Powering a lap top in the 4x4

the shmbo,s at work use the same for theirs

Thanks Sam & Davoe for your valued response......more thinking to be done I guess.
Cya
Roachie

What model Pentax have you got ?

Sam,
Sorry, I forgot to respond to your question earlier....
It's a small "30" something or other (it's in the bedroom at the moment where SWMBO is sleeping and I dare not go in except when it's time to hit the hay). I bought it a couple of months ago from Big W at Gawler for $198-. Great camera (I think), but I'm still trying to work out how to use it properly.......Annette reckons I shouldn't buy new fangled toys, cos I can never work out how to use them and then have to come on here and ask a whole bunch of dumb questions....LOLOL eg: we've got a Sony video camera in the cupboard....it's taken about 1 hour of video during it's approximate 6 years life span......something on the screen keeps blinking at us, then it dies. Battery was always flat whenever i went to use it (like about 6 months between attempts....hahaha)......if it ain't a 4 wheel drive, I probably can't drive it!!!!

Cheers mate, I'll check out the Kerio.....
Cheerio
Roachie

Yes Roachie,

I would recommend the Kerio adapter as well.

Ring Dick Smith's and quote the model number of your new laptop and they should be able to confirm if one of the Kerio models is suitable.

The beaut thing about them is compactness. They are not much bigger than a cigarette packet.

From memory the price was $168.

Some people will try to talk you into buying an inverter for about the same price, but with the inverter and laptop power adapter all plugged in you will have a shyte load of boxes and cables floating around your vehicle.

Roachie,
Jaycar sell a unit that will do 12 - 19 Volt for $87. Just need to check on the exact draw of your laptop when it arrives. I know some IBM's use 21 volt so wait till you get the unit then buy a charger to suit. Otherwise go for pure sine inverter. Thought you had an inverter already on the cargo barrier?
Rolande

Thanks Clive,
The oziexplorer and DVDs for the kids is the reason I'm asking too.
Thanks for your input...much appreciated.
Roachie

G'day John,
Thanks for that mate. I'm in a quandry now/still. I've always preferred to run everything off 12v but if I use an inverter then I'll have a means of re-charging the AA batteries for my digital camera too....mmmmmm
As for Robe; still don't think we'll be there at this stage....things at work have gone a bit pear-shaped and it's not easy to justify leaving early on friday arvo for a while (staff issues etc). But we'll see what the week brings?? Haven't made a booking at the c'van park yet either so if we do go, we might have to camp out of town somewhere.
Cya mate
Roachie

Me again Roachie,

You can also buy a battery charger from Dick Smith's that charge both AA or AAA batteries. (maximum of 4 at a time)
The brand they sell is Digitor. I think the charger comes with 4 AA Nickel Metal Hydride batteries, rated at about 2000mA.

You will never need to buy throw-away batteries again.

Gee, it appears I'm giving a sales pitch for Tricky Dicky's doesn't it.

Roachie,

That is the reason exactly we have the inverter. I can charge everything off 240v or the 13.8v (12volt nominal) car charging. The laptop powerpack loves 110 to 240 so the inverter, my camera and phone charger 240v too and the CDMA loves 12v, as does the charger for the hand held UHF. You will also probably want DVDs too - oh, only for the kids, on 12v.

I have the inerter wired into a relay but switched onto the accessories switch which is a mistake as it needs to have a break of 5-6 seconds between switch off - switch on again for the digital electronics to take a break and restart. It is actually parked inside the back of the armrest behind the bin and held there with cable ties.

You should be able to work out your requirements and target that. I reckon just get the Kerio when you need it.

Forgot to mention the Digitor charger can also run from the cigarette lighter socket. Just need to buy a cable with ciggy plug one end and a plug at the other end that suits the charger's power socket.

Still all 12 volts Roachie.

If you get the digitor charger and are unable to buy this power cable ex stock, give me a member message mate and I'll make one up for you.

Thanks fellas,
I do already have a small AA come AAA charger, but only have 2 AA batteries for it at this stage.
I'm leaning towards the inverter at this stage and will simply have to manage the cable untidyness issue.
Anyway, better POQ now as I've gotta go and see Pesty (his grandson's 3rd birthday party).....an hour away...

Cheers and thanks

Jeez mate, If you've got young Willie using it, maybe I'll be in with a chance....he and I are almost the same vintage!!!
Thanks for that....could be the way to go, but the idea of an inverter for charging up other batteries could be good too....
decisions, decisions.......hahaha
Cya mate

You are correct about the battery charging thing, if that is what you need then get an inverter also.

