Running a laptop in the lorry, do you need an invertor, and if so, how much power. Also heard that it’s possible to replace the part of the cord going from the power pack to the 3-pin plug, with a 240 volt lead?
Recommendations please.
You’d need a 100w inverter to run a laptop although 300w inverters are cheaper than 100w inverters because far more of them are made.
Better off buying a cheap tablet with a cigarette socket charger.
andy_s:
Better off buying a cheap tablet with a cigarette socket charger.
No I’m not!! 
Depending on the laptop you can get a specific cigarette socket lead, but it’s easier & cheaper to go the 300w inverter route as the inverter gives more flexibility and enabling you to use other items
You’ll need an inverter which is ideally 2 - 3x the wattage that the laptop charger runs on, eg: 100W charger needs a 200W or higher inverter to give some room. For a laptop you need the more expensive “pure sine wave” type inverter rather than a “modified sine wave” type or it might cause lockups. Should be able to run something like that off a cig lighter.
Why not get something like this .
fingermissing:
Why not get something like this .
I’ve used something similar for about 5 years to power a laptop with no battery in it to watch DVDs, and put the sound through the aux-in on the truck radio.
skinhead:
fingermissing:
Why not get something like this .I’ve used something similar for about 5 years to power a laptop with no battery in it to watch DVDs, and put the sound through the aux-in on the truck radio.
I’ve used something similar for the last 10 years or more with no problems, although I’ve always used one specific to my lap tap than a universal one. Why increase your 12/24v supply to 240v just to reduce it back to 17 or so.
trucken:
I’ve used something similar for the last 10 years or more with no problems, although I’ve always used one specific to my lap tap than a universal one. Why increase your 12/24v supply to 240v just to reduce it back to 17 or so.
I’ve often wondered why folk want to do that.
andy_s:
Better off buying a cheap tablet with a cigarette socket charger.
Agreed!! Highly recommended the nexus 7 great tablet great display and I am sure you can pick them for 90 quid from Argos…
Had an iPad up till october, got stolen off a tour bus i was living on unfortunately by some scrote who broke into it.
Got myself a laptop, never looked back. 300W inverter does the trick for me, just make sure you get the right sine wave version. Can never remember which its supposed to be but someone has probably mentioned it.
Is this the sort of thing that I need?
Supatramp:
Is this the sort of thing that I need?
Your best getting a 24 volt one not 12 volt.
fingermissing:
Supatramp:
Your best getting a 24 volt one not 12 volt.
Like this?
Is it me■■?
I know I am not very Tech savvy,
but surely the Inverter steps up the 12 or 24v to 240v, so the transformer on the lappy lead can reduce it back down to 12 or so volts that the lappy runs on??
Would it not be better to get a lead or transformer with an output that matched the required input on the lappy??
Or am I being stupid?
Supatramp:
fingermissing:
Supatramp:
Your best getting a 24 volt one not 12 volt.Like this?
That’s the one I’ve been using for 18 months, it’s been perfect for me. Will also run a TV and PS3 if you wanted. And it shouts at you if your battery gets low.
Toddy2:
Is it me■■?I know I am not very Tech savvy,
but surely the Inverter steps up the 12 or 24v to 240v, so the transformer on the lappy lead can reduce it back down to 12 or so volts that the lappy runs on??Would it not be better to get a lead or transformer with an output that matched the required input on the lappy??
Or am I being stupid?
My laptop, like many others, runs on 19 odd volts, while it’s possible to drop 24v down to this an adaptor to do so isn’t widely available and doesn’t cost much less than an inverter which can also be used to power many other things.
Universal 12v chargers can be found on e-bay for about £6. Ones specific to a particular lap top are around £10. Used them for 10 years or more for up to 12 hrs a day with no problem.
i use a 300watt inverter with the other connection not cigerette socket sorry for got the name.had no problems at all got it from maplins for just over £30 does job nicely