Tuning Equipment - Laptops!

[1project2many]

So how long will a Toughbook last? Well this one has been running for 478 years?

No surprise. Turns out Columbus used a Garmin. He was the first one to type in "new world" so he got here first.

I used a 12V lighter supply with my old Thinkpad for years. TC OBDI and II. Now I use an inverter that plugs into the lighter. Works ok as far as I can tell.

[Six_Shooter]

You mean a power inverter?

I use one all the time with my one laptop, since the battery reserve is pretty much non-existent.

[RobertISaar]

in theory..... i can see it causing a problem, depending on how the laptop's motherboard is setup. if you suddenly lose the ground, but not the positive, from the lighter socket, i would think it would be possible that the ground circuit in the USB plug might be used to charge the laptop.... with disasterous results.

i'm not sure if the same situation would apply with an inverter powering a charger powering the laptop... there might be enough isolation between the devices to where losing the ground wouldn't cause the same issue?

in any case, i've been powering my laptop with an inverter while logging/programming/etc since 2008 with no issues with various forms of GM OBD1 cables. all of the OBD2 cable suppliers seem to state that issues can arise, and i happen to know of someone with a dead HPT cable because of this exact scenario, so i'm not sure if it's a circuit design issue or something inevitable about OBD2 communications.

[1BadAction]

You mean a power inverter?

I use one all the time with my one laptop, since the battery reserve is pretty much non-existent.

in any case, i've been powering my laptop with an inverter while logging/programming/etc since 2008 with no issues with various forms of GM OBD1 cables. all of the OBD2 cable suppliers seem to state that issues can arise, and i happen to know of someone with a dead HPT cable because of this exact scenario, so i'm not sure if it's a circuit design issue or something inevitable about OBD2 communications.

Sounds good to me, guess I'll see what I can find for a decent quality inverter. It'll be nice to have more than an hour of tuning time in one shot. Using the screen at full blast brightness (because of the sun) just kills the battery.

[EagleMark]

I think a 12 volt laptop charger avoids these issues?

I've got 2 ThinkPad chargers that have 110 and 12 volt to charge laptop battery. SO I leave one with 12 volt in vehicle...

[EagleMark]

I checked with EFI Live and no, just because it's 12 volt does not make it safe, may be worse!

Rule of thumb is at no time to have 2 grounds to same source! The Scantool V2 to ALDL port is grounded and attached to USB port and so is the 12 volt cig lighter charger. Bad things can happen including burning up the EFI Live V2 box, PCM or laptop.

That said many guys have used an invertor and 12 volt laptop charger without issue, myself included with OBDI equipment. I've never tried with OBDII stuff and with this info am not going to try!

There is one guy who stays busy replacing the part/chip/fuse that frys in a V2 because of this...

With my setup I'd actually have three gound paths all to 12 volt, V2 Scantool, 12 volt charger and USB RoadRunner. One guy said he runs a 12 volt charger for years and no issues with V2 Scantool, but when he plugs in charger with Scantool and RoadRunner the engine shuts off!

The other rule of thumb in bench flashing or any flashing is fully charged vehicle battery and fully charged laptop battery. Which I have always done including OBDI LT1 and never an issue so why change.

Now I have bench flashed many times with my laptop on AC charger, just because I forgot! But my bench flashing is all 12 volt off a battery. SO 2 different electrical systems, no grounds to same electrical system. Battery chargers on 12 volt bench system can also create issues! But I have a small Battery Tender that never get's turned off. On charge it is very small, like 1.25 amps and at storage so small I can't remember? So it looks like big chargers may cause noise/voltage/amps which can mess up a flash?

[EagleMark]

Well so far I'm liking the Ram Mount! Still following my rule of no tuning and driving! But the clear view of a dashboard set to what you need at time is very useful. I've never used dashboards much even with data logs, monitors are much more useful.

The way I have the Ram Mount it is all the way down, was going to cut to lower it more so laptop was below dash, but then would take up legroom. WHere it is I have no blind spots!

Just a glance at dash board is no differant then a glance at vehicle dash board or Wide Band Lambda gauge while driving! It's not like tryuing to find what you need with laptop on seat which is way to much time with eyes off the road, similar to texting!

