I plan to use my laptop for a car theater while on vacation next week . I found a 175w inverter in my storage room ( was going to buy a more heavy duty model , but funds are lacking) , and it powers the laptop just fine.
But.. Now i need to figure out how long my trucks battery will last before it is drained too much to start my truck .
I bought the battery last summer , so it is not that old .
If you guys need any specs. on the batttery , or laptop to help me figure this out . I will provide them .
Best guesses ? - I am hoping for atleast 1hr 45mins atleast .
i few years ago we took a trip to florida. two days of the road both ways. we had a 75 watt inverter for a tv and vcr for the kids. it ran almost allll the time we were on the road..to and from. never had a starting problem!!
2004 S10 CC ZR5 4x4 >> traded for a 2006 F150 supercrew!!
How about investing in a jump start power pack to power the movies?
That way you do not risk draining the starting battery. I have one for that purpose should the need arise. I really don't see there being an issue though. I have run the audio in my truck and powered the DVD player, entertainment center etc. through a movie and thunderstorm with no problems. I did have the power pack if needed though.
If you really must know, get the amp hour rating of the battery. Determine the amperage of the accessories per hour subtract the two and leave enough to start the truck. Different conditions will call for a different amount of power needed. In cold weather the battery produces less and the truck requires more.
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