Recommend best air/auto 12v adapter for Z61t

[billp117]

I am looking for suggestions on the best air/auto adapter for the Z61t. I have an older Targus which is very lightweight...but they do not have tips for the 20v Z61t. I ordered a new 12v model Targus, and you got it, they don't make the tip for this model either. These adapters work just fine on my X30 and the older T series.

I am sure the wisdom of this forum will help me make the correct choice. Price is important as there are several adapter on the market that cost from $100 - $150...that is not in my range.

Thanks

[Ken Fox]

I am looking for suggestions on the best air/auto adapter for the Z61t. I have an older Targus which is very lightweight...but they do not have tips for the 20v Z61t. I ordered a new 12v model Targus, and you got it, they don't make the tip for this model either. These adapters work just fine on my X30 and the older T series.

I am sure the wisdom of this forum will help me make the correct choice. Price is important as there are several adapter on the market that cost from $100 - $150...that is not in my range.

Thanks

I would forget about an "auto/air" type adapter. Instead, invest about $20-$25 in a low powered 12v to 120v inverter. You can use this in your car's 12v/cigarette lighter adapter, and plug your standard 120v/240v adapter into the other end.

As for use on airplanes, it is my impression that the special airplane laptop power adapter has been a real dud, and that to the extent that some business class or first class seats are outfitted with power plugs, they tend now to be of the 110v standard variety that your regular power adapter can plug into. These are far from commonplace, and with the exception of some carriers (such as Singapore Air) you are more likely to end up in an airplane seat without ANY power plug than with one that has one of those old style "empower" (or whatever they called them) airplane sockets.

[billp117]

Good advice...any recommendations on a very small inverter?

[Ken Fox]

Good advice...any recommendations on a very small inverter?

Gosh, they are all over the place. Good places to look would be your local Costco or Walmart. You could look online but if you live in an area with lots of retail stores, you will find it locally for less.

[gotconsultants]

Why don't you buy the IBM / Lenovo one??

Rob

[Manarius]

Why don't you buy the IBM / Lenovo one??

Rob

Extremely expensive?

[Ken Fox]

Why don't you buy the IBM / Lenovo one??

Rob

I haven't seen the newer version of the Lenovo "auto air" adapter, but I own the older version that was meant for the T4x and X3x series and those other notebooks using the same adapters. I believe the new one suffers from the same two major flaws.

#1, as previously pointed out, is the issue of price.

#2 is that this adapter version is very big and heavy. I travelled ONE TIME on an airplane with this adapter, and after carrying this thing once in my carryon, I decided, "never again." It is too big and bulky for airplane travel, period, and for any sort of travel after the flight where you'll have to repeatedly handle your luggage.

In reality, most people are not going to use their laptop in the car, since most of the usage for this sort of thing would be by business people on business trips travelling solo in a vehicle, needing to do other things such as DRIVE. In the airplane, the battery power will be sufficient for all but the longest flights, and on many of those there will not be a power socket available to the person seeking it.

My own experience with this thing was that it was a neat idea but in the end not very useful. Most people would be better served by buying a $25 small inverter, which can be used in the car for other 110v devices if need be, and one emergency use might justify the purchase price. An example of emergency use would be if you lacked a car adapter for a cellphone and went on a road trip, needing to recharge the cell in the car while driving (a more likely event, in my opinion, than "needing" to charge your laptop in the car).

I have my old Auto-Air adapter plugged into a UPS next to my favorite chair in the living room, and use it only in the house since it is too big to lug around, and otherwise I'd simply resell it, if I thought I could get anything for it.

[rkawakami]

Taking the other side of the coin for a second, if you go with a standard IBM AC adapter AND an inverter, this is what you would be lugging around:

- among my collection of IBM AC adapters, the smallest is 338 grams (54W w/AC cord) and takes up about 22.5 cubic inches
- an old Linksys Power2Go DC-AC inverter that I have weighs 470 grams and is about 37 cubic inches
- a total of 808 grams and 59.5 cubic inches

One of the IBM 72W (16V 4.5A) AC/DC power adapters I have, which I believe is the heavier version (FRU 22P9021):

- weighs 648 grams and requires about 62 cubic inches of space

So for less weight but slightly more room you could get by with the single piece of gear for getting power off the airplane's Empower outlet or your car's lighter. As far as cost is concerned, I've been able to snag several of these 22P9021s off of eBay for less than $20 shipped.

22P9021 w/both power cords; $17.50 shipped
22P9021 with only AC cord; $12 shipped (had an extra DC cord already for about $6)

Going with the inverter, as Ken points out, is very useful if you need to power/charge other battery powered devices. I don't travel First Class so I don't know if the airlines are moving away from the Empower jacks to regular 110VAC outlets, but if they aren't, then the inverter is useless on a plane (unless you take over a lavatory ).

Again, note that I'm talking about 16V adapters here. The 20V versions that the Z61t requires will be different. Make your own size/weight/cost/usage calculations and see what makes more sense for your applications.

[gotconsultants]

The new AC/DC Adapter ($119 normal price, I can get them for under $100) is only slightly bigger than the AC only version. Also it does Car, Plane as well as home if needed... I generally leave it in my car to charge my notebook while driving...

The other problem is that some inverters can cause problems with the wiring of the vehicle if it is drawing too much power... The IBM one is below the 15 AMP circuit on my truck, but some of the 3rd party ones caused the fuse to blow...

[Ken Fox]

The inverter I have weighs 142g, and measures about 3"x2"x1", not counting the attached car cigarette lighter male plug which is integrated into it and swivels out one end. It was made by "Vector," is rated at 70 Watts, and has a model number of VEC047C0. It was purchased a couple of years ago at a Costco as part of a two-pack, which I believe sold for $25.

