What's the best way to power a laptop from car for everyday use?

How to police and service vehicles do it?

Do they get an inverter like everyone else or are they running something entirely different.

I just got a toughbook for my car and now am scratching my head trying to figure out the best way to power it.

 

Is there any reason why a simple AC inverter would not serve this purpose well?

 

Yeah an inverter works well for me when we have to go on long trips and we want to use the laptop as a portable DvD player.

 

Dell sells 12V car adapters for their notebooks, I'm sure the other manufactures do this as well. With dell some of their adapters will work with 12V or 120V, all you need is the different cord.

 

Use an inverter, police cars use one too im sure its just custom/internal.

Inverter is a better choice than a single car adapter for a laptop, its probably cheaper, it will work with any laptop and other devices, and its all around more versatile.

I got a little $40 one that puts out like 200w or so and fits in my glove box when not in use.

 

I use the Belkin AC Anywhere inverter and it works great.

 

Inverter is win, never have to buy a car charger for anything

 

I use a Lind. Lind supplies many hardened/tough power supplies for Military, Public Safety, and Health Care. For automobiles, they sell power supplies with built-in timers that are meant to be wired directly to the battery. They supply power to the laptop even with the engine off, and the power is automatically cut when the battery voltage decreases to a set point or at a specific time. Nifty.

 

mp3car.com

but as a summary, inverters are very inefficient, can draw too much power from the car (which can among other things set it on fire), and they produce a lot of waves around them which can distort you sound system. a cheap universal dc-dc adapter on ebay is a MUCH better choice and costs you like $13 shipped.

you also should not use the dc plug in your car which usually is not made to take this kind of load (especially with a inverter daily).

 

The efficiency isnt an issue unless you are running your car off for long periods of time while drawing from the battery. The laptops own power adapter is already as in efficient at turning 120 volt ac into dc, the inefficiency goes both ways and yes a dc to dc adapter is more efficient. In the long run buying one inverter to power all your devices is cheaper then the power used in comparison to buy laptop and cell phone chargers for everything over the lifetime of the devices.

People who set their car on fire are the ones changing their 20 amp fused to a 30 amp and using an inverter that shouldnt be used through a cigarette lighter, but wired directly.

The cars cigarette and accessory outlet is rated for 240 watts peak draw and will NOT have an issue unless the wiring is faulty. My 150 watt inverter has its own 20 amp fuse in addition to the 20 amp fused on the accessory system. I however might recommend to stay away from inverters who can peak over 240 watts.

 

^ i just stated that because i dont know what he has. He could have an old honda that isnt made for the wattage in the outlet and he might have a gaming notebook or just a netbook. Just wanted to give him a fair warning since cars have caught on fire from this. Also, inverters are rated in wattage for what they put out, but they draw much more (especially cheapo ones).

But if its daily use and hidden and he wouldnt use the inverter for anything else the Dc-Dc adapter is cheaper anyways...

 

Right well as far back as i can remember 12 volt cigarette lighters use a 20 amp fuse. I personally had a couple of cars pops 20 amp fuses just using the cigarette lighter and back then I never used an inverter or car charger so I would use a 25 or 30 amp fuse to get the lighter going again. 12x20 = 240 but at the same time plenty of cars have caught on fire for other wiring problems so no telling if there is a model that has issues with its cigarette/accessory system. Id avoid 90's pontiacs to be honest

I will note that its suggested you NOT use it in a cigarette lighter outlet in most charger manuals. If your being careful might take note of that when using an inverter or even a laptop adapter but not ever car has accesory outlets and the truth is their wired exactly the same in most but maybe not all vehicles. The inside of the outlet just doesn't accommodate a cigarette lighter.

Just for that yeah, but if you also have other uses I bought an inverter 6 years ago and never looked back. 4 cell phones, 2 laptops, a video camera and anything else i might need to charge on the go later no regrets but then again i havent had a fire and that would be a regret.

 

Many switch mode lap top power supplies, especially genuine Sony brand, will not run on a generic modified square wave 12 vDC to AC inverter.
They simply will not 'start up' and often over heat to the point of causing a car fire themselves.
And also all modified square wave inverters produce a whole lot of RF 'noise'.