Charging with 12V 100W cigarette adapter

[ForkHandles]

I am considering buying one of these 12V chargers that pumps out up to 100W to charge my 2021 14” MacBook Pro

The MBP has a 96W transformer which feeds a USB C lead straight to MagSafe.

What are the likely risks of using this cigarette charger as a replacement for the Apple transformer when in the car?

 

[Ray2]

I currently use an inverter. Been doing that for over 20 years. Never a problem. They are not exactly toss in one's pocket small.

A while back I also took an interest in the usb c chargers. Out of curiosity I searched Amazon for a 5 star product. Fakespot rated it a D. The next 2 were discontinued (think about Amazon discontinuing a crappy product). Looking for one offered by a company name I’d ever heard of came up empty. And we want to plug a $2,000+ laptop into it. With the other end plugged into a $30,000+ car.

 

[astorre]

do you need the whole 96W? what are you planning to do in a car with MBP? There is Anker PowerDrive+ III Duo USB-C car charger that does 50W Power Delivery

 

[TinyMito]

You need to get an inverter. I have one here 300w max got it from Amazon; two power plug and 2x USB-A. I am not sure if today has USB-C now.

As above post, I think the Anker 50w is sufficient unless you're doing rendering works all day in car.

MacBook Pro 14/16 only consume about 30-50w on load. At idle; 5-10w.

MacBook Pro with 96w power adapter doesn't mean the laptop is constantly pulling 96w lol unless it is rapid charging.

 

[marzer]

I am considering buying one of these 12V chargers that pumps out up to 100W to charge my 2021 14” MacBook Pro

The MBP has a 96W transformer which feeds a USB C lead straight to MagSafe.

What are the likely risks of using this cigarette charger as a replacement for the Apple transformer when in the car?

The only risk I can see is if you buy something of poor quality.

I've been using this one for 6 months now with my 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro, works great on the road and while camping. Compact and more power efficient than an inverter.

 

[ForkHandles]

The only risk I can see is if you buy something of poor quality.

I've been using this one for 6 months now with my 2019 16-inch MacBook Pro, works great on the road and while camping. Compact and more power efficient than an inverter.

Thank you for the recommendation

 

[SjoukeW]

Also don't forget that 120Watt at 12V is 10A constantly. 10A is a lot of current. Originally those plugs were meant to heat a sigaret lighter for less than a minute. Now you are pulling 10A for hours through those cables inside your car. If the cables are not 100% up for the job they can get very hot.
My girlfriend charged her phone once in the car on a cheap Chinese usb->usbc cable, that started melting and smoking while we were driving. That wasn't the best of experiences.
You don't want the cables in your car to melt and catch fire.
Also note that if the engine isn't running you are using your car's battery, that also has a limited capacity and drains fast, especially in freezing temperatures. And in those conditions you do want enough charge in the battery to start your car again ;-)

 

[jav6454]

I am considering buying one of these 12V chargers that pumps out up to 100W to charge my 2021 14” MacBook Pro

The MBP has a 96W transformer which feeds a USB C lead straight to MagSafe.

What are the likely risks of using this cigarette charger as a replacement for the Apple transformer when in the car?

None if using the USB-C protocol. However, I'll advise against any car charging unless it's necessary. Car power output can fluctuate on low RPM ranges.