Battery Charger

Link89 · Post by **Link89** » Wed Jul 07, 2004 7:24 pm

How did you guys charge your batteries for your portables? I would really like to build something where I could just plug it in. With the way I'm building my N64 and Playstation I'd have to use two which would really be kind of a pain. Sorry if it's the wrong place to post this.

Post by **gannon** » Wed Jul 07, 2004 7:29 pm

I'm using detachable battery packs. If I tried to build a charger into the portables it would be too heavy.

For one of my portables, I'm building 2 detachable battery packs of equal voltage wired in parallel. That way I can detach one and charge it while still playing the portable with the other. Also, I should be able to hot swap my battery packs without having to turn off the system.

Link89 · Post by **Link89** » Wed Jul 07, 2004 9:05 pm

What are some good batteries to use. I fouind these 12 volt rechargable RC batteries but my brother closed it and I can find them anymore.

I like that idea and want to find some nice 12 volt rechargable batteries.

stereth · Post by **stereth** » Thu Jul 08, 2004 8:34 pm

If you're using 12V batteries, get a solar controller. You likely need a voltage regulator or converter after it, or a voltage-tolerant system, but it's a simple way to control the charging. You just need a 15V adaptor.

Link89 · Post by **Link89** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 8:26 pm

I was going to get some nice rc batteries for playstation and just use rechargeable AA's for the N64. I wanted to wire them in parallel but how do you know which one is out of power?

Post by **gannon** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 9:42 pm

They should drain evenly since they are in parallel, but now that I think of it, it might be nice to build a latch system that engages the other battery when one is low.
But if I didn't do that, they still drain evenly so I can remove one at a time and replace it with a fresh pack.

Link89 · Post by **Link89** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 10:35 pm

I want to do something like that, when one battery is empty the other kicks in. I'll let you kknow if I figure anything out.

cennar · Post by **cennar** » Sat Jul 10, 2004 10:51 pm

i'm going for a stock of aa battrys all rechargeable and maby for future mods infolithium, if i dont mess them up.

Link89 · Post by **Link89** » Sun Jul 11, 2004 2:52 pm

I talked to my Dad about it and I guess you can build something where it will switch but it's pretty complicated and weighs a good amount. What I'm thinking about doing is getting a small lcd that will display the battery power left. If you guys have any other ideas let me know.

Also what about a battery charger like RPGTNick's for his N64?

Post by **gannon** » Sun Jul 11, 2004 2:59 pm

I was working on a battery level meter too, but I wasn't going to put it in my project. I was going to put it in a base station that the unit could sit on that makes it like a normal console and charges the batteries too.

I was just going to use a 10 LED bar graph and different sized resistors to measure battery level. I know think it'd be really nice if I could actually get a duel color led and have it change its color when the battery is getting low, although I could go the route of the original gameboy and just put a large resistor in front of a single led.

Link89 · Post by **Link89** » Sun Jul 11, 2004 5:39 pm

I want to do something like the GBA sp where it's green when it's one and the color changes when there's like an hour left. Do you guys know how they did that?

Post by **gannon** » Sun Jul 11, 2004 7:31 pm

If I remember right, you can buy premade circuits like that at digikey.

Link89 · Post by **Link89** » Sun Jul 11, 2004 7:42 pm

Do you know what it's called?

Post by **gannon** » Sun Jul 11, 2004 8:30 pm

Here is the main link. When you filter it, select low battery detector.

stereth · Post by **stereth** » Sun Jul 11, 2004 9:39 pm

If you can't find the voltage you need in those low-battery detectors, you can use a set of Zener diodes with matched LEDs to cut out one at a time as the battery voltage drops.