You can see my Moates O-Meter through steering wheel. I really like it as it's fully programmable for AFR or Lambda and also does data logging...

But doing some testing with RoadRunner emulator it's easy to set up so change needed to test and glance at dash board is very easy, just click and listen for the Road Runner Beep-Beep!

[1BadAction]

I checked with EFI Live and no, just because it's 12 volt does not make it safe, may be worse!

This is good information. I've been pretty much exclusively flashing via the V2, I think it's probably been 2 years since I've had the laptop in the truck while I flash. This is the main reason I haven't sprung for a laptop mount yet, until I started on my suburban the only thing I've needed to carry with me is a small handheld that I could stick between the seat cushions securely.

Well so far I'm liking the Ram Mount! Still following my rule of no tuning and driving! But the clear view of a dashboard set to what you need at time is very useful. I've never used dashboards much even with data logs, monitors are much more useful.

The way I have the Ram Mount it is all the way down, was going to cut to lower it more so laptop was below dash, but then would take up legroom. WHere it is I have no blind spots!

Just a glance at dash board is no differant then a glance at vehicle dash board or Wide Band Lambda gauge while driving! It's not like tryuing to find what you need with laptop on seat which is way to much time with eyes off the road, similar to texting!

You can see my Moates O-Meter through steering wheel. I really like it as it's fully programmable for AFR or Lambda and also does data logging...

But doing some testing with RoadRunner emulator it's easy to set up so change needed to test and glance at dash board is very easy, just click and listen for the Road Runner Beep-Beep!

THIS IS COOL! I want, nay, I NEED this. I can see where it would come in handy to keep the laptop secure. I also like the fact that it's a secondary dash board. Nice when you don't have a tach like my truck. I'm digging the moates-o-meter also... Shit, I need a better paying job.

[EagleMark]

That Moates O-Meter is modified to include the LED and button to calibrate the Innovate LC1 WB. I wired up the wideband to be portable with a relay, power, ground and trigger, it also mounts on my AutoProm.

I've been pretty much exclusively flashing via the V2, I think it's probably been 2 years since I've had the laptop in the truck while I flash.

One of these days I need to try that...

[1BadAction]

Looks similar to my LC1 setup, I wired up a GM fuel pump relay out of a late model fuse center, LED, and pushbutton in a small black box from radio shack. That way I can hook up power, ground, and key on power signal and not worry about any added load on the vehicle electronics. When it's in the truck and under hood, you can't tell it's not a factory piece unless you know these trucks really well.

Once you get used to logging and tuning solely with the V2, you'll kick yourself for not doing it sooner.

[bentrod]

RAM mount looks good, eaglemark. I think i'll pass on that one though because my truck is manual. Maybe I just need to check out other bottom mounts because I really like the top part and how easy it is to change positions.

Also that's the main reason I would get the ram mount too; Streets and trips was a great program really (besides being from msft and only able to run on windows) and newer GPSes are a lot better than they were even 5 years ago as signal lock maintaining and acquiring.

[EagleMark]

Totally different mount for your truck, then there's a flat drill mount, many mounts!

[1BadAction]

The mounts I've seen are adjustable and bolt to the seat base. Then there are the ones that strap to the seat and have adjustable arms...

[roby]

Once a laptop is acquired, what's the safest/most stable configuration of base settings? What background programs should not be installed or running (ie. anti virus, backup, auto update, etc.)?

This is assuming a dedicated, non networked, web isolated, tune only laptop.

[EagleMark]

I still run all that stuff, biggest issue is power managment, make sure the screen goes off so you can touch mouse to turn back on. Don't want laptop to turn off altogether...

I actually leave the tuning laptop in vehicle when I get back and network from office for changes needed.

Windows updates can cause issues on WIndows 7 but real bad on XP. Look at your Start Turn Off button and it will have an icon for restart. If it does need a restart? all sorts of things don't work right.

Flashing OBDII is sometimes tricky and things should be off. No Interuptions!

Although I can get 4+ hours from my laptop battery with screen brightness on high. It did die while emulating the RoadRunner the other day. When the laptop turned off... so did my truck!

That does not happen with AutoProm.

Lots of guys have gotten away with running a laptop charger off 12 volt or inverter including my self. This is very dangerous with OBDII equipment.