Quality USB-C Panel Mount?
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WanderingBison
Active member
I’ve been looking for the same for months without any success - I guess it’s just too early still.
That said, I discovered I can charge (charge only, not power in use - so battery power still decreases when plugged in) both my newer MacBook Pro and iPad Pro using a USB-C to USB-C cable plugged in to some PowerWerx dual USB high amp plugs. It’s enough to charge both overnight.
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That said, I discovered I can charge (charge only, not power in use - so battery power still decreases when plugged in) both my newer MacBook Pro and iPad Pro using a USB-C to USB-C cable plugged in to some PowerWerx dual USB high amp plugs. It’s enough to charge both overnight.
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I found a couple of questionable products, from the usual scumbags:
https://mictuning.com/36w-usb-c-pd-...eter-for-truck-motorcycle-car-boat_p0538.html
That one claims 36W, but I do not know how many angry pixies the MacBook Pro consumes while running and charging. It comes with a 61W supply, though.
WanderingBison
Active member
Good find on the USBGear one - I’m going to have to place an order. Thank you!What about one of these
Chargeit! Mini 75W Dual Port USB-A & USB-C PD Charger w/ PPS & QC4.0 Support
Chargeit! Mini 75W Dual Port USB-A & USB-C PD Charger w/ PPS & QC4.0 Supportwww.usbgear.com
So there's something ..
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WanderingBison
Active member
Awesome - order choicesFYI - you can get the board only- ( no enclosure) if you want for even less money .
View attachment 507984
I also asked about a 90W version. They said it will be ~1year,,..
Thanks again
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hour
Observer
Ahh yes the thread I was waiting for. I use a Necktek USB PD charger which was confirmed to charge at 45w. I find this to be sufficient for my 13" 2017 MBP, and was even sufficient for my 15" 2017 MBP with touch bar and blabla. This is all while running hog applications and compiling code, running emulators, etc (mobile app developer)
Somewhat unrelated, I was looking for a way to charge a portable ammo can battery I have off of my main battery bank in truck. Evidently you can spoof USB PD to negotiate charge params using something like this and achieve up to 5a @ 20v. I gave up on my USB-PD panel mount search that evening, but since my ammo can has its own solar charge controller it'd probably work great. Kind of excited to see if things like monitors, tvs, and other gizmos become USB PD powered.
Somewhat unrelated, I was looking for a way to charge a portable ammo can battery I have off of my main battery bank in truck. Evidently you can spoof USB PD to negotiate charge params using something like this and achieve up to 5a @ 20v. I gave up on my USB-PD panel mount search that evening, but since my ammo can has its own solar charge controller it'd probably work great. Kind of excited to see if things like monitors, tvs, and other gizmos become USB PD powered.
hour
Observer
I wish this were a lifepo4 build, it's two 9ah agms in parallel absolutely crammed in to a small ammo can. I'm also eyeing headway 38120 8ahs on ebay but I'd probably be much better off buying a Dakota 10ah for a hundred if I needed another portable ammo can.
3.7v 18650 route is intriguing once again now that I've discovered drok and similar identical boost/buck devices, configurable with LCD screens. Use a macbook 87w charger or 60w PD car charger, run that to pd buddy sink to get 20v, in to drok boost/buck to step up to whatever, 27something volts @ your defined max charge amperage. Directly power the round USB-PD panel mount amazon offerings that are 12/24v, and have a female cig lighter that the drok supplies 12v to.
I've been on the fence about doing a 100ah lifepo4 build but I can't find the large prismatic 3.2v cells for the deals people always talk about, and using new headways would also still take the price up to too close to the off the shelf offerings to justify potentially screwing something up. For now..
I hope a power bank gets released with dual PD in/outs sometime soon. Solar panel -> 12v deep cycle camper battery -> 60w USB-C automotive charger in camper cig lighter port -> power bank in @ max of 45w -> out to macbook @ almost always less than that. Work during the day in camper charging from solar. Sun goes down, camper battery full, power bank battery full, laptop battery full, and enough juice to run until well in to the next day without having to plug in to camper again.
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2Jeeps&PatriotX1
Active member
Good to know^! Just trying decide if I really need one in my camper, when my f150 (400w) and our trailhawk GC (160w) both have inverters from the factory. All Id be doing is charging macbooks, drone batteries, cordless tool batteries.
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hour
Observer
Yeah quite a few power banks that have PD in/out ports, I think I've seen one as high as 45w in/out.@hour check this out. Looks like there is a PD charging circuit out there somewhere for powerbanks.
Wondering for anyone who may know,
these typical cigarette lighter to USB adapters, and similar panel mount circular ones - almost all have 12/24v in the listing.
Is this simply taking a voltage range from probably 10.8 - a little above 24 and regulating? Or do they function between 10.8-15.2 and a separate range for 24v?
