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03-29-2010, 08:31 PM
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#1
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Marlton
Posts: 578
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Wiring a printer to the truck
I'm a landscaper and I am constantly giving estimates. Usually I go to the location, take notes, come home and on a night I'm not too busy type it all up and come back the next day and stick the estimate in the person's mailbox. I want to speed up the process, and I don't like giving people estimates in my sloppy handwriting.
That all being said, I wanted to wire up a printer to my truck. I looked into battery operated units, and they sell for about $400 which is way too much. I wanted to wire up a cheap printer to my truck so I can bring my laptop with me and print wherever I am. I've never wired up a thing in my life, so how would I go about doing this?
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03-29-2010, 08:34 PM
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#2
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Ayatollah of Rock N Rolla / Admin
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Parts Unknown
Posts: 12,573
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Can you use a household printer with an inverter?
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03-29-2010, 08:45 PM
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#3
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11 second club / Moderator
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: West Berlin, NJ
Posts: 7,148
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WildBillyT
Can you use a household printer with an inverter?
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yea, you can get a cheap printer on sale for 50 bucks roughly. use a 40 dolalr power inverter and then you're all set.
__________________
2001 Trans Am WS6 •SLP Loudmouth II •UMI Suspension •12.857 @ 109.57
1996 Trans Am WS6 •Pacesetter Longtubes •Strange 12 Bolt •Spohn Suspension •11.152 @ 123.85
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03-29-2010, 09:15 PM
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#4
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Somerset, NJ
Posts: 4,223
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i saw something at best buy that plugs into your cigarette lighter and has electrical sockets on the end..is that a power inverter?
__________________
Jon
1999 Trans am WS6
1996 Corvette LT4 6 speed
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03-29-2010, 09:15 PM
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#5
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Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Marlton
Posts: 578
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Is that the thing that plugs into a cig lighter? I was hoping there would be a way to do it straight to the truck, to keep everything neat and hidden. My only cig lighters are in the center console.
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03-29-2010, 09:56 PM
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#6
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Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: mullica hill
Posts: 31
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go to pep boys and grab a 12v power source. you can tap that into the power wire of your factory cig lighter. then you can mount the after market power supply anywhere you want. go grab a power inverter and call it a day. the power source is like ten bucks
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03-30-2010, 06:50 AM
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#7
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11 second club / Moderator
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: West Berlin, NJ
Posts: 7,148
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Quote:
Originally Posted by madness410
i saw something at best buy that plugs into your cigarette lighter and has electrical sockets on the end..is that a power inverter?
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Yes, thats a power inverter.
Quote:
Originally Posted by miketa95
Is that the thing that plugs into a cig lighter? I was hoping there would be a way to do it straight to the truck, to keep everything neat and hidden. My only cig lighters are in the center console.
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Yes, thats a power inverter. You should have 3 cig lighters. What else are you using.
Quote:
Originally Posted by twokss
go to pep boys and grab a 12v power source. you can tap that into the power wire of your factory cig lighter. then you can mount the after market power supply anywhere you want. go grab a power inverter and call it a day. the power source is like ten bucks
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Yep. Power inverter seems to be the answer.
__________________
2001 Trans Am WS6 •SLP Loudmouth II •UMI Suspension •12.857 @ 109.57
1996 Trans Am WS6 •Pacesetter Longtubes •Strange 12 Bolt •Spohn Suspension •11.152 @ 123.85
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03-30-2010, 07:04 AM
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#8
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Stalker
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 12,077
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or you could use a Mr. Fusion
i use a cig lighter plug in inverter for my laptop, just make sure you get one rated for the amps of your printer
Last edited by V; 03-30-2010 at 07:05 AM.
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03-30-2010, 11:05 AM
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#9
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Hillsborough, NJ
Posts: 1,099
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I bought an inverter from Wal mart which you could hook up directly to your battery. i wouldn't recommend the ones Wal Mart carries because the thing didn't work. Just letting you know there's that style out there.
__________________
-Devin
Whiplash Intense Performance
Intensify your ride with over 500 name brand Performance parts and accessories!
www.intensewhiplash.com
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03-30-2010, 12:15 PM
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#10
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Meet Coordinator
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: brick/pt. pleasant beach
Posts: 19,341
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if you go for the more expensive inverter, you could run your printer and charge your laptop
wire it up to a fused lead from the battery with the proper fuse and wire for the rated amps and wala, no fires!
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03-30-2010, 03:51 PM
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#11
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: Hillside NJ
Posts: 284
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be sure the inverter as enough watts to power the printer 400 -800 watt inverter have 2-4 AC plugs for more stuff to plug in.
get the printer first then check the specs to see if it will work.
i can get you a new printer on the cheap if you want form my job
and if you need help with wiring my friend can do it even hide the printer for you lol
have the James bond printer in the dash lolol
Last edited by Firebird92; 03-30-2010 at 03:55 PM.
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