Do I have to buy an inverter?

[Leefree]

Hi all.

I'm thinking of 'buggin' out within the next couple of weeks.  I'm thinking Wales for a practice run, before I do Scotland.  Gonna be taking the fishing rods, metal detector, and the gold pan....cant wait.

Anyway, question is, do I need and inverter?  Been looking at loads, and there are so many out there its mind boggling. I'm taking the laptop and phone. I've got the extra socket on the center console marked 12v.  I'm not too good at 'lecky' stuff.  If I do fork out for the inverter, its problem solved, but I dont need the expense!  Can I get a lead with USB on one end ( to plug into the laptop ) and cigarette socket on the other, and will the current be running the right way?  

Would really like some help on this.  Thanks.

[billskipton]

Yep you can run your laptop and phone from a cig lighter or 12v socket with a cable as you described. Charging your phone is no problem but the 'gotcha' with the laptop is how quickly it drains your battery and leaves you unable to start the car. You may need to start the engine and run it to charge the battery back up every so often. How often depends on the laptop.

[Leefree]

Yep you can run your laptop and phone from a cig lighter or 12v socket with a cable as you described. Charging your phone is no problem but the 'gotcha' with the laptop is how quickly it drains your battery and leaves you unable to start the car. You may need to start the engine and run it to charge the battery back up every so often. How often depends on the laptop.

Wow, so even just charging a laptop can have a big effect on the battery!  Might be worth me getting a spare battery, as this will still be cheaper than forking out for an inverter.

I also wanted at some point to get a small lcd TV so I could watch the digi box at night, when I bug out.

[billskipton]

Look for a TV which can run on 12volts and, again, you won't need an inverter, but a spare battery is a good idea (and jump leads)

[cancunia]

You could probably watch tv on the laptop with a usb tuner.. An inverter will also put a drain on the battery, same as charging via 12v so a second battery for accessories that gets charged while the engine runs might be a good plan.

[ffrenchie]

Get a jump starter pack just in case the worst happens. They have come down in price and can do all the stuff you are looking for or start your car in an emergency after you flatten the battery.

[Tree]

Just charge the laptop via the inverter when you're driving. Without hard wiring one in, you're not going to see much more than 300w output at 240v if you're just using one that plugs in.


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