Inverter install questions

[Rockmaninoff]

Thanks for the reply... I plan on running a laptop, maybe a small PC and intend to put more gadgets in later on... so I want to have everything as safe as possible.

[MidnightMods]

360w is very small. Check what your laptop pulls as they can drain alot of power and in summer both will be working harder to supply the charge.
That version does not have a relocated switch, you will need to wire a switch into the main power source of the unit. The bigger units from jaycar have switches, Which is the one I have

*looking at the site now it seems they have changed brands/types*

[layback40]

Originally Posted by MidnightMods

360w is very small. Check what your laptop pulls as they can drain alot of power and in summer both will be working harder to supply the charge.
That version does not have a relocated switch, you will need to wire a switch into the main power source of the unit. The bigger units from jaycar have switches, Which is the one I have

*looking at the site now it seems they have changed brands/types*

360w is an area of solar cells about the size of a bed. Most I see out bush are about 80w. A 360w inverter if thats its continuous rate will probably be good for 650 ~ 700 peak. I dont understand why people want to run a laptop off a 240v charger. Why not just get a 12v charger & save the losses in the inverter. they are not made of heat sink to look nice!

[Rockmaninoff]

Originally Posted by MidnightMods

360w is very small. Check what your laptop pulls as they can drain alot of power and in summer both will be working harder to supply the charge.
That version does not have a relocated switch, you will need to wire a switch into the main power source of the unit. The bigger units from jaycar have switches, Which is the one I have

*looking at the site now it seems they have changed brands/types*

I'll look at the others closely in person. I was referring to the type than the actual wattage. There's also a basic/non-pure sine wave version there.

Originally Posted by layback40

I dont understand why people want to run a laptop off a 240v charger. Why not just get a 12v charger & save the losses in the inverter. they are not made of heat sink to look nice!

In my case the laptop is not the only thing i will end up running and as mentioned to MidnightMods i gave the link to show the type/series rather than the actual wattage.

Anyone replaced their stock battery with a higher capacity one? Any tips?

Thanks for all the ideas.

[anthonygubbin]

I got the MSW one and its fine on the laptop and all other switch mode charging devices I have used on it. Good thing about all the Jaycar ones AFAIK are electronically Isolated. At least both of mine have been. I only have a 300w one and its enough to power all I want to off it. Gotta remember that 300w is around 25a or more at full load plus wastage. Even a laptop charging will run down your battery pretty quick without the engine running. Its not something I would risk if I didn't have the aux.

Also anyone know where to get these 12v laptop chargers. Are they laptop brand specific. I would like one as its annoying have to remember to grab the charger from the boot or connect it up each time I want to charge it off the inverter. Also I hate the wasted power from using the inverter, which is a fairly high percentage so I am told.

Regards A

[Doctor W]

I run a PowerTech Plus Universal Automatic Lap Top DC Adapter for Car , phew what a mouthfull!!

And I also bought it at Jaycar (from memory it was either $40 or $60 approx).

It runs on 11V -14V input via a fused and surge protected cig. lighter plug and comes with over 20 different laptop brand output plugs to fit any make and the device selects the correct voltage and polarity by itself automatically. So, in my case it's putting out 19V (digital voltage display on it) into my Acer with correct polarity via the Acer plug I've chosen from its range.

In my case it has to step up battery voltage from the basic 12.8V up to 19V and it has never wavered, maintaining the full 19V even down as low as 12.4V at the battery many,many hours later and usually with other devices running (music or TV or DVD and an Engel fridge that's always plugged in.

My power set-up? .........

I have two Optimas, a dual purpose BlueTop (main) and a dual purpose YellowTop((house/aux), the Jeep ZG's standard 140A Alternator's battery temperature sensor has been tweaked to give 14.4V at idle charge, which is directed by a Redarc Isolator and I have an 80W flexible fold/roll up photovoltaic panel array.

I have a lot of electronic devices and some appliances all of which are run off the system I've described above, and very successfully too!

[anthonygubbin]

Thanks for the heads up on where to get the ciggy charger for the laptop Doc. I will get one this week.

Regards A