Re: OT(ish): Powering a Laptop

In news[email protected],
MVP <mr.nice@*nospam*softhome.net> blithered:
> Powering a Laptop.
> My Laptop (acer), according to the info on the mains adapter, runs on
> 19v DC.
> Questions...
>
> What are the chances it's be happy on 14vDC (which is the voltage
> accross my battery 99% of the time)?
>
> If it'll be happy with 14vDC would the delivery of it in a cars
> electrical system be nice and smooth enough?
>
> If it'll not be happy with 14vDC how easy is it to find a 1:1.357
> ratio transformer to step-up the voltage?
>
> And would that work?
>
> The output of the mains transformer is 3.42A by the way, so the
> current draw of a transformer for 14-19v would be 3.88A.
>
> Anything here I've missed folks? or am I completely off my rocker
> here?

Think the answer to all your questions is unfortunately no.

It is unlikely to be happy with a mere 14V if it is anticipating 19.
You can't 'transform' DC, only AC.
For DC you need and invertor, I don't see why such a beast shouldn't do 14 up to
19, however acquiring one might be a bit of a challenge.
Dunno what Maplin do in that line. It might be easier to get one that produces
240V AC from 12V DC and drive your AC adapter from that, them's more common and
more readily available from the likes of Maplin. They might even be available from
your caravan/camper suppliers.

As to your last statement, you post in alt.fan.landrovers and you need to ask?


--
"He who says it cannot be done should not interrupt her doing it."

If at first you don't succeed,
maybe skydiving's not for you!

GbH wrote:

> You can't 'transform' DC, only AC.

Well, actually this is not entirely true. You can buy what is called DC-DC
converters That will do exactly that. We have some mobile robots running
on 12V equipped with such converters that do produce 24V (out of the 12V)
to power fairly power hungry equipment (big laser range scanners).

And this is probably what the maplin device uses.

Hope this helps.

Fred

In news:[email protected],
Fred Labrosse <[email protected]> blithered:
> GbH wrote:
>
>> You can't 'transform' DC, only AC.
>
> Well, actually this is not entirely true. You can buy what is called
> DC-DC converters That will do exactly that. We have some mobile
> robots running on 12V equipped with such converters that do produce
> 24V (out of the 12V) to power fairly power hungry equipment (big
> laser range scanners).
>
> And this is probably what the maplin device uses.
>
> Hope this helps.
>
> Fred

Which is precisely what I said!!!

--
"He who says it cannot be done should not interrupt her doing it."

If at first you don't succeed,
maybe skydiving's not for you!

GbH wrote:

> In news:[email protected],
> Fred Labrosse <[email protected]> blithered:
>> GbH wrote:
>>
>>> You can't 'transform' DC, only AC.
>>
>> Well, actually this is not entirely true. You can buy what is called
>> DC-DC converters That will do exactly that. We have some mobile
>> robots running on 12V equipped with such converters that do produce
>> 24V (out of the 12V) to power fairly power hungry equipment (big
>> laser range scanners).
>>
>> And this is probably what the maplin device uses.
>>
>> Hope this helps.
>>
>> Fred
>
> Which is precisely what I said!!!
>

Apologies, I thought that by "invertor" you meant transforming DC to AC.

Fred

Fred Labrosse wrote:
> GbH wrote:
>
>
>>You can't 'transform' DC, only AC.

Actually, I said it, in Mark's context of seeking a transformer of a
specific ratio to go from 12V to 19V DC.....

Steve