Reason I ask, is I need to get my feet wet with lithium. Probably using Batteryblocs or Vruzend kits to assemble a 4S x (something, maybe 10 parallel). I'll make my first project a smaller portable boom box using a 9v-24v 2.1 bluetooth mini amplifier. This will work fine on the battery setup, which could potentially sit at 16.8v fully charged.
What are the odds these "12/24v" USB car chargers function all the way throughout that voltage range, ensuring that they'd be happy operating at 16.8v? I'd probably omit the normal 12v cigarette lighter from this build for simplicity, not having to add another component to ensure typical 12v gizmos don't fry when plugged in.
dreadlocks
Well-known member
Fairly high, I've rolled out my fair share of circuit boards (mostly for 4S Lipo Packs funny enough) and the vast majority of voltage regulators for "12v" sources are capable of a pretty wide range input.. if they say 12/24 I'd bet the components are rated a much wider range than that.. for example: https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Texas-Instruments/LM340S-50-NOPB?qs=X1J7HmVL2ZEJihwXwjTuRQ==
It would be more complicated to engineer a voltage sensing circuit and have multiple input regulation paths than it would be to just slap regulators on that can take a wide input for both 12/24
hour
Observer
Glorious news. I'd probably shoot for a 24v (so what, 33.6v max) system but that might be pushing it per your link specs, and who knows what's inside the chinese bluetooth mini amps. I wouldn't cry if I smoked a $10 USB charger, but a $35 amp would be less enjoyable. Now, if only my Whynter fridge (claimed 12/24v operation) would operate in the same range. Even if it were possible I think the voltage range cutoff of the fridge at either 12 or 24v would get in the way.
I've toyed with lithium for so many years now, and always been put off by the voltage range being out of the question for things like car head units (my current DIY boom box, 15.something max v), and my desire to have standard 12v cigarette sockets. Turns out I plug USB chargers in to those 99% of the time and have other means to power the strictly 12v stuff.
I'm a little confused on your last part there dreadlocks - the 9-24v mini amplifier and the 12/24v screw in panel mount USB chargers could run directly off a 4S lipo pack, so no need for a regulator yeah?. Of course I could get the DROK Numerical Control Buck Boost Voltage Power Regulator Module DC 6V-40V 24v to DC 0-32V 5v 12v Adjustable Step Down Step Up Volt Transformer Panel 5A 160W and charge from a wide voltage range, even from my truck's aux battery being solar charged, and then as a bonus have a regulated 12v cig socket out.
Any harm in using the boost/buck? I thought it was a dirty approach from reading here over the years, elsewhere, whatever... but find more prominent youtube battery builders using these types of things and their worth seems to be increasing now that they have screens to display info and aid in configuration.
dreadlocks
Well-known member
your always free to crack the case open, find the voltage regulator and google its part number (might need a scope to read it) to find out its exact specs, thats what I did with this camera I want to install on my trailer for a backup camera.. its just a normal security camera but its got ************ low light sensor and runs off 12v, looked up the vreg and it takes up to like 22v so should be good for me.
usb cant charge directly off lipo packs, USB-A uses 5v and USB-C uses 5v, 12v, 20v EXACTLY depending on negotiation with the device its charging.. chargers are going to use voltage regulators to provide a steady voltage to what they are charging from a source higher than it with a wide operating range because batteries and stuff dont output constant voltage.. anything built for automotive use will take a fairly high input voltage because of alternators and 16v systems and stuff.. so most will plug directly into a 4s lipo pack just fine
usb cant charge directly off lipo packs, USB-A uses 5v and USB-C uses 5v, 12v, 20v EXACTLY depending on negotiation with the device its charging.. chargers are going to use voltage regulators to provide a steady voltage to what they are charging from a source higher than it with a wide operating range because batteries and stuff dont output constant voltage.. anything built for automotive use will take a fairly high input voltage because of alternators and 16v systems and stuff.. so most will plug directly into a 4s lipo pack just fine
dreadlocks
Well-known member
pull that paper off the bottom and trace that red wire to whatever chip it goes to, thats usually it.. if you have trouble put a multimeter in continuity mode, slap it on the red wire and take your best guesses poke'n around til you trigger the buzzer.. the power on these will be a lil tricky because its handling multiple voltages and a boost circuit, plus whatever crap usb negotiation takes (i have no idea honestly)
or just lookup all the part numbers and learn a bit reading component spec sheets figuring out what they do
or just lookup all the part numbers and learn a bit reading component spec sheets figuring out what they do
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2Jeeps&PatriotX1
Active member
True. I do have a 2x100ah lithium battery setup in the camper and 200w solar panels as well. Was originally going to install an inverter in the camper but then realized I have one in each vehicle, so whats the point. Would really just be to charge the macbook or other apple devices, so will probably pick one of these up, since they’re so cheap.
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