Laptop Power Hardwire

KptKill · 11-12-2006, 11:03 PM

Hi all, I want to put together a car pc using my old hp omnibook laptop. Right now I am trying to figure out how to connect it to be powered. I am looking to hardwire it in. Here is what I don’t want to do.

Total cost $35. Unfortunately, I’ll have all that unsightly cabling running everywhere. What I want to do is hardwire it into the car’s system, being able to power both the laptop and a 7” lilliput touch screen.

From all the searching I’ve seen, I have to buy either the above solution, or buy a CarNetix DC/DC powersupply ($$) that somehow I wire into the laptop and the touchscreen.

Is there no simpler way of hardwireing the laptop into the car’s power system? I am not looking to spend 90 dollars to connect.

I was also considering going the $35 dollar route, splicing open the wires, extending, and running to the trunk if nessesary.

Laptop – 19v @ 3.16A

Comments? Suggestions?

DarquePervert · 11-13-2006, 06:59 AM

You can hardwire the laptop's car adapter. Just cut off the cigarette lighter plug, strip some wires and have at it.

Wire up the Lilliput the same way.

The only concern I have about what you propose in your diagram is that the cigarette lighter might not be able to support the power draw of both the laptop and the lilliput. I can't say for certain.

comet28024 · 11-13-2006, 12:22 PM

Should be fine all running from the cig lighter. Your laptop will draw a little over 5 amps and your lilliput will likely draw under 1. I have yet to see a cig lighter that doesn't have at least a 10 amp fuse.

csnowman00 · 11-13-2006, 01:12 PM

So even though the laptop calls for 19v, it will still run? Would voltage spikes and fluxes from the starter, sound system affect the laptop?