When I try to use my Dell Inspiron 9300 with a 400W car DC to AC power inverter, I hear a buzzing sound coming from the laptop's transformer, and the computer doesn't register as being plugged in, and just runs off its own battery.
I'm a physics major, so I understand that the wave produced by the inverter isn't quite the same as that in a household outlet, but I'm also no engineer, and as such have little 'practical' training in electromagnetic theory. Anyone know why my computer won't work? There's no way it's drawing more than 150W (it is a 17" screen model), so it must not like the rectified waveform. Is this going to happen with all laptops, or should I try a different inverter? What should I look for in an inverter for laptop use? (I don't want to buy one specifically for laptops - they're ridiculously priced)
Thank you, ColinC! You've got best answer unless something else comes along... that makes perfect sense.
Since an inverter uses a switch-mode power supply it requires a load somewhere near its' designed operating limit to generate the correct output. Worse, you are feeding it into a multi-voltage (90 to 230) switch-mode supply. This why there are specific inverters for laptops. I once required a purpose made switch-mode UPS for a telephone system, it would not start correctly. I had to put a mains voltage household light bulb across it to get it to start properly. Ultimately I set it to start, then time the lamp off. Not a good option. You need to drive it to about half its' load or above. Even then, if it is a poorly made inverter, its' output could be too chopped to work.
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