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With recent innovations - charging laptop question again

The best solution is using a USB-C adapter and a Mac with a M1 or M2 cpu, the battery will outlast anything with Intel.
I have a MacBook Air which doesn't have any USB-C ports.
 
You have a fine campervan that includes a built-in inverter, so just use that. You’ll be able to charge two Macbooks at the same time (45W is right for a MacBook Air with an Intel chip). Battery capacity for a Macbook Air is about 50 Wh (0.05 kWh), so the leisure batteries can power a full charge from flat many times over.

Optimising further by using 12V chargers for more efficient charging only makes sense if you are trying to stay off-grid without driving for multiple days. Even then, in most weather conditions the fridge or the heating will use more battery capacity than the Macbook charger.
Thanks... back to basics, what leads/adaptors do I need for this? Is there something that will let me charge two simultaneously?
 
Thanks... back to basics, what leads/adaptors do I need for this? Is there something that will let me charge two simultaneously?
UK members may be able to offer first hand advice here.

I believe that your inverter socket (the one on the door pillar) is of the Euro 2-pin flat variety, the same as on continental Cali's. I would go for a travel adapter to UK 3 pin, followed by a short UK extension lead with multiple sockets. The travel adapter needs to have the flat Euro plug, not the round, earthed one. For example this one:

If your laptop chargers came with flat Euro plugs, you could also use a splitter like the one linked below. Might be difficult to source in the UK, I guess.
 
It plugs into the 12v cigarette sockets, dashboard, end of kitchen unit etc. Search their site for the model applicable to your MacBook, or email them.
I can't charge it via the 12v socket. But I have ordered the adapter which @Kingfisher recommended for the inverter socket and that should work.
 
UK members may be able to offer first hand advice here.

I believe that your inverter socket (the one on the door pillar) is of the Euro 2-pin flat variety, the same as on continental Cali's. I would go for a travel adapter to UK 3 pin, followed by a short UK extension lead with multiple sockets. The travel adapter needs to have the flat Euro plug, not the round, earthed one. For example this one:

If your laptop chargers came with flat Euro plugs, you could also use a splitter like the one linked below. Might be difficult to source in the UK, I guess.

Thanks @Kingfisher , I think that's the solution!
 
On a T6 and earlier I would not plug a PC charger, or any charger to the 150W pillar socket as the inverter there is a modified sine wave and not a pure sine wave. Not sure if the 300W inverter in T6.1 is modified or pure. A modified sine wave will shorten the life of your charger.

So I'd definitely avoid that, rather go the 12V cig plug adapter route. Else connect a pure sine wave inverter to one of the LBs.
I plugged an anderson socket into the front left seat battery; I can connect a pure sine Inverter to it easily, or use the plug the other way round and charge the batteries from a Mppt charger getting solar.
 
Post #3 has a link to a charger with 100W and 30W outputs, which would charge a laptop much quicker.

Would this be a better purchase?
Or would the 100W risk draining the batteries? Ultimately the laptop can only draw so much charge before it’s full.
In this case, It's not the charger per se. its the fact that the MacBook has a special charging lead that magnetically connects to the computer.
The 12v charger, I quoted, is the only one I have found that has thecapabilwity of using MagSafe charging leads. Otherwise it is a Mains powered charger powered by EHU or 12v Inverter.
 
Given it takes the same eventual battery drain to charge a laptop regardless of source (12V, USB) I’m not sure why you don’t just use the invertor. Main difference will be speed of charging. I use it all the time and it’s no issue, given the Watts on my charger is only 60W for a std macbook laptop.

If you’re off grid it will drain your leisure faster, sure, but not life threateningly so - just keep an eye on your battery volts and go for a drive if it’s an issue, or fit a 100W panel like we have.

The new invertor socket (MY21 6.1) is multi plug and 300W, so EU or UK both work fine with no adaptor needed.
 
