I am totally upset now. Help.

[drewstwos]

HI all

Here's the problem that has caused the upset.
I use a HP zd8000 lap top on the boat to run the chart plotter. with a USB gps smart small antenna (I created the pseudo COM1 port to make it work) Fine... I use either Maptech pro cos it can be connected to an autopilot. OR the RYA chart plotter which can't. However, while its on the internal battery it's fine.. but that lasts about an hour. So to prolong its useful time I installed an inveter of some 600w and plug the mains connector into that,... just as I would do at home. and then within a minute or less...... ERROR ..NO GPS SIGNAL on either programme. I have noticed that when on the inverter the screen brightens a bit. Is this normal? dont see it at home. It has been suggested that the inverter should be a true sine wave one..but all its's doing is chrging the battery, . being totally ignorant of such things. how on earth can I get this laptop to run for the duration of the trip, say 5 hours? There are NO very long life batteries... 1 hr 49 mins is the only one I have found. So can anyone out there tell me how to sort this out. Being elderly I can't really see all the detail on those very small screen dedicated plotters so had to go the laptop route.
Add to which the weather is crap. and it's June already. Stuck the bow out past the brekwater today ,, and WHAM.....back in again sharpish. Oh sod it.......

Drew........

 

[mjkinch1]

I may be a little out once the experts get onto this, but usually the brightness drops off because the laptop has come off battery. Most PCs dim when you take the mains out to conserve energy, if you look at the control panel you will have some options under 'power' to do that.

As a thought most battery chargers for a PC take mains voltage and step it down, so actually you dont need a lot of power to run a PC. For example on mine I purchased a car charger for £20 that plugs into my PC from my cigarette lighter - Do you have one of those on the boat near the PC?. On Ebay you can get generic ones for about £13 - see http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Universal-Notebook...1QQcmdZViewItem

These people are a bit more upmarket and cover most PCs on the market http://www.laptopshop.co.uk/car-adapters.htm

Actually doing some more checkin it seems the HP requires 180W of power from teh charger, and looking at comments I have found, that cant be supported by a 12v supply (although someone may know better) See this thread for someone who had a similiar problem

http://hardware.mcse.ms/message248775.html

They mention an inverter, but you already have that, so perhaps there is no easy solution.

Certainly if you had something such as Sony laptop like mine, it supports running and charging from a 12v supply, as I use it on the road when the battery is flat.

Best of luck sorting it.

PS I can do less about the weather but I know how you feel!

I hope that helps

Martyn

 

[oceanfroggie]

Hi Drew

The inverter should be fine, a pure sine wave is supposed to be better, but most laptop power bricks are very tolerant. It should not effect the USB connections to the GPS. Another solution to powering a laptop is to purchase a car 12v cig adaptor and lead (ie: designed for your make of laptop). This is how I run my laptop on the boat. It is normal for the screen to brighten when a laptop is receiving external power. Some times it might be necessary to unplug a USB lead wait 60 seconds and then plug in again incase the windows driver became inactive. You should hear a beeping sound. Also worth checking in the device manager which virtual COM port has been assigned to the USB/NMEA GPS (eg COM1, COM2, COM3, COM4 etc), just in case it has changed since you last booted your laptop. Then just make sure MapTech is configured to get NMEA data from the correct COM port. Sometimes virtual USB serial COM ports can logically move around.

Noel

 

[Renegade_Master]

I've got a zd8255 and yes that screen is big and bright but it does use a lot of power.

When I was in the UK I used a Dell laptop using Transas Navigator Pro software, taking the GPS signal from a handheld Garmin 12xl plugged into the com1 port, which were of course standard then

The Dell ran off the ships 1500w inverter. Went all day long 10 12 hr trips no problems.

 

[drewstwos]

HI all
Thanks a million for the suggestions.... lots to investigate now. I WILL overcome............. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Drew

 

[Kawasaki]

If it,s any help.
I don,t know what the F You are talking about.
Your Post is complete Gobblldey Gook.

It could be Klingon or Esperanto as far as I,m concerened!

I struggle in English.
I get by in Welsh.
Computor Speak is another Planet.

Dr Who was good Tonight.
I can follow Time Lords, Daleks and Cybermen.
But USB ports, COM 1,s and What the Heck is NMEA?

So how can I help?




































Every time I go to the Isle Of Man for TT Week the Weather is good.
See ya Tuesday Drew!
PM,d the Fairies too, just in case.
Celtic connections help, see the Weather Gods cancelled The Races Today.
Cos Me and Enid can,t get there till later next Week.
Don,t ask Me to wire anything up but if You need an Expert with a Lump Hammer or a big wrench, I,m your Man.
Break out the Shades.
Your gonna need em!
K

 

[fluffc]

[ QUOTE ]
So to prolong its useful time I installed an inveter of some 600w and plug the mains connector into that,... just as I would do at home. and then within a minute or less...... ERROR ..NO GPS SIGNAL on either programme. I have noticed that when on the inverter the screen brightens a bit. Is this normal?

[/ QUOTE ]

Second question first. Running on batteries, laptop screens do dim down to preserve battery power. So when connected to mains they go back to normal setting.

If you are losing your GPS data only when plugged in to the Inverter, then I would suggest that you have a ground loop problem.

Try disconnecting the earth connection in the mains plug, and seeing if that resolves the issue.

 

[Neddie_Seagoon]

Hi Drew, a thought on this:

If the power from the inverter is marginal the laptop may not be receiving enough power to power the USB port, as it has to supply power to the USB GPS via the USB. USB devices can be quite current demanding - don't know about the current requirements for your GPS.

Suggestions to reduce current demand:

1) make sure that the battery is fully charged before taking the laptop to the boat, and plug into inverter immediately so that the inverter is not trying to charge battery.

2) dim the screen so that the backlighting is not using as much power

3) if the PC has adjustable processor speed (most modern laptops do) then reduce processor speed - the nav software doesn't need a fast PC.

If these actions reduce the current demand sufficiently to allow the GPS to work then you know where your problem is - you need a bigger / better inverter. I would have thought that 600W should be sufficient, but perhaps not if charging the battery.

Alternatively HP do a special non-charging "Air Adaptor" to run the laptop off a 12V supply without charging the battery so as to reduce current, the laptop switches to internal battery if the external 12V fails.

Cheers,

Steve

 

[IanH]

Me too. Just had a call from the skipper of the Yacht that I was due to go out on today. I'm planning to join Sailing for the Disabled and this was to be a try it out sail. REally looking forward to it for weeks - great way to avoid mad sunday - but it's raining and some clients wouldn't be able to get out of the rain. Hey ho best laid plans etc.

Sorry I've hijacked your thread now Drew. Can't help with the puter either sorry.

Ian

PS Just realised this is a bit saily on the mobo forum so apologies to all.

 

[PilotWolf]

Also worth checking the settings for each device and ensuring that the PC isnt' 'allowed' to turn off the device to save power...

START > SETTINGS > CONTROL PANEL > SYSTEM > DEVICE MANAGER, then double click on the device (probably under Universial Serial Bus controllers), > POWER MANAGEMENT. Ensure that the box isn't checked to allow PC to turn off this device to save power.

W.