Charging laptop on boat

[eddystone]

I will be getting a 13"Macbook Pro or Air later this year partly for use on the boat. The M2 Air only has a 35W power adaptor. Will I be able to safely charge this with my existing Sterling 150W modified sine wave inverter?

 

[pmagowan]

Can you not get a 12V charger like a car charger and avoid converting from DC to AC to DC.

 

[eddystone]

I thought the laptop was AC

 

[dolabriform]

I have a belkin 12v charger for my Macbook Pro, just plugs into a normal cigarette lighter socket.

 

[dolabriform]

I thought the laptop was AC

The charger is AC, the laptop itself takes DC.

This type of thing will work:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Charger-Compatible-MacBook-iPhone-Switch/dp/B09GY8MWPY/

 

[Buck Turgidson]

https://www.amazon.com/Socket-Charger-Outlet-Waterproof-Motorcycle/dp/B09W48M3SGI installed one of these, well similar, this is the first one that came up on google.

 

[pmagowan]

I thought the laptop was AC

The lump of a thing you plug into the wall is normally there to convert the AC into a DC voltage suitable for the laptop. You can use an inverter but one inverter is not the same as another and some bits of kit are fussy. You will find the lump on the plug gets warm when plugged in as it wastes a lot of power as heat when it converts the AC to DC. The inverter will likewise waste power. For a boat I would be keen to minimise this waste but it may not be important to you. All the laptops I have used have some sort of USB charging capability. I know apple use a proprietary charge cable but I think the EU are forcing legislation to make sure charges become compatible. I normally wire a proper DC to DC converter to power USB ports on my boat which my tech can plug into. You can get simple 'cigar lighter' sockets either with a usb port or the old open connector and most laptops will have a 12v cigar socket compatible charger available online either proprietary or 3rd party

 

[eddystone]

It''s quite confusing - some 12V DC chargers just look like a plug and others have some electronics in a box, presumably to match the voltages (macbooks are 19V?) and there is no way to tell which are decent quality as they are not recognisable brands.

 

[Alex_Blackwood]

Deleted

 

[mrangry]

I used a dc to dc converter to power an lg tv on board as it runs on 19v and had no issues at all. As other have said, converting dc to ac then to dc through an inverter and inline manufacturers transformer is inefficient.

 

[PaulRainbow]

It''s quite confusing - some 12V DC chargers just look like a plug and others have some electronics in a box, presumably to match the voltages (macbooks are 19V?) and there is no way to tell which are decent quality as they are not recognisable brands.

I would avoid cheap chargers. I've seen them destroy a brand new tablet and modern laptops and tablets tend to need "smart" chargers. Buy a genuine one from Apple.

mophie Car Charger - Apple (UK)

 

[PaulRainbow]

I used a dc to dc converter to power an lg tv on board as it runs on 19v and had no issues at all. As other have said, converting dc to ac then to dc through an inverter and inline manufacturers transformer is inefficient.

DC-DC converters are fine for things like TVs, but, unfortunately, won't properly charge some of the latest laptops and tablets, if they charge them at all.

 

[mrangry]

DC-DC converters are fine for things like TVs, but, unfortunately, won't properly charge some of the latest laptops and tablets, if they charge them at all.

Ah okay, thanks Paul, every day a school day

 

[dunedin]

It''s quite confusing - some 12V DC chargers just look like a plug and others have some electronics in a box, presumably to match the voltages (macbooks are 19V?) and there is no way to tell which are decent quality as they are not recognisable brands.

As post #7 says, under EU law all such devices will soon need to be powered by a standard USB C cable. (And everything brought to the UK will likely choose to comply with EU law as our market is relatively small).
This will simplify things a lot, and in particular eliminate the need for separate Apple proprietary leads

See here - Identify your Mac power adapter

 

[Boater Sam]

I thought the laptop was AC

Never seen an AC computer, the battery inside is DC so it needs a DC charger

 

[Laser310]

I'm not a Mac person, but most Windows PC manufacturers sell an OEM DC charger.

I have had several Dell PC's and have gotten a cigarette lighter DC charger from Dell for each one.

They work great.

My latest one has a USB-C plug at the other end.

I have had _much_ more trouble with AC chargers for my Dell Laptops than with DC chargers.

I am currently using a non-OEM AC charger, because the Dell AC chargers would work for a while, and then stop working.

I would probably not worry about using a non-OEM DC charger, if there wasn't an OEM DC charger. Just look for one that is the correct wattage.

 

[MontyMariner]

The one I looked at online Buy 13-inch MacBook Pro is charged from a USB-C cable.
There are lots of 12v to USB bulkhead sockets available 12V Power Sockets & Cigar Lighters | 12 Volt Planet
Everyone these days should have at least two of them fitted to charge phones, etc.

 

[Laser310]

The one I looked at online Buy 13-inch MacBook Pro is charged from a USB-C cable.
There are lots of 12v to USB bulkhead sockets available 12V Power Sockets & Cigar Lighters | 12 Volt Planet
Everyone these days should have at least two of them fitted to charge phones, etc.

I don't think these will deliver the wattage to charge a laptop.

My wife's mac book requires 65 watts.

The Dell that i discussed in the post above is also 65 watts, but a previous one was 90 watts. I had a 90 watt DC charger for the old one, and have a 65 watt charger for the current one.

 

[Refueler]

Been running computers on boats for years ....

The brick that sits between mains and the actual computer is just a regulated converter. The voltage / watts it supplies is actually what Computer needs to do 3 things : 1. run the computer, 2. Charge the battery, 3. power any additional such as USB items / DVD drives / external drives etc. plugged in and add to the computers power draw.

Most computers are happy with straight 12v actually and is what I give a few I have who's batterys died ... but they struggle to then power any additions plugged in.
So the DC - DC adaptor is the answer ... make sure the WATTS it can supply is same or greater than the original power supply you have.

Sadly one or two manufacturers do not like to lose money - so they add a third pin to the computer power plug ... then you have to buy from them ...

Generic DC - DC converters are fine ... no need to bust the pocket book on just a name brand ...

 

[lustyd]

I don't think these will deliver the wattage to charge a laptop.

My wife's mac book requires 65 watts.

The Dell that i discussed in the post above is also 65 watts, but a previous one was 90 watts. I had a 90 watt DC charger for the old one, and have a 65 watt charger for the current one.

They do depending on the laptop. A MacBook or MS Surface only needs about 13W for light use so will charge unless under heavy load. These sockets can’t quick charge because that needs higher voltage over USB-C to deliver the power and these only have 12V and 5V available and seem to only use the 5V from what I’ve seen.