12v to 240v Inverter
Submitted: Saturday, Apr 02, 2011 at 12:08
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Member - Paul B (WA)
I've been using a 300w Dick Smith inverter to charge the battery on my laptop whilst I use OziExplorer in the car for some years, but now the fan in the inverter has stopped working (probably due to the fact that the poor old thing has just been chucked under the drivers
seat and treated to blind indifference for years!) so the rest of it will probably also stop working soon.
The question is what do I replace it with? Are those little 150w drink holder ones up to recharging the computer? The Dell black box on the 240v lead for the computer says "90W output adapter. Input 100-240v-1.5A. Output DC 19.5v 4.62A".
I quite like the idea of the smaller inverter to keep it out of the dirt under the
seat.
I also hate the fact the 300w one squeals like a stuck pig every time the motor stops. Are the 150w ones just as bad?
What do other people use to power their laptops in their 4WD's?
Grateful your wise counsel.
Paul B Kalgoorlie
Reply By: Bonz (Vic) - Saturday, Apr 02, 2011 at 12:52
Saturday, Apr 02, 2011 at 12:52
The 300w squeal is about the input voltage I thionk. My old one used to do that.
The 90w output for the Dell charger should be multiplied up a bit to allow for losses int he thing but 150 should do it fine. I had a can inverter for a while (till it died for some reason) and it charged the lappy fine.
All the best
Bonz
p.s. I like your tag line, go I also!
AnswerID:
450071
Follow Up By: carlsp - Sunday, Apr 03, 2011 at 07:13
Sunday, Apr 03, 2011 at 07:13
Bonz is on the right track. It squeals because it cannot get enough power coming in. Usually the wires are too thin. Not necessarily on the inverter itself but coming from the car/ truck. Run a thicker wire directly to the battery and you should have not trouble.
Why not just get a small computer fan from Jaycar and put it in. About $30.
FollowupID:
722596
Reply By: Wilko (Parkes NSW) - Saturday, Apr 02, 2011 at 13:11
Saturday, Apr 02, 2011 at 13:11
Hi Paul,
I use a weaco 100w cup charger to charge my laptop, camera ect. It has done it for the last 3 years and going strong. ive seen them for sale for $50 as
well
Cheers Wilko
AnswerID:
450072
Reply By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Saturday, Apr 02, 2011 at 13:55
Saturday, Apr 02, 2011 at 13:55
Hi Paul, if your only need for the 240V AC supply is to charge your laptop then you may prefer to use a 12/19.5 volt dc converter such as
this one from Jaycar (and there are others).
More compact, cheaper and convenient, and some will propound, more efficient.
AnswerID:
450076
Follow Up By: Member - Paul B (WA) - Saturday, Apr 02, 2011 at 14:37
Saturday, Apr 02, 2011 at 14:37
Thanks Al this is even better than beer in cans! Brilliant! just what I need. I've always been a bit terrified of getting electrocuted by having 240v power which I don't want for anything else so this solves a couple of probs.
Cheers, Paul B
FollowupID:
722541
Follow Up By: Member - John and Val - Saturday, Apr 02, 2011 at 15:20
Saturday, Apr 02, 2011 at 15:20
Agree with Allan. We run all our gear - laptops, lights, battery chargers, etc off 12V. Has worked fine for years that way. Have a look at our Electricity for Camping blog
here
Cheers,
Val
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FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Heather G (NSW) - Saturday, Apr 02, 2011 at 21:46
Saturday, Apr 02, 2011 at 21:46
Hi Paul,
I agree with Allan and have used one of those with my laptop for the past three years ... whenever we are travelling with the caravan, even when we are staying powered in a park. It is much more efficient than using an inverter.
We also run our lights, TV, set top box and battery chargers off 12v like Val and
John and it works
well for us.
Regards,
Heather
FollowupID:
722579
Reply By: Member - Bruce C (NSW) - Saturday, Apr 02, 2011 at 14:36
Saturday, Apr 02, 2011 at 14:36
Hi Paul,
I purchased a Projecta Lap Top Power Adaptor from Repco about 18 months ago.
