Travelling With A Laptopp
Submitted: Friday, Apr 30, 2010 at 17:29
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Selina V
Hi again,
Firstly I must say I'm loving this site. Enjoying reading
blogs and all the great stories and information.
As I received so much help with our caravan query I thought I'd ask for help again. Some websites don't help newbies at all but this one is the total opposite. Really looking forward to joining some groups now and maybe meeting some members from the site eventually. Considering the
membership on here.
Anyway, we are on our way to pick up our first ever van. I'm using the laptop atm but its a big beast and my battery is very limited in its use. Before leaving we picked up our side mirrors at Repco and I just bought a Projecta Laptop Power Adaptor. Haven't opened the packet yet and was wondering if anyone has had any experience with them. It's a newish laptop and I dont want to wreck it. Ive checked my DC cord and it says 19v so I gather thats what I set it to. I'd just seen somewhere about it causing the internal battery damage?
Any thoughts? I'll
check back intermittently so I don't run the battery down :)
Reply By: Cruiser 2091 - Friday, Apr 30, 2010 at 17:35
Friday, Apr 30, 2010 at 17:35
I brought a similar gadget from Dick Smith or maybe Jaycar. Anyway it has several connectors and you just use the appropriate one for the make of laptop. Plugging the connector in automatically changes the voltage which is displayed on an LCD screen.
Anyway I have used
mine and no troubles so far.
Regards Cruiser
AnswerID:
414877
Reply By: Member - John and Val - Friday, Apr 30, 2010 at 18:04
Friday, Apr 30, 2010 at 18:04
Selina,
Welcome aboard!
Check the voltage and current specified on the laptop's 240V power supply. You should select that same voltage on the new 12V power adapter and ensure that the new adapter can supply as much current as that specified on the 240V one. I'm not familiar with that particular power pack, but it probably comes with a range of plugs to match different laptops, and these then plug into the power pack. If yours is like that, it is VERY important that the little adapter plugs are connected to the power pack the right way round - they can be reversed deliberately or accidentally. If the original power to the laptop connector had positive in the centre and negative on the outside (or the other way round), then the new one MUST be configured the same way. If in doubt,
check with a meter before plugging into the laptop. And, when you've got it right, suggest mark it, or glue permanently together.
I wouldn't be concerned for the battery (or the laptop) provided you set the adapter to the right voltage and make that connection the right way round.
Cheers
John | J and V
"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted."
- Albert Einstein
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AnswerID:
414880
Reply By: Selina V - Friday, Apr 30, 2010 at 19:07
Friday, Apr 30, 2010 at 19:07
Woohooo! I'm travelling along with it working and charging. There is only one way these plugs go in thank goodness. Just a matter of selecting the right one. I set the selector on the 19v and its chugging along charging my "laptopp" just noticed the spelling. Can't control the bumps lol. The biggest problem we had was fitting it into the cigarette lighter! The connector parts wouldnt retract properly. I guess though its not going to fall out in a hurry.
So cooking with gas! And not long to spend the first night ever in our own van. About 3 hours to go of driving.....
AnswerID:
414888
Reply By: Selina V - Friday, Apr 30, 2010 at 19:40
Friday, Apr 30, 2010 at 19:40
Woohooo! I'm travelling along with it working and charging. There is only one way these plugs go in thank goodness. Just a matter of selecting the right one. I set the selector on the 19v and its chugging along charging my "laptopp" just noticed the spelling. Can't control the bumps lol. The biggest problem we had was fitting it into the cigarette lighter! The connector parts wouldnt retract properly. I guess though its not going to fall out in a hurry.
So cooking with gas! And not long to spend the first night ever in our own van. About 3 hours to go of driving.....
AnswerID:
414892
Follow Up By: Selina V - Friday, Apr 30, 2010 at 19:53
Friday, Apr 30, 2010 at 19:53
Woops...mobile internet issues too.....shouldn't hit Resend the Information LOL
FollowupID:
685084
Reply By: Rangiephil - Friday, Apr 30, 2010 at 19:57
Friday, Apr 30, 2010 at 19:57
Be careful.
I bought a 3500Ma Projecta charger for my NEC laptop which has a 3500Ma charger.
On about the second use the Projecta blew up and damaged the power supply of my NEC.
I now use a Jaycar 300W pure sine wave inverter to power the genuine charger of the HP that I had to buy to replace it..
A bit more hassle but greater peace of mind.
Apparently Projecta Mas are not as big as NEC Mas.
Regards Philip A
AnswerID:
414897
Reply By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Friday, Apr 30, 2010 at 20:31
Friday, Apr 30, 2010 at 20:31
A 6000ma Projecta will provide enough power for most laptops
As you found out a 3500ma one wont
My advice is get the higher capacity one, the smaller one provides enough power to start the machine but not enough to allow it do do very much without stressing the power supply.
If you are worried about the battery take it out most will run on just external power
I have been running
mine for the last 12 months on a 6000ma one with no worries.
AnswerID:
414899
Reply By: Selina V - Friday, Apr 30, 2010 at 20:48
Friday, Apr 30, 2010 at 20:48
I bought the 6000ma. The 3500 said it only charged from 22v onwards. Its charged fine but upon stopping for fuel I noticed a high pitched whine coming from it so I unplugged. Its also gotten rather hot..the charger I mean. It was charging for about 2 hours so Im hoping that is normal? I did see the
inverters next to the chargers but don't fully understand how they work.
AnswerID:
414904
Follow Up By: V8 Troopie - Saturday, May 01, 2010 at 01:18
Saturday, May 01, 2010 at 01:18
Regarding
inverters, they convert the cars 12V DC to 240V AC and you can then use the original power pack that came with the laptop plugged into that.
FollowupID:
685124
Follow Up By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Saturday, May 01, 2010 at 08:32
Saturday, May 01, 2010 at 08:32
The Projecta will get hot to touch.
Still should be OK
Mine doent make any noticeable noise and its plugged in permanently in the car.
I wouldnt have an inverter in a vehicle as having 240 volts floating around in there is not my idea of safe travelling
It probably wont happen but imagine an accident and having the car alive with 240 volts and no one can get you out.
Highly unlikely but not impossible
Or spilling a drink on it!!!!
FollowupID:
685131