Mobile Computing
Using your
computer on the road.
Computers play a big part in many
people's lives. We use them for entertainment, for business, to keep in touch
and for so many other uses. I can play games, write science fiction, create
web sites, surf the web, read email and more. Like most people, I want to
be able to use my computer when and where I want. Most people who own computers
would want to do the same. So what are the options for running computers in
a car?
Laptops.
If you have a laptop then you can
easily run it from your car's cigarette outlet, even more so if you have a
dual battery system. Some stores such as
electrical stores and automotive stores may sell car laptop power supplies.
If you have an eBay account though you can pick these power supplies up very
easily. Just do a search for "car laptop" and you are bound to be
able to pick one up for less than $40. Essentially the unit comes with a power
regulator and a series of interchangeable jacks. The power regulator will
usually supply power from between 12 volts to 22 volts with a voltage selector.
The interchangeable jacks will allow the unit to be plugged in to many different
computers. If you examine the mains power supply for your computer it should
list an input voltage and output voltage. You will want to set the power supply
to the same voltage as the output voltage from your mains power supply. Generally
it is safe to put less power into your laptop than what it normally takes,
but is is generally a very bad idea to put more power into it than it normally
takes. For more information about using the product, talk to the people who
sell it to you.
Desktops.
If you have a desktop computer, a
large unit that runs on mains power only, you have three main options. You
can run a desktop computer in a vehicle. It may not be very cheap to
do though. You will need almost everything you will need to power a laptop
and then some. You will need a dual battery
system with a powerful inverter. Typically newer high end desktop computers
will draw about 500-750 watts, and even more when they power up. You're looking
at having to buy an inverter that supplies around 1000 watts to run your computer.
1000 watt inverters are not cheap. Think three to four hundred dollars! Then
think about flattening your deep cycle battery in a matter of less than 20
or 30 minutes! If you have a generator that can supply clean current of at
least 750 watts you might be able to run a desktop computer. It is a lot of
resources to be able to run one though. Imagine if you are un unplanned car
living that your budget will be taken up by other priorities. If you're planning
car or van living and just have to run that desktop computer, then maybe you
have he budget for a generator.
You can lower the power draw of your
computer by using a smaller monitor (they chew power) and by setting power
options (in your control panel in Windows based computers) to use less power.
A 15 inch CRT monitor will be cheap as chips, probably $5-$20. You will have
to lower your screen resolution, but it will draw less power. If you can buy
an LCD screen you will save even more power.
Option two is the one I really recommend.
Swap to a laptop computer. Can you trade your desktop computer for a laptop?
If you have a pretty spectacular whiz bang desktop computer you can probably
sell it for enough money to by a less spectacular laptop computer. Check out
computer adds online, in computer trader magazines, at computer swap meets
to find out what your computer is worth and what you can afford to buy in
a laptop. Ask around if businesses that sell second hand computers would be
willing to do a trade. Realistically you will make the most amount of money
selling a good desktop system if you sell it to relatives or friends. They
will trust you and give you and honest value payment. You can also probably
get the best value buying a second hand laptop online. For piece of mind though,
buying one in a shop that specialists in selling refurbished computers will
probably see you get the best guarantee. Of course if a relative or friend
is willing to trade or sell you a laptop, even better.
One trick I learned is to ask if
you can buy an ex demo model, or a returned computer. The one I am using to
type this right now is a returned computer. Some one brought it, decided they
did not want it and returned it to the store. I paid $200 less than the retail
price for it.
A typical laptop will use about 20-30
watts of power per hour. Some high end ones may use up to 50 watts. The more
you use moving parts like the hard drive, cooling fan and the CD / DVD player
the more power it will use. Also the more the processor is used, the more
power it uses. You can conserve power by setting power saving options such
as dimming the screen and switching off the hard drive when not in use. Having
a screen saver or auto shut down set will also save a lot of power.
If you do decide to trade down to
a second hand or even a new laptop, it is a good idea to back up all of your
software and documents before you do that. Burn your data to CD and test that
you can read the data first. Burn multiple CDs and back up your most valuable
information at least twice, that is on to separate CDs Then when you are sure
those CDs work, and preferably after you have copied it on to the laptop,
delete your data from your old computer, and if you know how, format the hard
drive and reinstall the operating system / windows. If you have valuable information
on the computer you should be sure to erase it before selling it.
The third option won't be easy, and
could royally stuff your computer if you don't know what you are doing. If
you're good with electronics it is an option. If you are not good with electronics,
forget it.
Computers don't actually run off
of mains power. They get that mains power, convert it into 12 volts and 5
volts and use those voltages to power the insides of the computer. If you
are good with electronics, you can remove the computer's power supply and
run it from 12 volts. A small transformer that converts 12 volts to 5 volts
can provide the 5 volts. Often this transformer is built in to the power supply
of the computer.
You will have to either still use
an inverter. for the monitor, or will need to buy a 12 volt monitor, such
as an LCD one.
