Related
here's how we make cheap external batteries here in Romania.
this is a DIY concept so if you're not that type of person this may not be for you.
Anyway you must get yourself a sealed acid-lead 12v battery (they are built in the same way as a car battery but smaller) from an electronics shop. They are cheap and come in various sizes. If you want more juice, just buy 2 or 3 of those and couple them in parallel.
Next buy a 12v-220v converter like the ones used in cars. Those that are connected via the cigarete lighter. The smallest cheaper model you'll find will do the job right as long as it can provide 30w.
Don't connect the shift to the batteries, don't be tempted to do this, even if apparently the shift needs 12 v and those batteries supply this voltage. Use the converter.
Now, as you may guesed, simply connect the batteries to the converter and the shift's charger to the converter's output. The converter will suply about 220v at it's output. That's good and that's desirable. Even if your country may use standard 110V values at it's sockets, buy a 220v converter instead.
Now you got a bulky, ugly looking external battery. What's the fun with it?
Well here's the good part.
A standard external battery will give you about 2-3 hours of usage because by the time this is over, it's voltage output will drop from it's nominal value to somewhere around 9-10V. The battery will still be able to provide a fairly large amount of current (amps) but however by this time the shift will be powered off because it needs a nominal value of 12 v (+/- 0.80V) to work (it's internal converter needs it, and has a small tollerance about variations in this voltage). So, 2-3-4 hours of usage, then recharge.
The home made external battery has the following advantage.
After some usage (couple of hours - depending on how much big is the battery you use) the output voltage of the cells will drop. This is normal, and this will happen like the case with standard batteries. BUT you have that converter hooked up. If the converter needs 12 V to supply an output of 220V ac, if you apply only 10 V (the voltage on the battery has dropped because of usage) it will supply only 180V ac. (an estimation). This is well under 220 v. BUT the shift will still work. Why? Here's the cool part. The shift power charger has a nominal imput voltage of 100-240 V (it is rated on it's sticker as the imput voltage). THIS MEANS IT WILL SUPPLY THE 12 V OUTPUT FOR THE SHIFT AS LONG AS THE INPUT VOLTAGE IS SOMETHING IN THE AREA 100-240 V ac. So the converter supplies 180V but that's ok, the shift will still work. So you use it for a longer period of time. When the battery is flat out and has somewhere around 7 volts the converter will supply somewhere under 100v or will stop to work because the battery will also have not enought current (amps) to run the converter's main circuitry or to supply the shift's power requiests.
There are some things that must be said about the eficiency of this method. First you use 2 converters one will raise the voltage from the external batteries ( - your car converter) and the other will lower the voltage to the 12v required by the shift ( - your shift charger). These, both have an eficiency factor. Because of the tehnology used you will have a general factor of about 85%. The rest will be lost in the transfer as thermal heat or EM field radiation.
Still you should get 30-50% more juice then a similar capacity comercial product . And it's more cheaper to buy.
You may achieve the same results if you buy a converter...aah...and a car. Car batteries will provide some good dozens of hours for the shift to work.
That is smart!
But too bulky for me.
yep it's bulky. I'll use it on small camping vacations when a longer battery life is required. No way i'm carring this battery with me as a simple replacement.
yep... I've made one already.
Introducing the shift external battery version 1.0.0. At a hefty 8 kilo it is made for the strong people. It is practically a mobile power house composed of two 12V / 15A acid-lead batteries and a power converter that can output 150W max at 220V. It should give the Shift some 30h of continuos power at maximum requirements. It can also be recharged or powered from anything you can throw at it. Total costs, something around 100 euro. Therefore, shift goes to camping along with my asus eeepc. Hope I find an WLAN enabled forest or something.
Shift external battery version 1.1.0 will use prismatic Li-Polimer cells linked in a matrix and capable of delivering the same amount of power but at 1,5 kilograms. This will be expensive as hell.
sorry, i was probably too amused with my creation and double posted.
you should try this with a battery like first robotics compition uses not that they are that great but they are small batteries like the size of a small boat battery, like 9inches wide by 6 tall and like 4thick but it is like 45 lbs, but outputting a redicoulus 200amps id last like 200 hours continuos max draw...
Dear facdemol ,
It is a very bright idea to mod using sealed lead acid battery to power up our htc shift , i too keen to try out your idea , but how do you recharge back the used acid battery , what charger did you bought and used , can you help me by posting some - many pictures of both your batteries configuration and charger as well ? How long ( hours ) is it you need to fully charge your batteries from flat out ? I dont mind if the set up is looking big and ugly and messy , as long as it is cheap , easy , enough power to last at least 6 hours of solid shift usages , i really now thinking of investing into this . So , please help out and assist in any way possible - will you ? Thanks and best regards to you -
jimmunsw
Dear facdemol ,
What charger are u using to recharge your diy battery ( volt and amp ) ? And how many hours it take to fully charge both of your diy batteries ? I am keen to try out your idea as today i have found many cheap sealed batteries sizes for sale in my area and it fits my usage requirement of just 6 to 7 hours of continious shift usage . Thanks and regards - jimmunsw
Hi Folks
After digging through mounds of tech docs, I was able to verify that the G-Tab uses the TI TPS658621A power management processor for charging.
