Comments on: Mikegyver Revisited: iGo vs Kensington MacBook 12v Power http://www.technomadia.com/2009/07/mikegyver-revisited-igo-macbook-12v-power/ Sun, 01 Aug 2010 02:53:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Keeth http://www.technomadia.com/2009/07/mikegyver-revisited-igo-macbook-12v-power/comment-page-1/#comment-17582 Keeth Mon, 12 Jul 2010 17:15:11 +0000 http://www.technomadia.com/?p=1448#comment-17582 Thanks Chris, I've been using the Mikegyver iGo with my Macbook Pro off-the-grid for a few weeks now and it works great. Yeah, one of the biggest annoyances so far is the low-quality 12V/automotive connectors out there, they are often too thin, or don't make good connections, and often come with very low-amp fuses. Would be nice to find a source of really good quality 12V sockets and splitters. But it's great running direct off 12V and avoiding the inverter entirely. I use the "Doc Wattson" RV/Marine power meter too and it's really handy: tells me at a glance how much power I am drawing and the voltage level of the batteries: http://www.rc-electronics-usa.com/ammeters/rv-battery-monitor.html Do you know of any good 'off-the-grid' forums out there? I appreciate your blog sharing this info, would be nice to have some kind of discussion forum for these kinds of setups. Thanks Chris,

I’ve been using the Mikegyver iGo with my Macbook Pro off-the-grid for a few weeks now and it works great.

Yeah, one of the biggest annoyances so far is the low-quality 12V/automotive connectors out there, they are often too thin, or don’t make good connections, and often come with very low-amp fuses. Would be nice to find a source of really good quality 12V sockets and splitters.

But it’s great running direct off 12V and avoiding the inverter entirely. I use the “Doc Wattson” RV/Marine power meter too and it’s really handy: tells me at a glance how much power I am drawing and the voltage level of the batteries:

http://www.rc-electronics-usa.com/ammeters/rv-battery-monitor.html

Do you know of any good ‘off-the-grid’ forums out there? I appreciate your blog sharing this info, would be nice to have some kind of discussion forum for these kinds of setups.
Keeth´s last blog ..keeth- Wish Gambier Island had a movie theatre so I could watch Inception when it comes out-My ComLuv Profile

]]> By: Chris Dunphy http://www.technomadia.com/2009/07/mikegyver-revisited-igo-macbook-12v-power/comment-page-1/#comment-17580 Chris Dunphy Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:55:48 +0000 http://www.technomadia.com/?p=1448#comment-17580 Keeth -- One extra tip regarding dealing with a Low Voltage Cutoff... Often because the wire gauge heading to most 12v jacks is so narrow, a lot of the observed voltage drop is caused by the wire heating up. If you use thick wires and hook the inverter directly to a battery, it will take a lot longer to reach the cutoff point and trigger the annoying beeping. Keeth –

One extra tip regarding dealing with a Low Voltage Cutoff…

Often because the wire gauge heading to most 12v jacks is so narrow, a lot of the observed voltage drop is caused by the wire heating up. If you use thick wires and hook the inverter directly to a battery, it will take a lot longer to reach the cutoff point and trigger the annoying beeping.

]]> By: Keeth http://www.technomadia.com/2009/07/mikegyver-revisited-igo-macbook-12v-power/comment-page-1/#comment-10290 Keeth Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:31:49 +0000 http://www.technomadia.com/?p=1448#comment-10290 Thanks for the review! I am looking for a 12V adapter for off-the-grid living and did not know about the low-voltage cutoff. I've experienced the same thing with inverters that cut off or start beeping, when you know that the batteries aren't that low. Phew. That saved me some trouble, thanks. Would love to hear a HyperMac Car Charger review. Thanks for the review! I am looking for a 12V adapter for off-the-grid living and did not know about the low-voltage cutoff. I’ve experienced the same thing with inverters that cut off or start beeping, when you know that the batteries aren’t that low. Phew. That saved me some trouble, thanks. Would love to hear a HyperMac Car Charger review.

]]> By: Doug Bowling http://www.technomadia.com/2009/07/mikegyver-revisited-igo-macbook-12v-power/comment-page-1/#comment-2238 Doug Bowling Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:58:41 +0000 http://www.technomadia.com/?p=1448#comment-2238 Chris & Cherie, What a great site – I have learned a lot and will continue to. I’m hoping you will be able to review the HyperMac Car Charger soon as I am about to take a Macbook on the road. Thanks for what you do, Doug Chris & Cherie,
What a great site – I have learned a lot and will continue to.
I’m hoping you will be able to review the HyperMac Car Charger soon as I am about to take a Macbook on the road.
Thanks for what you do,
Doug

]]> By: Chris Dunphy http://www.technomadia.com/2009/07/mikegyver-revisited-igo-macbook-12v-power/comment-page-1/#comment-2197 Chris Dunphy Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:09:51 +0000 http://www.technomadia.com/?p=1448#comment-2197 Yep - airlines actually put out a higher voltage than cars do. Apple's adaptor doesn't contain any sort of fancy electronics to do DC-to-DC conversion, it just passes the power through and the laptop can run off that lower voltage, but not charge. Car voltage on the other hand is too low to even power a MacBook. Apple's adaptor is really a waste, and should be avoided. The MikeGyver and HyperMac solutions are MUCH better. Yep – airlines actually put out a higher voltage than cars do. Apple’s adaptor doesn’t contain any sort of fancy electronics to do DC-to-DC conversion, it just passes the power through and the laptop can run off that lower voltage, but not charge. Car voltage on the other hand is too low to even power a MacBook.

