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+--- Thread: modified? or pure? Inverters for notebook computers (/thread-691.html)
- jlebens - February 26, 2009
I am planning to power my Mac notebook and MacENC with a Xantrex prowatt inverter of 300 watts. My question is - will this "modified sine wave" inverter work with the Mac or would I be better off buying a "pure sine wave" inverter?
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- georgelewisray - February 26, 2009
I have been using a 175 watt 12VDC => 120VAC that was bought from West Marine a few years ago on many different laptops with no problems. Years and Years ago there was a lot of electronic equipment that was fussy about the AC wave form, and inverters were much less sophisticated. My experience is that the fussyness is almost all gone away. However, this is a good question to be asking, just on general principles.
- jagasail - February 27, 2009
I don't know the 'correct' answer either, except that I've used several inverters over the years, usually cheap 150 or 300 watt ones bought at Walmart or Radio Shack meant for cars, and never had any trouble with them. However, the cheap ones (all modified sine wave) could put out more RF, impacting your radio reception. Now I'm using a Kennsington supply with both 120v and 12v input plus an adapter plug to power my MacBook. Not the cheapest solution but works well and avoids the inverter all together.
Scot
- jlebens - February 27, 2009
Could you provide a model designation for the Kensington power supply? Also, where can it be purchased?
- jagasail - February 27, 2009
If you search 'magsafe' on this board you'll find it, but its:
http://www.macsailing.net/fbb/showtopic.php?tid/514/post/2278/hl/magsafe/fromsearch/1/#2278
It's not sold directly by Kensington but by a third part who makes up a magsafe extension. Thus you pay for the Kensington plus the pigtail. I think he also has the option of an igo brick instead of the Kensington, but I had bad luck with igo when I used to travel a lot. Other's have been quite happy with the igo. I think there was a reference a few weeks ago to someone else starting to make a car adapter for the magsafe, but not sure where.
Scot
- jlebens - March 9, 2009
I bought an adapter from Mikegyver to avoid the whole issue of conversion from DC to AC and back again. Their approach of staying with DC and converting the DC voltage from 12 to whatever the MacBook requires (apparently 60 watts peak load) seems to be the most energy efficient and avoids the issue of pure vs modified sine waves in an inverter. I think the MikeGyver unit will also have less effect on my nearby compass.
On the other hand, Kensington sells a $69.95 DC to AC inverter at the Apple store, so that must work, too.