- Joined
- Jan 17, 2004
- Location
- Brooklyn NY
How many watts do Laptops use? Is a 70 watt power inverter good enough? Any specific brand should I be looking for?
-
Welcome to Overclockers Forums! Join us to reply in threads, receive reduced ads, and to customize your site experience!
AC inverters for car use?
- Thread starter phamine
- Start date
- Joined
- Mar 9, 2003
- Location
- Montevideo, Minnesota
That should be plenty, actually I used to use one of these: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/prod...6391&type=19&dept=3944&path=0:3944:3947:96391 for a couple of years. Now I use the big and just made my own connector for it to plug into a powerpoint/lighter plugin. During the summer I run my notebook 24/7 in my work pick-up and have a little extra power in case I want to run something else, like charge up my PDA.
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2004
- Location
- Denver, CO
Depends on what your laptop needs. Mine needs 90w, more than most...
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2004
- Location
- Dallas, Texas
Mine takes 30W, still trying to find one for my needs. Think I will just spend a little money and get a fanless 90w one.
Oh, there is an equation to figure out how many Watts your laptop needs. But, I forgot what it is
I'll go figure it out again.
Oh, there is an equation to figure out how many Watts your laptop needs. But, I forgot what it is
I'll go figure it out again.
XunknownX
Disabled
- Joined
- Jul 12, 2003
- Location
- Palmdale, CA
I've been looking for something to power my bad boy. I know the inspiron xps takes a lot of juice since te battery doesn't last long. Wondering if that device from wal-mart posted above would suffice.
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2004
- Location
- Denver, CO
Mine is a targus, works on an airplane as well. Does up to 90w, more than almost any lappy i've seen...
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2004
- Location
- Dallas, Texas
Unfortunately targus has crappy laptop support, The closest most people are going to get is to mod their own tip for there laptop.
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2003
what do you mean by tip ?
btw saw your sig, dream theater rules
btw saw your sig, dream theater rules
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2004
- Location
- Dallas, Texas
The Targus adapters change their output and output size/polarity though a tip.
And I do believe you are the first person to comment on my quote, I guess I should put a credit line after it. I’ll do it in the morning, parents are bugging me about going to bed.
- Joined
- Mar 9, 2003
- Location
- Montevideo, Minnesota
Bout the only problems with chargers like targus that I've found are:
1. Cost is usualy high
2. If you travel a lot of different places the tips can be hard to replace/find
3. You can only charge or run one device at a time.
I've been using power inverters for about three years now, like I said earlier 24/7 May thru Sept. I run a road construction crew and am on the road for weeks at a time and got tired of trying to find some place get tips or fuses for specialty stuff. With the smaller power inverters, there cheap and still provide good surge protection. I now run a 1400 watt so I can run other things also, since the price was so close and the size isn't much different. Now I just bring my regular AC adapter with and can charge in the motel at night or just leave it running in the pick-up.
Also works great when travelling with the kids, runs two laptops with thier own dvd's and charges the batteries for the gameboy's at the sametime (Think my kids might be spoiled, but they travel quiet ).
1. Cost is usualy high
2. If you travel a lot of different places the tips can be hard to replace/find
3. You can only charge or run one device at a time.
I've been using power inverters for about three years now, like I said earlier 24/7 May thru Sept. I run a road construction crew and am on the road for weeks at a time and got tired of trying to find some place get tips or fuses for specialty stuff. With the smaller power inverters, there cheap and still provide good surge protection. I now run a 1400 watt so I can run other things also, since the price was so close and the size isn't much different. Now I just bring my regular AC adapter with and can charge in the motel at night or just leave it running in the pick-up.
Also works great when travelling with the kids, runs two laptops with thier own dvd's and charges the batteries for the gameboy's at the sametime (Think my kids might be spoiled, but they travel quiet ).
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2004
- Location
- Dallas, Texas
I have traveled quiet for years. Laptops are great, and Gameboys are helpful too! My only problem is that I need to spend the money on a AC inverter, laptop can’t run on battery’s during the 12 strait driving trips my family takes.
FYI: age = 16
FYI: age = 16
- Joined
- Oct 6, 2002
- Location
- Lost in life
XunknownX said:
Im pretty sure your iXPS is like my 9100 and needs 150w.
If you try to use the cigarette lighter with this much of a draw, you'll probably kill the battery in your car before your alternator has the chance to recharge it... either that or you'll continuously burn out the fuse for the lighter.
The best way to go imo is to hardwire an inverter into your car, 6 or 8 gauge line from the unit direct to the battery. It's under $100 for a decent sized one and about an hour to fully install under a seat. This way it is just like having a regular AC wall plug in your car hidden away in the back on under a front seat.
Some cautions - watch the wattage and amperage, don't confuse "surge" wattage with "continuous" wattage. If you hardwire make sure you have an inline fuse close to the battery as an 8 gauge line can do a lot of damage if it overloads. Most of the cheap units are very inefficient, meaning they draw a lot of battery power and put out variable power levels which is bad for your equipment. The more expensive units will draw less power and deliver a "clean and steady" power. An RV/Trailer shop may have what you need, but watch the prices.
