Re: Laptop, GPS and power connection in a charter boat?

Phil Stanton wrote: 
Have a look at http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=36836&doy=21m10

This is a small cigarette lighter input power supply that gives different output voltages (including 20v that you need)
Get a 2 way cigar splitter. There are 2 sorts, one is an all moulded 1 piece effort and the other is a plug connected to the twin sockets with a bit of wire. Although this is untidy, I have found locations where the is not sufficient room for the one piece adaptor.
You obviously have solved the Garmin to laptop problem.
If you have no charting software, have a look at http://www.digiboat.com.au/
They do a free package although you will have to buy the charts

Phil
At first sight this seems an ideal solution except for the:
"• Works with most notebook computers"
Hmm, Murphy dictates that ours will not be among the most. And this seems to be confirmed by:
"• Output 3.5A max (2.9A on 22 & 24Vdc)"
Where my Inspiron spec says:
"Input: 20V --- 4.5A

Plus the fact that the proprietary DC input lead to the PC will have to be hacked unless the Maplin gizmo can offer the special Dell-type plug.

I still think the 12V to 240V inverter the best way to go despite the seemingly daft conversion from 12V -> 240V -> 20V sequence and preponderance of cables and power bricks - at least you can be sure of a better spike filter.

BrianH.


"BrianH" <nadia@xxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:dja62r$69r$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mike wrote:

On Thu, 20 Oct 2005 07:37:44 +0000 (UTC), Mike <no-one@xxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

Thanks for the information.

Clarification may assist:

I can now see how to solve powering the GPS and feeding the signals to
the laptop -  with the dual cigarette lighter to GPS and GPS to serial
port cable.

The problem then becomes how do I power the laptop? The laptop is a
Dell Inspiron 5000 about 4 to 5 years old. The power adapter says
"Output 20 volts, 3.5 amps" so is an invertor the best way to provide
this power? (You'll have to excuse my ignorance of all things
electrical here.... I have no idea what an inverter plugs into?)

Are there any other things that can safely power the laptop and what
do they plug into?

Thanks for your help.

I have a similar Dell Inspiron of about the same vintage and had no joy running on board with a commercial 300 watt converter (no name but substantial looking with expensive-looking alu heat fins) from the 12 volt accessory socket, which emitted a sort of alarm whistle when I plugged the notebook in. The Dell insisted on running from its own battery. All other appliances such as battery chargers for mobile phone and digital camera worked well with this device.

A friend commented that it was something to do with the rectified square wave AC produced by the converter that the Dell doesn't like. This seems to be borne out now that I have a new boat already equipped with a larger (and probably better quality) converter, from which the Dell works perfectly.

Moral; don't skimp on the converter, get a good one - or 'scope the output to check if the AC is a clipped square wave output before buying, not practical, I agree.

Best,
BrianH. 



.

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