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Using Sagers in your cars.

post #1 of 12
12/11/04 at 12:32am
Thread Starter 
For those of you who use adapters to plug in your Sagers into the 12v cigarette holder, how did it work out for you? When you use it do you keep the engine running, or do you shut if off?

I'm asking because I'd read elsewhere that at least one member ran his car battery dead after only a little over an hour. I'm pretty mobile, and I would prefer not to be stranded somewhere with a dead battery because I got caught up gaming or watching a thrilling DVD movie. I'm using a Sager 4750.
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post #2 of 12
12/11/04 at 4:59am
I run my AX7(4750) from the car outlet for my GPS software. I've had no issues. I should also not that I have probably the smallest 9v battery you can buy in my Honda Insight.

I was really worried but it turned out to not be an issue. Now I'm not sure how well it would work if I was playing doom 3 for 3 hours straight.
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post #3 of 12
12/11/04 at 8:29pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for responding big. I'm assuming your car is running though while you're using your lappie? Have you ever used it with the engine off?
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post #4 of 12
12/11/04 at 9:59pm
Running, no issue... never thought to turn the car off, since I have mostly done it in the winter.
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post #5 of 12
12/12/04 at 3:34am
When I turn the car off the laptop goes into battery mode (meaning I don't think it draws any power from the car battery).

Now it's possible it could be draining the car batter VERY slowly but I've left the laptop in suspend mode while attached to the cigarette adapter for several hours with no issues.
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post #6 of 12
12/12/04 at 3:50pm
It seems that if the laptop were to draw any significant charge from the batter over a long period of time, you might just kill your car battery. This isn't an issue when the car is running since the alternator makes up for it. I would imagine that if it says it is on battery it isn't drawing anything from the 12v cigarette lighter. Would probably be best to check with a voltmeter and see if there is any voltage on the cigarette lighter when the car is off.

-- Jon
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post #7 of 12
12/12/04 at 4:37pm
That most likely depends on the car/cigarette lighter. I'm pretty sure in older cars (at least from what I can remember) did supply power when the engine was off, but it might be the case newer cars don't to avoid the whole "little jimmy drained the battery playing Half Life 2 on his 9860" dilema.
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post #8 of 12
12/12/04 at 4:55pm
Thread Starter 
My car has a separate 12v adapter apart from the cig lighter, one in the front and one in the back. I havent tested the adapter when the car engine was off though. It never occurred to me that the laptop could suck the juice off the car battery in no time flat. Just assumed I could watch DVDs for hours and hours without a hitch.
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post #9 of 12
12/13/04 at 2:52pm
My truck has 3.

1 cig

2 power. The power outlets are still functional when the engine is off
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post #10 of 12
12/13/04 at 5:19pm
Thread Starter 
Mine doesn't get power unless the ignition is turned halfway. Probably a amsart thing to set it up like that too. :-D
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post #11 of 12
12/13/04 at 7:20pm
I found a websight that listed a smaller automotive battery DF115. Which has a capacity of 50Ah at 12V.

Assuming my 8887 pulls 180 watts constantly.

(50Ah) x (12V) x (3600s) = 2160000 J

1W = 1J/s

(2160000J) / (180 J/S) = 12000s ~ 3.3 hours.

Now, just gotta check what kinda amp hours your batter is rated at, and go to town. If i knew my battery was new, id go as long as 2.5 hours without restarting the car. If it was older, maybe an hour.

My 2 cents
Nick
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post #12 of 12
12/21/04 at 11:31am
I've used my 5660 in the car a number of times while the car was running and it was fine. In fact I have actually played mobile lan games where I think as many as three comps were connected to the car power. that was in a van with a built in vcr and extra 12v jacks though, so I think it provides more power than a standard car. I would assume using the car battery to power the computer when the car is off would drain the car battery just like leaving on the headlights would, only faster. I would powering the laptop via the car battery unless the car is on.
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