# How can I run my laptop on 12v?



## Deleted member 21686 (Jan 20, 2012)

Would anybody know how I can run my laptop off 12v in my motorhome when wilding.

At the great age of 55 in a fit of madness I agreed to go university but the amount of work I have to do on my PC is crazy so if I can take it with me I wont fall behind.


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## Canalsman (Jan 20, 2012)

There are lots of threads about this on the site - I'd recommend doing a search for 'laptop' ...

Regards

Chris


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## jann (Jan 20, 2012)

I run mine with an inverter through the cigarette lighter, no problems


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## Northerner (Jan 20, 2012)

Most laptops run on low voltages. If you think about it they run off batteries, which are very low voltage and the mains lead reduces the voltage to that of the batteries. Check the output voltage on the box on your mains lead. For my Samsung it was as simple as buying a 12v lead on eBay. Or simply do a search '12v lead for xxx computer'. It isn't always necessary to mess about with inverters.


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## scotsy (Jan 20, 2012)

I bought a 12v to 19v adapter and charge it when travelling from the vehicle cig lighter socket. That gives me about 2-3 hours of use in the evening without using any of my leisure batteries 'stored' power. Some netbooks etc have up to 8 hours battery life from a full charge.

No point wasting power with a 12v to 240v inverter only to waste more bringing it back down to 19v again (my Samsung is 19v but others may not be)

Ian


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## maingate (Jan 20, 2012)

Check the Maplin website. They sell them and they can be set to various DC voltages (16,18,19,20 etc.).

I have one, it works well.


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## Deleted member 21686 (Jan 20, 2012)

scotsy said:


> I bought a 12v to 19v adapter and charge it when travelling from the vehicle cig lighter socket. That gives me about 2-3 hours of use in the evening without using any of my leisure batteries 'stored' power. Some netbooks etc have up to 8 hours battery life from a full charge.
> 
> No point wasting power with a 12v to 240v inverter only to waste more bringing it back down to 19v again (my Samsung is 19v but others may not be)
> 
> Ian



My laptop is 20volt 4.5 amps


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## Northerner (Jan 20, 2012)

MORGANTHEMOON said:


> My laptop is 20volt 4.5 amps



It doesn't really matter, you may well find a 12v car lead for it anyway. My Samsung's mains lead's output is 19v. My 12v car lead's output is also 19v. I'm no electrician but the car lead has a little box on it in which there is obviously some inverter-type circuitry that ups 12v to 19v.

Try doing a search on Google for a 12v car lead for your particular laptop. You may get a nice surprise.


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## whitevanwoman (Jan 20, 2012)

Northerner said:


> it was as simple as buying a 12v lead on eBay. Or simply do a search '12v lead for xxx computer'. It isn't always necessary to mess about with inverters.



Ditto for Asus 19v laptop. In car charger presumably with built in inverter.

I've also used a Solar Gorilla borrowed from a friend which worked well on a sunny day in Northumberland in late Aug but obviously not much use during winter. Have a look at this for more solar options 7 Portable Solar Laptop Chargers Worth Considering : TreeHugger


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## Firefox (Jan 21, 2012)

Laptops are commonly 9 or 19v, so the 12v low voltage transformer thingies are well worth looking at.

They are transformers though like inverters so they will have their own power losses.

It depends how your motorhome set up works. If you want to run other 240v equipment like chargers TVs etc a 300 or 500w inverter would be worth considering. You'd probably want 2 batteries though, or one big one eg 110 or 120 or 150 Ah


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## Somelier (Jan 21, 2012)

There is one vital point that has been missed so far, that of the connecter that goes into the laptop. Irritatingly, there are as many plug sizes and forms as there are laptops. I bought a universal laptop charger which comes with about a dozen different connecters, one of which is fine for my little notebook, but can I get one to fit my Sony Vaio - fat chance. Grrrrr.


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## whitevanwoman (Jan 21, 2012)

Somelier said:


> There is one vital point that has been missed so far, that of the connecter that goes into the laptop. Irritatingly, there are as many plug sizes and forms as there are laptops. I bought a universal laptop charger which comes with about a dozen different connecters, one of which is fine for my little notebook, but can I get one to fit my Sony Vaio - fat chance. Grrrrr.



Ah, yes, I had no probs with my Asus but older / newer / less well known models might pose problems. Have you tried Ebay to see if you can buy individual adaptors? Or Maplins? Or even contact Sony direct.


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## Firefox (Jan 21, 2012)

Cut off the plug which came with your original PSU. Then solder the cut wires from the plug onto a universal male/female connection. Solder the other end of the connector on your PSU lead. Then solder a corresponding connector part onto your adapter cable end. If you don't like soldering then twist the wires together and use plenty of insulating tape. Maplins also may work. I managed to fix the PSU for my cordless drill with one of their generic ones and an adapter kit.


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## Bernard Jones (Feb 7, 2012)

As well as a huge number of DC plugs, and a ruined laptop if you damage the power socket, there is another complication.  Some laptop power sockets eg HP, that look like an ordinary co Ax plug with 2 terminals, actually have 3 terminals, The power lead is actually like a standard co ax lead, with another metal surround and sheath over that. The outer sheath on the power plug has a different connection on the inside and outside, because the power adaptor supplies 2 different voltages, usually 19v and 5v.


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## oldish hippy (Feb 7, 2012)

use a inverter then seem simple answer


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## Bigpeetee (Feb 8, 2012)

I've use type specific 12v chargers from Ebay  on my Asus, EEEPC and Compaq all come with origional type fittings and just work.

If I'm driving I use the vehicle cigarette lighter socket running off the engine batt, when stationary I can either use the engine as mine stays on all time, or swap to leisure batt.

