Help a Newbie with Power Issues

**probability** · 06-17-2006, 03:41 PM

Hi All,
I need your help in setting up a carputer in my 99 Toyota Camry.
I have a toshiba laptop with a Targus ac to dc converter, which I will plug in my cigrette lighter and power the laptop.

I also saw on the net cigrette lighter splitters found on this website http:http://www.cell-phones1.com/accessor..._splitter.html.

Now I have the following questions.

1. Can I plug my laptop and Touchscreen and any other device simultaneously in these cigrette lighter splitters at the same time, without frying my car battery. Can the battery handle all this load?

2. Also everbody on the forums talks about connecting a 10 amp wire directly to your battery for power. I seached the forum and could not find a picture as to how to do it for a laptop. Do I open the car hood and connect a wire to the battery and some how find a hole which is coming to my dashboard or somewhere in side the car?. Or is there already a battery wire coming inside the car and all I need to do is use it.

Please help me

Thanks

**kevinlekiller** · 06-17-2006, 04:12 PM

Originally Posted by probability

Hi All,
I need your help in setting up a carputer in my 99 Toyota Camry.
I have a toshiba laptop with a Targus ac to dc converter, which I will plug in my cigrette lighter and power the laptop.

I also saw on the net cigrette lighter splitters found on this website http:http://www.cell-phones1.com/accessor..._splitter.html.

Now I have the following questions.

1. Can I plug my laptop and Touchscreen and any other device simultaneously in these cigrette lighter splitters at the same time, without frying my car battery. Can the battery handle all this load?

2. Also everbody on the forums talks about connecting a 10 amp wire directly to your battery for power. I seached the forum and could not find a picture as to how to do it for a laptop. Do I open the car hood and connect a wire to the battery and some how find a hole which is coming to my dashboard or somewhere in side the car?. Or is there already a battery wire coming inside the car and all I need to do is use it.

Please help me

Thanks

1. Its not the battery that cant handle the power. Its the Cigarette lighter socet wire that maybe wont handle it.

The battery cant "fry" , if you pull too much power , the fuse will blow so the wire doesnt overheat and catches fire.

2. Go to a audio shop , buy some 8 gauge wire , a 60 amp fuse with a fuse holder, put a fuse 2-3 inches from the battery and drill a hole in the firewall and pass the wire in the car.

Use the 8 gauge wire instead of the cigarete lighter. Or else you will be changing the cigarette lighter fuse often.

**probability** · 06-17-2006, 05:28 PM

Now its making up sense to me.
Thanks for your advice.

**kevinlekiller** · 06-17-2006, 05:32 PM

Originally Posted by probability

Now its making up sense to me.
Thanks for your advice.

No problem.

I also forgot to mention , for ground, use the chasis or body ( metal ) , dont pass a wire from the battery.

**Redian** · 06-18-2006, 12:23 AM

Originally Posted by kevinlekiller

No problem.

I also forgot to mention , for ground, use the chasis or body ( metal ) , dont pass a wire from the battery.

what he means from that, is dont connect hte computer back towards the battery negative terminal directly. if you look at the wire, you will see that there is a seoncd wire coming off the terminal that goes onto the car chasis, this is because any metal part of the car becomes a negative ground. meaning, instead of connecitng the cable back to the battery directly (which is terrrribly stupid) you can just connect it to a metal part of the car.

well, not any metal part of the car DO NOT connect it to a painted metal spot, if you have no choice and have to... sand it VERY VERY VERY well.

else you will be left with ash, the burned carcus of a car, and a drop in your happiness for the day (if you arent gothic/emo and have happiness)