chargr laptop on bike

[ynotbiker]

hi all going touring in 3 weeks and am wanting to take my laptop for making routes each night on mapsource,will be rough campig mostly so if i buy a car charger will it be ok to charge laptop as i am riding along will the batterry on the bike handle it am on a ktm thanks tony

 

[CuzGS]

I normally take lead and adaptor mate, charge daily during coffee stop, works for me, at a push mcdonalds for recharge and free wifi

 

[STUBBS]

12v invertor

http://www.maplin.co.uk/12v-150w-can-invertor-with-usb-socket-97788

 

[Popell]

12v invertor

http://www.maplin.co.uk/12v-150w-can-invertor-with-usb-socket-97788

Thats a good one with the benefit of a usb port but asda do one for 15 smackers - no usb

 

[CuzGS]

Same thing lidl 15 quid

 

[ynotbiker]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=370504215052&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:ITwill this not do as the lead is long enough to reach me top box where the lap top is, the maplin one looks short me socket is on the dash will the battery be ok on the bike

 

[Grey Beard]

I have decided to do the same with a Dell Studio 1557 Laptop. Wanted to charge while under way, as if wild camping in Scotland, then no power available, I got a mobile charger for the Dell from an eBay seller. Had some initial problems, because the first charger, although supposedly for the Dell didn't work (design fault). Sourced another from a second eBay seller and this worked OK in the car, but not on the 1200GSA .

Eventually realised that the charger was 90W (7.5V @ 12V) so CAN-Bus didn't want to play, as over 5A.

PopEye (of this parish) made up a special lead for me to connect direct to the battery and supply a PowerPort in my side box. So I am now all set.

If you want to charge on the go, you will need to check what your charger power demand is and may need a direct connection to the battery (if your auxiliary power socket is powered via a CAN-Bus). PopEye reckoned 12V cigarette sockets on bikes can be rather unreliable so the alternative direct cable with in-line fuse gets around this problem.

(I wanted to have the Laptop available for photography editing, etc).

Battery on the GSA should be OK as I don't always use the Fog Lights so that saves 110W and the Laptop charger will probably only need to charge for circa 4 hours max.

Grey Beard

 

[andysdad]

Beware

Make sure you fully shutdown the laptop when carrying on bike; vibes kill hard disks (true for iPod Classic too). If on Standby, the hard disk can run.

Not that I've done it meself, honest.

If you're flash, fit an SSD (solid state disk) - BTW pun intended

Inverters can overheat if sealed in topbox/tankbag. They have fans in them.

A

 

[Canuck]

I've got a few maplin leads, both standard 12v and bmw type plug if you want some cheaper... I bought all the maplins had because I didn't know what I wanted! I did the same as you last year and it worked a treat... whatelse are notebooks good for!