How to Charge Laptop Battery without Inverter

[Huck]

The solutions I see for charging a laptop battery first convert dc to ac using an inverter., then you plug the laptop charger into the inverter and convert ac back to dc to charge the battery.

What is the solution to just use 12 v dc to charge a laptop?

[Pam Garlow]

Using the inverter sounds pretty simple to me. I am a simple soul

[stev]

I have an HP laptop.
I purchased a DC to DC adapter/charger from Amazon.
One end plugs into the cigarette lighter. It has a "brick" in the line just like the OEM.

[Marsha D]

We have an inverter that we use, and while we're traveling we plug it into the truck and charge while we drive.

[Dudley]

Isn't that what the 3500 watt generator, that all the stickies have is, used for?
An inverter works or Targus makes a dual input AC and DC with multiple charge ends to fit damn near anything
Amazon.com: Targus APM10US Mobile 70 Universal AC/DC Adapter: Computers & Accessories

[Steve L.]

To just answer the question you asked, how to use 12vDC to charge your laptop, I too suggest you get the 12v adapter for your model laptop.

One byproduct of the “brick” in the adapter is that voltage regulation is sometimes/usually/often part of the package so you don’t get the 13+ vDC from a charger or alternator passed on to the computer which may or may not tolerate it. Some/most laptops will tolerate a range of acceptable DC voltages but lacking that info, voltage regulation might be a worthwhile feature and getting a DC cable made for your brand laptop eliminates the need for matching up components yourself.

Using an inverter to get the whole DC to AC to DC thing would suggest you were not plugged into shore power and the stacked inefficiencies of the double conversion are a bit of nuisance so I think you’re wise to avoid going there if battery capacity is limited.

A minor nice feature of my tow vehicle is a built in inverter. Its only good for 100W but it's handy for this sort of task while travelling. But I'm not going to idle the car for hours just to recharge something.

[Gina D.]

For many years..I have charged my laptops by turning them off, plugging an inverter it my DC outlet in the parked car, and letting it charge. It takes an hour or two, yes. But it hardly puts a dent in my battery. It takes very little current to charge a battery that is not in use. The inverter probably consumes more power than that battery takes.

(Note that your car battery needs to be in good condition..This bit me last year when my battery was at the end of it's life)

Most laptops require 18vdc at the power input, not 12v, (At least, all of mine do) so if you want to charge with DC only, you need a dc-dc convertor.

[NEWFISHER]

Here ya go, something like this for a lap top ..simple cheap etc.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/100W-50W-20W...item35d009bd6d