laptop adapter in car

Do you plug the laptop power in/out of the cigarette lighter when the car is running or off?

Hi Peter, Some car's cigar lighters are only "live" when the ignition is on, others are wired differently and are live permanently.
If your car has a permanently live cigar lighter socket then as long as it is not left running the laptop for too long it will not have a great effect on an average size car battery that is in good condition.
However if the car battery is not in its first flush of youth, and to avoid draining it too much, having the engine running should enable the altenator (even at "tick over"engine speed) to supply sufficient charge so that the battery is not affected adversely at all.

If in any doubt then start the car engine and then plug in the special adapter to the car cigar lighter…..
Warning car engine emissions are toxic and can and have caused death, never have the engine running inside an enclosed space (garage etc) and ensure that the emissions are not causing a nuisance to passers by, pregnant women, children, folks with cardiac or respiratory problems, neighbours etc.

I 'm sure that you would never let the engine exhaust trouble other folks Peter, but know you will understand why we have to issue the warning.
Regards
paws

So I turn the car on before inserting the laptop device into the cigarette socket and turn the device off before turning the car off. I both insert and remove the laptop cigarette device in the socket while the car is running. I should not insert or remove the device when the car is being started or being turned off. Are these 3 ways of saying the same thing true?

Hi Peter, Yes you are absolutely correct. Regards paws