How do I power a laptop from a 12-V car battery?

Hi folks --

I want to run a laptop from a 12-V automobile battery. What do I need
to do that in a straightforward, vanilla, bulletproof, reliable way?

Thanks!

-- Pete

you need to buy an inverter
"pete" <pete142@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1191331688.746026.242040@g4g2000hsf.googlegro ups.com...
> Hi folks --
>
> I want to run a laptop from a 12-V automobile battery. What do I need
> to do that in a straightforward, vanilla, bulletproof, reliable way?
>
> Thanks!
>
> -- Pete
>

pete wrote:
> Hi folks --
>
> I want to run a laptop from a 12-V automobile battery. What do I need
> to do that in a straightforward, vanilla, bulletproof, reliable way?
>
> Thanks!
>
> -- Pete
>
The most flexible way is to use an inverter. This will allow use of our
things, like a DVD player also, 12VDC adapters tend to be expensive and
limlted to a particular machine, while inverters are cheaper and will
support a wide variety of machines.

On Oct 2, 1:18 pm, pen <nos...@nospam.com> wrote:
> pete wrote:
> > Hi folks --
>
> > I want to run a laptop from a 12-V automobile battery. What do I need
> > to do that in a straightforward, vanilla, bulletproof, reliable way?>
> The most flexible way is to use an inverter. This will allow use of our
> things, like a DVD player also, 12VDC adapters tend to be expensive and
> limlted to a particular machine, while inverters are cheaper and will
> support a wide variety of machines.

I don't know enough about it to even guess, but I was hoping that,
because the laptop runs from an internal DC-battery source, that I
could come out with 12V from an external battery and somehow convert
that 12V to whatever DC voltage the laptop needs.

Is that possible without first converting to AC?

Thanks again.

-- Pete

pete wrote:

> I don't know enough about it to even guess, but I was hoping that,
> because the laptop runs from an internal DC-battery source, that I
> could come out with 12V from an external battery and somehow convert
> that 12V to whatever DC voltage the laptop needs.
>
> Is that possible without first converting to AC?

Unlikely. Most laptop batteries are 18-20V, not 12V.

"pete" wrote:
> I was hoping that,
> because the laptop runs from an internal DC-battery source,
> that I could come out with 12V from an external battery and
> somehow convert that 12V to whatever DC voltage the
> laptop needs.
>
> Is that possible without first converting to AC?


If you don't need 117VAC for some other device's wall wart
power supply module (such as a printer or external hard drive),
you can keep the parts count (and weight) down with an adapter.
Just Google for "12vdc laptop adapter".
Here's just one hit out of many:
http://www.meritline.com/car-power-a...-computer.html

*TimDaniels*

On Oct 2, 2:28 pm, pete <pete...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Hi folks --
>
> I want to run a laptop from a 12-V automobile battery. What do I need
> to do that in a straightforward, vanilla, bulletproof, reliable way?
>
> Thanks!
>
> -- Pete

I would check the voltage out put of your laptop.

"pete" <pete142@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1191359729.745289.87070@d55g2000hsg.googlegro ups.com...
> On Oct 2, 1:18 pm, pen <nos...@nospam.com> wrote:
>> pete wrote:
>> > Hi folks --
>>
>> > I want to run a laptop from a 12-V automobile battery. What do I need
>> > to do that in a straightforward, vanilla, bulletproof, reliable way?>
>> The most flexible way is to use an inverter. This will allow use of our
>> things, like a DVD player also, 12VDC adapters tend to be expensive and
>> limlted to a particular machine, while inverters are cheaper and will
>> support a wide variety of machines.
>
> I don't know enough about it to even guess, but I was hoping that,
> because the laptop runs from an internal DC-battery source, that I
> could come out with 12V from an external battery and somehow convert
> that 12V to whatever DC voltage the laptop needs.
>
> Is that possible without first converting to AC?
...snip,,
Answering that one, specific question: yes. That's what an invertor
does: changing a dc (straight-line) voltage to pulsating dc voltage enables
amplification to *higher* dc voltages. Using a mere adapter, a wire whose
one end plugs into cigar lighter and other end into laptop *may* supply
LOWER dc voltages, but not HIGHER. So, beware! It takes those
adaptor-fittings PLUS an invertor to allow higher dc voltages from cigar
lighter. And, as a.p. said, lots if not most laptops operate on nearer to
18-20 volts dc.
BTW: got a neighbor who asked why his car-adapter operated his laptop
but failed to re-charge his laptop-battery. Turns out he has a mere
adapter--meaning it operates his 19-volt laptop on the car's 12 volts. I
thought he was being stubborn by not tossing it; but now, almost 2 years
later he's still running it that way--and apparently w/o troubles. I'm sure
it runs in a step-down mode and I feel that eventually *may* take a toll on
his system. Of course, he still cannot re-charge his 19-volt battery from
his 12-volt lighter!
HTH, s

"sdlomi2" wrote:
>
> Using a mere adapter, a wire whose one end plugs into cigar lighter and other
> end into laptop *may* supply LOWER
> dc voltages, but not HIGHER.


Some retailers call a simple plug interface an
"adapter", some call a DC-to-DC power supply
an "adapter". This is an example of the former:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2289559
This is an example of the latter:
http://www.meritline.com/car-power-a...-computer.html

*TimDaniels*

"Timothy Daniels" <SpamBucket@NoSpamPlease.biz> wrote in message
news:4703f0c6$0$20607$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
> "sdlomi2" wrote:
>>
>> Using a mere adapter, a wire whose one end plugs into cigar lighter and
>> other
>> end into laptop *may* supply LOWER
>> dc voltages, but not HIGHER.
>
>
> Some retailers call a simple plug interface an
> "adapter", some call a DC-to-DC power supply
> an "adapter". This is an example of the former:
> http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2289559
> This is an example of the latter:
>
> http://www.meritline.com/car-power-a...-computer.html
>
> *TimDaniels*
>
You're exactly right. That 2nd one has what must be a solid-state
invertor to increase 12v to 16,18, 19,20-v, etc. I have one almost
identical and carefully tested the output before plugging my laptop into it.
I don't have a pic, but imagine just the wire and plug-ends but w/o the
invertor-- that's what my neighbor has. IIRC he bought it at a flea market.
Only good for 12-volt (or less) products, def. not higher voltage ones.
BTW: why are u using my last name? sd lomi2