power for my laptop
- Thread starter willh2o
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John From Detroit
Well-known member
There are still a few Radio Shacks I'm told but I do not know where (add dot com and find a store)
Truck Stops all carry Inverters but I don't know how good they are.. I've not really looked.
And you can get 12 volt to computer supplies at MicroStation. (Add dot com again).
Truck Stops all carry Inverters but I don't know how good they are.. I've not really looked.
And you can get 12 volt to computer supplies at MicroStation. (Add dot com again).
73Camper
Active member
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2017
- Posts
- 37
BobNSam said:
Texas
Ok, Papa and I just went to where we have Harvey stored. Turns out the guy who installed our Vizio 39" flatscreen TV covered the old TV hole with a board and put the TV cord through a hole and plugged it in. I don't readily have access to see that plug outlet to or to try plugging my laptop into that outlet and using the coach inverter.
Does anyone know which outlets throughout the coach might be 'hot' when we have the inverter turned on? I know the TV can work w/ the inverter on.
Just wondering if I could either plug my computer in there (with an extension cord) if that should work. Or preferrably somewhere else in the coach.
Looking at the Owner's Manual again on page 8-19, in indicates that the back TV is supposed to also work from the inverter.
Also does anyone have any idea what the inverter actually is? How much power, how long the TV, DVD/VCR combo, and/or bedroom TV should work on it? and now hopefully my laptop, an Apple TV...?
Sorry this is confusing, it's because I am confused. Seems to me just letting me run the generator as necessary would be the easier, less time consuming and cheaper way--but Papa does not like that solution. He also doesn't like the solution of buying a Portable Solar Generator from Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Solar-Generator-Portable-256Wh-Emergency/dp/B00HVQ4GPQ/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500592940&sr=8-2-fkmr2&keywords=solar+generator+140+watt+Life+Pro+battery+plus+inverter+with+panel that my brother suggests.
Does anyone know which outlets throughout the coach might be 'hot' when we have the inverter turned on? I know the TV can work w/ the inverter on.
Just wondering if I could either plug my computer in there (with an extension cord) if that should work. Or preferrably somewhere else in the coach.
Looking at the Owner's Manual again on page 8-19, in indicates that the back TV is supposed to also work from the inverter.
Also does anyone have any idea what the inverter actually is? How much power, how long the TV, DVD/VCR combo, and/or bedroom TV should work on it? and now hopefully my laptop, an Apple TV...?
Sorry this is confusing, it's because I am confused. Seems to me just letting me run the generator as necessary would be the easier, less time consuming and cheaper way--but Papa does not like that solution. He also doesn't like the solution of buying a Portable Solar Generator from Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Solar-Generator-Portable-256Wh-Emergency/dp/B00HVQ4GPQ/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1500592940&sr=8-2-fkmr2&keywords=solar+generator+140+watt+Life+Pro+battery+plus+inverter+with+panel that my brother suggests.
RedandSilver
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2016
- Posts
- 1,325
willh2o said:
On my coach most, if not all, plugs work via the inverter.
There are a few ways to check if they are working with the inverter.
A voltage meter, a regular light bulb, or the easiest is probably plugging in your cell phone charger and looking to see
if it says it's charging. Move around to each outlet and try one method and you should find all the outlets that work with the inverter.
What is Papa's objection to running the generator? Noise? Fuel used? Wear and tear on the generator?
When you run the generator it should charge the house batteries which would help the inverter work longer with fully charged batteries.
Also It's generally better to run the generator to exercise it with a full load on it.
robertusa123
Well-known member
I use a inverter to.power my laptop for.work never needed.one bigger then 200 watt
DearMissMermaid
Well-known member
First, Lenovo has some awesome programs for battery management to extend the life to the max.
Next, figure out your priorities on the laptop and do the most important first.
You don't mention if you are working or playing on the laptop. One of the huge bonuses of camping is unplugging and getting out in nature. You may be missing out on some one of a kind adventures in nature.
There are several options, one is to have multiple laptop batteries, but generally each battery has to be plugged into the laptop to charge.
It's possible the 3 inverters that died on you simply blew their fuse. Replace the fuse and you are good to go. You need a tiny inverter for the laptop, not a big one.
For instance my Lenovo 110 charger says 90 watts, 20 volts. So I believe that means you need either a 12 volt cord that steps up to 20 volts, or you need a 110 inverter that is only 100 watts. Most 12 volt inverters have a fuse hiding inside the cigarette plug.
