Posted by jimbro on 9/17/10 9:40am
Msg #352985

Mobile printers

Anyone have any suggestions or results in hooking up a dual tray printer to work with in your car? I think I've seen some comments in the past but can not locate them now. I'm looking for equipment needed to opearte a dual tray printer (HP)

Reply by Daniel Gossman on 9/17/10 9:59am
Msg #352988

The key thing you would need is a DC to AC converter. After that you would hook it up as if you at home or office. I've thought about doing this my self, but mobile printing might not be feasible for those who have to deal with temperature extremes. How well will your gear work in the heat or cold.

Reply by Calnotary on 9/17/10 10:05am
Msg #352990

I carry a full size dual tray printer in my vehicle. A brother HL-5250dnt

Reply by MW/VA on 9/17/10 10:53am
Msg #352994

The cool thing is that many new vehicles are coming through with an AC outlet!
It's there for charging laptops, etc. IMO that will be great for mobile offices.

Reply by Calnotary on 9/17/10 11:01am
Msg #352996

Marilynn, if I connect my printer to those AC outlets in new cars, I will blow the fuse in an instant. Those
ac outlets are for just like 100 watts. My printer needs 1200 watts and when it starts it pulls like 1800 watts.

Reply by MW/VA on 9/17/10 6:36pm
Msg #353048

Thanks for the info. I didn't have time to do any research, but wondered if there would be enough power for things like a printer.

Reply by Ilene C. Seidel on 9/18/10 8:04am
Msg #353094

No laser printer can be "just plugged into the car outlet" you will burn it up. You need a pure sine inverter overall the total cost including installation is about $1000.00. Anyone who wants to do this should call the "inverter store" they are very helpful. That's where I bought mine and I love the freedom the printer gives me.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 9/17/10 11:21am
Msg #352998

Not great IMO...not so sure if it would be powerful enough...

and I, for one, have no intention of buying a brand new car for the sake of powering my laptop...lil extreme IMO

Reply by PAW on 9/17/10 1:14pm
Msg #353008

Many "older" cars of extra power ports (same as a cigar/cigarette lighter socket). My 2002 Park Avenue has one under the seat. My wife's Aveo5 has one and so does her previous Accent. There are plenty of 12v adapters available for laptops that do not use an inverter to provide AC since the laptop runs on DC. The adapter coverts the 12v DC supplied by the vehicle into the proper voltage (5v to 18v DC) for the notebook. (When buying an adapter, you will need to specify the laptop make/model so the correct adapter can be provided.)

Both HP and Brother make comparable printer adapters for certain printers, but I don't know if any of the compatible printers would be laser printers. May be something worth looking in to.

Reply by MW/VA on 9/17/10 6:37pm
Msg #353049

That's pretty humorous, Paul. A Park Avenue for you & an

Aveo for her. No wonder they refer to us as the "little woman". LOL

Reply by PAW on 9/17/10 7:14pm
Msg #353058

Her choice

I prefer a bigger car for the comfort. It's the "family" car. My better-half prefers smaller cars, ones that she is comfortable with and gets good 'local' mileage.

I would never refer to her as the "little woman".

Reply by MW/VA on 9/17/10 9:09pm
Msg #353069

I meant no offense, Paul. Just a little joke after a long &

stressful week. My apologies if I offended you or your wife.

Reply by Hugh Nations Signing Agents of Austin on 9/17/10 11:18pm
Msg #353079

PAW would NEVER call his wife "The Little Woman"

He's an ex-sailor. She's The Old Lady.

And he loves her dearly, whichever she is.

Reply by PAW on 9/18/10 7:24am
Msg #353091

Once a sailor, always a sailor!

She's not an "Old Lady" yet. Let's see, her birthday is coming up soon and she'll be .... 39. Actually it will be the 21st anniversary of her 39th birthday.

Reply by PAW on 9/18/10 7:25am
Msg #353092

None taken. n/m

Reply by MW/VA on 9/19/10 6:15pm
Msg #353129

LOL. I saw a MiniCooper today with the license plate

"WeeWoman". LOL

Reply by Jessica Ward on 9/17/10 5:13pm
Msg #353040

I can and have run my laptop and many other small things in my car, but I can't imagine trying to run a printer. My laser printer needs WAY too much energy. I think it would kill my car. I'd love to find a way to provide enough energy to run it though, so if someone has a trick, I'd like to know too. I have several extra ports and converters, but still the wattage isn't high enough. I have HP P2015 printers.

Reply by Linda_H/FL on 9/17/10 5:52pm
Msg #353043

Re: Mobile printers...Jessica

If you search here you'll find that someone posted a complete blueprint of everything needed to go completely mobile, including the type of power supply needed...pure sine power inverter, 1000w I believe...

Search here for particulars

Reply by OR on 9/18/10 11:02am
Msg #353100

Re: I have a mobile office in back of my SUV

When I started out in this business I thought that a mobile office was required. I had a 1000 watt inverter hard wired to my battery. It runs a lap top and laser printer and copy machine at the same time. My mobile printer is a Brother HL 2140. I have used it often. I bought my inverter for $245.00 and my husband installed it. That was 4 years ago. You can find inverters any where batterys are sold. I found my at a battery pluss store. I use a surge protector to protect my equipment. My equiptment is in the back of my SUV. I always start my car first. Then I walk arount to the back and turn on the inverter. I let it set a moment or two before I turn on my equipment. That is the safest way no to blow or burn anything out. I would not want to do this business with a mobile office.