- Joined
- Mar 9, 2003
- Location
- Montevideo, Minnesota
Most car cigarette lighters are fused for 30 amps max. Since "PIE" power = current x voltage' that would give you 12x30=360 watts from the lighter before blowing the fuse. I don't believe thy make an alternator under 35amps and most modern systems use 50amp and up alternators. When running my Toshiba with a 600mhz P3 I could leave it run all night without running the battery down, however if I let it run 48 hours without starting the vehicle it woud drain the battery to the point it would'nt start. If you've got 6 or 7 hundred bucks, by all means go to an RV place, but you realy don't need 1.5kw setup to run a laptop and watch dvd's or whatever.
Shoot my dual Xeon only uses a 550watt power supply. That power supply I linked to earlier will run any laptop out there that I've heard of, the Targus type adapters are only rated for 120watts of power.
I'd love to have one of these http://www.campingworld.com/browse/products/index.cfm?deptID=3&subOf=183,55&prodID=4514 but it would realy be overkill.
This is a close match to what I've run for the last two years: http://www.campingworld.com/browse/skus/index.cfm?skunum=26904 I made a connector to plug it into my powerport in my pick-up, it'll run out of juice and shut itself down before it blows the fuse.
Shoot my dual Xeon only uses a 550watt power supply. That power supply I linked to earlier will run any laptop out there that I've heard of, the Targus type adapters are only rated for 120watts of power.
I'd love to have one of these http://www.campingworld.com/browse/products/index.cfm?deptID=3&subOf=183,55&prodID=4514 but it would realy be overkill.
This is a close match to what I've run for the last two years: http://www.campingworld.com/browse/skus/index.cfm?skunum=26904 I made a connector to plug it into my powerport in my pick-up, it'll run out of juice and shut itself down before it blows the fuse.
- Joined
- Oct 6, 2002
- Location
- Lost in life
I was actually refering to XunknownX more than anyone else because of the higher than normal wattage his lappy needs. And I've seen cig lighter fuses pop from something as small as a cell phone charger or a radar detector. IMO for extended use it just isnt worth the risk and I would rather hard wire it than use the plug.
And I never said to go spend several hundred dollars on a inverter. Most of what I said is the same as what you would want in a desktop psu. Clean, reliable, and efficient power.
I could just use a generic 400w psu in my desktop and it will probably never give me any issues. But I would rather spend more and get a psu that is proven to be reliable and efficient. See what Im trying to say?
And I've seen cig lighter fuses pop from something as small as a cell phone charger or a radar detector. IMO for extended use it just isnt worth the risk and I would rather hard wire it than use the plug.And I never said to go spend several hundred dollars on a inverter. Most of what I said is the same as what you would want in a desktop psu. Clean, reliable, and efficient power.
I could just use a generic 400w psu in my desktop and it will probably never give me any issues. But I would rather spend more and get a psu that is proven to be reliable and efficient. See what Im trying to say?
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2004
- Location
- Dallas, Texas
IMHO anything faster than a 2.0ghz cpu in a laptop is a waste.
random person: “Ohh yea! my laptop’s CPU beats yours!! I've got a 3.0ghz Prescott!”
Sunrunner20: "Why do I care my 1.2ghz Celeron is enough for everything you should be doing on a laptop"
*half hour later"
random person: "**** where is a power outlet"
Sunrunner20: "Lol, There are no power outlets on an airplane; I guess your CPU ate your batter as a snack, while mine is still at 75 full capacity"
random person: “Ohh yea! my laptop’s CPU beats yours!! I've got a 3.0ghz Prescott!”
Sunrunner20: "Why do I care my 1.2ghz Celeron is enough for everything you should be doing on a laptop"
*half hour later"
random person: "**** where is a power outlet"
Sunrunner20: "Lol, There are no power outlets on an airplane; I guess your CPU ate your batter as a snack, while mine is still at 75 full capacity"
- Joined
- Oct 6, 2002
- Location
- Lost in life
sunrunner20 said:
In alot of cases your right. However, I concider mine more of a 'portable desktop'.
And btw, with the right power settings I can get 2-3 hours out of my lappy with no problem. Of course mine rarely leaves the house so I dont mind using a plug.
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2004
- Location
- Denver, CO
I'll take 2-3 hours out of a desktop replacment lappy over a 5 hour word processor. Unless you're away from power for long periods of time (which i am not) than why not get a power NB? There's always the option to get a second battery.
- Joined
- Oct 6, 2002
- Location
- Lost in life
Dont let me mis-lead you into thinking I can play HL2 2-3hrs on the battery. But for normal tasks like surfing the web and such i can do it. I can watch a normal length dvd on battery power as well. And btw, I have the smaller battery with the built in subwoofer.(12 cell i think?) There is a 16 cell available for my lappy without the sub which would extend usage time alot.
But for normal tasks like surfing the web and such i can do it. I can watch a normal length dvd on battery power as well. And btw, I have the smaller battery with the built in subwoofer.(12 cell i think?) There is a 16 cell available for my lappy without the sub which would extend usage time alot.My ASUS L5800GA is a power pig, 150watts. It is classed as a desktop replcement though. In my car I have a 700watt invertor permanently wired into the power system of the stereo. A 4ga wire from fron to back splitting to 4, 8ga wires. 3 for amps and one for invertor. MiniITX system going in soon to tune the stand-alone fuel system, and play MP3's and DVD's also of course.
