Inverter size (1 Viewer)

Vanman

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Having said I'd never have one :rolleyes: it now looks like my wife's laptop trumps preserving batteries :eek:

So the question is, how big a one do I need? The laptop is 65w (19.5v 3.34a) and I have a mini projector (12v, 2a) throw in a couple of mobile phones ...

Any recommendations?

Thanks (y)
 

Zigisla

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You will deffo get an answer which size to get, but food for thought first. Your projector and phones do not need an inverter and do you really need to boost 12v to 240v then convert that back to 19.5v for the laptop. Can you get a 12v lead?
 

two

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I've managed to find a 12V adaptor for all of my past laptops.
If you go for an inverter, get a pure sine wave so as not to upset sensitive electronics. Go for one just large enough for the biggest draw you may need (low watt hair dryer or curlers/straighteners). You don't need to run all the devices at the same time.

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Vanman

Vanman

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Thanks - I did have a good look for a 12v adapter but can't find any for a Dell Inspiron.

Coupled to that, I don't have any 12v sockets in the Hab.

No Hair-driers or curlers/ straighteners required!
 

two

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So 100W should do. I'd go for 150W, just to be sure.
Avoid long cable runs to the inverter or you could be affected by voltage drop. It's better to run leads from the inverter to where you want the power.
 
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Thanks - I did have a good look for a 12v adapter but can't find any for a Dell Inspiron.

Coupled to that, I don't have any 12v sockets in the Hab.

No Hair-driers or curlers/ straighteners required!
Generic laptop 12v adaptors work very well - you don't need one specifically for Dell.

This is Dell:



This is generic (I use one):

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/80W-Unive...176215&hash=item3618e90ac4:g:nxYAAOSwXyVYJd8s

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funflair

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I would go for at least a 500watt pure sine inverter on the basis that you don't know what else you might need it for, the inverter doesn't take that much more power from your batteries than charging ant other way.

Martin
 

The Nomad

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Just get a generic 12volt socket adaptor. They are little transformers and you just set them to the output voltage you want (E.g. 19 volts for your laptop).
They come isually with a set of "ends" to fit lots of different items. The one we bought for our laptop didn't actually have a suitable end piece for that, but we tang their help line and they posted out another specific end the be t day to is for free. Cost might be 20 quid or so, available from most electronics shops.
For charging your mobiles just use 12 volt usb phone charging plugs.
 
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Vanman

Vanman

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Generic laptop 12v adaptors work very well - you don't need one specifically for Dell.

This is Dell:



This is generic (I use one):

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/80W-Unive...176215&hash=item3618e90ac4:g:nxYAAOSwXyVYJd8s

Thanks for the links, it's renewed my hopes of finding one, although 65W Inspiron ones seem to be rarer than Hens Teeth :( Not found a 65W universal one either.

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Vanman

Vanman

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Just get a generic 12volt socket adaptor. They are little transformers and you just set them to the output voltage you want (E.g. 19 volts for your laptop).

Can you post me a link to one of those please, can't find them on ebay ... (y)
 

two

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You will be looking for a charger capable of 65W or more. 19V with 3.4A or more. Ideally with an adaptor to suit your laptop's kind of connection. I'm sure I've got a 19V one, but not as high 65W.
 

BwB

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Maplins sell several types of 12v adapters. I picked up a 100w version with lots of plug ends and usb for about 20 quids a few years ago. Still working well.

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Jan 19, 2014
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I went for quite a small inverter (200w continuous) because it only uses 250ma on standby, it's bound to get forgotten about and left on :D2
 

The Nomad

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Can you post me a link to one of those please, can't find them on ebay ... (y)


Tonyidle already posted a link for you to an example on eBay.
Maplins also do them, as do the Media Markt chain of electrical stores (not sure if there are any Media Markt stores in the UK yet but they are maddive all over mainland europe and do have online sales if you google)
 
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Vanman

Vanman

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Maplins sell several types of 12v adapters. I picked up a 100w version with lots of plug ends and usb for about 20 quids a few years ago. Still working well.

Thanks, I've been all over the Maplin website and not found a 65w 9v 3a one. If you can see it please post a link.

Tonyidle already posted a link for you to an example on eBay.
Maplins also do them, as do the Media Markt chain of electrical stores (not sure if there are any Media Markt stores in the UK yet but they are maddive all over mainland europe and do have online sales if you google)

The links posted were neither for my laptop (Inspiron 7548), nor variable output (65w 9v 3.4a). Please post a link if such a thing actually exists!

