DC to AC inverter

[Pghpooh]

HI
I have a hp laptop.
I am thinking of adding software made by Garmin or Microsoft with their gps sensor and using the laptop as a gps.
I will need a dc to ac inverter to power the laptop.

Current ac power unit for the laptop is rated by HP as 65 watts output and draws 1.6 amps at 110 volts. If I remember ohm?s law that comes to 176 watts.

Can anyone suggest a dc to ac inverter that can power the laptop?

 

[thecoolnessrune]

Got a Samlex pure sine wave unit for our Expedition. We got the 300 watt model. We use it to charge both our HP laptops (his being a 90 watt 17" and mine being 65 watt 15"). You can go realistically btw. We put kill-a-watt meters to the laptop. Maxed out bro's laptop uses 83 watts of power from the wall, and mind uses a tad over 55. You'll be just fine with anything doing 80-100 watts. I would recommend Pure Sine Wave as some laptops are finicky about running without a battery without a pure sine wave (though I'm sure you're fine if you're using the battery).

In all honesty though, we got our inverter because we ran all sorts of things to laptop chargers, to phone chargers, to 2 game consoles etc. etc. If you're only running your laptop. Just get a 12V adapter from HP. Its cheaper than a pure sine wave inverter, runs cooler, and is easier to store in your vehicle than two big adapters. Its also obviously more efficient

 

[Colt45]

Despite what the adaptor says, if it outputs 65W, there's no way it draws 175W... do you think the small brick is dissipating 110W?
say 80% efficiency, and it's more like 80W.

 

[thecoolnessrune]

Here's the HP DC-DC unit btw. If you're still interested in going that route. Though read the compatibility chart to ensure you're covered.

 

[TheStu]

Go to RadioShack, tell them you want something that will let you run your laptop in your car. They will turn around, grab it off the shelf (it was stored behind the counter when I used to work at RadioShack) and sell it to you.

 

[heymrdj]

Originally posted by: TheStu
Go to RadioShack, tell them you want something that will let you run your laptop in your car. They will turn around, grab it off the shelf (it was stored behind the counter when I used to work at RadioShack) and sell it to you.

Their are good ones, but there's alot of these generic ones that aren't good to use. In a way you get what you pay for. In alot of them there's no cleaning, and no links to prevent destruction of your laptop in case of a surge.

As said earlier, my laptop (DV9550t).

17" best quality screen they offered at the time
Core 2 Duo T7200
4GB OCZ ram (2x2GB DDR2 800)
Lightscribe DVD burner
320GB WD Scorpio Black 5400RPM drive
160GB Hitachi Travelstar 5400RPM drive
Nvidia 8600M GS 512MB

Kill-A-Watt shows 83W average from the wall while play Joint Operation: International Conflict Europe in T3 Wolfblood map.

 

[ShawnD1]

Originally posted by: thecoolnessrune
Here's the HP DC-DC unit btw. If you're still interested in going that route. Though read the compatibility chart to ensure you're covered.

I don't think this is worth it. I got a 150W inverter from Best Buy for $30 CDN. Newegg.com has a 200W inverter for $20 US
Yeah it means doing a DC-AC-DC conversion, but do you really care that much? It loses some efficiency, but this is not a waffle iron or a power drill. Losing 20W of power to ineffiency is not going to destroy the car's alternator.

Also, try not to let the newegg ratings for that thing shake you. Look at this one:

Cons: My disappointment lies in the fact that anything that takes more juice won't run on this, I.E. vacuum cleaner, hair dryer, (wanted to get a decal off a door),drill (it turns but you can stop it by pinching it).

2/5 because this stupid asshole doesn't know that you can't run a 1000W hair dryer or 800W power drill with a 200W inverter?

I am thinking of adding software made by Garmin or Microsoft with their gps sensor and using the laptop as a gps.

This isn't even worth doing. I got a cheap $150 gps and it does pretty much everything imaginable. It can find the fasted way, the shortest way, it can understand postal/zip codes, it can be updated, etc. You can now get a gps for $70 US on Newegg.

 

[Pghpooh]

Hi
Thanks for the thoughts and suggestions.
Each one makes sense and that is why I ask questions here. That way I get a better idea about what I can or cannot do.

 

[lxskllr]

I've used cheapy inverters for laptops, and they work fine. They're 90-100w, and the whole unit plugs into the cigarette lighter. I like them because they're small enough to easily fit into a computer case, and cost less than $20. I don't know about running them without a battery, as I always leave my battery installed.

http://www.opticsale.com/whist...c022_d_023_d_PI_d_100W

No endorsement for this particular inverter, or company should be inferred. This is just for a pictorial example.