Using an inverter to charge a laptop is an awesome way to keep you powered up when away from home.
I’ve used my car power inverter to recharge my laptop during extended work trips. Plus I know others who do similar things when camping or living in an off-grid cabin.
When it comes to electrical appliances, laptops are pretty low-powered devices and don’t need too much energy to run.
It’s perfectly safe to use a laptop with a power inverter and very easy to do.
If you’re unsure about what size inverter you need for your laptop, how long it will run, or just want a selection of the best inverters then keep reading.
What Size Inverter for a Laptop?
A 150 watt power inverter should run your laptop easily.
The inverter size for your laptop is determined by your charger. Your charger is what you’ll be plugging into your inverter to draw power in order to charge your laptop.
Most laptop chargers draw less than 100 watts, so a 150 watt inverter should keep you powered up.
The great thing is that you can also use a car power inverter which generally has a 100 – 150 watt capacity. You’ll be able to plug into your car’s 12V DC cigarette lighter port in order to draw up to 150 watts. That’s super handy!
How Many Watts Does My Laptop Use?
Generally, a laptop uses between 30 – 60 watts.
Most laptops have different wattage chargers available. The wattage rating of your laptop charger should be listed in the technical specification, user manual, or on the charger itself. If you’ve ever replaced your charger since you bought the laptop then be sure to double check the wattage as it can vary!
For example, I am writing this article on a Surface Pro which has a charger drawing 65 watts. It is different from the original one as I replaced it. When I was shopping for this equipment I was able to pick from various products with wattage ratings of between 30 – 70 watts.
If you’re still struggling to find your power requirements I suggest you get a wattmeter. You can attach it to any appliance and get an instant power reading. They’re very useful if you run a power inverter.
How Long Will an Inverter Run a Laptop?
An inverter will be able to run a laptop for as long as your deep cycle battery has energy. Inverter runtime is down to the amount of energy capacity in a battery and the power your laptop draws.
If you are using your car to run your inverter then you can keep charging your laptop as long as the car engine is running. Never use an inverter with a car without the engine on, otherwise, you will quickly drain your starter battery causing damage and leaving you stranded!
When using an external leisure battery you will need to work out how long it will last. It can be a little tricky to work out so here’s a quick formula for 12V inverter/battery to help:
(10 x battery capacity in Ah) divided by the laptop wattage = inverter runtime
So let’s say you have a 50 watt laptop and a 12V 100Ah battery.
(10 x 100Ah) ÷ 50 = 20 hours.
A 100Ah battery could run a 50W laptop for 20 hours!
Can I Use a Car Inverter to Charge a Laptop?
Yes you can easily use a car inverter to charge a laptop.
I’ve done it many times. As laptops use less than 150 watts you can plug your inverter into the 12V DC cigarette lighter port in your car. Just make sure you always keep the engine running so you don’t quickly drain your car battery and leave yourself stranded.
Will a 100W inverter run a Laptop?
Yes a 100W inverter should be able to run a laptop. Most laptops use between 30 – 60 watts when charging so you should have no problem.
Final Words on Inverter Size for Laptop
It’s super easy to run a laptop from a power inverter.
There’s not too much to worry about as most inverters should have enough power capacity to do the job.
Personally, I would use a 150 watt inverter so you have plenty of power to keep fully charged, plus you can hook it up to your car’s 12V DC port.
Just take the time to check your laptop’s charger wattage, this is what draws power, so you know exactly what you need.
Thanks for reading.