Good news - you can plug just about anything into it from 9V up to 18V and it should charge it. Theoretically, it should also support step up charging from USB (trickle charge) but I've yet to prove that. (The power management processor supports it, but it might not be in the hardware.)
Bad news - it's just out of reach for a standard laptop charger (19V) so we still need a converter.
So, if you find a connector that fits it, plug it in. Don't worry about the current draw - as long as it's 1A or GREATER it should work fine (the device won't pull more than an 1A, even though our chargers are spec'd for 2)
Technical specs are available here - http://focus.ti.com/docs/prod/folders/print/tps658621d.html
This is awesome info! That means for the car all we need is a fused line to the right plug (center positive of course.)
This is great news, this means that the iGO tip that sends out 19v is safe to be used on the GTab.
Thanks for sharing.
sunglint said:
This is awesome info! That means for the car all we need is a fused line to the right plug (center positive of course.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While you might be able to do that, I don't recommend it. If you do it anyway, do yourself a favor and NEVER EVER EVER leave it plugged in while you are starting the car.
From Wikipedia:
A second problem is that nominally "Twelve-Volt" power in cars fluctuates widely. The actual voltage will be approximately 12.5 volts when dormant, (less when cold) approximately 14.5 volts when the engine and the alternator/generator are operating, (more when cold) and may briefly drop as low as 5-6 volts during engine start.[7] DC/DC converters will usually compensate for these small fluctuations.[citation needed]
Rarely, more extreme cases of voltage fluctuation can occur when the car battery is disconnected while the engine is running, or when the car receives a jump start. When the battery is disconnected, a load dump transient can produce very high voltages. A car receiving a jump start from a truck will be subject to its 24 V electrical system.[8] A "double battery jump-start" is performed by some tow truck drivers in cold climates.[9]
Design wise one has to take into account intermittent contact, and voltages outside the nominal 12 V DC like top voltage 9-16 V continuously, top voltage at 20 V during 1 hour, 24 V during 1 minute, 40 V during 400 ms.[10] Protection component tolerance example ratings are +50 to -60 V DC[11] Besides this there's also varying temperatures between -40 till +85 °C to contend with that can affect humidity and condensation.[10] Equipment connected this way must tolerate large variations in electrical- and climate environment.
For more, look at table 20-1 in http://www.fordemc.com/docs/download/EMC_CS_2009rev1.pdf which is reference [10] in the Wikipedia article. Granted, that's very conservative, but a 1A 12V low drop out regulator is cheap insurance for a piece of kit like our tablets.
Interesting. If you plug in tablet and that part number into Google you get lots of familiar looking pictures:
http://www.kitarm.com/news/205-cortex-a9-nvidia-tegra2-tablet-pc-with-10.html (and the photos are marked with this site: http://www.okpbw.com/).
bnovak said:
Hi Folks
After digging through mounds of tech docs, I was able to verify that the G-Tab uses the TI TPS658621A power management processor for charging.
Bad news - it's just out of reach for a standard laptop charger (19V) so we still need a converter.
Technical specs are available here - http://focus.ti.com/docs/prod/folders/print/tps658621d.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
aasoror said:
This is great news, this means that the iGO tip that sends out 19v is safe to be used on the GTab.
Thanks for sharing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you read the same post I did? His suggestion is that 19V is too high and still needs to be converted.
wd5gnr said:
While you might be able to do that, I don't recommend it. If you do it anyway, do yourself a favor and NEVER EVER EVER leave it plugged in while you are starting the car.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree, and thanks for the info. I do ham radio and already know to not plug things in until the car is running, actually learned that from xda years back from cell phone charging. I also use Anderson Powerpoles for the connections, very highly recommend these. This does mean that given the same precautions I already follow I can make up a nice charging cable pretty easily. And I'll certainly look in to the low voltage protection, just in case.
edit:just saw the call sign, 73s!
well unfortunately I can say that this:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003MYLLCC
doesnt work
actually it might
it just doenst fit......
sigh
My husband just remembered that we bought a power converter years ago to charge a laptop while traveling in Europe.
Would this work without any problems with the Gtab?
Found the model here: http://www.crutchfield.com/S-jg9JaV...er-Pocket-Inverter-175.html?tab=detailed_info
You mean by plugging in the AC charger to it? Should work fine. The output of the stock charger is about 24W so even if it is grossly inefficient, a 140W power inverter should be fine.
Naturally, I assume no risk, yada yada yada, your mileage may vary, void where prohibited by law.
Hey, if it helps anyone at all, I bought this car adapter from the radio shack and it works well. None of the included tips worked with my Gtab, so I cut the tip off my included wall charger and using two of the adapt-a-plug connectors also available at the shack, I made it so I can use the tip on either my wall charger or my car charger. Just gotta remember to take it with me, and of course get the polarity right. Its a regulated 12 volt charger, so it reduces some of the spikes and drops from the car battery, the amperage is correct, and the on/off switch means you can wait to turn it on until after the car is started. Reduces the amount of plugging and unplugging nicely.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3889594
I have a power inverter that also has a USB outlet on it for the car. I have also seen an auto adapter that had just 2 USB outlets on it at dollar store. Are these tpes safe to charge the gTab?
