Laptop power generator

Powering a laptop with a fossil fuel generator is a last resort when renewable energy sources and other power sources are unavailable.

The solution is noisy, polluting and maintenance prone, though the generator is a high capacity, compact and relatively cheap portable source of power.

A generator is a combustion engine, alternator and power inverter in 1 box. To power a laptop even the smallest generator will do with enough capacity left for a printer, 3G phone or even a desktop computer.
 

Portable generator market

Generators in the portable / vehicle sized market can be split into 3 segments: 
 

Micro Generator	Portable Generator	Vehicle based generator
Blue Max 1250	Kipor Sinemaster 2600	Dometic T2500H - Honda GX-160
<  22 lbs / 10 Kg Petrol 300 – 1000 Watt	22 – 66 lbs/ 10 - 30 Kg Petrol 1000 – 3500 Watt	110 – 2200 lbs / 50 – 100 Kg Petrol / Diesel / LPG 2000 – 5000 Watt
Generator segments in the portable / vehicle sized market

Main characteristic for a (laptop) power generator is it’s readiness for instant and ad-hoc use. Meaning it works when needed – full stop. Classic for cheap generators are frustrating “no-starts” and the struggle to get it to work when really needed. Limited engineering time and cheap parts are usually the main cause for generator failure.

For powering laptops and IT equipment – the quality of the power inverter is of importance. Though most laptop work on messy and interrupted AC Mains because of the internal battery. Printers, Scanners, Routers, Monitors and Audio/Video equipment require stable and uninterrupted AC mains.

Modern generators have digital inverters – supplying pure sine wave AC mains – being the best solution resembling AC mains at home or in the office.

Next – Kipor used portable generator review.
 

Back to the Alternative laptop power overview.