Powering a laptop

Submitted: Saturday, May 27, 2006 at 21:54

ThreadID: 34326 Views:1668 Replies:7 FollowUps:2

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drifta

Have done a search on powering laptops and decided to power a laptop I will borrow for my upcoming trip with a dc/dc cable from the cigarette lighter. The battery for the laptop I am borrowing is no good and needs a new one. As it will be just my wife typing a trip journal as we go around can I still power it this way with the stuffed battery. Or does it need a good battery to run it while the cable charges it.

Thanks
Drifta

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Reply By: Willem - Saturday, May 27, 2006 at 22:10

Saturday, May 27, 2006 at 22:10

I have a stuffed battery in my lappy as well. The Kerio DC charger runs it OK but does not charge the battery.

For better power requirements and battery charging I run the lappy from the 150watt Pure Sinewave inverter.

AnswerID: 175112

Reply By: eerfree - Saturday, May 27, 2006 at 22:28

Saturday, May 27, 2006 at 22:28

Drifta
The battery for my lappy sits in the bottom draw of my tool cupboard I only use 240 or 12v (both thru adapters). Works a treat.

eerfree

AnswerID: 175113

Follow Up By: drifta - Sunday, May 28, 2006 at 00:55

Sunday, May 28, 2006 at 00:55

Thanks Willem and eerfree this will save me some dollars much appreciated.
Drifta

FollowupID: 431198

Reply By: Derek from Affordable Batteries & Radiators - Sunday, May 28, 2006 at 09:42

Sunday, May 28, 2006 at 09:42

Hi drifta

Best to get a new battery. You don't want to have to re-type your trip if you loose power.

Laptops are so cheap now it may pay you to buy a laptop instead of the battery.

Power Repackers an also recondition your battery pack for you.

Regards Derek.

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AnswerID: 175140

Follow Up By: Member - Andrew W (SA) - Sunday, May 28, 2006 at 21:56

Sunday, May 28, 2006 at 21:56

Hi there Derek,

Yep - repacking is a great solution and usually cheaper, but some batteries can't be repacked - the packaging is ruined in the process of pulling them apart. Also, some of them have little computer chips in them, which do not take well to the process.

I find that a great crowd to help - even by mail order - for laptop and similar batteries is The Battery Bar in Adelaide Arcade (in Adelaide surprise surprise) - assuming the ever-reliable ABR don't sell the same products ;-)

I run my laptops - and a miriad of other pariphernalia off a 500W Pure Sinewave Inverter that runs off a dual battery system provided by Derek.

Remember to back up your memories regardless - the journal and all those digital photos - onto CD-ROMs regularly - the punishment meted out to 4WDing laptops, can result in their premature demise - unless you want an excuse to do the trip again.

Ciao for now
Andrew.

FollowupID: 431358

Reply By: Alan H (Narangba QLD) - Sunday, May 28, 2006 at 09:48

Sunday, May 28, 2006 at 09:48

If the laptop has no battery and you are going to use the cigarette lighter socket instead of an inverter, make sure the socket has power with the ignition off or sooner or later someone will turn the key and you may lose your work on the laptop.

The dc/dc adapters work but I found cig sockets are not good electrical connections (especially on rough roads) and now use a pure sine wave inverter which I can also use to recharge other things (cameras, video etc)

AnswerID: 175142

Reply By: F4Phantom - Sunday, May 28, 2006 at 12:32

Sunday, May 28, 2006 at 12:32

I have a similar setup tp you and I also have a solution that works for me. My laptop batt is removed compltetly cause its also hammered. I have a installed extra cigarette sockets in the rear of my car where the laptop is. I plug the batt into a socket and this powers up the circuit. Then I can plug in the inverter into the other socket and power the laptop among other things. So when I turn off the car the touch screen in the front is also still on with the laptop (the TC being in the same powered circuit) . Also when I drive the batt charges up so I never have to charge it. all round it's a 'no maintenance' system, gives probably 5 times the batt life of a real lappy battery and cheap to set up. Also the inverter stops power surges from the altinator killing the lappy. I would never run the laptop directly from the car.

AnswerID: 175163