Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!ames!henry.jpl.nasa.gov!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!peregrine!ccicpg!felix!tgate!ka3ovk!drilex!axiom!linus!alliant!merk!xylogics!cloud9!jjmhome!cpoint!frog!barr From: barr@frog.UUCP (Chris Barr) Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc Subject: car battery adapter for '386 Zenith Turbosport laptop Summary: Best I found is 100-watt, 115 V, AC inverter. Keywords: laptop battery zenith turbosport Message-ID: <1972@frog.UUCP> Date: 19 Sep 89 06:24:00 GMT Expires: 10 Oct 89 04:00 Distribution: usa Organization: Charles River Data Systems, Framingham MA Lines: 30 Zenith refuses to sell a car battery adapter for their '386 laptop, the Turbosport, because 'its quick-charge batteries draw too much current for a car battery'. A friend of mine dearly needs this. I found some solutions, and pass them on here, while wondering if better ones exist: The Turbosport battery is labelled '24 V, 2.0 amp'. The AC adapter and computer's baseplate label give voltages & amperages ranging from 27 to 37 V, 0.18 to 1.8 volts. Most importantly, Zenith tech support says their ac adapter draws 1.1 amps from a wall socket. I assume this is a peak value. Two types ofsolutions: I. AC adapter from cigarette lighter/car battery: a. Zirco, Wheat Ridge Colorado sells a 115 volt/100 watt inverter, in a very small (< 1 lb.) package. It has auto shutdown when either it or the car battery approach a danger point. b. 'PowerVerter', sold by local electronics shop, in several wattages: 100-250-400. Heavier, no cigarette lighter adapter. II. DC->DC adapter a. Axonix, Salt Lake City, sells one designed to power both a '286 laptop and a printer, so it puts out 26 V/ 2.0 amps. This would probably work - if it mated with the Zenith's unique 4-prong external power connector!