AC Power from watercooler

Hello, Is it possiable to run a laptop from the watercooler outlet? IE where you plug it in? Is this AC? I think I can but befour I do I wanted to see what y'all thought. Thax Greg

Wow 24 views and no one has an opinion on this! Well holy hell I'm gonna do it and see what's up!

If you do, you'll probably live up to your screen name. You gave no information on the locomotive model. An old Geep or a new AC4400? Something in between?

Just because a receptacle looks like a 5-15 doesn't mean it has good old 115, 60 fed to it.

Fry it at your own risk-

I agree. No details, and we are supposed to accept the blame, for giving you bad advice, and frying the computer for you?!?!?! Those outlets run 76VDC. IF you feel the need to run electronics, from those outlets, you will need either a 12V adapter (available from radio shack) or an inverter, to turn the DC into AC (available from locoverter). Don't get mad, because you ask a very, very open ended question, then don't get the response you want immediately. Do a search here, and you'll see this topic has been done, over and over already..........

I'm sorry I'm not mad. The loco is a ES44AC, Dash-9, SD70MAC, The SD70ACe already has an AC outlet in the nose near the Radio rack. it looks like all of the loco's use the same standerd plug. Damn I bought the wrong plugs. I got L-620's But I need L-720's, so when I get back home I need to go to the hardware store and get the right one's. I thought that the watercooler ran off of AC current This is not so? I have a 150 watt inverter also I have a locoverter so I'm coverd either way. I also thought that all the loco's we have (BNSF) have a standerd plug for the watercooler.

Before frying your computer, why not take a meter and confirm exactly what the plug is putting out? Even at that, I'd be leery of some stray spike or abnormality.

BR&P wrote:Before frying your computer, why not take a meter and confirm exactly what the plug is putting out? Even at that, I'd be leery of some stray spike or abnormality.

Good advice. A cheap multimeter will give you a definitive answer. And never assume that if you find 115VAC on one newer unit they will all be that. Very often railroads buy refrigirators (spelling?) in 72-74VDC not just for convienience, but to keep them from being a target of theft as they would not be practical to use at home. I have definatley come across actual 115VAC outlets on some modern loco's for coolers. But not on all.

I too have a a Locoverter (two actually, a 100 watt and a 15 watt) and they are worth their weight in gold from a convienience standpoint. And by using one of them, you eliminate any real risk of damage to your gear. Locoverters clamp most spikes well and at worst, you will fry the Locoverter, not what is plugged into it. I have yet to have a single issue plugging my Locoverter in on engines as old as mid 50's GP9's. But when in doubt, i use the battery switch adapater. Problem solved.

Many of CPR's new AC44/ES44 have a 120vac plug, on the side of the refridgerator. It is labeled so. It is handy to charge portable radio batteries and company cell phones.