Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 11-30-2007, 10:59 AM   #1
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 301
Another "newbie who couldn't find the answer when doing a seach" question. *hangs head in shame*

So let's say we're at a rest stop and want to use our laptop computer (that btw has a very small capacity battery). When our battery on the laptop finally dies, we'd like to plug it in to an outlet to get power. We'd like to do this while on the inverter as we assume that the power used by the laptop will be very little.

However, none of the outlets work on the inverter as we can see. The only way we're able to continue to use the computer is if we fire up the generator. It seems like such a waste to use the generator for just the laptop.

What do you do in the situation described?

The only other alternative is to buy an adapter for the laptop and then plug it into the cigarette lighter ...if that is even working on the inverter, is it?
amanda_h is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2007, 10:59 AM   #2
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 301
Another "newbie who couldn't find the answer when doing a seach" question. *hangs head in shame*

So let's say we're at a rest stop and want to use our laptop computer (that btw has a very small capacity battery). When our battery on the laptop finally dies, we'd like to plug it in to an outlet to get power. We'd like to do this while on the inverter as we assume that the power used by the laptop will be very little.

However, none of the outlets work on the inverter as we can see. The only way we're able to continue to use the computer is if we fire up the generator. It seems like such a waste to use the generator for just the laptop.

What do you do in the situation described?

The only other alternative is to buy an adapter for the laptop and then plug it into the cigarette lighter ...if that is even working on the inverter, is it?
amanda_h is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2007, 11:11 AM   #3
Winnebago Owner
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 128
Amanda, need a little more info. Do you have the Dimentions Inverter? Is it turned on at the one place power center? If it is indeed enabled, some of the outlets should be working.
__________________
06 Itasca Meridian 36G, 350 Cat , Flnr XC-S Chassis

07 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
Chief is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2007, 11:19 AM   #4
Winnebago Owner
 
Cousin Ed's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Cape Cod, MA
Posts: 122
It might just be easier to buy a cheap inverter that plugs into the 12 volt. They cost between $20 to 40 for one that will work a laptop. Sam's Club always has them. An adapter for the laptop would be around $100!
__________________
Jeanie, Ed & Slade the GSD
Cape Cod, MA
2017 Entegra Aspire RBQ & Sierra Crew
Cousin Ed is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2007, 11:21 AM   #5
Winnebago Camper
 
Join Date: Nov 2000
Posts: 9
Amanda, I just came back from a trip where several days (without shore power) I charged my laptop with the camper inverter; had no trouble. The camper (bigfoot) has solar panel and thus the camper batteries were always up to charge. Our inverter has a fairly large capacity...we would make coffee in the morning with the coffee with power coming from the inverter.

By the way we got excellent broadband service (in FL and GA) using Verizon air card modem.
Hemi
Hemi is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2007, 11:39 AM   #6
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 301
Chief-- *bonks self upside the head* Oh dear! I am stupid!! Both of us thought that the inverter was automatically on. We never thought that we had to actually turn it on at the control center! Oh, how embarrassing! Thank you so much, Chief!

Ed-- Yes, that was the alternative we thought we'd try because we did see how expensive an adapter for the computer would be. Thanks!

Hemi-- Thank you for your response. Yes, we were wondering if we could make coffee if we could figure out which outlets worked. We couldn't find any that worked but now we know they weren't working because we hadn't turned on the inverter!!! *sheesh* Oh, and yeah, we have the Sprint card and in most major population centers, we get good EVDO speeds. We rarely find a spot where we can't at least get a 1xRTT signal. Thanks!
amanda_h is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2007, 02:31 PM   #7
Winnebago Master
 
Tom N's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Sarver, PA/Crystal River, FL/Shelocta, PA
Posts: 1,196
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Cousin Ed:
It might just be easier to buy a cheap inverter that plugs into the 12 volt. They cost between $20 to 40 for one that will work a laptop. Sam's Club always has them. An adapter for the laptop would be around $100! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

For me it would be a lot easier to use the inverter built into the coach.

-Tom
__________________
Sarver, PA/Crystal River, FL/Shelocta, PA FMCA 335149 W3TLN
2005 Suncruiser 38R W24, no chassis mods needed 2013 Honda Accord EX-L 2008 Honda Odyssey EX-L
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Tom N is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2007, 02:47 PM   #8
Winnebago Camper
 
bsavage's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Dolores, Colorado
Posts: 5
Glad you discovered the inverter on/off solution, don't be embarrassed, there is a huge learning curve on all RV's! One tip from me... always check your circuit breakers (I am assuming you have circuit breakers in your rig)... can't tell you how many times something wasn't working (outlets, sound on TV, coffee maker) when I found that the issue was a tripped circuit breaker.

Brenda, of...
__________________
Brenda & Tony, traveling with Chocolate Lab Cadbury and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels Rossi, Hayden, Millie, & Hercules... towing an assortment of motorcycles!
bsavage is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2007, 03:23 PM   #9
Winnebago Master
 
SCVJeff's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Santa Clarita, CA.
Posts: 1,222
We gotta get you out doin some boondockin'. All these little issues will appear and be resolved in one day..