LoganFive said:
I have a power inverter that also has a USB outlet on it for the car. I have also seen an auto adapter that had just 2 USB outlets on it at dollar store. Are these tpes safe to charge the gTab?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
GTab can't be charged via USB
Power Brick
So I apologize for what I'm sure is a dumb question but I don't know squat about electricity.
Will this or will this NOT work with a Igo charger. Deals.woot (today only) has a 90W slimline charger that apparently outputs about 19V. The first post would lead me to believe this will not work while a subsequent one indicates it would.
I'm inclined to believe this WILL NOT work but wanted to check.
greymane98 said:
So I apologize for what I'm sure is a dumb question but I don't know squat about electricity.
Will this or will this NOT work with a Igo charger. Deals.woot (today only) has a 90W slimline charger that apparently outputs about 19V. The first post would lead me to believe this will not work while a subsequent one indicates it would.
I'm inclined to believe this WILL NOT work but wanted to check.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Another member reported earlier that he has researched the power management chip on the GTab and it will apparently run up 18v, this justify why many has been using the iGO Asus netbook tip successfully for so long.
Now for the woot deal, I wouldn't bother with a "refurbished" item when you can get the tried and working travel adapter for $18 (shipped) and $20 (for the version with the auto and airplane adapter) there is a confirmed tip that fits the gtab included.
http://www.buy.com/listing/sellerlistings.asp?sku=211343528&buy=0
http://www.buy.com/prod/-igo-40w-un...usb-4-power-tips-for/q/loc/101/219613586.html
Best of luck,
The first post says the top end is 18V by the data sheet. Where have you seen someone quote 20V?
I've been using an iGo netbook charger for 3 weeks without any problem. I found it on sale at Office Depot for $8 the week before they dropped the GTab price to $300. Three weeks is probably only 7 or 8 charge cycles, but I've paid attention looking for hot spots, etc. and haven't noticed anything. I don't love the stiffness of the cable, but it was $8. I'm not complaining.
My only charging "problem" is that the silly thing wakes up when it hits 100% (VEGAn-TAB Ginger). Having the screen come on at full brightness just when I'm falling asleep was funny the first time, but it's getting annoying that I keep forgetting to power it off.
Dan
wd5gnr said:
The first post says the top end is 18V by the data sheet. Where have you seen someone quote 20V?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My mistake, I stand corrected, its 18v.
my power adapter plug receiver (male end) on gtablet is bent/broke. is there another option to power?
hopbros said:
my power adapter plug receiver (male end) on gtablet is bent/broke. is there another option to power?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the end in the tablet itself, or the end with the wire that goes to the wall?
if it's the wire end, you can get new plugs at radioshack. But requires some soldering skill to get them on there.
or you can get a universal 12-18V / 1amp charger with multiple tips.
Hey all, I was looking into getting a car power adapter for hte G-Tab. I looked on Electroniccrap.com, but everything is usually "out of stock." He sells the iGo systems, which Radio Shack also sells. So, I went to my local RS to see what I could find. They didn't have the iGo stuff, but did have enercell converters/adapters, etc.
As I was browsing, I found 2 12VDC car chargers (if you were curious, the "B" plug fits in the G-Tab). But then I noticed a "150W power inverter." It's a car plug that has 3 AC outlets and 1 USB outlet on it. This is ideal for me becuase I usually charge more than one thing when on long trips, GPS, Zune, NDSi, DVD player, and now the G-Tablet. The issue I'm having is that the back of the package said that it's output was 5VDC, typical of most car adapters. I asked the girl that was working if my AC adapter for hte G-Tablet would do it's own conversion, making it's output 12VDC. She said that it would, and said that each device's AC adapter will convert as needed.
Now, my question, is this true? The charger device does have a fuse on it, and some reviews I read (after purchasing, I know) said that it's worked fine for laptops, DVD players, etc. The main complaint is the hum of the cooling fan that's built in.
I briefly tested it today, with my G-Tablet. The battery indicator said it was 100% charged (but we all know that isn't reliable) I didn't take it out of it's case ot see what color the charge light was, but the charge indicator idn't have the lightning bolt in it, indicating a charge.
Does anyone know if she was telling the truth, perhaps? It's a pretty sweet setup, being able ot use AC adapters for all of my devices in the car, if it works as advertised, anyway. I just couldn't imagine why they would create a charger that has 3 5VDC AC outlets on it...
TJEvans said:
I asked the girl that was working if my AC adapter for hte G-Tablet would do it's own conversion, making it's output 12VDC. She said that it would, and said that each device's AC adapter will convert as needed.
Now, my question, is this true?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
of course not, how can someone who works in an electronics shop says so ?!
The 5VDC on the package is most probably the output of the USB port on the inverter.
The inverter should output 110 (or 220v) AC @ 50/60 hz, else you wont be able to use your wall plug adapters.
True the GTab adapter will output the proper voltage (12v DC 2A), but its input must be 110v (220v) AC.
