OT(ish): Powering a Laptop

Not good.

There can be very nasty transients on it.

No, you can't use transformers for DC !

You can get laptop in-car PSUs from Maplin

It might be, you need to look at the spec of the laptop.

Car electrical systems are noisy and very variable.

Transformers don't work on DC...

I think your best bet would be a small invertor to generate "mains" and use that to power the normal laptop PSU.

Alternatively use an simple inverter (Maplins have several) and use it to power your normal mains adaptor. This is potentially more flexible than the dedicated laptop PSU as it can also power other mains apparatus.

STOP!

go to Maplins, they do a nice car laptop adapter, kicks out the right voltage and ampage. We run out Acer 270 Travel mate on it no problem.

I lied...we blew a fuse trying to run too much off the ciggy socket. Fitted an Additional socket for the Kids in the back and been fine since.

The DVD player, surround system, x box, food blender , coffee maker, night light, microwvae and Plug in air freshner may have been asking a bit much ;0)

Lee D

Yes. Go and buy a small inverter to power the mains adaptor. It solves all your problems and also prevents nasty spikes from your car electrical system killing the laptop internal PSU.

Alex

In news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com, MVP blithered:

Think the answer to all your questions is unfortunately no.

It is unlikely to be happy with a mere 14V if it is anticipating 19. You can't 'transform' DC, only AC. For DC you need and invertor, I don't see why such a beast shouldn't do 14 up to

As to your last statement, you post in alt.fan.landrovers and you need to ask?

Cheers fellas, Maplin it is then :oD

-- Mark.

................................................................ Posted via TITANnews - Uncensored Newsgroups Access >>>> at

On or around Thu, 22 Sep 2005 19:42:02 +0100, "Lee_D" enlightened us thusly:

fuse that feeds the faglightersocket in Edward keeps blowing, I reckon metallic stuff creeps up behind the socket in the dash tray and shorts it out, but I've never caught it in the act.

Well, actually this is not entirely true. You can buy what is called DC-DC converters That will do exactly that. We have some mobile robots running on 12V equipped with such converters that do produce 24V (out of the 12V) to power fairly power hungry equipment (big laser range scanners).

And this is probably what the maplin device uses.

Hope this helps.

Fred

Which is precisely what I said!!!

Apologies, I thought that by "invertor" you meant transforming DC to AC.

Fred

Actually, I said it, in Mark's context of seeking a transformer of a specific ratio to go from 12V to 19V DC.....

Steve