Hey! Do you want to know some easy ways to charge a laptop in your car? If yes, then you are at just the right place!
Laptops are an essential part of modern life, but they can be a pain to charge while moving around. We always use our laptops when we’re on a lengthy car trip because we need them for personal or work-related activities.
If you plug it in and recharge it at home, then it will be fully discharged after about four or five hours of usage. Hence, in such conditions, do you think that how can I charge my laptop with the help of a car battery?
You can easily charge your laptop without running into future problems with your vehicle. In the same way, you can charge your laptop in a car, like you charge your smartphone on your laptop.
However, some processing will be different on a laptop. This article provides a complete breakdown of step-by-step instructions on how to charge your laptop in your car quickly and easily.
How to charge laptop in your car
To charge a laptop in your car, There are different ways, but we’ll discuss the 6 easier methods for you.
There are six ways through which your laptop battery can charge in a car:
- Using A Universal USB Charger
- Use the USB ports in the car
- Use the 12V power outlet
- Use a power bank
- Use a power inverter
- Use a car laptop charger
These are the methods that prove most effective for charging a laptop. There are your options of charging according to what you have available, depending on what is convenient for you.
In this article, we’ll be explaining each method and how it can be helpful for the purposes of laptop charging.
1. Using A Universal USB Charger
The universal USB charger is compatible with most laptops. By plugging the USB directly into your power source and your vehicle’s cigarette lighter, you’ll be able to easily charge your laptop.
But you need to make sure your laptop supports charging via its USB ports. Some laptops do not charge their USB-C ports, while some, on the other hand, are able to charge through those ports like MacBooks and Dell XPS series laptops.
2. Use the USB ports in the car
Modern laptops come with USB-C ports that make it really convenient to charge them up. What’s more many modern laptops don’t even have dedicated charging ports, you have to power them through the standard Type-C port. Macbooks skipped the power cord and moved to a standard Type-C connection.
If your laptop has a USB-C port, it is easy to charge it in a car. Many cars these days have built-in USB-A or USB-C ports. If you have one of those in your car just buy an adapter cable that converts plug the port. You can do this by buying a USB-A to USB-C cable or a”USB-C to USB-C” cable because that’s what will use for your port in the car. And you’re all set for some road trip fun!
3. Use the 12V power outlet
If your car doesn’t have any integrated USB ports, you can use the 12V cigarette lighter socket. Plug a USB adapter into one side of that outlet, and connect your laptop using a USB-C cable.
To charge your device quicker, use a charger with high wattage. We recommend this 42W car charger.
4. Use a power bank
The power bank is a portable battery that can be charged with a laptop or any other USB device. It’s one of the most affordable and convenient ways to charge your laptop in your car because it can be used with any laptop.
Laptop power banks are available in different capacities and prices but the most popular one is 10400 mAh which will charge a laptop once.
The power bank is also very easy to use: just plug it in your car’s cigarette lighter and connect the USB cable to your laptop. Then, you can start charging immediately!
You can charge the power bank at home or in your office with a USB cable and then use it when you’re on the road. Some models come with an AC adapter that allows you to charge the power bank at home or in your office.
The best power banks can be recharged many times and they are very durable, so you will use them for a long time.
5. Use a power inverter
The best way to do this is by using an inverter. An inverter allows you to convert DC current from the power bank into AC current.
Plug the DC cable from your power bank to the inverter and plug the other end of this cable into a car cigarette lighter socket. Now you can charge your laptop in the car.
6. Use a car laptop charger
You can also use a laptop charger to charge your laptop in the car, but it’s not as efficient as using an inverter. In order to do this, you will need to get a USB cable that has one end connected to the cigarette lighter socket in your car and the other end connected to an AC power port.
The best thing about this is that you can also use this power cable to charge your laptop when you are at home or in the office.
How long can a laptop be charged from a car battery?
If you need to charge your laptop while the engine is off, usually you can safely plugin for 1-2 hours. This will give your laptop enough power and give you enough time to restart the engine without charging the battery too much.
But you should avoid doing this often, as it will damage the battery’s health. This is why you should avoid this practice in most cases and charge your laptop while the car’s running instead.
Will charging my laptop from my Car Drain its Battery?
It is possible to allow your laptop to drain the battery of a stationary car; but if you must charge in a stationary car, be sure that the vehicle is moving when the charge is happening.
The battery will no longer be drained over time or in certain situations because it gets Li-Ion batteries charged as the car is moving. if you leave the laptop plugged into a power source overnight or for longer periods of time when the engine is off.
Since the battery is responsible for supplying power to your car’s electrical system and the engine isn’t running to recharge it. It will drain slower or faster depending on the amount of power it consumes.
If you are charging a laptop while driving, your battery could run out much faster than usual. You may not be able to start the car again
Most laptops take time to charge, which is why it’s recommended to charge your laptops when you’re driving rather than in another location.
This is why it’s recommended, not to charge your laptop in the car, unless the fuse or the motor is running, and when moving. when that is, the maximum amount of electricity can be produced and your vehicle’s battery will recharge easily.
FAQ’S: Easy Ways to Charge a Laptop in Your Car
How long can a car battery charge a laptop?
The time it takes to charge a laptop in a car depends on the capacity of the laptop battery and the power output of the charging method used. On average, it takes between 1 to 4 hours to fully charge a laptop in a car.
Is the car’s cigarette lighter functional when the engine is off?
Most cars shut off the 12V cigarette lighter socket when you turn your car off. However, if you want to use the socket, you need to start the car so it can warm up. You won’t have to turn on your engine either, just the car.
How long will the car battery charge the laptop?
An average car battery has a capacity of more than 50 amp-hours or 600 watt-hours. If the engine ever stopped working, this battery could power your laptop for over 10 hours and still be able to start the engine.
Turn on the engine every few hours to enable the alternator to charge the battery so that it extends backup for several hours.
Can any car charge a laptop?
Most cars can charge a laptop, but it depends on the car’s battery capacity and the power requirements of the laptop. Some older cars may not have the necessary charging ports to support laptops.
Is it safe to charge a laptop in a car?
Yes, it is safe to charge a laptop in a car as long as you use a proper charging method and do not leave the laptop unattended while it is charging.
Can I charge a laptop while the car is turned off?
Yes, you can charge a laptop while the car is turned off, but it will drain the car battery. Therefore, it is advisable to charge the laptop while the car is running or for a short duration when the engine is off.
Conclusion: Easy Ways to Charge a Laptop in Your Car
Formulated the information, we hope you would have known about various methods of charging your laptop in a car. We have tried to explain and make it simple as possible for you to see what’s on offer by breaking things down into three steps, focusing on what is available and what makes it easy to use.
For example, we have gone through some of the frequently asked questions that may come to your mind. If you have any concerns related to laptop charging, please contact us.
