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2008-03-01
, 00:20
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Posts: 55 |
Thanked: 6 times |
Joined on Feb 2008
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#112
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External Battery Pack for about $5:
I've made an external battery pack for not much more than $5.00 total, excluding the batteries. I had a battery case from an RC car. It can hold 4 AA batteries for 6 V output. I ordered an AC charger/adapter from Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Travel-Adapter...324041&sr=8-14) for under $5.00 includling shipping. What I did was to cut the cord off the charger and then attached the remaining cord to the battery pack. I had some AA NiMH batteries laying around, so I inserted 4 of these puppies in the battery pack and then connected it to the N800's power jack. Voila! The battery starts charging. I'm going to do some testing and experiement. The NiMH batteries are rated 1600 mAh each. I don't have a multimeter where I'm right now so I can't really measure the output voltage but I'm sure it's somewhere around 5.2 volts when fully charged.
After about 20 minutes of charging, my N800 went from 56% charged to 74 %.
Yes, it looks ghetto, but for $5 spent on it and the fact that it works and works rather, I am pleased.
I took some pictures. I'll post them later,
Ciao,
I've made an external battery pack for not much more than $5.00 total, excluding the batteries. I had a battery case from an RC car. It can hold 4 AA batteries for 6 V output. I ordered an AC charger/adapter from Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Travel-Adapter...324041&sr=8-14) for under $5.00 includling shipping. What I did was to cut the cord off the charger and then attached the remaining cord to the battery pack. I had some AA NiMH batteries laying around, so I inserted 4 of these puppies in the battery pack and then connected it to the N800's power jack. Voila! The battery starts charging. I'm going to do some testing and experiement. The NiMH batteries are rated 1600 mAh each. I don't have a multimeter where I'm right now so I can't really measure the output voltage but I'm sure it's somewhere around 5.2 volts when fully charged.
After about 20 minutes of charging, my N800 went from 56% charged to 74 %.
Yes, it looks ghetto, but for $5 spent on it and the fact that it works and works rather, I am pleased.
I took some pictures. I'll post them later,
Ciao,
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2008-03-01
, 09:40
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Posts: 364 |
Thanked: 54 times |
Joined on Feb 2008
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#113
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Originally Posted by brecklundin
dude,
You can get that same battery on eBay for about $6.50 including shipping on eBay. I just ordered two from Hong Kong last night and with shipping the total was something like $13.50ish, for TWO.
{EDIT:}
Actually they are comming from Brooklyn, NY...even better!! (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWN:IT&ih=019)
It was the charger coming from Hong Kong...
{/EDIT}
The guys here pointed me toward eBay to find an external battery charger. Got one of those also, it came with a knock-off battery I am not sure I will trust. So not I will have a total of THREE (4 counting the knock-off brand-x) batteries for the N800 and a charger. And the extra batteries + charger cost me about $35 total with shipping.
So I think I am set...now I just have actually buy the N800...hehehehe...I know I do everything bassakwards. I had the extended battery for my NX9420 a month before I bought the laptop. Gotta buy based on the deal of the moment.
I just wanted to follow-up on the eBay Nokia batteries. I got them and they are w/o doubt used/referb's. Which in one case was fine and in the other not great. One lasts about 80% as long as the brand new battery and the other I might get a totaly of 6hrs of non-demanding use. Still for the cost it's fine by me. But the seller should actually mention these are not new batteries. I did add feedback that the batteries are used, not that anyone seems to bother th read feedback.
BTW, the reason I did not leave a neutral or a neg is the seller was very responsive to my emails asking about the batteries. He did, however tiptoe around the issue of new vs. used/referb/returns. So I left the good old Positive-Negative. He also left feedback first which does tell me he is not an awful guy to deal with...and I do not feel cheated at all...for the $13ish I got a good 10hrs of internat extra power for the tablet.
Now the external charger I bought from a different seller...it's GREAT...charges quickly with one quirk, the slot for the battery is a tad too large and the battery can make poor contact with the power leads. So, I used a folded old credit card as a wedge to hold it securely in place. I always knew those old credit cards would come in handy one day!!
Oh, the battery which came with the charger...it's a POS...I might get a whole hour of power from it...but I was not buying for the battery just the charger.
