Inverter for powering laptop on boat

SailingDog

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May 30, 2002, 8:15:08 PM5/30/02

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Hi Everyone, Stupid question--I'm bareboating in the BVIs in two weeks and
want to power my laptop on the boat, a Jeanneau Sun Odessey 37'. Do I need
to buy an inverter? Some of the inverters I saw at West Marine have a
connector that looks like the one you'd plug into a cigarette lighter in
your car. Do newer sailboats have that, or do the inverters have a plug thaT
looks more like the two prong we have at home? I don't need much more than
the cheapy 150 watt, but not sure of the connectors I'll find. Any guidance
would be appreciated!

Larry

Larry W4CSC

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May 30, 2002, 8:32:36 PM5/30/02

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Buy the little 150W or 300W inverter from Circuit City, Best
Buy...anywhere EXCEPT an overpriced marine store. Electronic stores
have 300W inverters for $50. If you see Tripplite, don't look at the
price. They are great at any price! These new inverters are VERY
efficient. A 300W inverter with a 15W load charging laptop batteries
draws 16W, tops. That's a little more than an amp at 14V. When the
battery gets charged back up, the load will drop to 2W, the load
current will be .2A, mostly from the little fan in the inverter
running. If you want to run a drill, the 300W is better than the
150W....obviously. Any of them will run that laptop and charge its
batteries.....

On Fri, 31 May 2002 00:15:08 GMT, "SailingDog" <tnl...@yahoo.com>
wrote:

Larry

Keith

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May 31, 2002, 10:02:50 AM5/31/02

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I use a 300W to power my regular computer, LCD screen and printer, if
it's on. Most boats come with a cigarette lighter type adapter, but
usually never where you need one. Put whatever kind of plug fits your
needs on it. I don't think any of them come with other than the standard
cigarette lighter outlet.

--
__________________
Keith
Age is a very high price to pay for maturity.

Bernard W. Joseph

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May 31, 2002, 10:47:10 AM5/31/02

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"SailingDog" <tnl...@yahoo.com> wrote in
news:ggzJ8.71297$Kp.71...@bin7.nnrp.aus1.giganews.com:

You need less than a 150W inverter. For several years when we cruised on
our Alberg 35, I used a very small one that would almost slip into a
pocket. I think that it was about 50W and cost about $29. It ran my old
Packard-Bell laptop and Canon BJ-10 printer very well, mostly as a battery
charger.

But you might not need one at all. The boats we've chartered in the BVIs
have all had 110VAC with several outlets. They had humungous inverters
built in. Check with your charter company before you spend the money.

--
Bernard W. Joseph http://www.appliedgrammar.com
"Did you ever date a witch?"
"Yes, but just for a spell."
-- Bob Thaves, Frank and Ernest comic strip, 2000 Nov 14

Rosalie B.

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Jun 4, 2002, 12:49:09 PM6/4/02

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I have 3 laptops, and the ordinary DC adaptor that most of them have
available will work on the boat's DC system. These are the type that have
the cigarette lighter type plugs.

I do have one laptop that has no DC adaptor available, and have to use an
inverter for that one. THe big disadvantage is that it creates a lot of
static on the SSB. Also if you are sailing, and have to start the engine,
one of the inverters goes crazy for some reason.

Keith <klem...@airmail.net> wrote:

grandma Rosalie