Powering Laptop

**fabiolover2002** · 06-08-2005, 10:36 PM

I am building a carputer using an old compaq laptop. Ive wired two wires to the power button and when I touch them together it turns on. I have also figured out which wires in my 93 volvo behind my radio do. One is labeled +12 and gives power constantly, and another does the same but only when the car is on. I have a cigarette lighter adapter for my laptop and i was wondering how you all think I should set this system up. Preferably I would just like to somehow wire my Lilliput and my laptop to these wires so they would start when the car is on. I am assumin I will need to buy a start up/ shut down controller.

**binary.h4x** · 06-08-2005, 11:09 PM

What I did with my lcd was to buy a fuse tap and tap a fuse that only had power when the car was on. I ran the new power line to the lcd. The fuse tap was rated like 10 amps, but lcds usually draw only 1 amp.

For the laptop, maybe there is a setting in your power options to shut the laptop down when the AC adapter is unplugged. Cigarette lighters are usually switched with the accessory ignition switch.

**fabiolover2002** · 06-08-2005, 11:46 PM

But what could I do to have the two wires be connected for a few seconds to start the laptop up. If the wires are connected any longer it is like holding down the power switch on a computer and shuts it off.