Running Lap Top from car.

[JEB]

Hi,

I have been searching, unsuccessfully, for a post from about 3 months ago in which somebody mentioned adaptors to allow a laptop to be run from a car cigarette lighter.

Can somebody point me in the right direction please?

Thanks in anticipation!

John

[Ken Cox]

JEB

from google

http://computeraccessories.suite101.com/ar...laptop_in_a_car

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.3438

http://www.rd.com/familyhandyman/content/17620/

http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=RU...GHTER&meta=

but best to check with the mfg of your laotop - they may have one

ken

[Guest Yachtsman1]

In the UK you may be better off buying a 12vdc to 240ac inverter. Sine wave best.

Yachtsman1

[JEB]

Thanks Ken but Yachtsman1 has put me on the right track. I was not able to trace this on the Forum but after a search for "invertor" on the WWW I found on Maplin's web site what definitely appeared some months ago here, together with a picture, the following.

175W Micro Invertor

* Provides AC 230V mains from your DC 12V cigarette lighter socket

* Maximum of 175 watts of power for 5 minutes and 140 watts of power continuously, with 280 watts surge capacity

* Angle adjustable DC lighter plug for versatility - compact size makes it easy to store in the glove box

Only £29.99

I don't know about these things but I think I recall from that discussion that 140 watts is sufficient for a lap top. Any advice on this would be appreciated. I don't intend running an electric fire through it!!

Regards

John

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Thanks Ken but Yachtsman1 has put me on the right track. I was not able to trace this on the Forum but after a search for "invertor" on the WWW I found on Maplin's web site what definitely appeared some months ago here, together with a picture, the following.

175W Micro Invertor

* Provides AC 230V mains from your DC 12V cigarette lighter socket

* Maximum of 175 watts of power for 5 minutes and 140 watts of power continuously, with 280 watts surge capacity

* Angle adjustable DC lighter plug for versatility - compact size makes it easy to store in the glove box

Only £29.99

I don't know about these things but I think I recall from that discussion that 140 watts is sufficient for a lap top. Any advice on this would be appreciated. I don't intend running an electric fire through it!!

Regards

John

Hi John

Be careful there are lots of cheepos out there, sine wave inverters for a laptop usually are over £200, take a look at http://www.amperordirect.co.uk/products/30...ve_Inverter.asp

Remember V=I over R, check your laptops mains power supply then check with Maplins that their item is suitable, at that price I doubt it.

I have a 5amp non sine wave inverter I used to charge a camera battery when in the USA and it nearly cooked when I tried it on a laptop on the boats 12v supply.

Yachtsman1

[Conflow]

John and Yachtsman,

Yachtsman is quite right ~ selection of the wrong Unit can damage your PC

by shorting out its AC Power Supply with an over-powerful Inverter.

A 175.watt Inverter is way too powerful and will cause 'overheating' of the

(special) PC Mains Adapter which leads to 'insulation-failure' and then failure

of its internal DC:DC Converter and PPhoof...there goes a Laptop.

Technical

Most Laptops operate at 12~18.Volt DC at 3~4.Amp thats between: 36 to 72 Watts.

A 75.Watt inverter (about 95% efficient) would do the job perfectly provided

it has a 'Pseudo-Sine Wave' 220vAC Output. CHECK THIS IN THE SHOP and

make sure it has an 'internal-fuse'.

If you live in the U.K, Maplin have a few units which may fit the Bill but make sure

it has an EC label and BSI and UR label. These are all 'International Safety Certs.

(Price: Certified Units are quite cheap due to mass demand Production)

Hope this helps....

Brian.Conflow.

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Hi John

Had a quick look at what others are suggesting. These appear to be voltage converters, not inverters. An inverter usually has a 3pin socket, Euro or UK with a 12v cig lighter plug on the other end, you plug your laptops power supply directly into it. The voltage coverters are boosting the 12v car DC supply to match the voltage your laptop needs & does away with the regulated laptop supply & safety. They may be OK to charge laptop batteries but I would want some form of positive gaurantee before I plugged mine into one.

Yachtsman1

[JEB]

Brian, Yachtman1,

Thank you both for your interest and advice.

The picture you attach Brian is the 75W version of the 175W version I was quoting above. In my total ignorance I thought the higher the number the better!!! I think perhaps it was your posting (certainly picture) that I was looking for from an earlier date.

Yachtsman1, I take it you are basically in agreement with Brian as it has a 3 pin plug and I have stated to Maplin what my intended use is.

I have e-mailed Maplin asking them to confirm the requirements identified by Brian and await their response.