It plugs into the cigarette lighter socket and has several user selectable voltage settings up to about 24 volts. Settings are via a little switch on the underside.
No 240 volts to worry about and no problems should an accident occur.
I have not used it as yet but perhaps someone here has one and can tell you more.
Cost was about $40 if I remember correctly and is a neat package about 75 wide, 160 long and 30 deep.
Cheers, Bruce.
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Follow Up By: Allan B (Sunshine Coast) - Saturday, Apr 02, 2011 at 17:40
Saturday, Apr 02, 2011 at 17:40
Bruce, at 3.5 Amp output it does not meet Paul's requirement of 4.62 Amps.
FollowupID:
722560
Follow Up By: Member - Bruce C (NSW) - Sunday, Apr 03, 2011 at 08:01
Sunday, Apr 03, 2011 at 08:01
Your right again Allan. Just as
well someone is on the ball.
Now I have to
check whether it is big enough for my laptop.
Well spotted.
Cheers, Bruce.
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Follow Up By: Member - Bruce C (NSW) - Sunday, Apr 03, 2011 at 08:19
Sunday, Apr 03, 2011 at 08:19
I just scrape in at 3.24 amps for the laptop so I might get the one you suggested Allan. It will give me a bit in reserve.
Cheers, Bruce.
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Reply By: Member - The Bushwhackers -NSW - Saturday, Apr 02, 2011 at 14:41
Saturday, Apr 02, 2011 at 14:41
G'day Paul
I went through a number of options when I put Ozi on my new laptop, but decided that a cigarette lighter/car charger would do the job just fine.
Went on eBay, typed in the brand of laptop, and put 'car charger' next to it, and up it popped.... $19 plus postage from Oz.
Works
well for me.
Cheers, Dave
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - Paul B (WA) - Saturday, Apr 02, 2011 at 16:18
Saturday, Apr 02, 2011 at 16:18
Ok thanks very much everyone. Once again the ExplorOz
forum comes to the party.
Dick Smith had what I needed, although it appears Repco had it cheaper, had I gone there! Repco always seems to be a good source of great value but good quality auto bits. I've often bought cheap stuff there that has given long service, unlike other discount auto houses.
Got a big long weekend trip coming up over Easter/Anzac weekend into the
Great Victoria Desert, so good to know my power supply to the lappy is likely to be reliable for OziExplorer.
Thanks once again everyone.
Paul B
AnswerID:
450093
Follow Up By: Member - Andrew (QLD) - Saturday, Apr 02, 2011 at 16:51
Saturday, Apr 02, 2011 at 16:51
Bit late now, however i would have grabbed the genuine Dell 12v auto air adapter which fixes any issues with "will it work?" :) Plugs into either 12v or 240v on the same power pack.
Good to see you had a win.
Andrew
FollowupID:
722556
Follow Up By: Member - Pedro the One (QLD) - Saturday, Apr 02, 2011 at 17:53
Saturday, Apr 02, 2011 at 17:53
Hi Paul .......
Same for me, I only use the 12v connection for my laptop ..... and for everything else - I have heaps of gadgets !!!
A word of wisdom/advice ..... ALWAYS carry a spare !!! eBay is a great and inexpensive source for all this stuff. These items usually have a fuse internally, but a coupla fuses, and a spare plug, are very useful
FollowupID:
722561
Reply By: Rangiephil - Saturday, Apr 02, 2011 at 17:16
Saturday, Apr 02, 2011 at 17:16
Just be careful to buy a Projecta with a much higher output than the charger that comes with your laptop.
I bought one with the same amp output as my laptop charger and it caught fire first time I used it and damaged the power supply of my NEC laptop, and now its a lottery whether it takes one press to start or 100, so it has to be relegated to
home duties.
Could have just been a faulty one but my point is that a failure may not be confined to the charger alone.
I now use a pure sine wave 300W inverter and the standard charger.
Regards Philip A
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Ray - Sunday, Apr 03, 2011 at 08:54
Sunday, Apr 03, 2011 at 08:54
You could go back to Dick Smith and talk to the "TECHSPERTS"
AnswerID:
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