How to Charge a Laptop in a Car

sami070 December 2, 2021December 2, 2021

So, you’ve decided to go on a road trip and left your laptop charger at home. Now how should you charge your laptop while driving? Fortunately, there are many other ways to get this done than through using the old school laptop charger. Read on to learn how to charge your laptop in a car using other methods.

How to charge a laptop in a car

1. Use an inverter

The first thing that you could do is use an inverter for your car. This enables you to plug directly into the cigarette lighter of your car and convert power from DC to AC which can then be used by any device that is rechargeable through the wall socket (iPad, smartphone, etc.). Inverters cost less than $20 nowadays and they come in handy when traveling away from home. Laptopgrab has much information on this topic. You should visit it.

2. Build your own solar power charger

If you’re looking to save money, then why not build your own solar-powered charger? The best thing about it is that the materials will only cost you around $10 and it won’t take long before you can charge your laptop in a car using this device.

Here’s all that you need:

heet of cardboard (any kind will do),
aluminum foil tape
black construction paper,
scissors and
glue stick and/or double-sided foam tape.

First, cut out two pieces of cardboard – one should be larger than the other – and place them together so as to form a box. Make sure the grooves where the top board slides into are the same size as the top of your laptop. Next, place your laptop on top of the boxes and make some markings about where to cut out holes for the charger cable, power switch, indicator LEDs, and USB ports.

After that’s done, separate them apart then cut out the required pieces using a sharp object (e.g., knife). Glue all of these pieces together afterward before sticking aluminum foil tape around each individual piece with plenty left over so you can fold it back over itself to create insulation. After this step is complete, glue black construction paper onto each side of the box with an extra piece glued onto one of them for later use.

Lastly, use double-sided foam tape or glue stick to attach LEDs to the front of your solar charger and then use Velcro to attach the solar panel. And there you have it – your very own solar-powered laptop charger!

3. Use a car adapter

Another option is to purchase a car adapter that will enable you to charge your laptop while driving. Car adapters can be bought for as cheap as $10 and they usually come with multiple USB ports so that you can charge more than one device at a time. This can be a great option if you don’t want to go through the hassle of building your own solar-powered charger or using an inverter.

4. Use a power bank

If all else fails, you could always use a power bank to charge your laptop in a car. Power banks are rechargeable battery packs that can be charged by a portable charger and then used to power up your devices. They cost anywhere from $15-$100 depending on how powerful they are. Some will have enough juice to charge your laptop while others would only work for smartphones, but at least it’s something!

There you have it – four ways in which you can charge your laptop in a car without having to buy an expensive laptop charger. I hope you liked this article and be sure to share it with your friends if they own laptops too

Different Ways to charge laptop in the car

Laptop powered by USB Type-C

Instead of charging the laptop by plugging in your power adaptor’s AC adapter, try connecting it through a universal serial bus (USB) instead. If you have a brand new laptop with a USB Type C port, this is a cool way to charge up while driving. If not, try getting an adaptor for your current charger. You can also get another alternative from Anker that works both as a portable charger and an AC power plug. Another option from Kootek includes three USB ports which you can use simultaneously to add more juice into your machine while it is on.

Charging using car battery

If only older cars had USB plugs or any other kind of sockets built in to charge devices such as phones and laptops, right? Wrong! You can use your car battery to power up your laptop while on the go. The best way is to buy an inverter that converts DC power (direct current) from the battery into AC (alternating current) which is compatible with most electronic devices. Make sure that the wattage of the inverter is equal to or greater than that of your laptop. Some models also come with adapters for cellphones, tablets and other small gadgets.

Charging through the cigarette lighter

This one is a no-brainer for anyone who’s ever driven a car before. Most cars nowadays have a 12-volt outlet near the dashboard called a cigarette lighter which can be used to plug in all sorts of devices. Simply buy an adapter to convert the plug into one that is compatible with your laptop and you’re good to go. Just make sure the charger’s wattage is greater than or equal to that of your device.

Solar-powered laptop chargers

This is a great option for people who are environmentally conscious and like to have backup plans. There are a number of solar-powered laptop chargers on the market these days which can be a real lifesaver in a bind. The best part about these chargers is that they come in a variety of different shapes and sizes, so there’s definitely one out there for everyone. Some models even come with built-in batteries so that you can charge the device even when there’s no sunlight around.

There are plenty of ways to charge your laptop in the car without using the old-school laptop charger. Do you have any favorites that aren’t on this list? Let us know in the comments below!

Final Words:

There are multiple options when charging a laptop through other means than a traditional wall outlet. A common choice, especially when traveling, is to use an inverter that will convert power from a car’s DC battery into AC to be used by your device. Another option, albeit more time-consuming and DIY, is to create a solar-powered laptop charger using a cardboard box, some aluminum foil tape, and black construction paper. If all else fails, you could always use a power bank which is a rechargeable battery pack that can be charged through a portable charger.