I purchased a Ring e-can 150w 12v inverter as it said it was suitable for laptops, howeve whn I plug in my Dell XPS1330 it doesn't charge at all. In a situation now where I am camping for the next 3 weeks and need a way to keep my laptop charged. The power input specs on my Laptop 19.6v, 4.62A. Any suggestions for a inverter or power pack?
POWER QUALITY -- SINE WAVE vs. "MODIFIED SINE WAVE" Some inverters produce "cleaner" power than others. Simply stated, "sine wave" is clean; anything else is dirty. A sine wave has a naturally smooth geometry, like the track of a swinging pendulum. It is the ideal form of AC power. The utility grid produces sine wave power in its generators and (normally) delivers it to the customer relatively free of distortion. A sine wave inverter can deliver cleaner, more stable power than most grid connections. How clean is a "sine wave"? The manufacturer may use the terms "pure" or "true" to imply a low degree of distortion. The facts are included in the inverter's specifications. Total harmonic distortion (THD) lower than 6 percent should satisfy normal home requirements. Look for less than 3 percent if you have unusually critical electronics, as in a recording studio for example. Other specs are important too. RMS voltage regulation keeps your lights steady. It should be plus or minus 5 percent or less. Peak voltage (Vp) regulation needs to be plus or minus 10 percent or less. A "modified sine wave" inverter is less expensive, but it produces a distorted square waveform that resembles the track of a pendulum being slammed back and forth by hammers. In truth, it isn't a sine wave at all. The misleading term "modified sine wave" was invented by advertising people. Engineers prefer to call it "modified square wave." The "modified sine wave" has detrimental effects on many electrical loads. It reduces the energy efficiency of motors and transformers by 10 to 20 percent. The wasted energy causes abnormal heat which reduces the reliability and longevity of motors and transformers and other devices, including some appliances and computers. The choppy waveform confuses some digital timing devices. About 5 percent of household appliances simply won't work on modified sine wave power at all. A buzz will be heard from the speakers of nearly every audio device. An annoying buzz will also be emitted by some fluorescent lights, ceiling fans, and transformers. Some microwave ovens buzz or produce less heat. TVs and computers often show rolling lines on the screen. Surge protectors may overheat and should not be used. Modified sine wave inverters were tolerated in the 1980s, but since then, true sine wave inverters have become more efficient and more affordable. Some people compromise by using a modified wave inverter to run their larger power tools or other occasional heavy loads, and a small sine wave inverter to run their smaller, more frequent, and more sensitive loads. Modified wave inverters in renewable energy systems have started fading into history.
Are you plugging the invertor into the 12v then plugging the laptop power supply into that? Then other end into the laptop? A 150watt invertor should do it.
Thanks everyone for your input, especially hartfordxxl100 as I had no idea all inverters where not the same. I ended up getting a Halfords power pack which has a 300w inverter built in (though it is still a "modified sine wave" unit) which seems to work ok with my laptop. It should do for now until I get a chance to get something better.
My 150w E-can inverter seems to work fine with all my low power devices (tomtom, mobile phone charger, digital camera charger, etc), so it would appear that it is a lack of power which is preventing it from keeping my 90w laptop going. Perhaps that manufacturer was just a little ambitious with their power rating for the device?
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Inverter/Power pack for laptop