I would be surprised if the current draw of a laptop computer plugged into this thing, for recharging, would blow the fuse on a car. If on the other hand you try to operate a refrigerator with it, all bets are off

I used to be in the habit of always buying an auto-air adapter for my laptops, having bought them for former Dells and my T40 and newer IBM models. I found that they were seldom used, and as time has gone on, the original intention to put "Empower" adapters into airplane seats appears to have stalled, if my experience in aircraft cabins is any indication. I have yet to see any of these adapters in any aircraft from Delta or Alaska Airlines. Internationally, I have seen maybe 1 time, such a plug in a British Air intercontinental jet. In recent years flying British Air, Air France, and Lufthansa, no more than 10% of the time have I seen such a plug in a passenger seat.

Most recently, I have seen some 110v sockets cropping up in Air France and British Air jets.

[brentpresley]

The 70W Vector Inverter is insufficient in some cases for the power draw of all T/Z/X60 series laptops.

I can attest to this FIRST HAND. As the inverter gets hot from 20-30 minutes of use, it has a tendency to cycle on/off.

The current draw is simply too high.

85W inverters should be the minimum for these laptops, and 100W would be preferred just to give you a little safety room.

[Ken Fox]

The 70W Vector Inverter is insufficient in some cases for the power draw of all T/Z/X60 series laptops.

I can attest to this FIRST HAND. As the inverter gets hot from 20-30 minutes of use, it has a tendency to cycle on/off.

The current draw is simply too high.

85W inverters should be the minimum for these laptops, and 100W would be preferred just to give you a little safety room.

My X60 and Z61T have the smaller, 65 watt power supply; are your observations true for models not needing the 90 watt power supply?

In addition, those current draws are undoubtedly effected by whether the laptop is running or if it is simply charging the battery in a laptop which is turned off. Since most people will probably not use their computers in a moving car, this is a significant issue. I recall reading a number of posts (in the T60 forum, I think) where individuals stated that they were able to use the 65 watt adapter for charging laptops that would not necessarily run well on the lower power adapter if the laptop was turned on. This may or may not be a good idea from a safety standpoint.

I simply gave the example of the inverter I have lying around in my car. I have a larger one, which I believe is rated at 120w, and all shapes and sizes are available in the marketplace. If the primary use for an auto-air adapter is in a car, an inverter may be a lower priced and more versatile "investment." If the adapter is to be used during air travel, it would behoove the potential purchaser to see if his favorite air carriers have the Empower sockets in the seats; given my experience, I doubt they are all that common. If the air carrier has 110v sockets in the seats, nothing more than your regular AC adapter would be needed.

Finally, as to the comment above that the new Auto-Air adapter is only a little larger than the standard AC adapter, no doubt this refers to the 90W version. If on the other hand your laptop runs on the 65 watt adapter, the size and weight difference would not be trivial. Since a person travelling by air frequently enough to want an adapter for an airplane, might also own a small X-series model, the size and weight differences of the 65watt vs. Auto-Air adapters should be considered.

[brentpresley]

The 70W Vector Inverter is insufficient in some cases for the power draw of all T/Z/X60 series laptops.

I can attest to this FIRST HAND. As the inverter gets hot from 20-30 minutes of use, it has a tendency to cycle on/off.

The current draw is simply too high.

85W inverters should be the minimum for these laptops, and 100W would be preferred just to give you a little safety room.

My X60 and Z61T have the smaller, 65 watt power supply; is this true for models not needing the 90 watt power supply?

In addition, those current draws are undoubtedly effected by whether the laptop is running or if it is simply charging the battery in a laptop which is turned off. Since most people will probably not use their computers in a moving car, this is a significant issue. I recall reading a number of posts (in the T60 forum, I think) where individuals stated that they were able to use the 65 watt adapter for charging laptops that would not necessarily run well on the lower power adapter if the laptop was turned on.

We are of course talking about running conditions. And the 65W adapter, if HOT, can overdraw the Vector 70W inverter.

Think hot summer day and trying to run your laptop from your car.

[Ken Fox]

We are of course talking about running conditions. And the 65W adapter, if HOT, can overdraw the Vector 70W inverter.

Think hot summer day and trying to run your laptop from your car.

Not meaning to pry, but how often do you operate your laptop computer(s), in your car, with the power supply plugged into automobile power supply?

For me, seeing someone operating their laptop while seated in a car, plugged in, would be sufficiently odd that I'd take notice of it.

[brentpresley]

We are of course talking about running conditions. And the 65W adapter, if HOT, can overdraw the Vector 70W inverter.

Think hot summer day and trying to run your laptop from your car.

Not meaning to pry, but how often do you operate your laptop computer(s), in your car, with the power supply plugged into automobile power supply?

For me, seeing someone operating their laptop while seated in a car, plugged in, would be sufficiently odd that I'd take notice of it.

EVERY single time I go out to meet a client. At LEAST once a week.

[rkawakami]

Citing the tabook.pdf file:

65-watt (GMA graphics; type 1951/1952/1953) or 90-watt (ATI graphics; type 2007/2008/2623)

@Ken Fox: You'd be surprised what I've seen people do here in CA when they are supposed to be "driving" . But I think the intended usage is for the passenger or when safely parked. Although there was that one time when I was in Wichita and used my Delorme GPS with a laptop in a rental car....

[gotconsultants]

I keep my notebook on while driving for the GPS navigation or even other things like music or audio books