And consider using the Kerio for the lap top as it saves heaps of cables and plugs on the floor etc.
Stick the inverter up on the cargo barrier or some such similar place out of the way for the odd 240 volt use. Battery charging etc.

Hey Roachie........Methinks you have a bit of catching up to do with 'young' Willie.......You should have superior brainpower being so much younger but by all accounts there seems to be some grey matter missing...............

However..........Yes young John did put me on to the Kerio which works a treat. I also have a Pure Sinewave 150watt inverter which I have located under the armrest of the GQ. Have hardwired all to the aux battery....geez it looks like an electricians convention under the bonnet of the truck...wires running everywhere.........hahahahaha

Thanks Steve,
Both systems have their merits and detractions......nice to be able to charge batteries etc, so long as the truck doesn't turn into a cable battle-ground...LOLOL
Cya mate

Thanks Jim,
Starting to think I may need to get both an inverter and one of these Kerio units....LOLOL
Cya mate

G'day Des,
I think the pure sine wave would be the safest option if I go down the inverter path.....just gotta work it all out in my small pootrol mind now...hahaha
Cya mate

Thanks Froilan
I'm off to check out that website now......
Cheers,
Roachie

Andrew,

I'm with you - without doing the electrical mathematics, can tell you that my laptop will run off 12 V with my engine off - if I run it through an inverter, I need the engine running.

Without starting WW3:

-I agree inverters are good for flexibility
-I'm not suggesting that a laptop can't be run off an inverter while the engine isn't running

I AM saying though - in my case, the inverter (150W) draws more power than I can give it with the engine off - to me the 12 v solution is more efficient if you need/want to run the laptop while the engine is off (preparing routes etc)

G'day Andrew & Ivan,
Thanks for your valued input......I've got a lot of homework to do now, but at least i know there is a 12v option available....
Cheers,
Roachie

Exactly, with that and the similar Targus offering I don't quite understand what all this inverter/Kerio lark is about. Battery chargers coming with a 12v adapter are also common, so what's the problem with running everything simply off the various cigarette lighter sockets in all modern 4wds? Mine has four of them, and there are doublers at any Tandy/DSE.
Then again, I know nothing about electrics...

Mungo, the problem is that laptop computers seldom run on 12v. Mine requires 15V, others need 19V or some other voltage above 12V.
So, its no good trying to plug these into a cig lighter socked - won't work.

The gadgets mentioned above convert the car's 12V to the voltage the computer needs.

The straight DC to DC converter (Keirio or others) is one neat solution,
its only useful for the computer though.
The inverter is another solution. This gadget converts 12V DC to 240V AC, at a rated max. wattage. The laptop's own plugpack then connets to this 240V output, just like at home. Its more versatile as the inverter could be used to power other 240V gadgets as well ( I use mine to run the coffee grinder :-)
But, its a double conversion, 12 > 240 (inverter) and 240 > 15 whatever (plugpack), and this could be less efficient if the wrong size inverter is used.
Inverters are most efficient if run close to their maximum wattage rating.

Some people worry that the cheaper, non pure sine wave, inverters would harm the laptop.
The laptop NEVER see's the inverters output!
The only part that "could" take harm is the laptop's plug pack, when fed by the modified sine wave of a cheap inverter. In my case there was nothing to worry about.

Somebody also said that the inverter would not start up (without the engine running) when the computer is connected. I suggest that the wiring to it is checked and perhaps increased in gauge. Most inverters auto shut down when the input voltage is too low. For example, my little 150W inverter runs the coffee grinder when it is connected directly to the battery, it will not start up with that load when connected to the 12v low voltage socket at the back of the car. One of these days I'll fix this....
Klaus

Wolfie, I hope you have you coffee ready, will take the frother ready for my hot chocolate............ gas powered of course. Perhaps you won't show at Robe.

Hi Roachie

I purchased a Dell laptop a few months ago & also bought their Auto-Air Power Adapter. I looked into this matter before buying - I already had a cheap 150w inverter but was strongly advised not to use it with the laptop - especially as I got an extended warranty & didn't want any problem with warranty. If I am using their auto adapter they cannot argue.

I didn't want to run an inverter whilst travelling so my system runs really well. I also run a GPS on 12 v & this is hooked to the laptop - I use a double adaptor on the cigarette lighter. Not sorry I went the way I did.

Willy