car. They allow you to run different type of equipment off of the 12V power supply that is the standard in your car. There are different models which provide higher wattage that is needed for some of the appliances you might want to use, like a TV that is not factory installed. So relax, there are tools which will allow you to vacation or picnic or just plain travel with all of the electronic gadgetry that you are used to having available for your use. Enjoy the ride!
