Anyone running a minipc on 12v?

[dave033]

I'm approaching the end of my self build camper and I have been pondering what I can have in there to provide entertainment.
I'm a software tester and will be spending a lot of time in my van (instead of hotels/b&bs for work)

So it's only natural that to keep myself occupied I build a Van monitoring and entertainment system.

Anyone running anything like that?
I'm thinking it needs to be more powerful that a raspberry pi, I have a few of them and know my use cases will require more power.
Likewise mini ITX might be too physically big (I have 1 of these)

My use case

• 12v - native if possible, prefer not to use my inverter (24/7 uptime)
• Linux based
• homeassistant - monitoring and controlling parts of my van (wled, esphome, cameras, odb, sensors, switches)
• jellyfin/plex (arr stack) - media server (local files)
• dvb-t - USB stick for watching live Digital TV
• Game emulation (retro consoles <=wii , not the latest or greatest)
• Browser (youtube/twitch, general browsing)
• Photo editing (darktable, lightroom or similar)
• Docker - lots of these I like to mess about
• Vscode

Would love to see your setups and how well it performs

 

[JOG]

The 24/7 uptime requirement is the killer - need a hot swap (or failover) battery solution

 

[dave033]

The 24/7 uptime requirement is the killer - need a hot swap (or failover) battery solution

It's not a hard requirement. It was more to emphasise the fact i did not want to use the inverter.
If it somehow kills itself (low battery or glitch) I can just pop out and restart it.

 

[Dellmassive]

Sounds like a great project.....

You're going to need a decent, leisure battery to run it all.

RPI is great, I've fin one in the van before you get the Victron integration.... But have now swapped that out for the Victron cerbo unit.

I now have a laptop on the van... Which runs usbc... 60w-100w.

So you're be looking at a small/mini PC that had ucbs for charging... And run out of that.

I have various usb chargers in the van...hidden and in on the bulkhead.

I have built in WiFi using a mini 5g ruter above the cab roof pocket.

WiFi Ring doorbell cameras.
WiFi smoke and co2 alarms.
Ruuvi temp trackers
Bluetooth led lights
Etc etc

But not all integrated into home assistant.

...




....

..

 

[Dellmassive]

More info . . . Dellmassive’s "How I Done It" blogs.

 

[dave033]

More info . . . Dellmassive’s "How I Done It" blogs.

Thanks for the info ill have a read through your blogs today on my way down to Cornwall when I'm allowed to be a passenger.