How do I use car battery to power laptop?

[bobson]

I have a few car batteries that I could use to power my little Asus net-book but how do I do that?
Is it enough just to buy correct plug and plug it directly or I need some sort of converter?

Thanks in advance :D

cheers

bob

[Tandum]

Most seem to run off 19volts not 12 volts so you would probably need something like this (http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=MP3463&keywords=12v+converter&form=KEYWORD).

[firstlight]

Funny you should ask. I am just trying out how to run the laptop from a battery. I bought an inverter the other day, but I also went out and bought one of those 12v power supplies. I can tell you if your laptop battery is not up to scratch (mine was flat) it wouldn't get started. If it tries to charge the battery as well it falls over too. I'm currently running from the inverter, but it is not a high end sine wave inverted, so I'm not sure where I'm going to go from there.

Apparently a sine wave inverter starts around $200.00.

Cheers
Tony

[mikerr]

Robin, can you have a look at your 240 volt power supply and read what the output volyage is? If it is 12v rather than 19v things might be a bit simpler.
Please get back to us.

Michael.

[Merlin66]

I use the 12V to 18V, 140W car step up transformer from Maplins.
You can get a similar thing from Jaycar.
Saves the hassles (and inefficiency) of an Invertor.

[mithrandir]

Targus make mains and 12v powered laptop power supplies and they come with the right plug for just about every laptop ever built. The plugs are different for each voltage and there is some smarts in the plug to tell the supply what voltage to deliver.

Not cheap though.

[Deeno]

I run my Asus netbook off a Powertech modified sine wave inverter from Jaycar with no problems.Was only 'bout $40.

[mithrandir]

Yes, but that involves 12V -> 240V -> whatever the lappy wants.

Two power conversion losses. A 12V->lappy converter only costs you one.

[BlackWidow]

The Asus EEPC runs from a 9.5v volt plug pack at 2.3 AMPs... All that is needed is a 12volt to 9.5 volt covertor that can handle 2 amps... Jaycar Electronics have such and item and also WES Components sell a 12v laptop power supply that will handle the current and also go as low a 9.5 volts to use with this laptop. I use one to power on up from my plane...

The one from WES is only about $20 and works a treat. All you would need to do it connect a Cig Lighter socket to the battery and plug the adapto in... Easy Peasy..



If you are interested I will look up the part number


Mardy

[bobson]

I got Powertech Power Inverter as Deeno recommended from Jaycar for $49 and cig lighter socket (female) with battery clamps for $10 dollars. I spoke to the guy at Jaycar and he thinks this is the best solution cos of the size of the plug that goes to the laptop. Its really very small! And the one that Robin recommended didnt have that in the kit. So buying adopter wasn't an option cos you can't buy just that size but whole bunch of them for around $24 dollars.

My Asus laptop Eee PC specs on the charger are 19V 2.1 A.

I hooked everything and its been running everything I need for the last few hours and still going OK so I am happy :D

As it usually happens I need that tonight so ordering on line wasn't an option.

Thanks everyone!

cheers

bob

[cfranks]

I use these http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=MP3478&form=CAT2&SUBCATID=1002#12 , also from Jaycar. Various models, a 19v for the Acer Netbook, a 16v for the Gemini and a couple of 5v for Serial and USB Hubs. All driven from the 12v battery.

Charles

[firstlight]

As I said the laptop adapter didn't work with my machine so I used a cheap 150w inverter.

Ran the laptop of a 100ah battery (straight off the shelf and not charged) for over 16 hrs running 2 cameras. Put my dewzappers (3 straps) on an old gel cell 38ah battery I charged before astrofest but forgot to take and got 11 hours out of that. Put the zappers on my old bar battery I replaced last week and pulled the pin on the test after 36 hours without flatttening it.

At this stage I think I should be able to run all my equipment on 12v for a minimum of 2 nights. One day I will update my inverter to a sinewave inverter and perhaps update the battries to another deep cycle... But I'm right for now I think... field test next weekend (weather permitting).

Cheers
Tony