Originally Posted by
FrustratedTraveler
My laptop is a "portable server" with 12 cores and 32GB of ram due to the nature of my work, and gets about 30 minutes per charge. I could carry a second less powerful computer for flying in addition to my on-site computer, and deal with the additional hassle at security - but a better way to solve the problem would be the (working) AC outlet they advertise.
Traveling with two laptops isn't that bad except for the weight. I've been doing it for several years (two macbook pros) and have never had issues. On the rare occasion when I get precheck they both stay in the bag.
If your laptop sucks 180 W it's about 100 W too much draw for aircraft power outlets, which are mostly designed for about 75 W. It could be that the outlets work fine, but shut down when you pull too much current. You may be able to set your power settings in the laptop to reduce the power consumption substantially.
You can also get a larger battery. For the most part you can carry Li-Ion batteries less than 100 Wh in the cabin without issue, so many laptops are likely designed with that in mind. You may also be able to carry up to two additional LiIon batteries with capacity between 100 Wh and 300 Wh per passenger, but details get more complicated, and it looks like the total limit for batteries over 100 Wh is 300 Wh/passenger. One 300 Wh battery would likely get you most of the time you need, assuming your 180 W power supply is oversized so it can run the computer and charge the batteries at the same time. You can't put the >100 Wh batteries in checked baggage at all (they have to be in the cabin-- cabin fire extinguishers can put out a fire in them). I think in general you can only check the smaller ones if they're attached to the electronic device that they work with (i.e. in a laptop), but that's worth double checking.