Charge and play question

[Nick]

Probably a silly question but is there a way you can have one smallish port for both charging and wall plug and play instead of two separate ports?

Or could you just leave off the wall plug on the bottom right pin of the DPDT switch if you wanted to?

http://bitbuilt.net/forums/index.php?threads/charge-and-play.334/

 

[cheese]

For a single port charge and play you'd need to be running 7.4v batteries and custom regulators. Then you'd just put the charge port before the switch. That way, when the switch is off, the batteries charge, and when the switch is on, the charger will power both the system and charge the batteries. Depending on the charger, it may not charge as fast/at all when the system is on though. That was the point of the separate jacks, one to run the system while the other charges the batteries.

 

[Nick]

For a single port charge and play you'd need to be running 7.4v batteries and custom regulators. Then you'd just put the charge port before the switch. That way, when the switch is off, the batteries charge, and when the switch is on, the charger will power both the system and charge the batteries. Depending on the charger, it may not charge as fast/at all when the system is on though. That was the point of the separate jacks, one to run the system while the other charges the batteries.

That makes sense, I'm just trying to get the slimmest profile with the least amount of things in a case is all. I've got the 7.4v batteries and the custom regulators already. Any recommendations on a small charge port?

And is this what you mean by before the switch? would it be this port or the regular one or doesn't matter?
-redacted-

 

[cheese]

That's what I mean, but the port I meant was the one for the charger. I don't have a recommendation, just find one on ebay that can support a couple amps.

 

[ShockSlayer]

You can't do that unless your charger is designed to support powering the console at the same time, and it's not.

You either have to do my diagram and use the correct two adapters, or craft a circuit that will properly do this. Bentomo is already working on one for everyone.

For a short term solution, you'll need to find/create a custom 4 pin plug to fit your needs, and then combine the charger and wall adapter. That's your only other option at the moment.

 

[Nick]

For a short term solution, you'll need to find/create a custom 4 pin plug to fit your needs, and then combine the charger and wall adapter. That's your only other option at the moment.

How would you suggest I do this 4 pin plug or where can I find one?

 

[ShockSlayer]

You're gonna have to figure that out yourself. It's entirely based around your portable's design.

 

[Nick]

What if I take an iPhone charging port and connect two pins to the wall charge part of your diagram and two pins to the other side? Do you think that would that work or no?

 

[cheese]

Those pins are a little small, they probably won't be able to supply enough current.

 

[Nick]

There's 8 total pins what if I connect a few? Or still not going to work?

 

[cheese]

Ah, I thought you were using the older 30 pin one, if you used 2 pins per it should be fine.

 

[Shank]

Regarding port options...

A repourposed USB B port could work just fine.

Then again, mini USB and micro USB are rated for 2 amps, and Qualcomm quick charge reliably pushes 20v 2A through the micro connectors. Maybe that's a potential option for a connector?

 

[cheese]

Never use micro usb, it's terrible. It breaks very easily in many different ways because it relies on many thin tiny parts to hold a thin tiny connector into a weak port. Plus, if you intend to use it for charge and play, your console can draw a maximum of 1.8A and your batteries can charge at a maximum of 0.5A (usb spec section 5.3.2). When a spec sheet says minimum, that is your maximum.

 

[Matthew]

Not to hijack this thread... but do we have any documentation on a charge OR play circuit?

 

[cheese]

That's much easier, just use a switching jack. If the plug is in, it cuts the connection for power to the system and charges the battery, if the plug is disconnected it connects power back to the system. They have three prongs, the third is connected to the second only when the plug is out.

 

[Matthew]

Awesome! Thank you!

 

[Nick]

Ah, I thought you were using the older 30 pin one, if you used 2 pins per it should be fine.

Do you mean two total, one ground one power or two to each of those?

 

[cheese]

Two to each

 

[Nick]

Ok cool, I think i can do that, just ordered the port as well as 10 test cords to mess with... Now I wait

 

[cheese]

Ok cool, I think i can do that, just ordered the port as well as 10 test cords to mess with... Now I wait

Something I found about the lightning connector is that there is a controller chip inside that allows it to be plugged in upside down, so you may have trouble with that unless you only plug it in 1 way all the time. Regardless of what you do, I would suggest to have the grounds or power together eg - - + + + + - - or + + - - - - + + where + is power and - is ground.