[DIY] Altoids USB Charger

[W-L]

This is what I'm using. Would this work? What do you mean by charge controller?

 

That would be perfect for the USB side to take power from the batteries and charge the device but you need a controller that controls the way it charges the batteries in your box itself, so it stop charging when they are full and give it the correct voltages since you are using a micro USB input.

 

http://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/95970/how-to-use-battery-charge-controller-bq2002n

[aeroencychris]

VCC (red)

GND (black)

 

They should hook up to the corresponding pins on the battery

The battery holder has a positive and negative wire coming off from it. Do I just solder those to the pins of the micro USB? How does the full USB port get attached, as well as the solar panel?

[aeroencychris]

Yes.

 

 

Black is ground, red is power.

Where does the battery and solar panel fit into this?

[thekeemo]

The battery holder has a positive and negative wire coming off from it. Do I just solder those to the pins of the micro USB? How does the full USB port get attached, as well as the solar panel?

can you send me a link to the panel? also the battery. ill make you a block diagram

[aeroencychris]

can you send me a link to the panel? also the battery. ill make you a block diagram

Batteries

Battery holder

Panel

Also thanks for the help and putting up with my lack of knowledge

[The Official Czex]

Batteries

Battery holder

Panel

Also thanks for the help and putting up with my lack of knowledge

 

No problem, man!

[thekeemo]

Batteries

Battery holder

Panel

Also thanks for the help and putting up with my lack of knowledge

 

Something like this

not 100% sure though

 

gonna tag someone that might know more

@iamdarkyoshi

[iamdarkyoshi]

Something like this

not 100% sure though

 

gonna tag someone that might know more

@iamdarkyoshi

I will give a detailed schematic in a bit

[aeroencychris]

 

Something like this

not 100% sure though

 

gonna tag someone that might know more

@iamdarkyoshi

I will give a detailed schematic in a bit

Thanks both I have a lot of stuff to do tonight so I'll revisit this project tomorrow. Have a good night!

[W-L]

 

-SNIP-

 

Just one thing to mention add a zener diode on the solar panel's positive side so the battery doesn't push current back towards the panel.

 

Also as said before the batteries need a basic charge controller to shut off when the batteries are full and to not overcharge them.

[aeroencychris]

 

 

 

Just one thing to mention add a zener diode on the solar panel's positive side so the battery doesn't push current back towards the panel.

 

Also as said before the batteries need a basic charge controller to shut off when the batteries are full and to not overcharge them.

 

Like this? I bought a ton of 1N914 diodes. Taken from the Instructable guide:

 

Step 5: Wire Up The Solar

 

First, we're going to wire up our solar panel.

I like to connect my 1N914 diode directly to the Positive solder tab on the solar panel. When soldering make sure the black bar on the 1N914 diode is point away from the solar cell. The black bar is the Negative side and prevents power backflow. If we put it in wrong we're going to prevent power from flowing into our circuit!

Solder the diode's Positive side (non black diode) to the Positive Solder Point on the solar cell. Solder a wire to the other end of the diode. (In the photo it's the red wire.)

Solder a wire to the Negative solder point on the solar cell. (In the picture it's the black wire.)

Then tape it up for protection.

[W-L]

-SNIP-

 

Yes that's perfect, just make sure it's the right way around or your solar panel won't be able to provide solar power. 

[aeroencychris]

Yes that's perfect, just make sure it's the right way around or your solar panel won't be able to provide solar power. 

Okay. And where would I buy the charge controller? Also, how would that fit into @thekeemo 's diagram?

[W-L]

Okay. And where would I buy the charge controller? Also, how would that fit into @thekeemo 's diagram?

 

The charge controller is a bit complicated if you want to make your own it would basically take the two incoming leads that are directly connected to the battery as of right now and have it go through the controller first.

http://www.stefanv.com/electronics/usb_charger.html

 

If you want you can take the circuity from something like this and add it instead of making it yourself:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-Portable-USB-Charger-for-Ni-MH-AA-AAA-2A-3A-Rechargeable-Battery-/381315190733?hash=item58c8280fcd:g:IGcAAOSwfcVUBUAn

[aeroencychris]

The charge controller is a bit complicated if you want to make your own it would basically take the two incoming leads that are directly connected to the battery as of right now and have it go through the controller first.

http://www.stefanv.com/electronics/usb_charger.html

 

If you want you can take the circuity from something like this and add it instead of making it yourself:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-Portable-USB-Charger-for-Ni-MH-AA-AAA-2A-3A-Rechargeable-Battery-/381315190733?hash=item58c8280fcd:g:IGcAAOSwfcVUBUAn

I'd probably get a prebuilt. Are you pretty sure that ebay link will have one I can use inside it?

[iamdarkyoshi]

I'd probably get a prebuilt. Are you pretty sure that ebay link will have one I can use inside it?

https://www.youtube.com/user/julius256 this guy has like every power bank on the planet. sorry I couldnt make a schemetic, i got busy

[aeroencychris]

https://www.youtube.com/user/julius256 this guy has like every power bank on the planet. sorry I couldnt make a schemetic, i got busy

Don't worry about the schematic, no rush. Not sure what to do with that youtube link lol sorry

[iamdarkyoshi]

Don't worry about the schematic, no rush. Not sure what to do with that youtube link lol sorry

just look through his videos, he has lots of vids on prebuilt add-your-own-batteries power banks.

[aeroencychris]

just look through his videos, he has lots of vids on prebuilt add-your-own-batteries power banks.

Which would basically be what I have (battery holder) + the charge controller?

[iamdarkyoshi]

Which would basically be what I have (battery holder) + the charge controller?

yes, as well as some of them have a display on them and a couple other features. He has some which can hold several batteries.

[aeroencychris]

yes, as well as some of them have a display on them and a couple other features. He has some which can hold several batteries.

And he sells these?

[W-L]

I'd probably get a prebuilt. Are you pretty sure that ebay link will have one I can use inside it?

 

Yes it should work no problem since it uses a USB charge input so you could rewire the current connection to a mico USB as you wanted.

[iamdarkyoshi]

And he sells these?

he just reviees them. He should have a fleabay link in the video description.

[aeroencychris]

he just reviees them. He should have a fleabay link in the video description.

Found this through his page. Would it work?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-1Pcs-5V-Micro-USB-1A-18650-Lithium-Battery-Charging-Board-Charger-Module-/301770075356?hash=item4642e5ecdc:g:V0QAAOSw~gRV1yYi

Also @W-L would this count as a controller board?

[W-L]

Found this through his page. Would it work?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-1Pcs-5V-Micro-USB-1A-18650-Lithium-Battery-Charging-Board-Charger-Module-/301770075356?hash=item4642e5ecdc:g:V0QAAOSw~gRV1yYi

Also @W-L would this count as a controller board?

 

Unfortunately no those are for 18650 cells which are lithium ion cells not the NiMH one you have, the main issue is that a single 18650 are 3.7V which that charge controller will use and go up at approx 4.0V when fully charged when the ones you have are 1.2V each.