My advice is not to use inverters for small hand helds : GTab, GPS, MP3 players .. etc.
Instead, use compatible car adapters, if you need more than one, get a splitter for your socket.
By the way, here is a compatible (and cheap) car adapter for the GTab: http://cgi.ebay.ca/Car-Charger-Koda...ccessories&hash=item51998a1f04#ht_1399wt_1341
Things may be different in Canada, but here in Pittsburgh, PA, just because somebody works at a certain store, doesn't necessarily mean that they know anything about the items they carry.
we actually have a car power splitter, it worked fine in our Honda Element (that the wife hit a deer with) but the Scion XB we have doesn't have much room between the outlet and the shifter lever, so the splitter doesn't quite fit that well. It is adjustable, but we haven't been able to find a position that works.
In fact, we have a car to double USB port adapter right now, that we are powering the GPS and Zune with, even with just the 2 USB cables plugged into it, it's tight.
aasoror said:
of course not, how can someone who works in an electronics shop says so ?!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the tip - bought one!
FWIW, I'm pretty sure the 'girl in the shop' was simply saying that if you plug your 115/220VAC adapter into the inverter, the adapter will produce whatever it produces when plugged into a wall receptacle, which indeed it should so long as the inverter can produce 24W - and she was just following standard retail practice: 'sell what ya got', and the store *had* an inverter.
Seems like an overly complex way to get 12VDC out of a (nominally) 12VDC system when all you probably need is a regulator.
Another option:
http://www.amazon.com/charger-adapt...OQLG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1307712365&sr=8-1
Only one review, but it's a positive one.
TJEvans said:
Things may be different in Canada, but here in Pittsburgh, PA, just because somebody works at a certain store, doesn't necessarily mean that they know anything about the items they carry.
we actually have a car power splitter, it worked fine in our Honda Element (that the wife hit a deer with) but the Scion XB we have doesn't have much room between the outlet and the shifter lever, so the splitter doesn't quite fit that well. It is adjustable, but we haven't been able to find a position that works.
In fact, we have a car to double USB port adapter right now, that we are powering the GPS and Zune with, even with just the 2 USB cables plugged into it, it's tight.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
When I had my Scion xA, there were two power ports. One as part of the dash, the other was between the two front seats... the xB doesn't have this?
5V won't work. The power management chip is designed to handle 9 to 18V, but any car charger that is 12V out and fits will be fine.
Go to Radio Shack and buy the coiled Universal Accessory Charger. Its regulated 12V dc @ 2Mah.
Mine has been working excellent for months, although i can hear a high pitched sqeel in my audio system when the charger is on with no audio playing. I attribute this to a ground issue, not the charger...
Sent from my G Harmony v2.4 using XDA Premium App
Seems the OP answered his question but I think pointing out a couple of things may be helpful to others.
Haven't met anyone working RS that I thought was stupid but almost none know anything about the electronic components I buy. To think they have vast knowledge of and experience with electrictronics isn't logical.
Most things work with inverters but not all. I have some kind of a power supply, don't recall what, that says not to use it with an inverter. It's true you get 110(110,115,117,120) depending on how it's measured(min,avg,rms or max)) volts out of your home receptical but it's a sine wave. The ouput of a consumer inverter is a square wave.Square waves can cause noise or even overheating in some devices.
The other thing is that to get 110 volts the inverter draws 10X the output current to convert it. With a 20 amp fuse on you cars outlet that means your limited to ~2 amps for your devices.The vehicles system is ~13.5V so that's 27W. If you look at big inverters you'll notice they have battery clamps. 3 AC outlets from a cigarette lighter outlet is way optomistic.
An inverter may be a good choice for occasional use but probably better to keep everthing DC otherwise.
Make sure the inverter shuts itself off if the cars vehicle voltage gets low(i.e.when it isn't running). You could end up with a dead battery or even a damaged one.
rbrainard said:
Mine has been working excellent for months, although i can hear a high pitched sqeel in my audio system when the charger is on with no audio playing. I attribute this to a ground issue, not the charger...
Kind of nitpicking but cars are not grounded. Ground is literally the electrical potential of the Earth. A bad connection on the power or common(chassis) can cause noise but a sqeal is unlikely. The squeal is almost definately the inverter.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
h3llphyre said:
When I had my Scion xA, there were two power ports. One as part of the dash, the other was between the two front seats... the xB doesn't have this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's an earlier XB (2006) and only has the one outlet. When the car is in park, the shifter handle is literally about 5 inches away from the outlet. Having the double outlet plugged in, and angled up (adjustable) will allow some room, but then you are unable to grab the shifter.
I'll be driving to DC next Thursday, and wanted a way to power the GPS, G-Tab, e-cig battery charger, and whatever else my son decides to bring with us (NDSi, DVD player, his iPod touch, etc.)