This company can supply power supplies for all laptops.
I would steer clear of the cheap eBay ones I've had a couple go bang, they look the same as the dearer ones but they are not inside.

As far as I can see the company only does AC adapters, which I already have. It's a 12v one that I was being directed towards.
 

Lenny HB

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As far as I can see the company only does AC adapters, which I already have. It's a 12v one that I was being directed towards.
I bought a 12v one for my HP which has a 3 wire PS.
Go to this page it gives you the option of car chargers if your laptop is not listed they will get back to you with a suitable one.

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two

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90W will be fine. Have a look around that site, though. They seem to offer a variety. I didn't stop to look.
 

BwB

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Thanks, I've been all over the Maplin website and not found a 65w 9v 3a one. If you can see it please post a link.
Firstly, in the post I initially responded to you stated the laptop requires 19v. More recently you’ve mentioned the laptop requires 9v. I don’t have a link to a 12v to 9v 65w transformer but if you did mean 19v then this 70w model from Maplin will do the job as it is slightly over specified for your device (with wattage it’s ok to have more available than you need).



Hope that helps you track something down. :) maybe take the laptop with you to a Maplins store to make sure one of the tips in the box fits correctly. The staff are usually helpful. Good luck
 
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Vanman

Vanman

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Apologies to all/any if I sounded a bit short or shirty :unsure:

It's amazing how often people ask what they think is a simple question eg about generators and then get a thread that is mostly about solar panels ;)

This thread was asking about Inverters as I theorised that with a small inverter I could run my wife's laptop, a mini TV projector, charge a phone or two (an anything else bought later) for the odd occasion I'm not on EHU.

The majority of advice has been to buy a transformer for the laptop, even though that wasn't the question and the solution would require the installation of a couple of 12v Hab sockets (as I've none) and then probably a further transformer for the projector/phones.

It is doubly frustrating though when you've looked for hours on eBay/Maplins etc and not found, presumably because you don't know the right words to search on, to be told "it's there if you look" and then that there's a different wattage one that will be "OK" on my wife's £800+ laptop ...

Anyway, mini rant over. I have found a 65w one so the choice is -

A. Pay installer to fit 2x 12v Hab sockets and buy 3 or 4 transformers
or
B. Pay installer to fit 150w Inverter and use the plugs I've got

Any thoughts? Is there much difference in current used between a laptop on 12v for a few hours or on an Inverter?

Thanks (y) :)

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Jul 5, 2013
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I would go for the 12 v option. Then you can run lots more from them as well, phones tv etc. More efficient than inverting 12v DC to 240v AC and then transforming that back to 19v or 9v DC again. You will lose a lot more power through that process.
 
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Sorry to bump the thread but am cosidering using a small 600w microwave just to warm things up (2x110a LB+ 80 solar.)-what size pure sine inverter would I get away with?
 

hilldweller

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B. Pay installer to fit 150w Inverter and use the plugs I've got

Any thoughts? Is there much difference in current used between a laptop on 12v for a few hours or on an Inverter?

Thanks (y) :)

I had a cheap 150W that freaked out on on laptop even though it should work in theory. I then bought a 300W pure sine wave and use it safely for laptop ( because same laptop freaked out the decent 12V->19V unit I have ) and ebike chargers and anything else.

The small loss of going 12v->240v-19v just isn't worth worrying about in the real world.

An inverter is the right solution for you.

Here is one I quickly spotted....

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Jan 19, 2014
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Sorry to bump the thread but am cosidering using a small 600w microwave just to warm things up (2x110a LB+ 80 solar.)-what size pure sine inverter would I get away with?
A 600w heating microwave might need a 800w electrical supply so check the label on the back.
800w = 67amps by the way:eek:
 

two

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The inverter route may be the most flexible and cheapest solution in the long run because you'll not need to procure 12V alternatives for each of your devices. It's not the most efficient but the difference should not concern. I'd go for 150W, else 100W, rather than 65W as the quoted wattage is more than likely to be the input power rather than the output and you'll need to allow for losses. Get a pure sine wave one.
 

bobandjanie

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We use a stirling 600w pure sine wave inverter, we use it for a spin dryer charging bike batteries charging Dyson and so on. :D
If it was just phones and tablets it would be 12v, but we
also have a Dell laptop and that goes on the inverter. (y) Bob
.

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