Laptop power - 12 volt adapter
Submitted: Friday, Jan 28, 2005 at 02:51
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Muddy 'doe (SA)
One for you electronic gurus,
Just bought a Sony Vaio B series laptop computer.
Also bought a Targus 12 volt adapter to be able to run it in the 4by. $160.
Plugged it all up to 12 volt with the right tip and all and it won't go. Computer does not recognise it as an AC power source. Tried it in a Toshiba laptop and it worked just fine.
The output of the adapter says 16 to 24 volts and up to 70 watts. The input to the Sony laptop says 16 volts and 4 amps but does not specify a wattage.
I seem to remember that you get watts by multiplying the volts by the amps or something similar. If this is correct then the computer wants 64 watts which is nearing the capacity of this adapter. Maybe the adapter is not big enough to run the computer. Am I right in thinking this???
Annoying when the salesman says "This is the product you need Sir" and you get it
home to find it won't go.
If anyone can recommend any alternative products for powering the laptop in the 4by I am all ears. How much less efficient is it to run a small (say 150w) PSW inverter instead? Is that all the power supply is anyway?
Cheers
Muddy
Reply By: Member - Sand Man (SA) - Friday, Jan 28, 2005 at 04:21
Friday, Jan 28, 2005 at 04:21
Hi Muddy,
Your calculations are correct. I think you may be right re the capacity reaching the upper limits of the adaptor output.
I'm not familiar with the Targus adapter but suggest you try contacting Dick Smith's and enquire whether a Kerio Adaptor may be suitable. (They may be available elsewhere as
well.)
The Kerio packaging lists the brands/models of computers supported by the particular unit (I think there is more than one).
The adaptor is a good idea as they are compact.
Your only other choice is an Inverter but the size of this unit, plus the normal Laptop power supply makes for a bulky and messy solution, compared to the Kerio (or equivalent)
Hope this is of assistance to you mate.
AnswerID:
95304
Reply By: Member - Melissa - Friday, Jan 28, 2005 at 09:28
Friday, Jan 28, 2005 at 09:28
Hi Muddy,
We went the Kerio adaptor route to run our old Digital laptop and it worked fine. Then we replaced the Digital with a new NEC Versa and found the Kerio won't run it. We're a bit sick of buying 12V adaptors to suit every individual bit of electronic gadgetry that we can't seem to do without these days so we bit the bullet and bought a 300W modified sine wave invertor from Dick Smith. Cost about $125 I recall. Anyway, it not only runs the laptop, we now also use it to recharge mobile phone and digital camera so its versatile. Incidently, we just bought a "lesser" laptop (an Acer, $1269 from BigW. Boy have laptops come down in price!) to take away with us rather than the "good" laptop and whilst the Kerio adaptor will run the Acer, we'll stick with using the invertor.
If it was me, I'd take your Targos adaptor back to the
shop on the basis that it doesn't do what the salesman assured you it would and spend your money on an invertor instead. Hope this hopes.
:o) Melissa
AnswerID:
95328