Battery question

vgcollector666 · Post by **vgcollector666** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 9:27 pm

How would i go about installing an internal battery so i can just plug a wire into the portable and it will charge itself? what battery should i use, any suggestions?

usbcd36 · Post by **usbcd36** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 10:14 pm

A 7.2v (Ni-Cd or Ni-Mh) RC battery from RadioShack will work, as will the 9.6v (Again, Ni-Cd or Ni-Mh). You can also use rechargable AAs wired up to either of those voltages and use the 5hr dual voltage charger Ben suggests in his portables. Buy a set of the charger plugs too and intergrate the female one into the case as the charge jack. Put the male one in for the battery to plug into it. Finally, either wire up the battery to a DPDT switch so it sends power to the portable when on and gets connected to the charge jack when off, or use my design (it's in the Handheld GameCube Attempt thread) to send power to the batteries. Switch the charger to the type of battery you have, check that positive and negative are correct and plug it in. If the red light on the charger turns on, you've got it correct. If you want a better explanation, just buy Ben's book.

vgcollector666 · Post by **vgcollector666** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 10:19 pm

i've got a rechargeable 7.2v battery and charger now but can you explain how i would make power go into the female end (for charging) and the portable at the same time, like would i be able to cut the wires and just splice more wires onto it so that it would have 4 wires coming off of the battery (two go to the charger, and 2 go to the portable)

Post by **SpongeBuell** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 10:24 pm

wire both at the same time, + on battery to + on system and + on charger, - on battery to - on system and - on charger. For best results, I wouldn't recommend using your atari while charging, though I suppose it probably couldn't hurt it. If you want to be sure, wire in a switch. I can tell you how if you are interested, but I'll wait, since I'm too lazy to type if it won't be used.

usbcd36 · Post by **usbcd36** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 10:31 pm

Ooh, ok this may be difficult. You need to find a charger that outputs around the right voltage, but most importantly, enough amperage. Find how many mA your portable draws (use a multimeter, hook it between the battery positive lead and the portable positive lead) and turn it on. The charger needs to output that plus a little more to charge the battery. This is a very hard thing to find, so I have a different solution: get the right battery charger (you probably already have it if you have the battery) and an AC adapter that will power your portable (it must have a mA rating greater than or equal to what the multimeter said). Use the circuit I described how to find in my last post to make this work. Plug in the AC adapter and the charger into the wall and portable. It will disconnect the battery from the portable and will run the portable and charge the battery at the same time. If you can't stand having two wall adapters, you need to remove their cases, replace the cord with a 3-conductor cord that carries the two outputs separately and intergrate them into one case (making it into a wall-wart is generally not acceptable; in most cases it will simply fall out of the outlet). Just wire the positive and negative prongs to the corresponding wires on a cord, solder all connections and make sure nothing touches.

Disclaimer: I am not responsible if you kill yourself in the act of making this adapter. If you feel you need assistance, ask someone who has worked with house current before.

Post by **SpongeBuell** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 10:39 pm

Ok, here's how to wire the switch since you sent me the PM asking for it.

first, you'll need a DPDT, or Double pole double throw switch. First, solder the wires from the battery to the 2 center terminals. one for +, one for -. Keeping them in the right place (if it's like this : : : don't have the + on top in the middle and on the bottom on one/both sides) connect one side (left or right, doesn't matter) to the system and the other side to the power from the charger. Is that clear enough? I tried my best, but can make a diagram if absolutely needed.

usbcd36 · Post by **usbcd36** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 11:15 pm

This doesn't answer his question, which was how to charge the batteries AND play at the same time, like a camera, where you can plug in a power adapter that will charge the battery and let you use it at the same time.

vgcollector666 · Post by **vgcollector666** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 11:17 pm

its good enough

Post by **SpongeBuell** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 11:34 pm

I'll make up a diagram sometime tomorrow, I gotta go to bed

Post by **SpongeBuell** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 11:45 am

I spoil you, you know that?

and no, it doesn't matter which side is up on the switch, as long as you are looking at the bottom. it should make more sense when you do it. Oh yeah, you may want to get a switch with a center off position, like this one: http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?c ... =275%2D664

vgcollector666 · Post by **vgcollector666** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 12:00 pm

thanks

usbcd36 · Post by **usbcd36** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 3:57 pm

Why would you do that? There is no point in the power/charge switch having a center off position because then you can't just plug it in when off and have it charge. You have to flip it to ANOTHER position. This doesn't seem like muchâ€“until you plug in your portable to charge it for 5 hours, leave on a trip, then the battery runs out after 5 minutes because you didn't flip the switch to 'Charge'. It's not like it takes extra power to have it connected to the charge jack when the switch is "off". It even takes the same amount of wiring.

vgcollector666 · Post by **vgcollector666** » Thu Jul 28, 2005 9:12 pm

Will this work? (Its what i came up with so that the battery charges and i can play at the same time)

nos_slived · Post by **nos_slived** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 2:57 am

It depends on the charger you use. That circuit will work, but your charger has to be able to supply both the charge current, and the play current. You may want to use a 4 sector jack, and use 2 wires for the battery charger, and 2 for power from an AC adaptor.

vgcollector666 · Post by **vgcollector666** » Fri Jul 29, 2005 3:01 am

so just my 7.2v battery and 7.2v charger wont be enough?