To JJJustmee: The device does shut off when the car is off, so I'm good there. Also, the inverter itself has a fuse on it, so I assume that if overloaded, then the fuse will give on it, before it effects anything on the car. I don't necessarily plan on running all devices at the same time, more like, run the G-Tablet unplugged until the battery decides to start draining really low. The GPS will be running the entire time. Everything else may be charged for a bit, while other devices are no plugged in. I liked the design of this, becuase the car lighter plug is rather short, since there is a 3 foot wire leading to the AC/USB outlets, like a surge protector. It takes up very little room near the car outlet area. The other options that people posted will not work becuase of the space limitations. I could, and have (in the element) use the outlet splitter, then one double USB outlet, to be able ot handle 3 devices at once, but then we're talking about at least 7-8 inches of plastic pluggs sticking out, and into my shift lever...
JJJustMee said:
Seems the OP answered his question but I think pointing out a couple of things may be helpful to others.
Haven't met anyone working RS that I thought was stupid but almost none know anything about the electronic components I buy. To think they have vast knowledge of and experience with electrictronics isn't logical.
Most things work with inverters but not all. I have some kind of a power supply, don't recall what, that says not to use it with an inverter. It's true you get 110(110,115,117,120) depending on how it's measured(min,avg,rms or max)) volts out of your home receptical but it's a sine wave. The ouput of a consumer inverter is a square wave.Square waves can cause noise or even overheating in some devices.
The other thing is that to get 110 volts the inverter draws 10X the output current to convert it. With a 20 amp fuse on you cars outlet that means your limited to ~2 amps for your devices.The vehicles system is ~13.5V so that's 27W. If you look at big inverters you'll notice they have battery clamps. 3 AC outlets from a cigarette lighter outlet is way optomistic.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What you're saying isn't quite true. Min, Avg, RMS, or Max are not accurate figures that you can toss out without testing. The Max voltage of a 120v system is 177v, The Root means square (RMS) would be the nominal voltage or 120v. Regardless, when you say it draws 27w you're doing the conversion incorrectly. The only way to change from one nominal voltage to another is via the resistance. So you max can draw 20A at 12v (240w), or 2A at 120V (or 240w ish) via and inverter (assuming your inverter is sized accordingly).
baenap said:
What you're saying isn't quite true. Min, Avg, RMS, or Max are not accurate figures that you can toss out without testing. The Max voltage of a 120v system is 177v, The Root means square (RMS) would be the nominal voltage or 120v. Regardless, when you say it draws 27w you're doing the conversion incorrectly. The only way to change from one nominal voltage to another is via the resistance. So you max can draw 20A at 12v (240w), or 2A at 120V (or 240w ish) via and inverter (assuming your inverter is sized accordingly).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Said it for me.
If it turns off as soon as you turn the key off it means the outlet is switched. Will protect the battery but also means it can't be used for anythihng while the car is off. Good or bad depending on usage. What I was talking about is the device being able to shut off when battery voltage goes below, say, 11.6v. Fuse and circuit breakers only protect from too high of an amperage draw. If your system wasn't switched it could still dran the battery. Like if the inverter was left on overnight/weekend.
Sounds like what you're talking about could be ok for a trip. Use the USB as much as possible. Lots more effeceint than the inverter. If you actually mean fuse, get extra. If it's a circuit breaker you'll be good to see what does and doesn't work.
Found one on ebay
Found one here
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320690673489#ht_4544wt_937
Just ordered it about $12:00 US delivered. I will let you know how it goeswhen I get in about two weeks.
Igo told me a week ago, that they don't yet have a tip for the Gtab/Zpad but expect to do so by the end of the month
Spec
Here you are some pics of Malata official Car adapter. Maybe you can find some thing to help.
Car charger
Just ordered this from Amazon. (can't link yet - crap) so "30W DC/DC Regulated Adaptor for DVD" do your own search
13.34 shipped. Many more bucks directly from batteryspace
Will post again after I test it.
more info: it comes with two tips, neither of which fit the gtab. I had a proper size tip in our tool box so will check voltages tomorrow.
This has better 12V DC regulation than the oem ac charger.
Guys
YOU DO NOT NEED AN INVERTER TO CHARGE YOUR G_TAB IN THE CAR.
ANY 12VDC (output) charger will work. They are a dime a dozen if you know where to look. Just make sure the tip fits, and is tip positive (symbol will look something like this)
12VDC @1A
(-)-C-(+) with a dot INSIDE the "C" that is connected to the (+)
The power supply controller will work down to 9V and up to 18, which is fine for the 10 to 14V you'll get from a car adapter. Just make sure it isn't a step down.
They should be like $5. You might have to bust out the soldering skills though if you can't find the right tip.
Hi,
I plan to disappear into the woods and come back out when I've finished my thesis (more or less). So I'm interested in buying a solar panel to use with my transformer and since people here seem pretty knowledgeable about charging the transformer I thought I would run it by you guys to make sure I do not miss something important.
I've gathered so far that I will need at least an 11v panel.
Also, it seems I need USB 3.0 to charge by USB. Is this correct?
And if I can't get USB 3.0 I will have to modify a 2.0 wire or plug or whatever... I prefer to avoid this
What should I go for in terms og Watts?
Would it be reccommendable to buy a panel with a battery to get a more even current?
Recommandations would be great!
Wow, I thought I was the only one that even remotely cared about this!