The Dimensions will run the inverter and the laptop just fine, but as mentioned is complete overkill. The big problem running the inverter with that tiny load is that the idle current of the inverter equals or exceeds the current draw of the laptop. In laymans terms: With the draw of the interter and the draw of laptop (through the interter) on the battery to run just the laptop, is twice what it really is from the laptop alone. Is that confusing?

SO..
Go to Walmart, Pepboys, etc. and get yourself a little 150W (or so, but this is safe) plug-in inverter just for the laptop. You can plug it in either next to the table or by the recliner next to the front passenger seat. I carry two of them.

(edit) I assume that yours is the same as ours in that all outlets route through the inverter INCLUDING the fridge. No big deal, but remember to switch it to propane when you're dry camping or you will kill the batteries in about 6-8hrs. Also as pointed out above, shut off the inverter when not in use and not hooked up. The idle current of the inverter is around 3A if I remember. Not a lot, but it all adds up.
__________________
_______________________________

Jeff - WA6EQU
'06 Itasca Meridian 34H, CAT C7/350
SCVJeff is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2007, 03:57 PM   #10
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 301
Tom-- When you say it would be a lot easier to use the inverter built into the coach, is that opposed to going out and buying an adapter? Thanks.

Brenda-- Thanks for the tip about the circuit breakers. That's something I can see myself forgetting to do. Thanks.

Jeff-- Ok, so what you described is harmful to the laptop or harmful to the coach's inverter? It is overkill to turn on the inverter to run the laptop? ...like it's overkill to run the generator to use the laptop. So it's not harming anything just using resources that aren't necessary?

And is this 150w plug-in inverter being run through the cigarette-lighter-thingie? Are those activated through the coach's inverter or do they run directly off the batteries?

I'm ssssooo confused!
amanda_h is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2007, 04:26 PM   #11
Winnebago Master
 
SCVJeff's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Santa Clarita, CA.
Posts: 1,222
No harm to anything, whatever you choose to do. The house inverter draws considerably more current than the small one if all you want to do is run the laptop. I just looked up my data.. The house inverter, no load, draws 2.92A. The little 150W plug-in. no load, draws 100Ma. That's 1/10 of an amp, where the house unit draws just shy of x30 that.

The little inverters plug into the cig plug straight off the batteries. They're handy to have around as opposed to buying a converter specifically for the laptop in that you can charge a shaver, run a small TV, fan, CPAP, etc.
__________________
_______________________________

Jeff - WA6EQU
'06 Itasca Meridian 34H, CAT C7/350
SCVJeff is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2007, 04:38 PM   #12
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 301
Ah, ok, I think I've got it. So turning on the inverter to run the laptop is overkill in that it is running down the house batteries faster than really is necessary by just using the laptop and nothing else?

But at a rest stop of a couple of hours, we can turn on the coach inverter and use the laptop with no problem as once we are underway, the house batteries get charged back up?

Or is that true? Does the engine charge the house batteries too? ...or are they only charged through the solar charger and shore power?



Oh, is this the kind of thing you're referring to?:

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/zoom/zoompop.asp?i=92233...=&nv=&c=&adid=187235
amanda_h is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2007, 05:14 PM   #13
Winnebago Master
 
SCVJeff's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Santa Clarita, CA.
Posts: 1,222
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by amanda_h:
Ah, ok, I think I've got it. So turning on the inverter to run the laptop is overkill in that it is running down the house batteries faster than really is necessary by just using the laptop and nothing else? CORRECT

But at a rest stop of a couple of hours, we can turn on the coach inverter and use the laptop with no problem as once we are underway, the house batteries get charged back up? CORRECT

Or is that true? Does the engine charge the house batteries too? ...or are they only charged through the solar charger and shore power? They should charge off the engine, although the battery and solar geeks often remove this and opt for more charge control



Oh, is this the kind of thing you're referring to?:YEP!

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/zoom/zoompop.asp?i=92233...=&nv=&c=&adid=187235 </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
__________________
_______________________________

Jeff - WA6EQU
'06 Itasca Meridian 34H, CAT C7/350
SCVJeff is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2007, 02:20 AM   #14
Winnebago Master
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 1,520
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by SCVJeff:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by amanda_h:
Ah, ok, I think I've got it. So turning on the inverter to run the laptop is overkill in that it is running down the house batteries faster than really is necessary by just using the laptop and nothing else? CORRECT

But at a rest stop of a couple of hours, we can turn on the coach inverter and use the laptop with no problem as once we are underway, the house batteries get charged back up? CORRECT

Or is that true? Does the engine charge the house batteries too? ...or are they only charged through the solar charger and shore power? They should charge off the engine, although the battery and solar geeks often remove this and opt for more charge control



Oh, is this the kind of thing you're referring to?:YEP!

