Phone charging

[Doug&Deb]

Besides a power inverter have any of you tried any other ways of charging your devices? I have a small 12 volt battery that I use to trigger my timing light and I’m wondering if I could hook up a phone charger directly to it. We don’t use the car for long trips often enough to justify the cost of an inverter so I’m just curious. 

[keithb7]

Cell phone chargers are interesting. They charge at 5 to 6V. Yet try and find one that will run off a 6V car. The chargers take 12V in your car,  or 120V in your home and step it down to 5V.

I bought the 10W  6V-12V step up transformer. If I recall it was about $20 on Amazon. Then I installed a USB charger.  Mounted to the wall inside my glove box so it is not seen. 

 

I know you said you'd rather not buy the transformer. $20 seems cheap to me. Yes, you can easily hook a phone charger socket up directly to your small 12V battery that you mentioned.

 

 

 

 

[Sam Buchanan]

If you have a bit of electrical prowess you can charge devices with a 5v regulator. I've used the LM1086 regulator to power devices in the airplane and it works nicely if mounted on metal structure for heat sink purposes. Input voltage is anywhere between 2.6-30vdc.

 

Here is one source, might as well get two or three of them since they are only $1.86 each:

 

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Texas-Instruments/LM1086IT-50-NOPB?qs=X1J7HmVL2ZGlvf9ZmCkJfg%3D%3D&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIp6aC77Tx6wIVEGyGCh1GIg2TEAQYASABEgJyqvD_BwE

 

 

Here is the datasheet.

Edited September 18, 2020 by Sam Buchanan

[Young Ed]

I bought a device that turns my dewalt cordless drill batteries into portable usb batteries. Works great if you happen to have a 20v dewalt drill

[Plymouthy Adams]

wife just got herself a portable power supply for her pone and GPS or most any device operating on USB power source....can charge it from the wall outlet, car outlet or solar.  Pretty hardy device with a good storage capacity.  She bought a few for gifts to give to some of the family members that are often out camping or on a hiking trail.  

[Bbdakota]

If your car is still 6v, you can wire a usb outlet straight to the car power source, no problem. Switched or always on. That's how I did my 48. Just get the polarity right. 

Edited September 18, 2020 by Bbdakota

[knuckleharley]

1 hour ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

wife just got herself a portable power supply for her pone and GPS or most any device operating on USB power source....can charge it from the wall outlet, car outlet or solar.  Pretty hardy device with a good storage capacity.  She bought a few for gifts to give to some of the family members that are often out camping or on a hiking trail.  

Can you give us a brand name and model number so we can buy one?

[Los_Control]

This thread reminds me, my phone is sitting in the shop with a dead battery. If anyone called me and I not reply ... do not take it personal.

I will go out and plug it in in the next day or so.

[Plymouthy Adams]

4 patriots  her model is 8000mAh

[TodFitch]

3 hours ago, Sam Buchanan said:

If you have a bit of electrical prowess you can charge devices with a 5v regulator. I've used the LM1086 regulator to power devices in the airplane and it works nicely if mounted on metal structure for heat sink purposes. Input voltage is anywhere between 2.6-30vdc.

 

Here is one source, might as well get two or three of them since they are only $1.86 each:

 

https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Texas-Instruments/LM1086IT-50-NOPB?qs=X1J7HmVL2ZGlvf9ZmCkJfg%3D%3D&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIp6aC77Tx6wIVEGyGCh1GIg2TEAQYASABEgJyqvD_BwE

 

 

Here is the datasheet.

 

That little device sure looks like it would do the trick. Except maybe for polarity reversal, got to make sure that any metal part on the USB cable or device being charged doesn't come in contact with the same ground as that device is using.

 

Can't beat the price!

[TodFitch]

2 hours ago, Bbdakota said:

If your car is still 6v, you can wire a usb outlet straight to the car power source, no problem. Switched or always on. That's how I did my 48. Just get the polarity right. 

 

I'd be a little cautious about that. Maybe it is my very much older car with a third brush generator, but the system voltage could go up to 8 or so volts and you would be relying on the 5v regulation, built to lowest cost with not much heat sinking, in the device you are running to deal with it.

[knuckleharley]

3 hours ago, Plymouthy Adams said:

4 patriots  her model is 8000mAh

Thanks! Found it on amazon a couple of bucks cheaper.

[Bbdakota]

7 hours ago, TodFitch said:

 

I'd be a little cautious about that. Maybe it is my very much older car with a third brush generator, but the system voltage could go up to 8 or so volts and you would be relying on the 5v regulation, built to lowest cost with not much heat sinking, in the device you are running to deal with it.

True. I had a powermaster alternator and my voltage would top out around 7.2 but never had problems with my setup. 

[Doug&Deb]

Thanks everyone. Lots to think about. If I can find an inverter for 20.00 I’ll get it. So far the cheapest one I saw was 65.00. Still not bad. I do have wiring under the dash that was added by a P.O. I haven’t figured out what it was used for. Time to find out.

[Plymouthy Adams]

if you would look on the internet....you have solid state regulator device you can buy for just a couple bucks that will establish your required output and retain that same output as set and for your app. say 5 volts at any range of voltage input from the base 5 volts on input to on the average 32 volts input and still maintain your set voltage output across the spectrum should the voltage vary for some reason.

[Plymouthy Adams]

9 hours ago, knuckleharley said:

Thanks! Found it on amazon a couple of bucks cheaper.

 

I am sure if many were looking they would shop around....my go to for many things I post here is e-bay...I do not ever say e-bay is the place you should buy but for sure...if it is out there at all...quick to find on e-bay and thus my go to when I post a link to show a picture.  The wife paid very little for these as it was in a rewards package type offer.  Used her earned points for reduced cost.

[Doug&Deb]

Found a step up transformer and USB port on Amazon really cheap so I’ll try that.

[greg g]

Just plug into my jumper pack, but I also have a Black and Decker 20 v tool battery with a USB port.  Must remember that.