I have a Goal0 Nomad 7m. It's 12v, and I have had no luck getting it to charge my TF. Do you think it might be because of the USB 3.0 requirement?
Great that I'm not alone! Too bad that it doesn't work though...
I got the thing about USB 3.0 from this thread;
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1087321
reading it again I noticed this line;
"The Asus charger does need a 3.0 cable extension to work. But with a DIY charger you don't need USB 3.0 cables or connectors."
So I'm not really sure if it makes a difference whether you use USB 2.0 or 3.0.
Anyway the specs for your Nomad says that it's 5v for USB output and 12v for DC output so I'm guessing that's why it doesn't work with the transformer.
Miki T. said:
Great that I'm not alone! Too bad that it doesn't work though...
I got the thing about USB 3.0 from this thread;
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1087321
reading it again I noticed this line;
"The Asus charger does need a 3.0 cable extension to work. But with a DIY charger you don't need USB 3.0 cables or connectors."
So I'm not really sure if it makes a difference whether you use USB 2.0 or 3.0.
Anyway the specs for your Nomad says that it's 5v for USB output and 12v for DC output so I'm guessing that's why it doesn't work with the transformer.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You're right!...that actually means there's options. Shouldn't something like this work?
http://www.amazon.com/Portable-Inve...=UTF8&coliid=IUJZFD56YRM5K&colid=HQA2VAAM7MXY
I think I'm gonna have to order this, and give it a shot. I already have the panel & the DC jack, so I might as well.
Hey nice find! It seems like it should work, though don't take my word for it. I'm really ignorant of this stuff which is why I started the thread to begin with In any case $22 for a charger sounds fairly cheap.
Let me know if it works or not!
Solar panels that put out more than 28W (5V, 2A = 10W + 15V, 1.2A = 18W) would be enough, but then you'd likely want to run it through an inverter to get 110v AC, then the ASUS charger.
Until and unless ASUS comes out with a car charger that would work with the dock, running an inverter to generate an AC signal, then running it through the AC adapter will be the way to go.
Figuring in efficiency losses, you'll probably want 50-75W worth of solar panels for this to work. You can also use a 12v battery as a ballast.
FrayAdjacent said:
Solar panels that put out more than 28W (5V, 2A = 10W + 15V, 1.2A = 18W) would be enough, but then you'd likely want to run it through an inverter to get 110v AC, then the ASUS charger.
Until and unless ASUS comes out with a car charger that would work with the dock, running an inverter to generate an AC signal, then running it through the AC adapter will be the way to go.
Figuring in efficiency losses, you'll probably want 50-75W worth of solar panels for this to work. You can also use a 12v battery as a ballast.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You don't need 5V and 12V, only 12V. The Asus charger only puts out 5V for non-transformer devices. Don't introduce all the loss from the 110V converter, just charge a 12V battery with a panel(the Asus will draw 18 watts at full charge), then charge the transformer from the battery. Just get a usb extender, cut it, and hook negative to pin 4 and positive to pin 1. I would recommend a 5 Ohm resistor to limit amperage, but it isn't necessary.
I'd like to hear how it works out.
I was considering putting some flexible solar panels on the back of the transformer. But with the dock, I've got more than enough power for my needs. Plus, the back of the transformer won't get that much sunlight.
I'm now moving on to trying to put solar panels on the back of my cellphone (Huawei U8800). It's a great phone, and the battery lasts all day, so long as I don't play too many games.
One thing you might want to consider is an external battery pack. They are pretty cheap here in China, and have huge batteries in them. They even have some with built in solar panels. I'm sure you could find one that could recharge the Transformer. Then you could have the battery pack in the sun charging via the solar panel, and you sitting in the shade with the transformer. At night plug the battery up to the transformer to let it charge while you sleep. The transformer with dock should have more than enough battery life to last all day.
If I come across any useful information during my research, I'll let you know.
Miki T. said:
Hey nice find! It seems like it should work, though don't take my word for it. I'm really ignorant of this stuff which is why I started the thread to begin with In any case $22 for a charger sounds fairly cheap.
Let me know if it works or not!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I bought it! ...and it will be here this afternoon. Thanks to Amazon Prime local delivery .
I'll let you know how/if it works out.
philburkhardt said:
I bought it! ...and it will be here this afternoon. Thanks to Amazon Prime local delivery .
I'll let you know how/if it works out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Stuff like that is great for the car, but you're gonna lose SO much efficiency through it, then even more loss from the Asus charger plugged into it. A 15W solar panel should be enough to charge the TF directly. Using an inverter with the asus charger, you'll probably need 50-100W. Just FYI.
msticninja said:
Stuff like that is great for the car, but you're gonna lose SO much efficiency through it, then even more loss from the Asus charger plugged into it. A 15W solar panel should be enough to charge the TF directly. Using an inverter with the asus charger, you'll probably need 50-100W. Just FYI.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yup, you're right. No go on charging the TF. Like you said, it will be great for charging things in the car. Just not off my 12W solar panel. I think I'm gonna have to upgrade my panel .
philburkhardt said:
Yup, you're right. No go on charging the TF. Like you said, it will be great for charging things in the car. Just not off my 12W solar panel. I think I'm gonna have to upgrade my panel .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The real joy of the TF is that it charges directly from 12 volts, so, assuming you have a 12 volt 12W panel, you should go get a 12 volt battery, 4AH(amp-hour) at least. It will be about the size of an old 6 volt lantern battery. Hook the panel to the battery to charge the battery, hook a female usb port to the battery, and hook the TF directly to the female usb port. You'll probably be able to get through a whole night on a 4AH battery + the TFs battery.