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In this case, It's not the charger per se. its the fact that the MacBook has a special charging lead that magnetically connects to the computer.
The 12v charger, I quoted, is the only one I have found that has thecapabilwity of using MagSafe charging leads. Otherwise it is a Mains powered charger powered by EHU or 12v Inverter.
Thank you
Does this mean that, although the MagSafe lead has a Usb C connection at one end it, the box of tricks it plugs into from Apple, to throw 96W, is perhaps a little more sophisticated than a 12V socket for £50 throwing out 100W?
 
Thank you
Does this mean that, although the MagSafe lead has a Usb C connection at one end it, the box of tricks it plugs into from Apple, to throw 96W, is perhaps a little more sophisticated than a 12V socket for £50 throwing out 100W?
I believe so. USB C is a connection format and the wiring can vary between leads.
On the older Apple Magsafe chargers the charging lead is not detachable.
 
I am afraid its not recent at all then:). I would go with the inverter and normal charger.
In this case, It's not the charger per se. its the fact that the MacBook has a special charging lead that magnetically connects to the computer.
The 12v charger, I quoted, is the only one I have found that has thecapabilwity of using MagSafe charging leads. Otherwise it is a Mains powered charger powered by EHU or 12v Inverter.

I thought you were referring to an adaptor with a USB-C charging point in it. But this is interesting.

So my Macbook Air has a Magsafe2 connector. I've never seen the charger which is in your link before. Are you saying the Magsafe2 connector somehow connects onto one of those two 'slots' - shown vertically with an orange line down the middle in the photo?
 
I thought you were referring to an adaptor with a USB-C charging point in it. But this is interesting.

So my Macbook Air has a Magsafe2 connector. I've never seen the charger which is in your link before. Are you saying the Magsafe2 connector somehow connects onto one of those two 'slots' - shown vertically with an orange line down the middle in the photo?
No, the sup0lied MagSafe lead plugs into the Central round socket. The other 2 sockets are for standard USB connectors for phones etc.
 
Given it takes the same eventual battery drain to charge a laptop regardless of source (12V, USB) I’m not sure why you don’t just use the invertor. Main difference will be speed of charging. I use it all the time and it’s no issue, given the Watts on my charger is only 60W for a std macbook laptop.

If you’re off grid it will drain your leisure faster, sure, but not life threateningly so - just keep an eye on your battery volts and go for a drive if it’s an issue, or fit a 100W panel like we have.

The new invertor socket (MY21 6.1) is multi plug and 300W, so EU or UK both work fine with no adaptor needed.
I've been had, my T6.1 socket looks like this ... a U.K. plug won't fit. :(

20220924_190537.jpg
 
Pretty sure its MY21 on ;) -at least its 300W :D

View attachment 99864
Mine is an EU Van, bought in Germany, yours is UK I guess? ... looks like a shaver plug and a U.K. plug will fit, but the EU 2 pin + earth plugs have pins slightly larger diameter than shavers so probably won't fit. ???

Looks like they put a U.K. compatible socket on U.K. vans from 21MY onwards.
 
Mine is an EU Van, bought in Germany, yours is UK I guess? ... looks like a shaver plug and a U.K. plug will fit, but the EU 2 pin + earth plugs have pins slightly larger diameter than shavers so probably won't fit. ???

Looks like they put a U.K. compatible socket on U.K. vans from 21MY onwards.
It's a multi socket so works fine for EU and UK.
 
No, the sup0lied MagSafe lead plugs into the Central round socket. The other 2 sockets are for standard USB connectors for phones etc.
I think we're talking about different leads. My Magsafe 2 lead ends with an inch-long flat square end with 5 pins inside. Other end is a standard 3 pin UK plug. There's no way that will attach to the adapter you showed. Good try at solving my problem though, thank you.
 
I think we're talking about different leads. My Magsafe 2 lead ends with an inch-long flat square end with 5 pins inside. Other end is a standard 3 pin UK plug. There's no way that will attach to the adapter you showed. Good try at solving my problem though, thank you.
The charger I showed comes with its own MagSafe charging lead , the Magsafe 1 and Magsafe 2 to cover all Macbooks with the MagSafe charging port built between 2006 and 2017. DOES not require your lead.
 

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