Laptop car charger

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Sigma721

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Hi everyone

I am looking for a charger to use in my car to charge a laptop. I have a mate that bought a Belkin AC Anywhere a few years back and was considering to buy one of those, but just thought I should ask here if there is anything better on the market?
 
You don't say your laptop make/model. Check if universal one will work for you. I saw some in junk unsealed boxes @Esquire shop R75+VAT. It looks like obsolete stock, but everything else will cost you R300+.
 
Bought a MW 12V DC to 15/16/18/19/20/22/24 V DC car charger/power supply 125W with USB, partnumber MWU2873 from Communica Samrand,Centurion, next to Esquire in Oct 2012 for R 246.24. They mainly deal in electronic components. Their head office/ main shop is in Samrand, but they also have shops in PTA west and CPT. www,communica.co.za. Couldn't find it now on their site though. I remember I looked at one at HiFi Corp, but it was considerable more expensive. This one hasn't given me problems yet, although I didn't use it that much.
Some years ago I bought an AC and 12V DC Laptop charger from Vision technologies in Midrand, both around R150 or R 175, their own brand, quite affordable, but absolute crap quality. The AC one lasted two or three months, the DC one 5-6 Hours only. And they had closed down just in the meantime, those bloody bastards. So too cheap can definitely mean very poor quality.
 
Marcan said:
Some years ago I bought an AC and 12V DC Laptop charger from Vision technologies in Midrand, both around R150 or R 175, their own brand, quite affordable, but absolute crap quality. The AC one lasted two or three months, the DC one 5-6 Hours only. And they had closed down just in the meantime, those bloody bastards. So too cheap can definitely mean very poor quality.
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If memory serves me well, these junk boxes R75+VAT I saw in Midrand Esquire shop were Vision brand. :)
 
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There are plenty of these things around if you look carefully. I use a couple because my entire house is solar-powered and so there's an advantage to running stuff directly on 12V wherever possible.

You don't say where you are, but Hi-Fi Corp and Incredible have often had these 12V 'step-up transformers' which will output stepped voltages up to 19V, usually at around 3 Amps maximum which is sufficient for most laptops. They come with a pack of output plugs, so they will run almost any laptop. In Midrand Communica is always a good address, or for cheaper models try the Chinese electronics shops which often cater for township buyers running equipment off car batteries. Prices for good units range from R200 to R450. Make sure you get one with a built-in fuse.
 
Terencek said:
Make sure you get one with a built-in fuse.
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:)
I think any charger or converter has built-in fuse.
A good one when faulty will just stop working. Not a good one will destroy your laptop on this occasion. It is why 'Vision' doesn't look so bad in my eyes: two blown, laptop still alive. :)
 
Yes all these 12V step-up units I have had, have a fuse incorporated in the cigarette-lighter plug. I would not risk my laptop otherwise.
 
Terencek said:
Yes all these 12V step-up units I have had, have a fuse incorporated in the cigarette-lighter plug. I would not risk my laptop otherwise.
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I want to make it clear: Fuse is not for protecting your laptop, if you think so you are wrong. Fuse is there to prevent fire in case of electronic component failure, making short circuit.

:)
 
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