Great! Lots of useful replies... thanks a lot!
I plan on not using the adapter and use a USB extender the way msticninja wrote, since I don't want to carry or pay for something that delivers 50-100W.
I think I've found the panel I am going to buy. I cannot include outside links until I've posted 8 messages, but you can easily find it by googling "Portable 9x 2.5 W Solar Panel". So 22.5 Watt... that should suffice. That's at 18v * 1.25a.
It seems that all the solutions that comes with a battery are all quite pricey, but then I don't really need some fancy battery do I? Some do-it-yourself solution should be fine as long as the battery is rechargeable, 4AH("at least") and 12v right?
Do I want to reduce the voltage of the solar panel to 12 instead of 18? And should I worry about overcharging the battery?
By the way, is the battery an absolute necessity or is that only if I want to charge during the evening/night?
What I hope to be able to do is; be away from mains for about one week at a time, and use my laptop, say, 8 hours a day. I hope this will be enough...
Miki T. said:
That's at 18v * 1.25a.
Do I want to reduce the voltage of the solar panel to 12 instead of 18? And should I worry about overcharging the battery?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Asus charger will put out 15V at most, as marked on the charger itself. I don't think I'd use anything higher than 12V into the tablet/dock. You'd probably want to use some kind of voltage regulator to drop the 18V to 12V.
Without knowing the internal workings of the dock/tablet, I can't really comment more than that.
Miki T. said:
Great! Lots of useful replies... thanks a lot!
I plan on not using the adapter and use a USB extender the way msticninja wrote, since I don't want to carry or pay for something that delivers 50-100W.
I think I've found the panel I am going to buy. I cannot include outside links until I've posted 8 messages, but you can easily find it by googling "Portable 9x 2.5 W Solar Panel". So 22.5 Watt... that should suffice. That's at 18v * 1.25a.
It seems that all the solutions that comes with a battery are all quite pricey, but then I don't really need some fancy battery do I? Some do-it-yourself solution should be fine as long as the battery is rechargeable, 4AH("at least") and 12v right?
Do I want to reduce the voltage of the solar panel to 12 instead of 18? And should I worry about overcharging the battery?
By the way, is the battery an absolute necessity or is that only if I want to charge during the evening/night?
What I hope to be able to do is; be away from mains for about one week at a time, and use my laptop, say, 8 hours a day. I hope this will be enough...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You will need some sort of voltage regulation to maintain 12V. That's pretty much a requirement for any solar charging system. Panels themselves do not usually have regulation, so the output voltage of the panel is a function of the amount of light the panel is receiving.
This is a really quick search, but this satisfies all the requirements for what you need, and it's only $20:
http://www.amazon.com/Ramsond-SunShield-Charge-Controller-Regulator/dp/B0031FQ1S6
Feel free to search for alternatives, but use that as your starting point for searching.
Another quick search to give you an idea what you're looking for as far as batteries:
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=12v+4ah+battery&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-USfficial&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=15393345737619657558&sa=X&ei=lq5MTsCGGMSCsgLgivmCBw&ved=0CHIQ8wIwAA
If I made something for myself, I'd use Lithium Ion cells and use a smart lipo charger to regulate the solar panel output, but it needs more research, and will cost more.
This will be interesting!
I've ordered the parts - the panel I mentioned, the Ramsond SunShield 12V 8A Solar Charge Controller Regulator that msticninja suggested and a Super Rechargeable Li-ion Battery, 12V 6800mAh. I ordered the panel and the battery off of sunsky. They seem to have very fair prices.
All the parts came to a total of $164, shipping included. Compared to complete sets with the same specs I'd say that's a really good deal, provided I make it work
I'll let you know!
Miki T. said:
This will be interesting!
I've ordered the parts - the panel I mentioned, the Ramsond SunShield 12V 8A Solar Charge Controller Regulator that msticninja suggested and a Super Rechargeable Li-ion Battery, 12V 6800mAh. I ordered the panel and the battery off of sunsky. They seem to have very fair prices.
All the parts came to a total of $164, shipping included. Compared to complete sets with the same specs I'd say that's a really good deal, provided I make it work
I'll let you know!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Give me a link to that Li-ion battery. If it doesn't have it's own charging circuit, you'll need to get a lipo charger instead of/in addition to the Ramsond regulator. I'll check it out for you.
EDIT: If it's this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-12V-6800mAh-Super-Rechargeable-Lithium-ion-Battery-/150530536976
it's hard to say, but I think it has it's own charging circuit, because the wall wart included with it doesn't look like a lithium charger. But it does have a charge finished light, so, if the light stays on when the battery isn't plugged in, you should be okay. If the green light only turns on when a fully charged battery is connected, then you might not be fine. Confirm what you're getting by posting a link, and I'll try to make sure. If it doesn't have it's own charging circuit, the battery will explode in a fireball.