Sure wish Nokia or some 3rd party would design a different back plate so a larger capacity battery could be used. I would not mind of the tablet was as thick as the camera bulge...sure would leave enough space for a almost 2x sized battery and with LiON Poly that means almost 2x the capacity...it would be that way in a perfect world.
| The Following User Says Thank You to brecklundin For This Useful Post: | ||
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2008-03-01
, 09:47
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Posts: 364 |
Thanked: 54 times |
Joined on Feb 2008
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#114
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Originally Posted by jamesc760
COOLNESS...!!! Wanna see it!!!
External Battery Pack for about $5:
I've made an external battery pack for not much more than $5.00 total, excluding the batteries. I had a battery case from an RC car. It can hold 4 AA batteries for 6 V output. I ordered an AC charger/adapter from Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/Travel-Adapter...324041&sr=8-14) for under $5.00 includling shipping. What I did was to cut the cord off the charger and then attached the remaining cord to the battery pack. I had some AA NiMH batteries laying around, so I inserted 4 of these puppies in the battery pack and then connected it to the N800's power jack. Voila! The battery starts charging. I'm going to do some testing and experiement. The NiMH batteries are rated 1600 mAh each. I don't have a multimeter where I'm right now so I can't really measure the output voltage but I'm sure it's somewhere around 5.2 volts when fully charged.
After about 20 minutes of charging, my N800 went from 56% charged to 74 %.
Yes, it looks ghetto, but for $5 spent on it and the fact that it works and works rather, I am pleased.
I took some pictures. I'll post them later,
Ciao,
Since you mention it, I have not as yet tried to power my tablet with the battery pack I have. I use 4-AA @ 2000mA which output a steady 5.2v but I wimped out and got a Tekkeon MP1550 simply because it's voltage regulated and my pocket router is kinda fragile that way...Still with shipping the Tekkeon was about $20 or maybe a tad more, I forget.
But, I have read several folks who built their battery packs from 10,000mA D-cells...why didn't I ever think of that option!! d'oh!! I know I simply MUST try that one day soon.
I do have to gather a pic of my whole "workstation kit" I have now. It all, including the iGo Stowaway keyboard, router, battery pack, 2 extra sets of 4AA batteries, the tablet and Cradlepoint CTR350 router, but it all fits easily into this tiny camera case I have for my old Olympus digital camera...hated that camera but it was a gift...the bag finally was of use...
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2008-03-05
, 17:58
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Posts: 55 |
Thanked: 6 times |
Joined on Feb 2008
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#115
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Here are the photos of my external battery pack that I made for under $5... I've uploaded them to flickr as I don't know how to post them on this site...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/2105201...7604053582207/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/2105201...7604053582207/
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2008-03-05
, 19:45
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Posts: 364 |
Thanked: 54 times |
Joined on Feb 2008
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#116
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nice James!! BTW, I noticed something in your first post. Have you measured the voltage output of the pack? It 'should' be about 5.0x to around 5.4ish not 6v.
Have ya figured out some sort of cover or strap to hold in the batteries if, for example, you keep the pack in a bag while powering a, say, mobile router?
My first thought would be to hit the 99¢ or $1 stores and see if they have a decent plastic soap holder (the travel kind) or something along those lines. Maybe drill some even holes but heat should not be much of an issue...plus it would be a bit cleaner then duct tape (the ultimate tool!!)
I know I wimped out buying the MP1550 but, in my own defense, I was excited and wanting to by more toys for my new N800 which had yet to arrive...hehehehe....
Nice job. I might see about building a D-Cell pack...nothing like a pack of 10,000-12,000mA of power...
I bought a, gasp & ahem, 'waist pack' (not a 'fanny pack' mind you because I would have to kick my own rear end if I ever wore one of those) but I keep my power pack & router rig in there with two extra sets of AA's for the power pack along with my iGo Stowaway 4-row keyboard. There is even room for the NIT if I am not needing it that moment. I bought the pack at WallyWorld for something like $6. Pics as soon as I have time...the better half is on her way home tomorrow and I have to de-bachelorize the house or she will kick me in my rear end or worse, talk to me!! hehehehehe...
Thanks for the pics!!
Have ya figured out some sort of cover or strap to hold in the batteries if, for example, you keep the pack in a bag while powering a, say, mobile router?
