Hooking up a laptop to standalone car battery

[RelaxTheMind]

I plan on going on a long fishing trip on a pier in the middle of nowhere. Has anyone ever hooked up an AC/DC inverter to a standalone car battery and used it with a laptop?

Im wondering how long it would last. I figure I can grab the deep cycle marine batteries from my parents trolling motor on one of their boats.

Take that and just make a cute case and hook up a fuse line directly from the inverter to the battery.

My question is how long do you think that would last?...

I would of course have it hooked up and turn it off when my battery gets charged again.

If it made sense I would grab a small motorcyle/lawn mower battery if it meant i could have at least a full 24 hours of battery life.

it just gets boring when nothings biting and beer/liquor can only go so far with several dudes on a pier in the middle of nowhere.

 

[swtethan]

you get a cigarette lighter adapter with gator clips and a power thingy that has a cigarette plug for your laptop

 

[RelaxTheMind]

they have ones that already come with bare wires or battery terminal connectors... just wondering how long it would last (est run time with a 75w load)... and if its that long, why not many people have done it. one guy we saw at the pier last time had a radio and a spotlight hooked up to an inverter with car battery.

 

[ntdz]

Originally posted by: RelaxTheMind
they have ones that already come with bare wires or battery terminal connectors... just wondering how long it would last (est run time with a 75w load)... and if its that long, why not many people have done it. one guy we saw at the pier last time had a radio and a spotlight hooked up to an inverter with car battery.

Because most people go fishing to get away from their computer, not take it with them fishing...

 

[Nebor]

Do you have some kind of wireless internet connection to go with it?

 

[Compton]

You need a power inverter. I got a cheap one at Target about a year ago for $25. It has clamps that you can attach to the battery terminals. Your laptop's A/C adapter can plug directly into the power inverter.

 

[rhino56]

i did that
link

 

[RossMAN]

http://www.donrowe.com/inverters/inverter_faq.html

CostCo B&M has this Vector power inverter 100 watt for $18
http://www.donrowe.com/inverters/xpower_100_pocket.html

 

[theNEOone]

good book FTW?

bringing a notebook near water is not a good idea, regardless of whether it's off a pier or not.


=|

 

[lokiju]

At Sams Club they sell an inverter that has both the Cig Lighter plug and the gator clips.

That'd work perfect.

Or you could just get an extension for a cig lighter plug and cut off the end, strip it and attach to the battery.

 

[DnetMHZ]

:music: .. In the ghettooooo... :music:

 

[RelaxTheMind]

Originally posted by: ntdz

Originally posted by: RelaxTheMind
they have ones that already come with bare wires or battery terminal connectors... just wondering how long it would last (est run time with a 75w load)... and if its that long, why not many people have done it. one guy we saw at the pier last time had a radio and a spotlight hooked up to an inverter with car battery.

Because most people go fishing to get away from their computer, not take it with them fishing...

I go fishing to get away from certain people and places. a computer to me is just like a radio or walkman to another person. just to play games and such if your on a pier for several hours at a time and your just there to hang out and what not... a game or two is pretty fun.

 

[RelaxTheMind]

Originally posted by: Nebor
Do you have some kind of wireless internet connection to go with it?

My friend does have a pcmcia verizon broadband card... but internet is not needed.

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: RelaxTheMind
several dudes on a pier in the middle of nowhere.

uh, n/m

 

[RelaxTheMind]

Originally posted by: theNEOone
good book FTW?

bringing a notebook near water is not a good idea, regardless of whether it's off a pier or not.


=|

Its an older travel laptop with no drives except a hard drive (Dell C400) its small compact (12.1 screen and less than inch thick light as feather too) and I can care less if it happens to choke. Dont want to sound like captain ignorante but its really just a simple travel laptop that.

 

[NatePo717]

Originally posted by: ntdz
Because most people go fishing to get away from their computer, not take it with them fishing...

:thumbsup: