Do you rely on your laptop for work when you’re on the go? Are you on a road trip and unable to bring the wall plug? I’m going to show you how to charge a laptop with a car cigarette lighter outlet.
This is another power option you may be neglecting in your power options, and it can be handy for charging your laptop while driving. We’ll take a modern laptop, like one purchased in the past couple of years.
It has a USB-C connector, which can output up to 18 watts of power. If you have a “Type-C” USB charging adapter, such as a “Mophie Charge Force”, then this will work for your smartphone as well.
Plug your laptop into the “Type-C” adapter, and it will automatically start charging. Additionally, you can also connect to a 3.5mm headphone jack.
This allows you to play music or charge the battery while on the road. Although this may not always be possible, it’s a good way to stay connected.
Another option would be to use a cigarette lighter adapter. These can be purchased for around $20 at most big box retailers.
And despite the name, they work on laptops and car chargers.
Can You Charge a Laptop with A Car Cigarette Lighter
Contents
While you may charge your electronics using a car cigarette lighter, this is unsafe, as the device is not made for that purpose.
The reason for this is because those slots operate with batteries.
However, it’s a bit hard to charge a smartphone with a car lighter. The only devices that you can charge directly are your cell phone, tablet, GPS, and smartwatch.
You can charge them in either a laptop’s USB port or a USB adapter. Since these devices use very less power, laptops can handle charging them.
Laptops need a 12-volt charger that has at least 2200 mA of current.
Most chargers come with these specifications, so you should be able to charge your laptop with them.
There are a bunch of adapters and connectors available, but the simplest one is a USB converter.
The converter plugs into your car’s lighter outlet and converts your car’s 12-volt power into a USB outlet.
Another converter is a much faster one, called an inverter.
These converters are useful for people who run portable laptops and tablets off of car chargers.
The output voltage of 12 volts is just enough to charge most laptops, though some require 24 volts.
How to Charge Your Laptop in A Car?
Using A Car Laptop Charger
Another option for charging your laptop while driving is to utilize a laptop charger. Just like a standard laptop charger, you can just connect it into your laptop’s power port and begin charging.
You can just connect it into the power port and start charging. Another option is to connect your laptop’s charger into a USB charger port, but that you may have to invest in an adapter for this purpose.
Connect the charger to the cigarette lighter socket in your laptop to charge your device. When your laptop isn’t in use, unplug the charger and place it on the floor of your car.
Use A Power Bank
If your laptop supports USB-C charging, it will be charged using a USB-C cable. If your laptop supports USB-C charging, it will be charged using a USB-C cable.
Simply connect your laptop to the power bank by plugging the Type-C connector into the laptop and the connector into the power bank. A cable is included in case you need one.
One disadvantage is that charging a laptop using a power bank is dependent on its battery capacity. The power bank itself is not portable, so it has to be plugged into a wall socket.
Unless the output current of your power bank is sufficiently high, charging may be slow.
This Anker Notebook power Bank is small enough to fit into a 13-inch laptop case. In addition, this power bank features a sleek, modern design.
Its 45W USB-C connector is powerful enough to charge most laptops, including the MacBook Pro (2017), which supports USB-C.
Use the USB ports in the car
Another option is to charge your laptop by connecting the USB cord to only the wall outlet in your car, but this means that some of your USB cords will not work.
While there are some universal USB-C cords on the market, most universal cords have both USB-A and USB-C connectors.
You can quickly charge your laptop with the universal USB charger in your vehicle. Use the latest USB-C connectors in your charger to ensure a fast charge. You can purchase a universal USB charger online or at a store that sells tech products.
However, you must first ensure your laptop supports USB-C charging.
Charge Your Laptop in a Car Charging your laptop in your vehicle is a convenient option. This keeps the laptop away from your desk.
However, this is the least professional solution, as charging the laptop through the cigarette lighter tends to damage the connection.
Because certain laptops’ USB connectors do not function as chargers, it is important to attach the universal USB charger to a power outlet before charging your laptop.
Using a universal USB charger is a convenient way to charge your laptop while you’re driving in your car.
While some laptops, such as MacBooks and Dell’s XPS series, do enable charging through USB Type-C connections, other devices, such as most of the MacBooks, do not.
Use A USB Charger
You’ll need a USB car charger if you don’t have a cigarette lighter in your vehicle. However, if you prefer to use the car batteries, it’s a wise idea to invest in an inverter.
It may be purchased with a USB cord as well, so if you have one, you won’t have to buy one separately.
The greatest aspect is that you don’t have to choose between your car and your laptop.
You can use your vehicle batteries if you don’t have a cigarette lighter.
This is, however, quite hazardous, because your battery may explode.
Charging your laptop won’t take as long as with your car’s battery. And it’s much safer.
How long can You charge Your laptop with the car battery?
If you need to charge your laptop while the car is running, consider buying a portable battery that has a USB adapter that you’re able to use with your laptop.
This provides enough electricity for the laptop to work efficiently. However, the car battery is drained quicker using this method than if you charged it normally.
As a result, do this only when necessary, and charge only the car’s battery.
Also Read: How To Make Laptop Screen Brighter Than Max?
Is it safe to charge your laptop in the car?
Yes, charging your laptop in the hot interior of your car can be dangerous, especially if you don’t have an inverter.
Some inverters have surge protectors, which guard against electrocution and overheating, while others do not. The inverter can protect the equipment in your car against short circuits, surges, and other electrical hazards.
The inverter can also guard against overheating and incomplete charging.
Take all essential safety measures.
To avoid electrocution, you should turn off the main power source, disconnect the battery, and unplug your laptop from the charger. Avoid using USB to cellphone adapters, because they can reach very high temperatures.
Conclusion
It’s always a good idea to start the car before you plug in your laptop.
It is for this reason the inverter is not typically built into a car. Instead, it is typically a special charger that is installed inside the trunk of your vehicle.
They’re very useful while idling and for charging a device when the engine is off, but they should not be used as the primary source of power.
Another technique for charging your laptop without needing the lighter socket is by using a USB charger.
This method of charging will not drain the battery as much as plugging into the lighter socket will, and is generally preferable.
If your automobile has a cigarette lighter socket where your inverter can be mounted, make sure it is installed in a secure location.
Make sure the inverter is secured vertically and that there are no objects that could fall and harm or destroy the inverter.
The inverter converts the electricity from your car’s lighter socket into 20 volts, which is the same voltage that your laptop requires.
You can elevate the voltage to roughly 20 volts, which is what most laptops are designed. When you use an inverter in your automobile, there are a few considerations to keep in mind.
When utilizing an inverter with your cigarette lighter, it is important to remember to keep the cigarette lighter socket tapped. The socket is designed this way to preventurges to damage the electronics.
These were discussed in length above, but to reiterate, the inverter should only be used while the engine is running.
You should also remember that the inverter will only create as much power as the battery can provide.
Most battery manufacturers do not exceed 20 volts, so you will have to perform a bit of experimentation in order to maximize the power provided by the inverter.
This will deplete the battery and shorten its lifespan.
When using an inverter, keep in mind that the cigarette lighter will only provide power in one direction. This means that a power surge generated by the inverter will damage the battery.