My first thought would be to hit the 99¢ or $1 stores and see if they have a decent plastic soap holder (the travel kind) or something along those lines. Maybe drill some even holes but heat should not be much of an issue...plus it would be a bit cleaner then duct tape (the ultimate tool!!)
I know I wimped out buying the MP1550 but, in my own defense, I was excited and wanting to by more toys for my new N800 which had yet to arrive...hehehehe....
Nice job. I might see about building a D-Cell pack...nothing like a pack of 10,000-12,000mA of power...
I bought a, gasp & ahem, 'waist pack' (not a 'fanny pack' mind you because I would have to kick my own rear end if I ever wore one of those) but I keep my power pack & router rig in there with two extra sets of AA's for the power pack along with my iGo Stowaway 4-row keyboard. There is even room for the NIT if I am not needing it that moment. I bought the pack at WallyWorld for something like $6. Pics as soon as I have time...the better half is on her way home tomorrow and I have to de-bachelorize the house or she will kick me in my rear end or worse, talk to me!! hehehehehe...
Thanks for the pics!!
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2008-03-05
, 21:30
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Posts: 121 |
Thanked: 20 times |
Joined on Aug 2007
@ Amsterdam
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#117
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Originally Posted by brecklundin
.... The original charger for a N800 says DC 5 V. However measured it's 7.2 V, which is reasonable because it must LOAD. 5V may load but slowly. However be careful ! Don't be surprised if after a day or so your battery starts heating or something. See earlier threads. You could of course boil an egg or someting if its happens.
nice James!! BTW, I noticed something in your first post. Have you measured the voltage output of the pack? It 'should' be about 5.0x to around 5.4ish not 6v.
Have ya figured out some sort of cover or strap to hold in the batteries if, for example, you keep the pack in a bag ?
Thanks for the pics!!
Her's what I'm working on. .... I want to promote the dynamo from my bike. Might work / not work : It's 6 Volt AC . A bottle of wine for the first working specimen. (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée VDDW: Very Dry Dutch White Wine)
(1 Hour of Power .... free of charge)
Last edited by AbelMN; 2008-03-09 at 14:38.
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2008-03-05
, 21:36
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Posts: 55 |
Thanked: 6 times |
Joined on Feb 2008
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#118
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I just found out that RadioShat has a number of battery holders. One holder interests me: RS 270-409. This holder completely encases and holds 4 AA size batteries and is pre-wired. For $2, it seems like a perfect match for my external battery pack requirement. I'm going to the local RadioSh*t to take a look at it and see if I can use it in place of the battery holder from an RC car I've been using. I'll post pictures later, if I get one.
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2008-03-05
, 21:45
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Posts: 55 |
Thanked: 6 times |
Joined on Feb 2008
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#119
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Just to update... I've using my external batery pack almost everyday since last week and it's been working really well. I was worried that I might have to solder in a diode to prevent electricity from flowing back to the external battery pack, but that's not the case. With fully charged external batteries, my N800 sees it as primary source of power and it keeps the internal battery charged. Even with all the re-boots (I was cloning os to sd cards), I was able to work three full days. This is while listening to fm/internet radio, surfing the interweb, watching Matrix and the Fellowship of the Ring, almost constant usage throughout. I don't have to worry about battery running out. I love the flexibility the external battery pack offers me.
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2008-03-05
, 22:13
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Guest |
Posts: n/a |
Thanked: 0 times |
Joined on
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#120
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Here's what I'm working on. This thread http://www.internettablettalk.com/fo...ead.php?t=4935 uses the Cyberpower battery powered USB hub. I've gutted that and plan to replace the 4 AAA batteries with 4 AA's and add a power cable from the batteries to plug into the Nokia's charging jack. Then I'll have external power, AND a battery powered hub. Of course the original case for the hub won't hold the AA batteries, so I like BRECKLUNDIN's idea of using a modded plastic bar soap container to repackage everything. I'm also planning to replace the original USB connector on the hub with a mini-b so it will plug directly into the N800 without an adapter. Keep an eye on that other thread and I'll update with pics etc. when I finish.... soap container, great idea! Actually the soap container might be big enough to hold 8 AA's (2 sets of 4 in parallel...)
right now i'm on the fence between this:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.10734
and this combo:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.10730
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.3205
what say ye?
Last edited by sleepkyng; 2008-02-14 at 00:14.