charging laptop batteries

What about one of those can invertors? Plug into your power socket, then the 240v on the lappy transformer into the invertor. Power the lappy off it's battery as designed, little chance of damage there.

I purchased a cig. lighter adaptor from Jaycar ($35)- for just that job !!

Hi Questoz

the can convertors will do the job quite well.
But this will depend on the laptop size as some of the power supplies do draw the rated capacity of the cans.
There is another option available that is a specific laptop charger designed to operate from a ciggy socket. It is able to be set up with the specific charging voltage and has the different plugs to fit each laptop.
Available for Jaycar if I recall.

I have a smaller EE Book laptop I use and it has a very small charging requirement
So I use the can Inverter.

Regards

Geoff

Hi Questoz

Jaycar have just what your looking for ,multi plug,multi volt unit that pugs into your cigaret lighter. About 30 bucks.

cheers
Ed

Questoz - I got my 19V Toshiba car adaptor for my laptop off eBay, for $18 delivered. It works just fine.
I've got little doubt it's the same unit as the shops sell for $30, and I didn't have to drive anywhere to get it!

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/320656226440

Cheers - Ron.

Yep - as said, the thing of it is that your Laptop is probably running on 19V DC - why run the car's 12V up to 240V via an inverter ($$) and then back down again through your laptop's charger ? The DC to DC chargers at Dick Smiths and Jaycar etc. are great, in that you can dial a variety of output voltages (may suit other appliances you have) ......and they have various end plugs that can be used to suit various jack sizes (again, may suit other appliances you have) - a great solution IMV.

Any cheap can inverter is only a modified square wave and many laptops DO NOT start up from this non sine wave, although some do.
If it doesn't it will most likely burn out the laptop power supply as it will be in a state of full on switching one way and can't detect the opposite sine signal to begin running.
Found this on my Toshiba, no go on modified square wave and runs perfectly on full sine wave.

Best/economical use of your 12vdc supply is to use a 12vdc to 19v, or whatever voltage it needs, from jaycar as already mentioned. Small, efficient, once only, power stepup to required voltage dc.

If getting solar:
The power from solar panels would still have to be regulated at the correct Laptop voltage. Better to use some solar to supply a regulated voltage charge to the car batteries.

Hi Questoz,

This is the one I use and it works wel in the van and car.
Can be used for many other tasks as well.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/12V-NOTEBOOK-LAPTOP-POWER-SUPPLY-CHARGER-CAR-/400142546607?pt=AU_Laptop_Accessories&hash=item5d2a5ab6af

Cheers, Bruce.

Thanks to all of you for your quick responses and the very helpful suggestions. Obviously the first thing to do for my husband is a trip to Jaycar.
Cheers.

Questoz,

Purchased a Dell 12v socket adaptor with the laptop when I bought it.
Now has about 100,000KM of use without a fault.