Years ago when I lived on my sailboat in the Caribbean with solar panels as my only battery charger, there was a company that would build a 12 volt cigarette adapter for my laptop. It worked beautifully. Sadly they are no longer in business. At that time, laptops were rare and the internet wasn't happening yet. But there I was zipping away on my laptop with the sunshine power to keep the batteries topped up. I was using the laptop for work and thought the idea of people using a computer to "play" was absurd and would never happen. Boy did I have a lot to learn!
If your batteries aren't holding a charge for long, then it's time to replace them. Lenovo has a great battery program that will tell you the state of your batteries and if they are ready to replace.
Alternatively, there are battery banks now that will run your laptop. Then when you do have power, you can simultaneously charge the battery bank and the lenovo battery.There are simple solar systems that will recharge the battery bank, so I think that is going to be your best bet. The bonus being you will have the power bank for power outages elsewhere.
I own this power bank:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071RC5Y3N/http://amazon.com
I don't have the solar yet, but I understand it accepts a 15 volt solar input. So basically you could be using your lenovo on its own battery while your power bank is using solar to recharge, then when your battery dies on lenovo, plug it into the power bank which will run the laptop while recharging the lenovo battery. When your battery is topped up, unplug and let the solar recharge your power bank. Since it's all portable, you don't have to be parked in the sun with the camper, you just have to find sunshine for the solar panel.
The other choice is get papa a solar panel for the RV battery and get a 100 watt inverter to use in the cigarette outlet. A hard solar panel lasts a lot longer than the flexible ones. A movable solar panel is better than fixed. You can find the sunshine without having to park/camp in full sun.
I bought a high capacity extended life lithium for my lenovo, it sticks out the back bigger than most batteries. It lasts about 7 hours if I have it on max battery life for settings.
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=as_li_ss_tl?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=lenovo+extended+life+battery&rh=i:aps,k:lenovo+extended+life+battery
Next, figure out your priorities on the laptop and do the most important first.
You don't mention if you are working or playing on the laptop. One of the huge bonuses of camping is unplugging and getting out in nature. You may be missing out on some one of a kind adventures in nature.
There are several options, one is to have multiple laptop batteries, but generally each battery has to be plugged into the laptop to charge.
It's possible the 3 inverters that died on you simply blew their fuse. Replace the fuse and you are good to go. You need a tiny inverter for the laptop, not a big one.
For instance my Lenovo 110 charger says 90 watts, 20 volts. So I believe that means you need either a 12 volt cord that steps up to 20 volts, or you need a 110 inverter that is only 100 watts. Most 12 volt inverters have a fuse hiding inside the cigarette plug.
Years ago when I lived on my sailboat in the Caribbean with solar panels as my only battery charger, there was a company that would build a 12 volt cigarette adapter for my laptop. It worked beautifully. Sadly they are no longer in business. At that time, laptops were rare and the internet wasn't happening yet. But there I was zipping away on my laptop with the sunshine power to keep the batteries topped up. I was using the laptop for work and thought the idea of people using a computer to "play" was absurd and would never happen. Boy did I have a lot to learn!
If your batteries aren't holding a charge for long, then it's time to replace them. Lenovo has a great battery program that will tell you the state of your batteries and if they are ready to replace.
Alternatively, there are battery banks now that will run your laptop. Then when you do have power, you can simultaneously charge the battery bank and the lenovo battery.There are simple solar systems that will recharge the battery bank, so I think that is going to be your best bet. The bonus being you will have the power bank for power outages elsewhere.
I own this power bank:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071RC5Y3N/http://amazon.com
I don't have the solar yet, but I understand it accepts a 15 volt solar input. So basically you could be using your lenovo on its own battery while your power bank is using solar to recharge, then when your battery dies on lenovo, plug it into the power bank which will run the laptop while recharging the lenovo battery. When your battery is topped up, unplug and let the solar recharge your power bank. Since it's all portable, you don't have to be parked in the sun with the camper, you just have to find sunshine for the solar panel.
The other choice is get papa a solar panel for the RV battery and get a 100 watt inverter to use in the cigarette outlet. A hard solar panel lasts a lot longer than the flexible ones. A movable solar panel is better than fixed. You can find the sunshine without having to park/camp in full sun.
I bought a high capacity extended life lithium for my lenovo, it sticks out the back bigger than most batteries. It lasts about 7 hours if I have it on max battery life for settings.
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=as_li_ss_tl?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=lenovo+extended+life+battery&rh=i:aps,k:lenovo+extended+life+battery
