Panasonic Toughbook laptop

[peixe]

There are many P. Toughbooks listed at Ebay.com in the USA. Most are CF-25s (166mHz, 64mb, 4.0 gB with CD-ROM and floppy) and go for around $175. Ancient and obsolete of course, but maybe just the job for the boat...
So a few questions to anyone out there who is familiar with these things -

1. Will the thing run directly from the 12v D.C. supply ? (Without the need for an inverter or expensive adapter).

2. Any wise words of encouragement, dismay, hilarity, warning etc...

thanks in anticipation

 

[claymore]

I use an inverter with my laptop but these can be picked up in PC world for less than £50 nowadays

regards
Claymore
/forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[Jools_of_Top_Cat]

If you use an invertor on your laptop you will find it hard to use a HF radio as the noise is immence, so if you hope to use weather fax etc. you will have to try a different route.

I cannot answer you question as to the toughbook input voltages though, sorry.

<font color=blue> Julian </font color=blue>

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.ukstaffords.com>http://www.ukstaffords.com</A>

 

[Dipper]

I am using a borrowed CF48 at home at the moment. The charger is rated at 15.6V and 3.85A but I’ve no idea whether your boat’s 12V system would work it.

I haven’t quite come to grips with the sleep mode yet – sometimes I can wake it up and other times I have to turn the whole thing off and start again. It’s probably just me being incompetent!

 

[Forbsie]

You can always go into Power Management in the Control Panel and switch off or alter the Sleep Mode.

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.arweb.co.uk/argallery/forbsie?&page=1>My Project</A>

 

[Guest]

Sleep mode = die mode !

Sleep mode / suspend ...... I have never had a notebook work properly with it !!! Goes to sleep ..... no matter what I do - its switch off and switch on again !!!!

I always now disable it in the advanced options of settings

Nigel ...
Bilge Keelers get up further ! I only came - cos they said there was FREE Guinness !<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by nigel_luther on 10/02/2003 21:44 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[Guest]

Most n/books require 15 - 20 volt dc ...... I ran Toshiba, Maxdata ..... of the direct 12V.
The only thing that didn't work was charging ..... the LED always indicated no charge / low battery ..... but the n/book ran ok. I would suggest a fuse in line though !

I now use an inverter .... only because I bought one for other uses .... charging the video, mobile phone etc. so using that I charge etc. now. Considering that the 150 watt job I have cost me 40 quid, its 'cheap insurance' to work the notebook !!


Nigel ...
Bilge Keelers get up further ! I only came - cos they said there was FREE Guinness !

 

[Dipper]

Re: Sleep mode = die mode !

Hooray!

I'm not incompetent after all. That's a relief.

 

[aod]

I have two Dell laptops one 6 years old and one two years old. The newer model has a 12 supply which charges the battery and everything but the older model doesn't so I would have to use an inverter.
Bit disturbing to hear that SSB receptions affected though because I wanted to use the older throw away with a weatherfax and SSB!

 

[Lyndon]

We use the cf27 Toughbook at work, seems to be very robust and it can be powered directly from a 12v supply.

 

[jfkal]

Re: Sleep mode = die mode !

Don't blame the Notebook. Its Bill F....... Gates Software screwing it up.

 

[jfkal]

Most Notebooks will work on 12 V regardless what the power supply says. However if it says 12 V or less I would use a vaoltage stablizer. They are simple three PIN items attached to a heatsink.
Some Notebooks might not charge on 12 V put would do so once alternator or charger gets the voltage up to 14.XX V.
I use the oldest on the 2nd hand market and change them once they get sick.

 

[mikewilkes]

I also run a Dell and I got a 12 volt fag socket charger thingy from them. Cant remember how much it cost so it cant have been 2 expensive.
Mike

 

[rogerm]

Although it is more efficient to use a 12v to 15v (or whatever) invertor they tend to cost about £70 new. On the other hand a 12v to 230vac invertor can be used for other things besides a laptop and come in various ratings from about 100w upwards. But in most shops a 150w version will cost about £50 or so and a marinised one (that is to say the PCB has been sprayed with varnish) is more like £150..
But if you have a TLC (or TL Carr) electrical shop in your vicinity they sell a 150W invertor for about £22.....
And no I don't have shares in TLC.
Roger

 

[aod]

Do you think I could use the 12v fag plug charger with both laptop computers even though there seems to be a stated 2v difference in the battery rating?

 

[petery]

Bought one last month via e-bay uk for £120 to power an Inmarsat C terminal which just required DOS and it works fine.

The screen is true TFT and the case is tough magnesium ( I think) and you can drop it 3 feet without damage.

Obviously no USB but plenty of PCMCIA slots to add them. Replacement batteries are very expensive and many adverts come clean and tell you the battery is dead.

You fit either a floppy or a CD in the unit and many second hand units come with no CD - as they were used in delivery vans and police cars in the US.

I just wonder if it has the power to give fast response on a Windows-based nac package.

I just bought a car adaptor and wired it into the boat 12v system. Sometimes you see mobile docking stations for sale in the US - some of which will take 12v straight from the battery,

 

[Lofty]

I don't expect this will help much, but just a thought. I bought Panasonic CF41 Notebook computer 5 years ago. I use it on board to download weather info and it works well. I had to have a voltage regulator made to provide 18 volts to run it. Otherwise it's great

 

[Trevor_swfyc]

One of the points not mentioned so far is software I think you would be able to run Windows 95 or 98 but not any higher. So I would find out the min spec for the software you plan to use otherwise you could waste your time and money.
I note many have said you can run it on 12v I would expect the internal laptop battery to give you the balance but this would soon run down. I have just put a meter on my charger and it reads 20.86 volts. I have two laptops both require the same voltage, so I have my doubts.
Can you not get a comparable second hand laptop in this country?
Note: SOLAS V regs allow you to keep data on a disc this must mean hard or floppy.
Have fun!
Trevor

 

[jfkal]

Should work during engine runs when the voltage goes up to 14.4 V

 

[peixe]

Many thanks for all your helpful replies !

Tony