Most versatile 12V input power supply have you found?

My laptop is a Clevo W230SS and the factory original PSU is 19.5VDC 6.15Amps.

I am mainly looking for a PSU that can take 10-17VDC input, and output 19.5VDC at at least 6.15Amps.

This 12VDC input or 120VAC input 12-24.5VDC output adjustable PSU looks sweet http://www.ebay.com/itm/120W-Univer...pply-Adapter-for-Laptop-Notebook/151698761939

I will be using this PSU for a lead acid solar system and my trucks 12VDC. It's awesome that it also takes 120VAC input, has a 5V USB output, and I love screens that display voltage. I wonder if it just shows intended voltage or measured voltage.

Do you think this is a good quality PSU?

The input range of that PSU I linked from eBay says 10-14VDC, I hope it's just a typo or an underestimate of it's maximum functional input voltage, especially since lead acid battery systems go thru an equalization stage of 15-16volts a few hours out of every month. I wonder if it will still work at 15V. Most automotives run at 14-15V anyway when the alternator is spinning. Idk, do automotives have an equalization mode? Or does the alternator control circuit just hold 14.8V till charged then drop to float voltage?

Side project: I might also find a large lithium ion pack and use that as a portable very large battery of 500watthours capacity or so, and this PSU can regulate the raw battery voltage into a safe flow for the laptop. I can string 4 li-ion cells in series and have multiple strings with charge management circuitry incorporated, that will range probably between 8VDC-17VDC depending on charge state, but if the PSU shuts off when the voltage drops below 10V that is fine, best to not drain the Li-Ion batteries too far.

 

I would think it would be safer for my laptop to use the factory original PSU with a full sine inverter, but you never know when any PSU is going to malfunction and supply way more or way less than the intended supply voltage. Might as well get better efficiency and go straight from 12VDC to 19.5VDC, rather than using an inverter to go from 12VDC to 120VAC and then using the original PSU to go from 120VAC down to 19.5VDC.

 

No input huh? I was thinking, because it does not have a manufacturer's name on it, with no warranty, I should stay away; but it has the features I want; but the quality is questionable. I can't find another like it with a brand name and warranty. $30, no big deal, but if it freaks out and output shoots to 50volts it's gonna fry my motherboard. What do you engineers think? Maybe I should post this on an electrical forum? I have a feeling alot of computer code people are here and not so many electrical minded types.

 

Looking at the spec's very quickly in your link, this most likely won't properly power your notebook.

Your current PSU is rated to over 6A and this one tops out at 4 or 5 AMPS (max - depending on what spec your read for it).

$30 is a good donation to fleabay, but not a good buy for you.

 

Yea, was looking for a 200W or bigger, to make sure there is enough current, but this is all I could find. Best to not try to push the cheap brand stuff to it's limits.

But I plug my laptop into one of those Kill-a-Watt meters to see the power consumption, and it pulls 100W max, that's before the PSU, so probably 95W/19.5V=4.87A max current with battery charging, GPU and CPU at 100%, screen brightness 100%, USB ports under current draw also.

 

If I buy this I'll probably take it apart and add cooling enhancements, a fan, thermal compound etc.

 

Or just get a 300W full sine 95% efficiency inverter if I can find one at a good price.

 

Notice that the notebook's power draw isn't close to the original PSU's maximums?

And notice that the computed max Amperage you get is still almost 99% of what the ebay psu can give?

This (ebay) psu should not be in your consideration, imo.

 

No. Please don't.

The ratings it has is determined by the components inside. Doesn't matter how much better you can put it together or cool it - the components will determine the ultimate quality of power it can provide.

Not only could you make things worse (inadvertently), but you'll also have a false sense of security where there is none.

 

Don't limit yourself to just 300W - get a good one and buy it once.

Btw; this is your best suggestion yet.

 

Yea, it sucks, I been on google amazon ebay for days looking for one. How in the F%@k is there not a 10A 19.5V car PSU in this computer world of ours? I might just have to look for other power supplies not made for laptops and just use that. I looked a few times and didn't find exactly what I need.

 

Maybe because it would require an 16A+ load on the car's battery/charging system?

Buy an (quality) inverter; they're the reason you're not finding a comparable 12V PSU for your high powered notebook.

 

Well it's for a solar system, and in the truck I can run some 8ga wires from the alternator battery area with a 20A or 30A fuse. We're seeing PSU manufacturers don't figure there is a market for 12V solar laptop PSU's above 65W or 90W.

 

I feel like inverter-PSU is going to be less efficient and have more standby consumption. I'll look for 10-17V input 19.5V output DC-DC converters in the 200W range.

 

I get what you are saying, that's why we see 1 star reviews from idiots who complain "I plugged this 1000W inverter into my car's cigarette outlet and now my power windows don't work, this inverter is garbage". Bad reviews from consumers if a business sold 12V input 200W laptop PSU's.

 

I wish you luck on your search. Hope you can find the right balance of quality, reliability and performance (in all it's aspects that you need).