Insta carputer! (now with pics!)

[SpongeBuell]

Well, I'm going to Chicago in less than a week and wanted to have my laptop in my car for GPS. Thanks to my dad's help, I got something that will help a lot to keep it secure (a platform that attaches in front of the center console), supported by the floor in that area) I'll get some pictures soon. The only thing is, the laptop doesn't last as long as I'd like under battery power. To help the problem, my dad has an inverter I can use. The only problem is, I'm not really sure if my car can handle it. You see, this is a 1985 Jeep Wagoneer. It runs fine, but I don't think it's designed for that kind of strain on the battery/alternator. At most, the laptop will pull 190 watts max from the AC, probably less if it isn't charging the battery (I'll have it charged first)... I'd imagine it would be about half that otherwise.

Like I said, I'll get pictures soon (when EVERYTHING is done, and it's daylight) but here is a picture of my car for now (slightly altered digitally )



Also, while I'm posting, does anyone have any thoughts about Microsoft Streets and Trips 2007? I have 2006, but there are a few features that I think are missing that appear to be in 2007, such as voice and distance until next turn.

[timmeh87]

95 watts?

you'd last about 30 minutes on my 8-cell 56WH battery.

my laptop only uses about 30W MAX if the battery is charged. maybe 60 if its charging. 18 if you turn the brightness of the screen down and look at a static image.

anyways, just plug it in and see what happens. my friend actually had an xbox in his car that was using too much juice. all the happened is the xbox wouldn't turn on till you got it up to 3000 revs and would turn off again below that (imagine this: speeding down country roads in third gear playing xbox).

this seems to suggest you have more 'juice' the faster you go, even if your laptop dosen't start in your driveway, you may be able to just run it on batteries in the city and charge it on the highway. or something.

you could just take the battery out to prevent it from charging. although thats kind of annoying if your power cord is as loose as mine.

[SpongeBuell]

That's 95 watts going into the power supply (1.7A @ 100-240 volts) Once it's converted to something more laptop-friendly, it outputs 65 watts.

[timmeh87]

the numbers on those power supplies are pretty optimistic. i just looked at my own and its rated at "~1.9A" i do not believe that it ever draws that much though, unless im maybe charging my battery from zero and playing a 3d game while ripping a dvd over my wireless card.

what kind of laptop do you have, out of curiosity?

[vskid]

We take our xbox with us on long trips in our 1999 Windstar minivan, and the inverter doesn't make the low battery beep unless we are just idling for a while, but the xbox still stays on. So unless newer vehicles are made to handle a ton more power draw, it should be fine. And its only going to be running the GPS stuff, so it should use less than 95 watts.

[Triton]

it really depends on your alternator. most alternators output somewhere around 100-150 amperes so you should be safe unless its really weak then its would be somewhere around 60a i would suggest trying it and finding out before you leave or look up your jeep to find out what kind of altenator it has and what it outputs

[SpongeBuell]

what kind of laptop do you have, out of curiosity?

It's an HP/Compaq nc6320 (it's branded HP, but the model nuber on the screen says Compaq nc6230) Pretty new, running an Intel Centrino 1.86GHz (thought it was faster than that, actually) and 2GB RAM.

HP Linky

[NiN^_^NiN]

Spongy get a DC laptop PSU it plugs direct into the lighter socket and bumps the voltage up to 19v or whatever your laptop needs to run its more efficent for you to go that route and its $20 USD

Get one of the voltage selectable ones it goes from 12v to 30v i believe so u can switch to the voltage ur laptop needs

Once your driving u will be fine staying still will drain the battery but not by much with this power supply

Here is an example
http://laptopadapter.stores.yahoo.net/uncarlapoadk.html

[SpongeBuell]

I think I'll go with the inverter... I suppose I can keep an eye on the battery gauge, to make sure it's not draining too much. Most people (including those on a Jeep forum) are saying it shouldn't be a huge issue.

[SpongeBuell]

Now that it's all done (and awesome!)...

Overall View #1


Overall View #2


Homemade tray without Laptop (hole is where the fan is on the laptop, for maximum airflow)


Inverter mounted under tray. I know, it's not plugged in... I needed the cigarette lighter to have the xm on for the pics. Once I actually use the thing, I have an adapter that lets me plug the xm into the inverter that I'll use.


Hope you guys like it

[Skyone]

I really like how you mounted it, and the fan hole looks very professional. Grade A!

[SpongeBuell]

Thanks! I should mention, my dad actually did most of the tray and mounting (since I suck at that stuff, and he has all the great ideas) but I did do all the fabric covering that you can see on my own, including the fan hole. I had to cut the fabric, and realized that if I had one be a + and the other an X I'd have less overlap between the fabric and I could make it cover more wood. The staples underneath could be better, but nobody will ever see that

[NiN^_^NiN]

Looks good spongy are you gonna make a top for the laptop when closed and parked so it doesn't draw as much attention altho its in there so it will alil

Lets hope your next one will be intergrated into the dash nice work on the carpc

[Electric Rain]

Heh, nice MS Paint red-box-of-location-censorship job.

But seriously, nice... you know... GPS-laptop-of-awesomeness job.

[SpongeBuell]

I thought about covering it, and decided to do it the Minnesotan way (I know my location says Wisconsin, but I just go to school there)... I'll throw a jacket over it. Good coverage, and it's 100% normal for a jacket to be in a car this time of year

@Electric Rain: That was so done in photoshop