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Thread ID: 40072 2003-11-27 00:07:00 Laptop Usage csinclair83 (200) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
195035 2003-11-27 00:07:00 I've got a 6 hour trip coming up on public transport...
i thank god i have a laptop but they dont last more than 2 hours or so depending on what i play or what programs i use...
how can i extend that to 3-4 hours?....as the 6 hour trip includes a hour and a half in stopover times...so yeah....

if i cant extend battery life....what can i do? any ideas on what i can do for 3-4 maybe 5 hours on a bus? on my laptop that is...

cheers

chris
csinclair83 (200)
195036 2003-11-27 00:13:00 Read a book?

You could carry a 20AHr gel battery and inverter ... but that's heavy and expensive. ;-)
Graham L (2)
195037 2003-11-27 00:13:00 I can't think of any magical way of extending your laptop's battery life.

You could however spend quite a few $$$ and buy a new centrino powered laptop which should be good for 5-6 hours.

Or you could spend a little bit less and buy a few spare batteries.

Or you could invest in a diesel powered generator which would probably keep your laptop running for the entire trip. I don't think the public transport operator would agree with that one though.

Other than that, a good book maybe?
b1naryb0y (3)
195038 2003-11-27 00:13:00 <random weird idea>
Sit near the front of the bus, and ask if you can stick an inverter and long cable into the bus driver's cigarette lighter socket (if they exist in buses). Alternatively, haul a car battery and an inverter and the AC power supply for your laptop onto the bus, and see if that gives you any extra time.
</random weird idea>


Is it possible for you to borrow extra batteries from family/friends, or are the batteries in your laptop built in? Otherwise if your laptop has some kind of power saving feature to turn off unused components, then that might help.

Otherwise a mad-dash during your stopover time to find a plug somewhere to trickle-charge your laptop as much as you possibly can in the short period of time.
somebody (208)
195039 2003-11-27 00:15:00 A small wind-up hand powered generator?? (like the ones available for some cellphones) somebody (208)
195040 2003-11-27 00:17:00 Another idea:

12 -> 240v Inverter, Solar panel. Stick the solar panel up on your window (provided you manage to get a window seat), and use that to power your inverter and then your laptop. It __might__ work.
somebody (208)
195041 2003-11-27 00:18:00 if i didnt get this laptop a month or so ago i would have gone up on ur idea of getting anew one but no..

batterys are built in, and yeah i was thinking of charging up at a few stop overs (taupo bus station and somewhere in "flat hills") but i think i would be unlucky...

nah reading books on bus is bad for me..i puke lol but i've done it with lappie and it doesnt harm me which is good (was only a 2hr trip that time)
csinclair83 (200)
195042 2003-11-27 00:19:00 for the solar powers to work...i need the sun and these days it seems to be hibernating....

but yeah good ideas thou :)
csinclair83 (200)
195043 2003-11-27 00:33:00 Play Solitaire on the laptop ...... won't run the batteries down at all if you just lay the cards on top of the laptop case. For extra room, open up laptop and place cards over monitor area :D Jen C (20)
195044 2003-11-27 00:38:00 And an "80 watt" panel (which gives about 50W) will cost you about $1000. (shouldn't need an inverter with that).

Gel battery + inverter will cost you about $250-300
Graham L (2)
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