Laptop safety in aircraft.

[KA5PIU]

Hello.

The FAA now allows the airlines to limit what sort of electronic devices are allowed to be used, their call.
Anything that transmits should be a given, yet people insist that a wireless headset has no transmitter.
Another problem is that the Empower system provides 15VDC, enough to power, but not charge, most laptops.
So people go out and buy inverters and run the AC adaptor/charger.
Due to the reduced density of the air in the aircraft the batteries will run hotter than normal and are more susceptible to failure.
Fire in an aircraft cabin is not a nice thing to have.
Even the Apple laptops, they run on a 24 volt adaptor, will operate, but not charge, on 15 volts.
PS, I started on this while doing research on Hospital Safe laptops, units that will not get warm enough to injure if placed on someone or charge the battery when not safe to do so.
With that said, here is the link to the Apple provided information on the iBook.
http://developer.apple.com/legacy/ma...G4/iBookG4.pdf

[NA4BH]

With as many laptops as I see in use during flights, the fcsking plane ought to melt in midair. I can't tell a difference with mine during a flight. Maybe mine's defective.

ETA: HELLO

[KA5PIU]

With as many laptops as I see in use during flights, the fcsking plane ought to melt in midair. I can't tell a difference with mine during a flight. Maybe mine's defective.

ETA: HELLO

Hello.

It is not the laptops in use, it is the person who plugs into the Empower system with un approved equipment.
Quite a few aircraft now require that the flight crew turn the Empower port on, and will only do so on inspection of your equipment.

[W4RLR]

Hello.

It is not the laptops in use, it is the person who plugs into the Empower system with un approved equipment.
Quite a few aircraft now require that the flight crew turn the Empower port on, and will only do so on inspection of your equipment.

I'll pass, considering the TSA inspects "my equipment" when they pat me down.

Oh, you were referring to laptops...never mind.

[W7XF]

WART

[NQ6U]

In fact, laptops use more current when they're running than they do when they're charging so your comment doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

And, before I forget:

[KA5PIU]

In fact, laptops use more current when they're running than they do when they're charging so your comment doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

Hello.

The trouble is not one of the current being consumed but the battery.
Laptop batteries can and do burst into flames.
I rebuild the battery pack on an iBook, taking due precaution, and was advised by members of this board of the dangers of some battery packs burning or exploding.

So far the laptop has done very well, as the charge rate is at 5 hours fast and 10 hours slow, and anything over 90 degrees and it is in the slow charge rate.

[kb2vxa]

The TSA hates my laptop, she ALWAYS starts a fire!

[N2CHX]

Yeah, there's just SO many laptop battery fires on aircraft.

I took my old laptop on my trip to Asia. I powered it with a mini inverter. Not a big deal, people do it all the time. Batteries aren't going to burst into flames just because the air is a little thinner. If they were that close to the pinnacle of failure, they'd be failing a lot more when people use them in hot cars in the summer (done that), or just on a hot summer day or in any environment that is warmer than normal.

[KA5PIU]

Hello.

It is not just the heat, it is the charging, or so they say, except that last little detail.
How much are you going to bet the airlines start an "Equipment inspection" fee to turn Empower on?
Remember that members of this board were all excited when I replaced the cells in the iBook, the OMG! its gonna explode!
So far, nearly 10 hours run time, charged at least a dozen times, not the least hint of trouble.