Charging A Laptop on 12V?
In reading about charging laptops off 12V, most people seem to advise using an inverter. However, we'd like to avoid the wasted power when converting from DC to AC and back to DC. I see some cigarett...
Forum Discussion
I once had a friend who, before he went crazy, posited what he called the law of requisite variety: You can live only so long as TOTAL CHOICES is greater than FATAL COICES... Makes sense to me. (the moral is Choice is good by the way)
You have choices
Now I use (normally) A True Sine Wave Inverter to provide 120vac,, Better than power company quality, There is absolutly NO problem using this type of inverter but.. You are correct.. at most it's 90% efficient and the power brick likewise.
I also have used, on occasion a MSW inverter, also at most 90% efficient, but the brick ran much warmer.. Almost "HOT" (Hot is bad Warmer is ok)
I also have a couple of DC/DC c onverters and more coming.. These take 12 (or rather 9 to 16 volts) DC and convert to ... Whatever it says on the power brick for yhour computer (often 19 volts but I've had a few "OTHER" volts) Depending on the DC/DC converter it may have adjustable output voltage, or fixed, and the effiency can be higher than an inverter and is always higher than dual conversion. (they can hit 95% I suspect) I will know more when I get the new buck/boost converters waiting in my mail box next week and have a chance to look at 'em.
WHat I suspect is conversion to high frequency AC.. then back to DC, (high frequency means more than 60 HZ. like 400 or 500).
You have choices
Now I use (normally) A True Sine Wave Inverter to provide 120vac,, Better than power company quality, There is absolutly NO problem using this type of inverter but.. You are correct.. at most it's 90% efficient and the power brick likewise.
I also have used, on occasion a MSW inverter, also at most 90% efficient, but the brick ran much warmer.. Almost "HOT" (Hot is bad Warmer is ok)
I also have a couple of DC/DC c onverters and more coming.. These take 12 (or rather 9 to 16 volts) DC and convert to ... Whatever it says on the power brick for yhour computer (often 19 volts but I've had a few "OTHER" volts) Depending on the DC/DC converter it may have adjustable output voltage, or fixed, and the effiency can be higher than an inverter and is always higher than dual conversion. (they can hit 95% I suspect) I will know more when I get the new buck/boost converters waiting in my mail box next week and have a chance to look at 'em.
WHat I suspect is conversion to high frequency AC.. then back to DC, (high frequency means more than 60 HZ. like 400 or 500).
