Using a laptop whilst on 12volt.

edriver

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Hi can anyone help me please. I have a laptop that I would like to use to watch dvds on until our new TV/DVD combi arrives. We're off to the UK from Spain over Christmas on our 1st trip in our MH and the battery on my laptop has just decided to fail. We are not using camp sites going up so can't get MHU (I think that's the right term, still learning!!). Can I use my laptop with just the 12 volt system in the MH?
 
Yes. I've been using something similar to Broken Link Removed to keep various laptops charged over the years. Before buying check that there is a tip appropriate for your machine.
 
Providing your laptop is 12v and you have the correct plug ,most I think fall into 18-19v and you will poss need a small inverter .though I'm sure the experts will be along soon .have a good trip
 
how did you plan to charge the laptop without a mains hook up .?

in any case.. yes you can, with a 12vdc laptop power supply unit .. have a Google for one to suit your laptop..

there are also generic ones with variable voltage outputs and tips to suit many different laptops.. plenty on eBay http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/12v-laptop-power-supply
 
it depends on the voltage of your laptop battery, most are higher than 12v but you can get a DC/DC converter to do the job just make sure you get the right one for you laptop, try ebay. EHU (Electric hook up) is available at some aires, depending on the wattage of the laptop you may struggle with keeping the leisure battery charged unless you have a B2B charger. Solar next to usless at this time of year.

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Two choices basically - a 12V laptop power supply as above.

Or an inverter that plugs into 12V and outputs 240V which you can then plug any 240 charger in. I suggest a 150W inverter.

Something like this...
Broken Link Removed
 
I use a 300w inverter to charge laptop , tablets and phones. I also carry a spare 50w invertor which is enough to charge the laptop and daisy chain the tablets and phones and laptops if my leisure battery gets weak. The larger inverter charges everything at once as well as if I was at home but cuts out if the voltage drops below 12.5 I think whereas the smaller inverter takes an age to top up the laptop but keeps drawing power till it's all gone

12.5 may be an exaggeration but after a night without mains just running lights and water pump the big inverter doesn't want to play any more
 
Also if you end up with a variable voltage power supply make sure you check what voltage yours needs and make even more sure that you set it correctly.
 
I've had a couple over the years, but ended up with Lavolta ones as being the most reliable as the tips don't get lost or more importantly the voltage doesn't get nudged up. Search on Amazon for 'Lavolta Car Asus' or whatever make your laptop is. Eg:

Also tablets don't really need to be charged via an invertor either. 12v > 240v > 5v seems like a waste of energy to me!

This is a great little gadget for laptops, tablets and USB charging in the van:
 
Originally we used a 600 watt inverter from Aldi ,
Then Bought one of these but still keep the Aldi as a spare .

Broken Link Removed (item: Broken Link Removed transaction: 1360038343012 ) :devil:
Broken Link Removed
£129.99 of Ebay

We use one of these , just plug an extention lead with 4 individual switched sockets into it .Then plug the lap top / mbl's into it .
it will also Run , Travel Kettle / Romoska / Washing machine / Spin dryer etc , etc.

Even a P. A. system for the Funster Party , :coolest:

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A 12v input/variable voltage output laptop power supply with different plugs is a whole lot cheaper than a a 12v/240v inverter, or damn well ought to be.

I've used them for PC and Mac laptops in the MH without problems, although the Mac gadget wasn't the official Apple one, which costs a ruddy fortune. Mine's some Chinese gizmo that ignores the US patent protection on the Macbook's magnetic power plug design.
 
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If your still in Spain / France go to Mediamart and your will get what your need there or in UK Maplins will have what you need.
 
Got me an old laptop,battery no good. Cut lead from mains charger. Wired lead to cigar plug(make sure correct wiring to plug).12v powers laptop no problem.Most laptops 18-19v but will run on less than half power. Works for me.Plays DVDs also auto route etc.
 
This what I use ( and have done for the past 4 years )
Broken Link Removed

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I have a hp laptop, 19.5v and tend to camp without electric hook up.
I could not get the correct size tip for it and tried several places.
I emailed hp about a 12v adaptor, but just got passed from pillar to post with no answer.
I had a small inverter, but that didnt work, so had a 1kw one fitted.
all good now.

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The 12v supplies are more power efficient than inverters which convert from DC to AC and then back again in the power supply for the laptop.

Either should work though, but I would check the power consumption of the laptop as they can - particularly older ones - be quite high. Your van 12v wiring will probably not cope with more than about 90 watts and some laptops are more than that. If so then you would have to use an inverter directly connected to the battery.
 
I have a hp laptop, 19.5v and tend to camp without electric hook up.
I could not get the correct size tip for it and tried several places.
I emailed hp about a 12v adaptor, but just got passed from pillar to post with no answer.
I had a small inverter, but that didnt work, so had a 1kw one fitted.
all good now.
 
For my laptop and/or netbook I use a 12v lead with a cigarette style plug on the end which I put into a cig style socket which I installed underneath a rear top locker which takes its power directly from the leisure battery which is in the under-bed locker below. This works a treat although you do need to get a goodish 12v lead with the first one we the plug melted!

As an aside to this, with our new TomTom sat nav we got a 12v lead which attaches to the TomTom cradle but the other end, instead of being a standard 12v moulded-on plug, is actually a USB which goes into a USB socket on the end of a 12v cig type plug ... this is fine except we found out the hard way that it does NOT keep your sat nav charged up if the battery is nearly flat as the throughput of power is not as great as a standard 12v moulded plug ... fortunately we had a good idea of where we needed to be so managed without it but it could have been a major issue!
 

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