Connecting an Arduino + Other Components Into A Bus

Other Hardware General Electronics
1

Hey everybody,
I hope im posting this in the right place.. I have an arduino and a few other electronic components that require 12v and all need to be placed inside a transport bus . I looked all around the bus but i couldnt find a 12v supply.. although i did find a pair of wires that give around 40v of supply . Now I need a voltage regulator to bring this voltage down from 40v to 12v so i can connect the arduino and other electrical components into the bus.. Any suggestions on what i can use? i was looking at the 7812 but i think its max input voltage is 35v so I'm assuming if i connect it to the bus which provides 40v it might burn not..
Really hope someone could help..Thank you..

2

prashanth:
inside a transport bus

What exactly is a "transport bus"? I mean, I figure it is some kind of a vehicle...

prashanth:
I looked all around the bus but i couldnt find a 12v supply.. although i did find a pair of wires that give around 40v of supply .

I'm not an expert on this, but it would be very odd to see this; most vehicles have either a 12 volt or 24 volt supply - but I would imagine it might be possible for a 48 volt supply to exist (in which case, somewhere along the line 8 volts is being dropped in resistance, perhaps).

I would first find out how this "bus" is wired electrically - from the manufacturer or otherwise, if possible. Heck, take it to a mechanic or other "transport" repair service place, and have them show you how the batteries are tied into the system. I would be willing to bet that if this vehicle has multiple batteries, and is a 48 volt system, it either uses four 12 volt batteries in series, or two 24 volt batteries in series. Likely, it has taps of 12 volts or 24 volts (depending on which setup it uses) that go to the fusebox, and likely elsewhere on the system.

A good place to find that lower voltage would be wherever there is a radio (not always, though).

3

cr0sh:
What exactly is a "transport bus"? I mean, I figure it is some kind of a vehicle...

A spaceship.

4

thanks for all your replies :slight_smile: ..
lol..its not a spaceship :stuck_out_tongue: .. its a bus for public transport.. like a Volvo .. I figured it would easier for me to bring down the voltage using a voltage regulator than trying to contact the manufacturer and get details about the bus..