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/zoom/zoompop.asp?i=92233...=&nv=&c=&adid=187235 </div></BLOCKQUOTE> </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

When you are driving the coach and house batteries both get charged by the alternator so you will not run your batteries dead running the inverter. You will be putting hours on the inverter which will eventually wear out. My inverter stopped putting out power clean enough to run my laptop a short while ago. It will still run the TV and entertainment center but will not run any computer that we plug in any more.

Now I need to repair or replace my built in inverter and will be looking for a separate plug-in inverter (a variation of what you linked to) to run the laptop with GPS while on the road.

That ocilliscope that we gave away would have come in handy to verify the waveform. Maybe I'll take a stab at it and try to fix it myself. It is usually just a capacitor gone bad when this happens but then again how much life will the old inverter have left in it.

Anyway I would have saved myself this by using a separate inverter for running just the laptop.

On thing to note is that battery chargers and inverters don't always get along very well so we are taking a chance when we plug a laptop in as it is a battery charger also.
__________________
Neil V
2001 Winnebago Adventurer WFG35U
NeilV is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2007, 03:22 AM   #15
Winnebago Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: North East Indiana
Posts: 762
SCVJEFF: Your advice on the little 400-800 watt inverters is excellent advice. I use them to run my wifes medical equipment while on the road. I do not have the big inverter built in,(do have one for the TV and VCR). Running the generator is ok for large loads but a total waste for small watt consuming items, like lap tops and medical equipment.
Izzyblueye is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2007, 04:39 AM   #16
Winnebago Owner
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 162
Amanda:
If that's the worst you'll have happen to you, you're a lucky person.

The idea is that an inverter uses battery power, even if the inverter isn't powering anything. Good way to conserve battery power is to not run the inverter unless needed.
gunny is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2007, 11:36 AM   #17
Winnie-Wise
 
DonavonP's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 409
We have a little 300 watt inverter permanently mounted by the factory on our Adventurer. Someone on here suggested running a little 18" extension cord from the duplex that is already on the back of the inverter out into the overhead cabinet. Works great. Sorry I can't find the original thread to give the poster proper credit.
__________________
DonavonP
2016 Jayco White Hawk 27dsrl
2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 diesel 4x4
DonavonP is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2007, 12:17 PM   #18
Winnebago Master
 
SCVJeff's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Santa Clarita, CA.
Posts: 1,222
Neil: The inverter being a solid-state device will last as long as any other solid-state device. Electrolytic caps dry out on all electronic equipment (usually much later than sooner), and Tantalum caps short and blow up (but rarely). 99% of the time this is component failure. There are some instances where the equipment design called for the wrong component or the manfacturer cheaped from the design spec.

I have a couple of 20A IBM power supplies that were removed from service in the 70's, I bought them surplus, and they're still running today. The inverter is a solid-state device, no moving parts, fully cooled, and there is no reason it won't outlast the coach itself.
__________________
_______________________________

Jeff - WA6EQU
'06 Itasca Meridian 34H, CAT C7/350
SCVJeff is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2007, 01:04 PM   #19
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 301
Thanks for the additional comments, everybody!

Ok, now ...Jeff or anybody else who cares to answer:

I've been looking online for a cigarette-lighter-type inverter. Jeff says 150w "is safe" but what I'm finding is that some of the 300w ones are about the same price.

I need an explanation of "wattage" please.

What difference will it make or consequences we might encounter if we used a 300w inverter as opposed to a 150w one?

Again, sorry for such elementary questions. Thanks.
amanda_h is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2007, 03:58 PM   #20
Winnebago Master
 
SCVJeff's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Santa Clarita, CA.
Posts: 1,222
I doubt if you will find anything above 150W in a all-in-one package with the plug. Anything above this will have an external cord with battery clips due to current demands.

When I said "safe", I meant it from two directions:
1- That you won't overload or burn out the inverter. I managed to toast a 100W inverter a while back with my new super-go-fast PC trying to use it and charge up it's dead battery at the same time.

2- That, even though a 150W inverter at full load is really pushing the wall socket, it tops out at 12A or so. This will power and charge the PC no problem, and taper off as the PC picks up a charge.

I've used my 150W to power/ charge laptops at the dinette and by the front rocker with no signs of smoke yet
__________________
_______________________________

Jeff - WA6EQU
'06 Itasca Meridian 34H, CAT C7/350
SCVJeff is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Vectra Laptop Mount cbeierl Winnebago Class A Motorhomes 15 03-23-2008 05:12 AM
Use your cell phone to connect laptop to internet Ron-in-Tn Electrical | Charging, Solar and Electronics 10 03-12-2007 06:36 PM
Pictures of the laptop Jotto Desk , screen shot of engine monitoring system John_Canfield General Maintenance and Repair 50 05-07-2006 08:59 AM
Power source for laptop Flintstones Adventurer General Maintenance and Repair 12 11-01-2005 06:45 AM
Hybrid laptop pedestal smlranger Electrical | Charging, Solar and Electronics 7 08-01-2005 03:45 PM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Winnebago Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:14 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.