Solar Powered Laptops

It is some what of an oxymoron to take your laptop camping but you can enjoy both. To take your laptop to the beach to play games is a bit foolish but if you need to get some computing work done after sundown, than why not. Of coarse living on the road everyday is like a day at the beach.

So you are enjoying your time in the shade of a tall pine knowing you have only 2 hours of battery life. How do you extend your time in the cool breeze? Two options come to mind.

1. Carry a spare laptop battery. This is an easy but costly way to extend your computing time. You are limited to one type of laptop and it has no other functions.
2. Carry a small rechargeable battery pack that can be recharged using a solar battery charger.

What I have done is purchased a Slime rechargeable tire inflator and a Die Hard 140 watt power inverter. For more tech info see Solar Powered Laptop.

This second option works for me because unlike a backup laptop battery, the tire inflator battery can be charged from any AC outlet, any automotive cigarette lighter outlet or my solar charger. The combination extends my computing time longer than an additional laptop battery. Most importantly all components serve dual purposes.

I use the tire inflator to keep up the air pressure in my tires and as a portable 12 volt DC power source for multiple 12v accessories. Adding the power inverter to the battery pack I have a portable 110 volt AC power source for small tools or appliances. Also the inverter can be plugged into any cigarette lighter in any vehicle or RV.

The only change I would make is the Die Hard power inverter. The fan is noisy and runs constantly even when nothing is plugged into it.

If you are a gadget person try this setup.

• Plug a cigarette lighter 2 way adapter into your portable 12v DC power supply.
• Plug a solar charger into one receptacle to charge the battery.
• Plug a 140 watt power inverter into the other receptacle to run a laptop.

For all the details on using solar battery chargers to power laptops and more go to
Info Share Solar Laptop at Search-Hints.com

Until the next post: A wise man say “’tis better to let the fly live than to dump your laptop in the dirt.”
OR_M

RV Crashes Hard Drive! Details Here!

Warning! Your RV Can Crash Your Laptop Hard Drive!

Most computer users know that the data stored on hard drives, CDs and DVDs is of a magnetic medium much like a cassette tape. This data can be altered by outside magnetic fields. This will make the hard drive or disk unreadable to a computer.

When you plug your RV in to an external 110 volt AC power source the RV converts that power into 12 volt DC power to charge your batteries and run your lights, heater fans, etc. This power converter does so using magnetic fields. These magnetic fields will crash your hard drive. I have known 2 RVers that have had their HP laptop hard drives crash. One stored her HP about 2 feet from her power converter.

Do not assume that the converter is located with the rest of your electrical equipment. I have CDs that I was unable to format that I had in a drawer too close to my power converter; found under the couch behind the water tank 4 feet from the power panel.

This magnetic field can destroy data even when the laptop is not in use, so keep your digital data/media storage equipment away form your power converters.

Until the next post; Refrigerator magnets are cute and fun. Computer magnets are dangerous and costly!
OR_M

RV + TV + WiFi = Camper’s TV Guide

Going from one RV Park to another you will connect to different cable TV providers. Each one will have a different menu of channels and of course different channel numbers. If you have internet access here is how to get the current listings for the cable TV provider you are connected to.

Yahoo’s home page (yahoo.com) has a TV option on it and that option has a TV listings option. Enter the proper required information and you have an instant TV guide. The information you will need is the RV Park’s zip code and the name of the cable provider if there is more than one in the area. That information can be obtained at the RV Park when you register.

If you do not know the cable provider simply turn your set to any channel, note the station ID and change the provider option on the Yahoo TV listings page until the TV listing matches the channel you are watching.

Until the next post; Remember Reality TV is not Real. Real RVing is Reality
OR_M

Truck Stop WiFi Hotspot Reviewed

As you may know, this blog is all about hopping from one hotspot to another. Here is my first truck stop hotspot experience and my observations.

I saw a sign at a truck stop in central OR that read WiFi high speed internet. So I thought I would try it out. Many years ago before the internet I would occasionally crash for the night in truck stops so I knew the drill. Get as far away from the trucks as possible to avoid exhaust fumes and noise. But I wanted to be close enough to the router antenna.

I got out my Gigaware WiFi hotspot finder I purchased at Radio Shack for about $6. I discovered a good signal at the end of the lot so I parked there. I fired up the o laptop and indeed the signal was good. However; the speed was far from high. My guess is that 20 truckers had the same idea. I realized right away that this was not going to be a preferred WiFi source. As I checked my email, a truck parked next to me. A good signal turned to no signal.

After a restless night I took my laptop to breakfast at the truck stop restaurant. There I could plug in and charge the battery, the signal was good (it came from the truck stop across the way), and the speed good. I spent 2 hours there eating and surfing the web.

Conclusion; if using the truck stop lot, park close to the hotspot antenna and deal with the exhaust and noise. My choice; enjoy a nice meal, get a good stable signal and recharge your battery at the diner.

On a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being excellent) I would rate the truck stop parking lot a 1 and the truck stop restaurant a 5.

Until the next post: if you are not a trucker and not in desperate need of WiFi or a good meal, keep on trucking.
OR_M