Running a laptop

Hi All,

Just wondering, for those of you who use laptops out there in the goldfields, what is the easiest and simplest kind of setup. It's all new to me.

My wife is taking her laptop with her when we go out detecting soon. Don't need the internet - yet.
Have the option of borrowing a B&S BSQ1000kva genny, this will do it, but do power surges affect the laptop? Would an inverter be the better and more portable option?
Any help is appreciated.

Cheers
Tony

I use a Pure Sine Wave Inverter in my caravan, But I have enough Solar power to run everything in my camp (overkill really)

What ever you decide on wether it be Generator or Inverter just make sure it is Pure Sinewave

Regards
John

I run mine laptop in the van through a 12dc volt "thingie" which ups the votage to the required 16dc volts. I got it at J Car. I use it off the cig lighter in the car too.
Cheers,
Willie.

Hi John.........I've heard something about using 'pure sine wave' inverters for laptops, but on this site http://www.solaronline.com.au/300w-12vdc-to-230vac-xantrex-xpower-inverter.html they have 'modified sine wave' inverters, which are much cheaper, that say can be used for laptops.

Hi Willie.........I'll have to look into the 12vdc 'thingie'. Looks like a cheap and simple system to use. How much power does it draw off the battery, ie, how long can you use a laptop before you have to recharge your battery, in my case, start the car up and/or go for a drive.

Tony

I bought an EEC 10" laptop, loaded Ozi onto it, loaded the GPS mouse software, plugged it into a USB port, configured Ozi and it's away. The laptop sits in a bracket I made in front of the quads handlebars and as it runs on 12 volts, it connects right up to the quads battery. The laptop battery is supposed to do 7 hours but after 5 it is telling you to save and shutdown. It runs all day on the quad battery without any dramas, and the good bit is that I can see the screen. My MIO is good but the screen is on the small side and harder to see. It can also be used in the vehicle when needed. Cheers.

G'day Tony,

It says on the back of the laptop "16V Dc 2.5 amps". Thats all I can tell, you as I am technically challenged !

I have 3 x 100 amp hour batteries and four 130w solar panels on my van, so I have had no problems with power. Bit of an overkill, but it means I don't need to worry about generators on rainy days.

Cheers.

The power supply from Jarcar is definitely the way to go, under a hundred bucks, your car battery will hardly notice the drain.
Or a PERFECT Sine Wave invertor.
Some have had problems with the Modified Wave invertors running computers.

Ron

Gday


I use a "Projecta" Laptop power supply adaptor, plugs into your car cig lighter socket and has an adjustable voltage switch on the back , you just use a small screwdriver to change it anywhere from 15v to 24v, both my laptops use 19v, it comes also with an assortment of plugs so you can get it to fit almost anything you want.

Its reasonably compact and has a spade fuse inline between the lighter plug socket and the unit itself, I have been using it for 2 or more years now, hasnt missed a beat, I bought it from either K mart or Big W, and by memory it was about $45 or so.

It will run your laptop no problems.

cheers


stayyerAU

Thanks guys

Jaycar are selling a 150watt 15-24v power supply for $74.95 which can be used for both my wife's (65w) and my (90w) laptop.

StayyerAU.....I'll check out K-Mart/Big W to see what they got.

A pure sine wave inverter is probably the way to go with a more elaborate camp, but you still have to charge your batteries somehow. There's lots of ways to do this. I've been looking at 'free energy' at the moment. I like the idea of charging batteries without having to use a genny, windpower or solar, but with a magnet motor. I'm just scratching the surface of this at the moment, but I have proven to myself that it can and does work. Anyway, it's a huge topic. If anyone is interested you can check out YouTube, type in 'free energy' or 'magnet motor'. Here's one to check out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wdtYMQ1dik. This is a good one on a larger scale: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-T3o6uEE4I I found out from a friend who lived up North Q that that this fellow was suppressed from putting the machine on the market. Anyway, that's another story.

Cheers Tony

Don't forget that with the laptop now running you may be lucky to get a wireless internet signal out in 'woop woop' if there is a mine within a reasonable distance. Currently sitting on top of Mt Geraldine about 100k north of Southern Cross WA and well west of Menziesand got one bar on the modem without the external antenna in the caravan and three bars with it. There is a mine in the distance. Check it out on Google Earth - 29.96198 S 119.39705 E

This is a really good way of checking out your surrounds without walking or driving the tracks - old shafts and scrapes etc are visible.

Cheers John

John,
You forgot to mention you find some good rabbit warrens too !
Jig

Gday Bushed Tracker


Are you using a pre paid modem or do you have something on a plan basis?, I use the the Telstra pre paid one but I thought that accessing google earth might wipe the credit out pretty quickly, I really only got it to find out where it will or wont work, so far I have been pleasantly surprised but the other thing with it is you have to use it or lose it, if your credits not used within 30 days they take it off you.

cheers


stayyerAU

stayyerAU,
I have the telstra prepaid next G card too. What a rip-off that they cancel it if you have not used it within a certain time. They are thieves. I never tried to look at Google Earth on mine, so I can't help you on that one - sorry.
Jigalong.

have any of you thought about using the wireless laptop at macca,s for free, couple cups of coffee is all it costs while your traveling to use their broadband,, i use it a bit

Gday


What I usually do now is just put credit on it before I go away, because I have wireless broadband at home I dont use the other laptop, the only advantage of the next g prepaid is that you can do it on line and top it up while away, but as stated you have to use it up within 30 days I think it is or they can it.

The small 10" acer laptop I bought specifically for taking away with me, so it does have wireless reception, and I have parked across from Mac chundas and gone on line through their wireless system, works well so thats great to know if your on the road, but once in the bush you have to rely on the modem.

What I did was bought an extension cable from Dick Smiths that plugs into the laptop and I bung the modem in the other end, the cable is several metres long so I can put it up on a pole and get better reception, so far it has worked a treat and the coverage is improving because many of the bigger mines are putting in Telstra repeater stations so if you have this type of set up or a telstra next g phone you are able to get reception in many areas that were black spots.

Some of the earlier next g modems came with an aperture to plug an external antenna I believe, but mine does not, I dont know how much better that would be but I considered that you may be able to plug it into a next g car kit and get greater reception, I dont know for sure but someone else may have used it this way and be able to comment on it.

There were some areas I liked to detect in that did not have any phone reception and I usually didnt stay there for more than a few days as the family would start to worry if they didn't hear from me, but now I can stay on there and I have both phone and internet access, so thats a bonus and it good to be able to keep in touch with home etc.


cheers


stayyerAU

Gday Scrubhen


I cant give you any information on the Laverton area as I have not been that way for some 20 years, long before phones etc were available, but I am sure that there some other members who would have been in the area more recently.

The coverage is improving all the time so its possible that you might be able to get something out that way.

cheers


stayyerAU

Ron,
I had no trouble last year connecting my computer to the Next G network in Laverton last year. I was in the caravan park there.
Jigalong.

Stayyer goodaye

The trick is with the telstra mobile that is the best mobile broadband by far, you have to first get the one month and then before the end of the month top up with the 12 month prepays, 10 gig for 12 months. Cost $150.00 just buy next years worth before the rollover and it will rollover.

When you want mapping, trick is to get gamin basecamp far better than G Earth and download the goldfield you are going to before you leave.
closer detail and if you also buy gamin 62s you can map your tracks as you drive around.

For the mapping baseman don't buy the gamin au mapping costs hundreds.

Download the Shonky maps software pc and apple mac, its free and very good,based on mines mapping.

And laptops well applemac pro has 10 hours battery time and recharges off any 12 volt system

Regards Majindi