Thanks again. I will advise you when I hear from Maplin.

John

[Ken Cox]

JEB

check the maker of the laptop's site to be sure

example

http://en.community.dell.com/forums/t/17170366.aspx

ken

[Guest Yachtsman1]

JEB

check the maker of the laptop's site to be sure

example

http://en.community.dell.com/forums/t/17170366.aspx

ken

I think Dell market a 12v dc powersupply for their range of notebooks, if yours is one of the mainstream manufacturers, you may be able to get one from them.

Regards Yachtsman1.

[Guest Yachtsman1]

JEB

check the maker of the laptop's site to be sure

example

http://en.community.dell.com/forums/t/17170366.aspx

ken

I think Dell market a 12v dc powersupply for their range of notebooks, if yours is one of the mainstream manufacturers, you may be able to get one from them.

Personally, if it replaces your own supplied power unit, I wouldn't touch it, an inverter allows you to convert the 12v dc supply from the car to 240v ac to allow your power supply to plug in to it therefore retaining any warranty issues with your laptop.

Regards Yachtsman1.

[Conflow]

Guys, Guys, Stop !

John is on the right track by contacting Maplin, they do know their Products and we also know those

Products as we use them in our 'Amplifier-Systems' which we manufacture for Irish Railways and I

can tell you that any well known Brand with CE & UL Labels (Underwriter Laboratories) is O.K.

(Here I am refering to 12Vdc to 220Vac Inverters which will energise the PC.Mains Adaptor).

John, a word of caution, do not be tempted to use small DC:DC Converters, which plug directly into

the side of your PC. Such devices that convert one DC voltage into another,example:- 12Vdc to 24Vdc

and visa-versa voltages. The reason being, Car batteries charge at 15Vdc and these minature Converters

have 'lousy' voltage regulation (apologies) whereas your Lithium-Ion Batteries demand extreme voltage

tolerence and 'step-charging' over controlled time periods. Mini-Converters can not do this job and you run

a real risk of exploding the Batteries.

(Sony Corporation 2006/7 had such a problem costing $20 Millions in relacement Battery & Legal costs).

Hope this helps,

Brian.Conflow.

[Ken Cox]

Guys, Guys, Stop ! GO TO MANUFACTURER'S OF LAPTOP SITE

ken

[Guest Yachtsman1]

Guys, Guys, Stop ! GO TO MANUFACTURER'S OF LAPTOP SITE

ken

Absolutely!!!

Yachtsman1

[Conflow]

Now Lads,

Do you not think we at Conflow Services have not already explored the 'Laptop Manufacturers Accessories Lists'??...

Well surprise,surprise, most PC Manufacturers don't make their own 'AC.Laptop Power-Supplies' ...Sub-Contractors

make these things for them. These Manufacturers also work in close co-operation with the PC.Battery Manufacturers.

Most Laptop-Manufacturers will not invest in 'inventory' for DC/AC Inverters for Mobile use because that Market

comes under International ISO Regulations, and National & International Safety Certificates and must be 'Licenced' to

specialiast Power-Product Manufacturers. (Look at the Label on your Laptop Power Supply).These 'Licences' are expensive.

And as far as the 'Laptop-Manufacturer' is concerned its not worth the investment in such a small Market-Sector particularily

when he is going to change his 'Battery-Set' in his next years' New Model....would you if you were a Laptop-Manufacturer ??

With the majority of Mobile Electronic-Devices, its down to the Mobile-User to select a suitable DC/AC Inverter for any Application,

We have been there, done that, and got the Tee-Shirt to prove it!! ~ note the Avitar.

Brian.Conflow

[Ken Cox]

well Brian you can bet your sweet bippy if you cooked a laptop with a 3rd party power supply the mfg'er of the laptop would tell you too bad

ken

[Conflow]

Ken,

I agree with you ~ but then the same could be said for Monitors - Griffin iMics - External Hard-Drives,

Amplifiers - USB Adaptors - Plug-In CD Drives...etc,etc.. It's why we have 'IEC Product Standardisation'

and ISO-Regulations and you "guys" in America & Canada have some of the toughest Safety-Standards

and Product Standards in the World just as we have in Europe.

In this day day and age, I have no sympathy at all for any idiot who goes and buys some 'Non-Approved'

product from 'EBay' or elsewhere ~ but for any intelligent Shopper there are enough 'Consumer-Regulations'

covering these aspects provided a person gets advice on the products suitability for purpose, thats the Law.

Brian.

P.S. Thanks for the Christmas Card, that was a nice one indeed.