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[jonny2112]

Anyone fitted any extra sockets to their motor? I have no smokers in the family/car but the lighter sockets are used to power DVD players, gameboys and a coolbox when on holidays or trips. I thought extra sockets, rather than splitters, would be helpful. Do you think it is possible to fit them??

[tunnie]

you can get those things that plug in and become 3 ciggys, bit like normal plug 4way type things.

You could also try an intertor, which you connect to the car battery, this convert the 12v car battery into 240v so you can plug in normal 3 pin plug stuff in your car.

I plan to install one of the above for my Euro road trip next summer to power a laptop.

[VXL V6]

Rather than an invertor to run the power supply for the laptop, I use a replacement power supply from Maplin that converts the 12V to whatever your laptop requires, it came with loads of different connectors for different laptops and newer connectors are available, it cost about £15.

HTH

[tunnie]

Rather than an invertor to run the power supply for the laptop, I use a replacement power supply from Maplin that converts the 12V to whatever your laptop requires, it came with loads of different connectors for different laptops and newer connectors are available, it cost about £15.

HTH

Sounds interesting, got a link for that? - Does it have technical name or is it just called a "replacement power supply" ?

Thanks

[VXL V6]

Hi

I can't find the actual one that I bought but try this link for similar items (Item 4 -6)

http://www.maplin.co.uk/search.aspx?MenuNo=56752&MenuName=Laptop+Power+Supplies&worldid=4&FromMenu=y&doy=29m11

[tunnie]

Hi

I can't find the actual one that I bought but try this link for similar items (Item 4 -6)

http://www.maplin.co.uk/search.aspx?MenuNo=56752&MenuName=Laptop+Power+Supplies&worldid=4&FromMenu=y&doy=29m11

Cheers for that, £20 aint bad... although i want to run other devices like a Toaster as well. (going camping) and also going to charge mobiles and bluetooth GPS devices on the road too so think i'll have to stick with an invertor, but thanks for that link, usefull to know  

[theolodian]

Hi

I can't find the actual one that I bought but try this link for similar items (Item 4 -6)

http://www.maplin.co.uk/search.aspx?MenuNo=56752&MenuName=Laptop+Power+Supplies&worldid=4&FromMenu=y&doy=29m11

Cheers for that, £20 aint bad... although i want to run other devices like a Toaster as well. (going camping) and also going to charge mobiles and bluetooth GPS devices on the road too so think i'll have to stick with an invertor, but thanks for that link, usefull to know  

If you're talking about a bread toaster, that'll take a heckuva inverter.  Inverters do charge mobiles much better than ciggie sockets though.

[tunnie]

what i know about electricy and current you could fit on a first class stamp....

No toaster then? bugger!  

Taking the regular camping stuff, my m8s dad has loads we can borrow including an 8 person tent!  

I was just hoping the toaster might work, for beans on toast for meals and stuff.

Could you run a phone and a laptop though an inventor?

[theolodian]

You can get inverters in any size if you look, but the ones about the size of 2 VHS tapes that are very common will easily power laptops and mobile chargers.

[tunnie]

sounds like what i need, its smallish devices like that i need to keep charged.

I hopefully going to borrow my dads "Jobo" which is basically an 20Gb external hard disk with millions of card readers built in, and runs of batteries. You can put any card in and it creates a new folder with the date and downloads all the pictures off it.

Wondering if the battery could take it? Off the car batter they will be:

Phone Charging
Bluetooth GPS
PDA
And not always but a laptop as well and a second Bluetooth GPS.

Driving along normally a decent battery should be able to handle that i hope? - As well as the climate being on, cruise and prob doing around 80!  

[theolodian]

It's really the alternator that needs to power that stuff.  On the motorway you will be fine, but I wouldn't idle it for long periods with a lot of power users on.  However, even the laptop doesn't pull that much unless charging a low battery.  Main users are headlights, defogger, heated seats, etc.  

[nixoro]

Wouldn't a second battery in the boot be easier to use for powering extra's like laptops, seen this done before maybe worth a look atleast then the drain wouldnt be from the engine battery but the one in the boot.

You hear of audio equipment connected, why not power points for 3pin plug or ciggy lighter connectors

Just my tuppence worth

[theolodian]

Wouldn't a second battery in the boot be easier to use for powering extra's like laptops, seen this done before maybe worth a look atleast then the drain wouldnt be from the engine battery but the one in the boot.

You hear of audio equipment connected, why not power points for 3pin plug or ciggy lighter connectors

Just my tuppence worth

That works well when you want to power things when the car is off.  Unless you are going to charge that battery every night from mains, then ultimately the power comes from the alternator.  Nothing tunnie is talking about is that much of a drain.  

However, you have reminded me of one thing that can be extremely useful; a boost pack for jump starting.  It is a battery in a plastic case with jump leads.  Many of them also have a lighter socket.  These can be very useful on long trips as a safety measure.  They also have their own mains charger.

[nixoro]

Wouldn't a second battery in the boot be easier to use for powering extra's like laptops, seen this done before maybe worth a look atleast then the drain wouldnt be from the engine battery but the one in the boot.

You hear of audio equipment connected, why not power points for 3pin plug or ciggy lighter connectors

Just my tuppence worth

That works well when you want to power things when the car is off.  Unless you are going to charge that battery every night from mains, then ultimately the power comes from the alternator.  Nothing tunnie is talking about is that much of a drain.  

However, you have reminded me of one thing that can be extremely useful; a boost pack for jump starting.  It is a battery in a plastic case with jump leads.  Many of them also have a lighter socket.  These can be very useful on long trips as a safety measure.  They also have their own mains charger.

Ahhh gotcha was just an Idea

[theolodian]

It was a good idea!  A booster pack does what you are talking about without requiring any installation, and is a good thing to have anyway.