Bug Report

Wed May 4 16:06:00 UTC 2005

The four batteries rated at 940 amp at 0 degrees or
1100+ at 32 degrees will maintain laptop, printer,
external hard drive, TV, and internal lights for 6
hours. 12 hours if the batteries are brand new. I've
been doing using computers in trucks for 10 years.
Understand that the batteries are supporting more then
just the laptop. The truck engine computer is always
drawing some current. Various things in the truck pull
12 volts while the inverter is producing 110 volt.

But I have never been able to run any computer
equipment in any truck for more then 12 hours without
re-charging the batteries.

Also, while the vehicle batteries are rated at 12
volts, this is not constant. Voltage will vary from 15
volts to 10 volts. At 10 volts, they need to be
recharged. My alternator produces a constant 14 volts.
I once had an inverter fried when an alternator ran
away and started producing 17 volts. I would rather
have the inverter fry then the computer.

I wasn't aware that the laptop could run on 12 volts,
but everything connected to it runs on 110 volts
anyway. And it usually has one or more devices hooked
to it.

(I figured the business about the APC would catch
someone's attention.)

Anyway, the problem is the bug with the connected
devices. You would get the same result by simply
turning the external hard drive off, then turning it
back on. FC3 freezes at that point. 

I am referring to devices hooked into it by USB plug.

Lloyd Hayes

--- Jeff Kinz <jkinz at kinz.org> wrote:
> On Tue, May 03, 2005 at 06:53:33PM -0600, Lloyd
> Hayes wrote:
> > Bug Report:
> > 
> > I don't know how extensive this bug is. I use my
> laptop with FC3 while 
> > traveling across the USA in my 18-Wheeler. I get
> my loads over the 
> > Internet. The 110 volt power is supplied by an
> inverter attached to my 
> > batteries. APC battery backup power supplies don't
> work well in this 
> > environment.  (Last time that I tried one, which
> was about 7 years ago, 
> > it caught fire a couple of weeks after I bought
> it.)
> 
> So you had:
> 
> 12 volt >-- inverter >-->APC UPC 110AC out>-->laptop
> PS>---->laptop
> Battery                  charging a          (an
> inverter)
>                          12 Volt Battery     (also )
> 
> And the APC unit caught on fire? Not surprised, you
> were connecting an
> inverter (DC to AC) to a re-inverter (AC to DC) with
> a power conditions
> (AC OUT) into another inverter. They must have had
> quite a combined draw
> on your battery. I'm surprised you didn't have a
> fire in your battery
> compartment.
> 
> > When the batteries get low, the inverter simply
> shuts off. This does not 
> When the batteries get low?  You can run a laptop
> off of a 12 volt
> automotive battery for at least 3 to 4 days.  I
> suggest you try this
> arrangement -   drop the inverters. They are sucking
> up and wasting huge
> amounts of juice.
> 
> You already have power compatible with your laptop. 
> Your 12 volt
> battery.  Check the bottom of the laptop's 110 volt
> power supply.
> It will tell you what its output is.  it will look
> something like 
> 12VDC or 10.4VDC  This is the Voltage of the DC
> output.
> 
> Most "12 Volt Automotive Batteries" supply about 14
> volts. I assume 
> your truck has at least two batteries or you
> wouldn't be able to start
> the motor "to get the power going again".  
> 
> You may need an automotive DC to DC converter if
> your laptop requires
> some power level significantly different than 10 -
> 14 volts.  These are
> cheap and easy to acquire.  All it needs is the same
> kind of connector
> your laptop power supply has going into your laptop.
>  This will draw so
> much less juice, your batteries won't go low
> anymore. (Unless you leave
> it plugged in over three or four days without
> starting the motor.)
> 
> > affect the laptop. But when I have external hard
> drives, printers, 
> > scanners, and external CD ROMS hooked into the
> laptop, they simply shut 
> > down and fall off of the devices with again no
> problem to the laptop.
> > 
> > The problem is when I start up the motor to get
> power going again, then 
> > I reset the power inverter. I have an in-line
> switch which is shut off 
> > until the inverter is back on. When the power back
> on, I turn the switch 
> > on and the devices are also suddenly turned back
> on.
> > 
> > FC3 freezes up every time the devices are turned
> back on.  It can be 
> > just the printer or the external hard drive. The
> result is the same. I 
> > have been known to let it sit there for a couple
> of hours to see if 
> > something happens. Nothing does. The mouse
> pointer, and everything on 
> > the Gnome screen stays frozen. CTRL+DEL+ALT does
> nothing. Same with 
> > CTRL+ATL+BACK SPACE.  The only way out of it is
> the power button for 6 
> > seconds. This is completely repeatable and happens
> every time.
> > 
> > It does not happen if no external devices are
> connected to the laptop.
> > -- 
> > 
> > Lloyd Hayes
> > 
> > Email: lloyd545220-trucker at yahoo.com
> > URL: http://TalkingStaff.bravehost.com 
> > E-FAX Number: (208) 248-6590
> > Web Journal: http://lloyd_hayes.bravejournal.com/
> > 
> > -- 
> > fedora-list mailing list
> > fedora-list at redhat.com
> > To unsubscribe:
> http://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-list
> > 
> 
> -- 
> Jeff Kinz, Emergent Research, Hudson, MA.
> 

Lloyd Hayes

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