I've fitted a 4 way cigarette outlet in the main cabin so that laptops, ipods phones etc can be charged from leisure batts when stationary.

Actually now I tend to connect everything to this 4 way adapter as when I'm driving the batts are being charged anyway.

I definitely wouldn't go down the route of using a 240v inverter to charge low voltage devices, been there and found that I was using at least 50% more power and had a clutter of wires.

PS. people treat inverters with little respect, they can still kill you. There's little in the way of protection. 

Think of the old HT coils in cars to the plugs.  12 volts in, 24,000 volts out can give one hell of a jolt, while the inverter only gives 240 volts out most are modified sine waves, some have voltage spikes above 340v, can give you and your equipment a real shock.


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## moonshadow (Feb 8, 2012)

Bernard Jones said:


> As well as a huge number of DC plugs, and a ruined laptop if you damage the power socket, there is another complication.  Some laptop power sockets eg HP, that look like an ordinary co Ax plug with 2 terminals, actually have 3 terminals, The power lead is actually like a standard co ax lead, with another metal surround and sheath over that. The outer sheath on the power plug has a different connection on the inside and outside, because the power adaptor supplies 2 different voltages, usually 19v and 5v.



I have been mulling over this problem for a while and not found a solution. I have an HP laptop and didn't realise it had 3 terminals. Have you come up with a solution for charging from the cigarette lighter socket? It need 19v. Thought I'd ask on the off chance. Thanks.


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## Romahomepete (Feb 8, 2012)

Bought a 12v lead for my Acer through Amazon quite cheaply and it is specific for my computer.

Search for the name of your computer car adapter


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## moonshadow (Feb 9, 2012)

What a genius! Thanks. The man in Maplins said it couldn't be done so I suppose I had given up!:cheers:


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## bobowas007 (Feb 9, 2012)

*bobowas007*



MORGANTHEMOON said:


> Would anybody know how I can run my laptop off 12v in my motorhome when wilding.
> 
> At the great age of 55 in a fit of madness I agreed to go university but the amount of work I have to do on my PC is crazy so if I can take it with me I wont fall behind.



I have a Dell laptop 19v runs on small powerpack 12v supply from MAPLINS.


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## sagart (Feb 10, 2012)

One of the least likely places to obtain adapters & cables for laptops is Radio Shack in the US. (they traded here for a while as Tandy).
I took my UK Compaq with me to our daughter in Oregon last year and needed to run it in her GM. RV. as I'd forgotten the power supply.
The local RS. in Corvallis, Oregon, supplied me off the shelf with a power supply and the necessary adapters, all of which are now running off the lighter socket in my T5


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## moonshadow (Feb 10, 2012)

That's very bizarre. It seems everything we have been to our newly opened Maplins they have said not suitable and suggested I try Ebay, obviously not on commission. However they were keen to try and sell me their own brand Ipad - anyone had any experience of it - sounded a bit too good to be true, it was also a phone and a satnav!


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## sagart (Feb 11, 2012)

Try"Maplin item name reviews" on Google or, if you're like me use Bing...might turn up something


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## barryd (Feb 11, 2012)

Maplins do sell them.  I got mine from there.  Works perfectly.

Similar to this one

72W 12V In-Car/In-Air Laptop Adaptor with USB Charging Socket : Laptop : Maplin Electronics


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## Deleted member 21686 (Feb 11, 2012)

Thanks for all the advice guys.


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## scotsy (Feb 11, 2012)

i cannot believe your still not sorted out yet, you can get ANYTHING via ebay, do us a favour and list the model number and any other relevant details to the brand etc and i'm sure someone will find EXACTLY WHAT YOU NEED and post up a link for you:idea-007:


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## witzend (Feb 11, 2012)

eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace

I use one of these with usb lead


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## nij (Mar 31, 2012)

I have a 12v 'ciggy' charger for my Samsung notebook, though when away for longer trips I take my 'work laptop' (for my photography) and that runs though a inverter and so does my little printer.


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## fishy & Nina (Apr 13, 2012)

I have just oredered one from an Ebay seller.
Just put in the name of my laptop and car charger for the search and it went straight to the right place (asus aspire 5737 car charger).  Sent an email to check it was the right one, got the reply overnight and ordered - nice 'n' easy!

Good luck


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## guycooper (Jun 8, 2012)

This is a good one for £25 from ebuyer:

Trust 120W Notebook Car / Airplane Power Adapter.. | Ebuyer.com

They have loads of other chargers too (less than £8 for one for an iPad!).


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## Deleted member 13543 (Jun 8, 2012)

I just hope you won't end up in a 12v power dispute with her indoors over whether you can run your laptop at the same time as her using the tv!!  My life isn't worth living if Im Indoors can't have his telly!! Went through hell on our Wales trip when he couldn't get it; he did nothing but sulk, sleep and nick my Kindle!! Anything for a quiet life!!!


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## DRoader (Jun 8, 2012)

I bought a 12V charger from Maplins - http://www.wildcamping.co.uk/forums/motorhome-knowledge-base/18649-12v-laptop-charger.html


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## Deleted member 21686 (Jun 8, 2012)

kernowprickles said:


> I just hope you won't end up in a 12v power dispute with her indoors over whether you can run your laptop at the same time as her using the tv!!  My life isn't worth living if Im Indoors can't have his telly!! Went through hell on our Wales trip when he couldn't get it; he did nothing but sulk, sleep and nick my Kindle!! Anything for a quiet life!!!



Prickles you have to give and take in a relationship but women like to take, take, take.
And the only thing they give is grief.

And all you can manage is lend him your kindle so the poor bugger is in debt to you now.

My Hearing is not as good as it used to be. (thank god)


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