How are you all powering your laptop?

Silenkiller · 09-28-2008, 01:31 PM

Just curious how everyone is powering their laptops in their cars? Are you buying a car power adapter and wiring it in directly? I have an M2-ATX that I was going to use for a desktop carpc, but now that I'm wanting to use a laptop, I'm trying to figure out the best way to power it.

Any insight would be appreciated

FusionFanatic · 09-29-2008, 09:51 PM

the best way to power a laptop carPC is to use a DC-DC regulator like the Carnetix P1900 or P2140. those will provide your laptop with the cleanest power, and they have automatic startup/shutdown controllers built-in.

if you don't want to spend the money for a Carnetix unit then you could use an auto/air adapter (you can get these real cheap on eBay). my old carPC was based off a laptop (Dell Inspiron 8000); I used a cheap auto adapter that I bought on eBay for ~$15. it worked ok but it got extremely hot, I ended up mounting it in an aluminum ATX PSU case (with cooling fan) to keep it cool.

the only other option is to use a DC-AC power inverter (to plug your AC-DC home power brick into). I wouldn't recommend this unless there was no other option available. inverters are bulky, inefficient, and generate unnecessary excess heat.

if you want to make use of the M2-ATX in your system, then you can use it as a regulated P.O.L. power supply for powering accessories/peripherals (use it to power your monitor, USB hub, etc). you could also use it's built-in SSC to startup/shutdown your laptop automatically.

good luck

maxthebuilder · 10-01-2008, 03:26 AM

Hi,
A newbie here... Just ordered a Fujitsu U810 and want to use as a carPC.
Please enlighten me a bit on the Carnetix..
As far as I get it, the P1900 does have SSC but it requires hardwiring to the powerbutton of a laptop. I doubt I can do this with U810..
The P2140 has some sort of USB port for configuring and diagnostics. My question is - can I use this USB feature to do SSC? Say, if I couple it with Girder or other automation software?
Or I misunderstand the whole concept of Carnetix?
TIA!
--max

Quote: Originally Posted by FusionFanatic

the best way to power a laptop carPC is to use a DC-DC regulator like the Carnetix P1900 or P2140. those will provide your laptop with the cleanest power, and they have automatic startup/shutdown controllers built-in.

if you don't want to spend the money for a Carnetix unit then you could use an auto/air adapter (you can get these real cheap on eBay). my old carPC was based off a laptop (Dell Inspiron 8000); I used a cheap auto adapter that I bought on eBay for ~$15. it worked ok but it got extremely hot, I ended up mounting it in an aluminum ATX PSU case (with cooling fan) to keep it cool.

the only other option is to use a DC-AC power inverter (to plug your AC-DC home power brick into). I wouldn't recommend this unless there was no other option available. inverters are bulky, inefficient, and generate unnecessary excess heat.

if you want to make use of the M2-ATX in your system, then you can use it as a regulated P.O.L. power supply for powering accessories/peripherals (use it to power your monitor, USB hub, etc). you could also use it's built-in SSC to startup/shutdown your laptop automatically.

good luck

DarquePervert · 10-01-2008, 06:42 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by maxthebuilder

The P2140 has some sort of USB port for configuring and diagnostics. My question is - can I use this USB feature to do SSC? Say, if I couple it with Girder or other automation software?

No. The USB connection is solely for monitoring the PSU and adjusting parameters.

FusionFanatic · 10-01-2008, 10:49 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by maxthebuilder

Just ordered a Fujitsu U810 and want to use as a carPC.
Please enlighten me a bit on the Carnetix..
As far as I get it, the P1900 does have SSC but it requires hardwiring to the powerbutton of a laptop. I doubt I can do this with U810

as long as it uses a physical switch than it can be done. most laptops use tactile switches, some use membrane switches, and a few models use slider switches (both momentary and non-momentary).

your U810 appears to be one of the rare slider switch models. if the switch is momentary (you slide it by hand, and it automatically slides back) then it works the same way as a pushbutton switch.

if it is a non-momentary switch then you should be able use a latching relay. a latching relay uses a short pulse as a trigger to switch/changeover a constant open/closed state between the switch contacts (the switch remains in a constant state until another pulse switches it over).

maxthebuilder · 10-01-2008, 11:35 AM

Thanks for answering!
I meant, however, that I'll have the guts to tear apart the U810...
If that power supply has diagnostics signals fed through USB, I believe, those signals should be possible to use with Girder to handle shudown/standby.. Just a thought..

Quote: Originally Posted by FusionFanatic

as long as it uses a physical switch than it can be done. most laptops use tactile switches, some use membrane switches, and a few models use slider switches (both momentary and non-momentary).

your U810 appears to be one of the rare slider switch models. if the switch is momentary (you slide it by hand, and it automatically slides back) then it works the same way as a pushbutton switch.

if it is a non-momentary switch then you should be able use a latching relay. a latching relay uses a short pulse as a trigger to switch/changeover a constant open/closed state between the switch contacts (the switch remains in a constant state until another pulse switches it over).

FusionFanatic · 10-01-2008, 04:03 PM

even it that's possible, it would only be able to shutdown the PC (not start it up).
automatic shutdown for a laptop is easy to configure anyways. as long as you leave the battery in the laptop, you can configure windows to shutdown automatically (after a set period of time) when AC power is cut off.

maxthebuilder · 10-02-2008, 01:06 AM

OK.. will continue reading this forum then..

Thanks!

Quote: Originally Posted by FusionFanatic

even it that's possible, it would only be able to shutdown the PC (not start it up).
automatic shutdown for a laptop is easy to configure anyways. as long as you leave the battery in the laptop, you can configure windows to shutdown automatically (after a set period of time) when AC power is cut off.

thebranded · 10-02-2008, 04:25 AM

does the U810 have a docking station, (am pretty sure i saw one that adds speakers and gps to it?

anyway via the dock you may get a on/off switch you can connect the power on/off wires to that switch

maxthebuilder · 10-02-2008, 08:58 PM

I am actually receiving the U810 tomorrow. It comes with a cradle/dock (which was a surprize since it's normally sold separately). As far as I know, it doesn't have an on/off switch, though..
Anyway, I searched the forums that the "ON" part can be done via WOL. Fake UPS too, but U810 doesn't have a serial port...
Well, I'll play with it and figure out..
Thanks for helping!
--max

Quote: Originally Posted by thebranded

does the U810 have a docking station, (am pretty sure i saw one that adds speakers and gps to it?

anyway via the dock you may get a on/off switch you can connect the power on/off wires to that switch

FusionFanatic · 10-03-2008, 01:22 AM

WOL (wake on LAN) can be used only on computers that support that feature.

if it has that feature, it will be disabled by default. you'll have to go into the BIOS setup menu and enable it. (if there is no WOL enable/disable setting in the BIOS then the laptop doesn't support it).

maxthebuilder · 10-03-2008, 01:35 AM

uhm... I use this thing all the time to wake up puters around my house (PC from another PC, PC from PPC, HTPC from an IR remote control). hope u810 has it. i would be surprized if it doesn't...

Quote: Originally Posted by FusionFanatic

WOL (wake on LAN) can be used only on computers that support that feature.

if it has that feature, it will be disabled by default. you'll have to go into the BIOS setup menu and enable it. (if there is no WOL enable/disable setting in the BIOS then the laptop doesn't support it).

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