If you are going mobile with your job, you will need to get your car completely outfitted with all the right tools. This means you will need a good laptop stand mounted inside. Not long ago, I met a guy in the Starbucks parking lot working on his laptop sitting in the passenger seat, using the WiFi inside from outside. He had his cigarette lighter hooked up to an AC Inverter and was complaining it the laptop was too hot and burning his crotch. I laughed.
Then he said, "you know what I need - I need to make my SUV into a mobile office with computer and all," and I told him that wasn't all that hard to do. Let me explain what I mean and what I told him that day; there are more and more folks who have turned their cars into offices on wheels. Today, many entrepreneurs, and small business people have lap tops, iPads, Smart Phones, and the old proverbial file boxes in their automobiles as they go about calling on clients, accounts, or marketing their goods and services.
Of course, there are rules disallowing the use of such electronics in your car while you are driving; no text-messaging, cell phone use, and no computing while cruising. Sure that makes sense - still, sometimes you need a place to do your business while in your work vehicle when it is parked. Now then, let's say you wish to want to install a lap top desk into your SUV, pick-up, work van, or car? Below are some tips on how to get this done;
1. First, you are going to need an inverter, and it is best if you hard wire this to the battery, not just plug it into your cigarette lighter.
2. Next, you are going to need a lap top stand, and it must be a strong and steady platform. There are many brands online to look at. Personally, I have a Jotto Desk unit, which is very nice.
3. Finally, before you install it, you need to make sure it will not interfere with your driving, your drink holder, your emergency brake, or gear shifter; easier said than done. And since you will most likely buy this lap top stand online, you really don't know the dimensions until you get it shipped to you. Even if you know the dimensions, you might need to tilt it at an angle both vertically, and laterally, which basically changes everything.
4. Remember to measure this out to the best of your ability prior to ordering it, and don't forget it must match the size of your notebook, or laptop too.
Okay so, you've picked out the unit and now it's here, the installation is very important.
1. First, installing the inverter. You need to make sure that it can handle ten amps, and you must position it in a place where it has decent ventilation, as they do get hot. I recommend using the specified wire width, and not to go beyond that, as it will reduce the current flow from the battery.
2. When you run the wire to the battery, under the carpet and through the firewall, make sure there are rubber grommets anywhere that metal might chafe the rubber coated wire, if you get a short, it could spark a fire.
3. Next, you must mount your lap top table inside the car, and the post will be holding a lot of weight, especially as you, the user, leans on it. Therefore, the bracket must be bolted through the floor board.
4. Check the bottom of the car where you will be putting the bolts all the way through, make sure the area is unencumbered so you can get a nut, a locking nut, and a flat washer around the bolt without getting in the way of wires, fuel lines, emergency brake cables, transmission, or drive line.
5. Line up and mark the holes before drilling, and drill very slowly through the carpet, remember this is for keeps. I often take a small flat piece of wood drill through that first and then place the drill on the hole to drill and force the wood onto the carpet to prevent the drill bit from ripping it up.
6. Once this is done place your lap top on your stand and adjust it for ease of use. You may wish to put a clip on the edge to hold the power cord so it does not get into the way of yourself, passengers, or the operation of the vehicle.
Please consider all this.
