I came across this post talking about power inverters:
http://trucknetuk.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=24115&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=
and it got me thinking…
Firstly are the cigarette lighter sockets in trucks 12v or 24v?
How many drivers have/use a laptop in their cabs and do they find it easy to connect to the net via wifi? are there many wifi hotspots in service stations for example or do you really need to locate them on purpose?
I know of one cafe on the A426 “Irenes” that has 24h int access.
Wasn’t there a commercial post on here a while back from some bod researching about this? He was in the busines of setting up the wifi for the lorry parks.
Driveroneuk:
Wasn’t there a commercial post on here a while back from some bod researching about this? He was in the busines of setting up the wifi for the lorry parks.
Yes, there was. 
yup i have a laptop and a 24 volt inverter and i have one of them voda data card thingy’s (the money i saved when i quit smokin pay’s for the tinternet )
being on the boxes means ya need summat to you amused i also read quite a bit and of course the occasional power nap lol and am on it now as it happens sat on an industrial estate waiting for the place to open ( i got up a wee bit to early ) but never mind eh 
early start early finish happy days
yup i have a laptop and a 24 volt inverter and i have one of them voda data card thingy’s (the money i saved when i quit smokin pay’s for the tinternet )
Yeah, I’ve got one of those PCMCIA cards as well, bought it off ‘the bay’ haven’t used it yet (never needed to) thanks for reminding me I had it, should come in handy. Mine is the older simcard type not the newer mobile broadband type.
Off the top of your head, can you check normal emails whilst connected in this way e.g my broadband account emails.
EDIT: I dont mean via the top of your head I mean via your laptop 
Simon Barnes:
yup i have a laptop and a 24 volt inverter and i have one of them voda data card thingy’s (the money i saved when i quit smokin pay’s for the tinternet )
Yeah, I’ve got one of those PCMCIA cards as well, bought it off ‘the bay’ haven’t used it yet (never needed to) thanks for reminding me I had it, should come in handy. Mine is the older simcard type not the newer mobile broadband type.
Off the top of your head, can you check normal emails whilst connected in this way e.g my broadband account emails.
EDIT: I dont mean via the top of your head I mean via your laptop
yeah if ya can get on the tinternet you you be able to check email’s n stuff
I use mine in the cab although I find it hard to get an inverter to power it, I have to take the battery out and use it without charging it but even then a 300w inverter doesnt have the power to run it and screams like a pig.
Its not even that high a spec with a 2.97 gig processor,1gig ram and a graphics card in it, I use it to watch TV on so it saves carrying a tv about .
I have found quite a few open wireless networks on my travels I would use it and search for open networks before you go subscribing to an ISP.
Simon Barnes:
I came across this post talking about power inverters:
http://trucknetuk.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=24115&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=
- Firstly are the cigarette lighter sockets in trucks 12v or 24v?
Some trucks have 12 volt AND 24 volt,Mercedes for one.
jammymutt:
I use mine in the cab although I find it hard to get an inverter to power it, I have to take the battery out and use it without charging it but even then a 300w inverter doesnt have the power to run it and screams like a pig.Its not even that high a spec with a 2.97 gig processor,1gig ram and a graphics card in it, I use it to watch TV on so it saves carrying a tv about .
I have found quite a few open wireless networks on my travels I would use it and search for open networks before you go subscribing to an ISP.
jammy i have a 24 volt 300 watt inverter and it run’s mine no problem an i can be on for hours at a time
dont know if it makes a difference but both of my inverters are 12V i dont think it should though ss im pretty sure its the output that matters.
There are invertors and invertors. cheap ones are usually exactly that!
i used to use a 12 volt one a while back but it kept on overheating since i have had a 24 volt one i have had no problems
go figure
where can i get a decent 24v inverrter i can only find 12v ones
I use a 12v belkin invertor and it works with no problem except that I have to reset the radio code when I first plug it in. I use the same invertor for charging my bluetooth earpiece too
mataos32:
where can i get a decent 24v inverrter i can only find 12v ones
these seem very reasonably priced…just on a quick google search. I don’t know though if a pure sign wave inverter, rather than these quasi ones, would give a more stable supply for a laptop?
Edit: just found this, useful info:
Maplin Hi-Power Laptop Car Adaptor
For the more power-hungry laptop user, this in-car adaptor should provide ample current for even the most demanding machines! the wide range of dc outputs available, together with the high current output and extensive range of power tips.
maplin.co.uk/search.aspx?pct … lasstype=M
£24.99
You can leave it connected 24/7 as very low battery drain compared to an inverter.
NOTE that it is only 12v so as long as you have a 24/12 dropper in truck all will be ok.
Ossie
I used to take my laptop with me, and use bluetooth to connect via my mobile to get on the net. But it used to cost a fortune on the phone (Virgin GPRS), and I was using a 12v supply which kept falling out of the socket, which caused an unclean shutdown, so I stopped using it. I also had a GPS program on it which was sort of useful, but the ■■■■ thing kept telling me I was lost !
In the end I have forked out for a PDA phone, which has 3G internet (up to 1.8mbits / sec), WiFi, and GPS (TomTom) so I have all the things I needed a laptop for in a (much much) smaller package. I can also get google Maps, which is dead handy, as TomTom’s postcode facility is crap, and rarely gets it even close.
Plus, as I have a t-mobile sim, I can use the internet up to 23.59 hours a day for £1 
Add to this a 2M pixel camera built in and I have reduce the crap in my bag by a fair amount. Ok, web pages can be a pain, but the PDA will put everything in 1 column so you don’t have to scroll too much. Email is easy, and I can use POP or IMAP accounts, plus gmail through the browser. I can even log into my server and do admin stuff.
I like it
I even added a third party shell to make it look prettier.
Came in useful on thursday, customer complained about the way their stuff was loaded (not me, I picked up a trailer and ran with it), so as they took photos and obviously were going to get onto the office, I took some photos, and emailed them in before they could get in first. All from one device.
All I need now is a way to upload photos to my site, and I can post a daily diary with pics.
just bought a Laptop,use wi-fi when available havent connected properley to the internet though yet,but use my 3 mobile for going on the net when there is no wi-fi.
I just had a new CF for the week and my inverter works fine in that it must be something to do with the ■■■■■■ old P cab i drive on other days!!!