Car charger for ZBook 15 G5

[Dicerca]

Does anyone know of a suitable car charger for the ZBook 15 G5. That is I need to charge from 12volts and I'd rather not charge through an inverter. Is there any risk using a 12 volt charge adapter?

Thanks

[Huffer]

Not if you don't mind frying the video card. You have to use the correct voltage input and as far as I know there is no dedicated car charger. Even if there were it would have basically an inverter in it to change 12v DC into proper input to the motherboard. Why not use an inverter?

[Dicerca]

Thanks for your advise Huffer. The reason why I would rather not use an inverter is that I use this laptop for fieldwork in remote areas of northern Canada. I am usually hundreds of miles away from the nearest 110 volt power supply and I have to rely only on solar cells on charge my truck camper. I find that the output from my camper batteries, although enough to provide most of my needs, is not enough when I have the HP 110 volt charger plugged into an inverter. I was hoping that bypassing the inverter would be more efficient and therefore less of a drain on my camper batteries. There are commercially available 12v chargers that convert from 12 to 19.5 volts but I do not know it they are efficient and I want to make sure they do not destroy my HP.

[banhien]

Hi,

Sorry for jumping in. I used inverter when I was on call at work due to a simple reason: very hard to find car charge. But adapters/inverters from 12V DC to 110V/220V/240V AC are every where. I actually used an older version of the following one

               https://www.jaycar.com.au/400w-1200w-12vdc-to-240vac-modified-sinewave-inverter-with-usb/p/MI5134

for my day trips (for charging batteries notebook, cameras and video camera). I don't use solar, I use diesel (my car runs on diesel). I do not need it now (I'm a retiree) but it is still in my car.

Regards.

[Dicerca]

Thanks Banhien. I know there are inverters for 12V to 110V. I have at least 3 different models of inverters in my truck camper but when I plug my 100v HP adapter in the inverter and then plug the inverter into the 12V camper outlet the inverter (which ever one I use) shuts down with a warning alarm because the inverter can't draw enough power from my camper battery. It is logical to assume that converting 12V to 110V and then back to 19.5V is less efficient than converting 12V to 19.5V. That's is why I'd rather do without the inverter if a direct option is available such as this one https://www.amazon.com/Charger-HP-Envy-Pavilion-Touchsmart-Sleekbook-Pavilion-EliteBook/dp/B00HUE5O82....

[Huffer · Accepted solution]

This does not list the Zbook G5 as a compatible device. I have a Zbook G3 and it seems to use the same barrel type adapter as the one in the picture but is a massive 150W.  Looks like the G5 takes the same charger. The one  you ask about seems to cap at 90W. I will take a flyer and say it would be OK for charging the battery when the laptop is off but I would not try to use it to run the laptop actively. So it will be useful but not a 100% solution. 

[Dicerca]

Thanks Huffer. I think your suggestion it the right one. My HP charger actually says 200W and I don't seem able to find an 3rd party car charger rated that high. Better to charge the laptop when it is off rather than risk bricking the laptop. So thanks again for your advise!