So I guess anything over about 150 watts needs to be hard wired to the battery? Surely the cigarette lighter socket would be running off the alternator no? Or is that socket just not designed to handle more than about 150 watts?

Then again I'm not looking to run a convection oven in the front seat....want to run my laptop and maybe some camera battery chargers.

Edited November 11, 200619 yr by CD/BP

I own an inverter for the same reason, to run my lap top...As long as the car is running, and your alternator is charging properly, you'll never have a problem.

I have a battery charger for my camera in my car. Handy since my camera stays in my car.

Edited November 11, 200619 yr by blackviper8891

many times laptop manufacturers will produce power adapters specifically for the car. That brick that you have to carry with you is a power inverter so if you plug that into a power inverter you're just going up in voltage and than back down again. Most laptops run off a voltage range of 12-19 volts.

I'd check with your manufacturer to see what might be available.

i'd be surprised if you would need an inverter higher than 150 watts... just look at what the wattage the battery chargers and the laptop brick needs...

I have one that I set up as a permenant part of our HHR. It works great and wasn't too expensive.

thats the only nice feature on the vibe it has a 100 watt plug right on the dash. It's sweet when i take out the front passenger seat and mount the keggerator right there. nothing like a fresh cold one of the tapper for those long trips.

thats the only nice feature on the vibe it has a 100 watt plug right on the dash. It's sweet when i take out the front passenger seat and mount the keggerator right there. nothing like a fresh cold one of the tapper for those long trips.

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you mean so you can have someone else drive and you can sit in the back and drink legally... (at least should be in MO)

They aren't really big brick lookin' things anymore:

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-QQ9Z86aoSku/c...=850&I=539PI175

Or they dont have to be anyway.

I couldn't really get a converter made specifically for the laptop because I want to power other things also.

Edited November 11, 200619 yr by CD/BP