Seems a stupid question but can I power a laptop from a leisure battery set up and if so how do I do that? Any pitfalls?
I've got a power supply for my Macbook that runs from a 12v cigarette lighter socket. I'd imagine that you can get the same thing for PC laptops too - have a look on Amazon, that's where I got mine.
I have one I got from amazon but unable to find it atm at work. Runs from USB points I had put in. It's a lavolta one.
i've got a small 12v to 240 inverter just enough to charge laptops etc easy as. like this but from lidl http://www.caravantechnology.com/150W-Power-Inverter-P100C17.aspx
Something like this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Charger-Mac...F8&qid=1399886587&sr=8-1&keywords=macbook 12v be very careful to get the correct one, because Apple are sneaky, and the magsafe chargers are not all the same. I have a 12v charger for my 2010 unibody Macbook, but this does not fit the 2013 Macbook Pro that work have given me.
The problem with inverters is that a lot of power is wasted in the process of changing from 12v up to 240v, only for the power supply to then step the voltage back down to about 16v, or whatever the laptop actually takes. This is because laptops do not take 240v, they take a much smaller amount of power - this is why there is a box halfway down the power cable - it is a transformer. Much more efficient to have something that goes 12v -> 16v rather than something which goes 12v -> 240v -> 16v. Your leisure battery will last much longer that way.
agree but it's universal that's all so can do mobiles and all laptops, easier than faffing if you need to do it that's my idea
Mobiles, tablets, iPads etc pretty much all have USB cables these days - all you need for those is a cigarette lighter socket to USB adapter and you're sorted. I have an inverter in the shed - I've never actually found a use for it yet on camping trips and its gathering dust.
I have charged laptops in many cars with an inverter. Check the power consumption for the psu brick. If it is 65w get a 75w inverter for less than twenty quid. This is also much faster at charging than direct through the cigarette socket.
