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Quick info 95 M3.
Alpine Head unit (forgot model, but it's the one that only does radio/ipod)
Passport 8500 Radar Detector
TomTom One 3rd edition GPS
Stock Speakers etc.
I'm assuming that the above is no problem at all to run stocke alternator/battery, haven't had a problem yet, but I just got the GPS and haven't been running with it much.
What if I were to add a laptop? I'd hardwire the radar dector's power and plug the laptop into a converter etc. Would the stock battery/alternator hold up?
For now I only have a power hog of a laptop, but I am looking into an eepc or something smiliar that is much lower power consumption but not until next year some time.
Naw your fine. The headunit doesnt draw but maybe 10% more than the stock unit, you're fine there. The GPS will draw the same if not less than your Passport (MAYBE 2-3 amps each). An inverter to only run your laptop, will be fine too. Those inverters dont draw but around 10 amps (should say on the side of the box, in "DC amp consumption"). It wont draw any more than your lighter can produce through its fuse. If you start popping fuses, I'd be concerned, but my bet is you wont. It shouldnt matter what kind of laptop you have (unless you just want to upgrade), because the inverter will draw its needed current, whether or not a laptop is plugged in.
Hope that helps
da_male_mooer...
__________________
-There are 10 kinds of people. Those who understand binary, and those who do not. -There's no place like 127.0.0.1
Naw your fine. The headunit doesnt draw but maybe 10% more than the stock unit, you're fine there. The GPS will draw the same if not less than your Passport (MAYBE 2-3 amps each). An inverter to only run your laptop, will be fine too. Those inverters dont draw but around 10 amps (should say on the side of the box, in "DC amp consumption"). It wont draw any more than your lighter can produce through its fuse. If you start popping fuses, I'd be concerned, but my bet is you wont. It shouldnt matter what kind of laptop you have (unless you just want to upgrade), because the inverter will draw its needed current, whether or not a laptop is plugged in.
Hope that helps
da_male_mooer...
I want to get a smaller laptop any way, just a crazy idea I had last night. Thanks for the help.
No problem. To know what you need for inverter, look at the power consumption of your laptop (say 200w). Take that 200, divide it by your cars voltage (roughly 13v), giving you roughly 15. That means you would need 15 amps at your cars power outlet. Just a little FYI.
__________________
-There are 10 kinds of people. Those who understand binary, and those who do not. -There's no place like 127.0.0.1
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