EDIT2: This one has it's own charging circuit, and it sounds like it's what's inside the other one I linked, so you should be okay if it's either of these.
http://www.lunershop.com/product_info.php?language=en¤cy=USD&products_id=2566
Just wondering if something like this would help.
http://www.ioffer.com/i/solar-battery-panel-usb-charger-for-cell-phone-mp3-mp4-147450373?source=eisi
I have no understanding of electricity, except the basic 4th grade stuff. This is a cool project thought. I'm planning on making a 55 paracord strap that will attach to my case and fit like a messenger bag. Having solar panels to charge it and a paracord strap would make the TF a nice camping device
SwiftLegend said:
Just wondering if something like this would help.
http://www.ioffer.com/i/solar-battery-panel-usb-charger-for-cell-phone-mp3-mp4-147450373?source=eisi
I have no understanding of electricity, except the basic 4th grade stuff. This is a cool project thought. I'm planning on making a 55 paracord strap that will attach to my case and fit like a messenger bag. Having solar panels to charge it and a paracord strap would make the TF a nice camping device
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, as discussed before, the TF uses 11-15V to charge, and normal USB chargers/backup batteries only put out 5V.
msticninja said:
Give me a link to that Li-ion battery. If it doesn't have it's own charging circuit, you'll need to get a lipo charger instead of/in addition to the Ramsond regulator. I'll check it out for you.
EDIT: If it's this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-12V-6800mAh-Super-Rechargeable-Lithium-ion-Battery-/150530536976
it's hard to say, but I think it has it's own charging circuit, because the wall wart included with it doesn't look like a lithium charger. But it does have a charge finished light, so, if the light stays on when the battery isn't plugged in, you should be okay. If the green light only turns on when a fully charged battery is connected, then you might not be fine. Confirm what you're getting by posting a link, and I'll try to make sure. If it doesn't have it's own charging circuit, the battery will explode in a fireball.
EDIT2: This one has it's own charging circuit, and it sounds like it's what's inside the other one I linked, so you should be okay if it's either of these.
http://www.lunershop.com/product_info.php?language=en¤cy=USD&products_id=2566
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Fireballs are serious business...
The one I ordered is the blue one. I can't really confirm with a link since I cannot post external links until 8 posts but there shouldn't be any mistake. And it does say the following about it;
With its multi-protective device, the inner circuit pervents the box from over-recharging or over-discharging.so it should be safe I think...
Just bought this for (what I think) was a really good deal... then noticed after I bought it that the power cable is proprietary... (ugh)...
I was hoping to get some sort of battery pack for this in case it goes dead on a trip, anyone know of one that would work? OR even better, is there an adapter to charge the tablet S off of usb somehow?
... I'm hoping I didn't just get buyers remorse....
The AC adapter is two pieces. The cable with the prongs, then the little box with the cable that goes to the tablet. I bet you can find a cable that has a cigarette adapter instead of prongs. If thou find one, link me, I would be interested.
Sent from my Sony Tablet S
Why don't you just get something like THIS and save yourself a lot of headache. Plus you can use it with all of your devices! I've had one for a few years now and it's a must have!
Won't 75w be too little? I think it will be less than 1 amp the charger requires. Maybe i m wrong in my calcs on this
Sent from my R800i
No, you're probably right. I don't think iPads can charge via car chargers either now that I think about it, but I've used to to power laptops and charge cell phones. I haven't tried mine yet with the tablet s but maybe I shall soon.
annoying
anakinjay said:
Just bought this for (what I think) was a really good deal... then noticed after I bought it that the power cable is proprietary... (ugh)...
I was hoping to get some sort of battery pack for this in case it goes dead on a trip, anyone know of one that would work? OR even better, is there an adapter to charge the tablet S off of usb somehow?
... I'm hoping I didn't just get buyers remorse....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The only thing I don't like so far is the crazy plug. Why does Sony have to be different than everyone else?
Gonna make a trip to Fry's Electronics and see what they have.
would this 150w one work? http://www.amazon.com/BESTEK-inverter-converter-blackberry-MRI1511U-4/dp/B003SGJIRO/ref=pd_vtp_e_2. I'm not sure about how the wattage works with car chargers so please let me know if the cars battery can only produce a certain max output.
puredreamz said:
would this 150w one work? http://www.amazon.com/BESTEK-inverter-converter-blackberry-MRI1511U-4/dp/B003SGJIRO/ref=pd_vtp_e_2. I'm not sure about how the wattage works with car chargers so please let me know if the cars battery can only produce a certain max output.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think wattage works as multiplication of voltage times amp. I don't have the charger here, but if you divide 150 watt by whatever voltage your converter produces you get the amps. I.e. Assuming 100-110v you get up to 1.5amp, or assuming 220v you get up to almost 700mAmp. I think sony charger requires 1amp but im not sure for what voltage they quote it. Hope it helps
Sent from my R800i