PC chartplotter power question

[Fergus]

Being new to this I was wondering whether you can't just plug the PC straight into battery power rather than using an inverter? How quickly would it drain the battery? Sorry if this is an idiotic question or has been asked lots of times before!

I would also quite like a repeater display in the cockpit - any ideas? (It's MaxSea btw)

 

[Richard10002]

What make/model of PC? For most, you can by a DC/AC convertor which will plug into a 12v socket on the boat.

I have a Toshiba Qosmio, and would have to buy a bespoke 12v cable as it has a 3 pin socket for the power.... unless anyone knows different?

 

[gianenrico]

There are DC/DC transformers sold as PC Car or Plane Kits at most PC shops. They plug on the cigarette lighter socket.PC usually run on 19 Volts and the black box takes care of that.
Much more efficient than going 12 volts DC-220 volts AC - 19 volts AC.

 

[Jonny_H]

I picked up one of these on ebay last week for around £5 - it came with half a dozen plugs to fit the majority of mainstream laptops (Dell, Sony, IBM, HP, Compaq, Fujitsu, Seimens, Toshiba - from memory).

£5 much cheaper than an inverter and as said is more efficient.

Most repeaters accept straight NMEA input (Nasa for example) - so you should be able to run one from the serial port on your laptop provided MaxSea supports this.

Jonny

 

[ChrisE]

You just need to be a careful to ensure that the power (amps) are enough for your particular model of PC. Some don't deliver enough, you might ask how I know.......

 

[Guest]

Re: PC chartplotter power question - Maplins

[ QUOTE ]
There are DC/DC transformers sold as PC Car or Plane Kits at most PC shops. They plug on the cigarette lighter socket.PC usually run on 19 Volts and the black box takes care of that.
Much more efficient than going 12 volts DC-220 volts AC - 19 volts AC.

[/ QUOTE ]

Notebooks range usually from about 16v up to 19v with one or two at 20 - 24v.
Most will run direct of 12v, as extra is to charge the battery. So you can take out battery or tape over contacts to put back to balance the machine ... run it direct. (I do not g'tee this !! It's at your own risk - but all mine are ok).

Comparison of power rqt's using a 7a/hr power 12v pack ... Lowrance Chart plotter and a standard Thinkpad Notebook running Chart plotter program + eTrex GPS ....

Chart plotter and pack about 7 - 8 hrs with full daylight screen on and no power saving. Plotter went off at 10V on pack meter.

Notebook via DC - DC converter (Maplins Energy Knight) and GPS on pack about 5 hrs with full screen and limited screen saver only. Notebook went of at the 5hrs ..... eTrex kept on going ... pack showed less than 8v on meter.

Notebook via inverter / normal power supply and GPS and pack ... literally same result but 3hrs. as the inverter has a cut-off when volts drops to 11 ....

So it seems that a lot of wives-tales are possibly told about the differences and advantages ... Would be interesting if another could try out and see what results they get ...

 

[charles_reed]

Re: PC chartplotter power question - Maplins

Didn't buy my universal transformer from maplins but on the net. Volts can be set from 12-24 and it uses 65% of the power that the charger connected to an AC transformer from the battery would use.
Cost was about £29.

 

[Guest]

Re: PC chartplotter power question - Maplins

[ QUOTE ]
Didn't buy my universal transformer from maplins but on the net. Volts can be set from 12-24 and it uses 65% of the power that the charger connected to an AC transformer from the battery would use.
Cost was about £29.

[/ QUOTE ]

Interested to know how the 65% data is derived .... not dis-believing - genuinely interested.

I used a 150w Inverter - cant remember make / model - but is not a cheapy and standard IBM power supply as supplied with the NB.
The dc-dc was set at 16v as per IBM NB reqt's ... and was Energy Knight from Maplins.

Both gave results as earlier posted ... given the voltage cut-offs that happened .. I can't say there was 65% difference.