carpooler's battery

docjim2 · #1 (**permalink**) 12-08-2006, 09:44 AM

I have a carpooler that insists on using her laptop (Sony and so far no exploding battery!!) while we are on the road. Lately she claims that my Fit is draining the battery?!
She says that when she is in my Accord that nothing happens and the laptop works just fine... weird huh?

Wave · #2 (**permalink**) 12-08-2006, 10:05 AM

If she don't like it then tell her to drive her own @ss to work!

JonasM · #3 (**permalink**) 12-08-2006, 10:33 AM

Maybe her plug is not seated very well in the outlet, so it's not really charging. That's pretty much the only thing I could see that would cause that.

JonasM

#4 (**permalink**) 12-08-2006, 11:45 AM

Ditto JonasM

docjim2 · #5 (**permalink**) 12-08-2006, 11:54 AM

Wave: I like your spunk! And I like the Never Forgive-Never Forget sig.

docjim2 · #6 (**permalink**) 12-08-2006, 11:56 AM

JonasM: That is the point... she never plugs it in... she claims that when in the Fit her computer shows "Battery Low" but in my other car it works all right... now she wants to complain about my GPS receiver and my radar detector... both don't put out signals; they only RECEIVE!
thanx all for your answers...

actonimpulse · #7 (**permalink**) 12-08-2006, 12:00 PM

Do you carpool to the looney bin, cuz that's just crazy!

uiskibum · #8 (**permalink**) 12-08-2006, 01:01 PM

Tell her to wrap the laptop and her head with aluminum foil to keep "evil EM waves" from draining her laptop or reading her mind.

Then tell her that she has created an odd correlation that does not have any factual basis. Ask her if she charges her battery every night before you carpool, ask her if she uses it prior to getting in the car in the morning. Odds are she does something different now and uses the laptop or its not putting is self "to sleep" as it should and draining more battery power.

JonasM · #9 (**permalink**) 12-08-2006, 02:25 PM

Tell her that Honda has a new technology: energy absorptive chassis. It drains power from all around. That way the engine doesn't need an alternator to make up for electrical power used, since an alternator would also reduce horsepower.

As uiskibum said, wrapping it in foil will reduce the drainage.

OTOH forget it - she's probably a nice person besides being a bit looney - no need to make too much fun of her.

JonasM

tricolor · #10 (**permalink**) 12-08-2006, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by docjim2

JonasM: That is the point... she never plugs it in... she claims that when in the Fit her computer shows "Battery Low" but in my other car it works all right... now she wants to complain about my GPS receiver and my radar detector... both don't put out signals; they only RECEIVE!
thanx all for your answers...

Legend or reality?

Apparently, receivers such as GPS and radar detectors use crystals that emits loud enough to be "detected". Some police patrol cars in Canada, where radar detectors are illegal, would be equiped with such portable electronic "sniffers".

Although your carpooler problem sounds weird, it may be due to some kind of interference that is not present in your other car... such as wireless throttle?

Just fishing!

Jetydosa · #11 (**permalink**) 12-09-2006, 01:03 AM

There is no way on Earth the Fits DTW throttle system could possibly effect the laptop battery!

Is she using the power socket while claiming this?

willmax11 · #12 (**permalink**) 12-09-2006, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tricolor

Legend or reality?

Apparently, receivers such as GPS ... such as wireless throttle?

Just fishing!

Wireless---does that mean I can control the throttle using an R/C transmitter? LOL

Just kidding!

docjim2 · #13 (**permalink**) 12-12-2006, 11:46 AM

my wierd carpooler, as in constantly complaining about my little Fit, showed me last week where her laptop showed 56% on battery life after she booted it up in the car. BUT that was at the end of the day and she never called me back to report that the battery, as she claims, showed over 90% when she got home. She was probably too embarassed... LOL

Gordio · #14 (**permalink**) 12-12-2006, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by docjim2

I have a carpooler that insists on using her laptop (Sony and so far no exploding battery!!) while we are on the road. Lately she claims that my Fit is draining the battery?!
She says that when she is in my Accord that nothing happens and the laptop works just fine... weird huh?

I think laptops die faster when it's hot, and I do notice it tends to be warmer in the Fit.