Apple’s adaptor is really a waste, and should be avoided.

The MikeGyver and HyperMac solutions are MUCH better.

]]> By: Matthew Cashmore http://www.technomadia.com/2009/07/mikegyver-revisited-igo-macbook-12v-power/comment-page-1/#comment-1941 Matthew Cashmore Wed, 05 Aug 2009 02:49:42 +0000 http://www.technomadia.com/?p=1448#comment-1941 I use this https://powertraveller.com/iwantsome/primatepower/minigorilla/ when I'm on the road with the bike - the mini gorilla also powers pretty much everything else I carry with me. However - I did think I could just buy this (http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB441Z/A?fnode=MTY1NDEwMQ&mco=MjE0ODI2OQ) - Apple Magsafe Airplane adaptor - which has a look'a'like 12v car socket on it.... but doesn't actually work with the 12v car socket.... that was a waste of cash. m I use this https://powertraveller.com/iwantsome/primatepower/minigorilla/ when I’m on the road with the bike – the mini gorilla also powers pretty much everything else I carry with me. However – I did think I could just buy this (http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB441Z/A?fnode=MTY1NDEwMQ&mco=MjE0ODI2OQ) – Apple Magsafe Airplane adaptor – which has a look’a'like 12v car socket on it…. but doesn’t actually work with the 12v car socket…. that was a waste of cash.

m

]]> By: Mikegyver.com http://www.technomadia.com/2009/07/mikegyver-revisited-igo-macbook-12v-power/comment-page-1/#comment-1838 Mikegyver.com Fri, 24 Jul 2009 18:13:19 +0000 http://www.technomadia.com/?p=1448#comment-1838 Chris, Sorry about that, we're planning on updating our website with much more details and even perhaps a video on the plus/neg of each product. But to your question, yes, the iGo everywhereMAX and iGo 130w AC/DC is the same except for the new size. The dims are actually the same as the Kensington except that it is still a bit thicker. Thanks, Mike mikegyver.com Chris,

Sorry about that, we’re planning on updating our website with much more details and even perhaps a video on the plus/neg of each product.

But to your question, yes, the iGo everywhereMAX and iGo 130w AC/DC is the same except for the new size. The dims are actually the same as the Kensington except that it is still a bit thicker.

Thanks,
Mike
mikegyver.com

]]> By: Chris Dunphy http://www.technomadia.com/2009/07/mikegyver-revisited-igo-macbook-12v-power/comment-page-1/#comment-1835 Chris Dunphy Fri, 24 Jul 2009 15:17:29 +0000 http://www.technomadia.com/?p=1448#comment-1835 Hi Mike - Sorry for the confusion - I'll update this post to fix the iGo details and to make clear this was an Everywhere130 and NOT an EverywhereMAX we were evaluating. You only offer one iGo model on your site, and the way you describe the difference with the Kensington is to say: "the Kensington is lighter and slimmer" without giving more details. Even the (horrible to navigate) iGo website only mentions the existence of the EverywhereMAX. I didn't realize until now that the Everywhere130 was actually a different / older product. Is the EverywhereMAX and Everywhere130 identical in every way other than size? - Chris Hi Mike –

Sorry for the confusion – I’ll update this post to fix the iGo details and to make clear this was an Everywhere130 and NOT an EverywhereMAX we were evaluating.

You only offer one iGo model on your site, and the way you describe the difference with the Kensington is to say: “the Kensington is lighter and slimmer” without giving more details. Even the (horrible to navigate) iGo website only mentions the existence of the EverywhereMAX. I didn’t realize until now that the Everywhere130 was actually a different / older product.

Is the EverywhereMAX and Everywhere130 identical in every way other than size?

– Chris

]]> By: Mikegyver http://www.technomadia.com/2009/07/mikegyver-revisited-igo-macbook-12v-power/comment-page-1/#comment-1831 Mikegyver Fri, 24 Jul 2009 11:33:20 +0000 http://www.technomadia.com/?p=1448#comment-1831 Chris, small minor comment. We sent you the iGo 130w ac/dc adapter. But the iGo everywhere max is almost the same as the 130w except the it is almost as small as the Kensington. So we we debating if we should switch favorites now. Regardless our adapter can be power from any source and not just DC. Mikegyver.com Chris,

small minor comment. We sent you the iGo 130w ac/dc adapter. But the iGo everywhere max is almost the same as the 130w except the it is almost as small as the Kensington. So we we debating if we should switch favorites now. Regardless our adapter can be power from any source and not just DC.

Mikegyver.com

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