Hardware Portable Battery Pack

[Deleted User]

Well, the story goes like this:
I was trawling through Poundland, and I saw this

I thought to myself "Hmm, this looks like a cheap alternative to the PowerChimp+, so all I need is a USB>3DS Connector and this could charge my 3DS!"
It runs off 4x AAA batteries.

Spoiler

So, I bought it and decided to take it apart to see what it did.

Spoiler

It's basically feeding the 4x AAA batteries directly into the connector port, which feeds it through the cable into the USB device of your choice. There is a little black cylindrical shape (possibly a resistor) on one of the wires, which reads either 140 or 1400 (fainted print) M. Close up below.

Spoiler

So that leads on to my question- is it safe to buy this USB to DSi Cable, plug it into the USB port of this portable battery pack, and charge my 3DS on-the-go with it?

 

[indask8]

I don't know how good is the 3DS voltage regulator...

But I think feeding it a direct 6V might fry a component/blow a fuse.

Also 4*AAA will be eaten very fast.

 

[Nollog]

What's with all the smily face devices?

 

[Deleted User]

I don't know how good is the 3DS voltage regulator...

But I think feeding it a direct 6V might fry a component/blow a fuse.

Also 4*AAA will be eaten very fast.

I don't think it's direct 6V- there's a resistor with either 140 or 1400 then an M written on it; this must limit current flow, hopefully.
edit: Nope, it's not ceramic, so it's not a resistor :/

 

[DSdonkey77]

I wouldn't use use on a 3ds if I was forced too.

 

[ferret7463]

I have been using something very similar, since i bought my 3DS at release (Mine uses 4 AA). The only thing i've noticed is if you use it on Max Brightness, it will want to blink a little so you have to set the brightness down to three. I think this is due to the 3DS is pulling more amps than what the charger can give.



P.S.: which store was it in?

 

[Demonstryde]

to charge it yes i would use it ... but prob not while playing it.

 

[Deleted User]

I have been using something very similar, since i bought my 3DS at release (Mine uses 4 AA). The only thing i've noticed is if you use it on Max Brightness, it will want to blink a little so you have to set the brightness down to three. I think this is due to the 3DS is pulling more amps than what the charger can give.



P.S.: which store was it in?

Poundland- probably a bit like one of America's $1 stores

 

[videogamefanatic]

This charger SHOULD work fine. It looks like what you have there is a diode, and that should drop the voltage from 6v to about 5.5v. Like the other's said, the current flow may not be high enough to let it charge faster than the 3ds's power consumption. If that is the case, than it may be able to add play time if you charge it while the battery is around 50%, or to charge it from 0% and not turn it on until the AAA's are dead.

 

[Sicklyboy]

I wouldn't risk it with alkaline AAA's. However, I would go with NiMH AAA's, dropping the total voltage to 4.5v instead of 6.

Made a USB charger out of an altoids tin. Even charges new iPods and iPhones. Runs on 4x NiMH AA just fine, been using for a while and no problems.

 

[Deleted User]

This charger SHOULD work fine. It looks like what you have there is a diode, and that should drop the voltage from 6v to about 5.5v. Like the other's said, the current flow may not be high enough to let it charge faster than the 3ds's power consumption. If that is the case, than it may be able to add play time if you charge it while the battery is around 50%, or to charge it from 0% and not turn it on until the AAA's are dead.

So, a 1300mAh 3DS Battery..
1300/4= 325mAh

Basically, do I need to find four AAA batteries at 325mAh each, and:

3.6/4=0.9

These four AAA batteries to be at 0.9 volts each... How is this even possible! Or do I even need to do so?

 

[ferret7463]

No, you need to worry more about the Volts than the Mah. Too many Volts can harm your 3DS. The Mah is simply how long the batteries maintain their charge. I use 4 2500Mah Energizer AA rechargables in mine and it works great. The Voltage on each battery is 1.2V.

 

[Weaselpipe]

I tend to take my charger lead everywhere I think I may use it- and sneakily charge it at work, in the pub (had to unplug a lamp, but hey), in a secluded area of a supermarket- anywhere there's an unguarded plug socket really

 

[Deleted User]

No, you need to worry more about the Volts than the Mah. Too many Volts can harm your 3DS. The Mah is simply how long the batteries maintain their charge. I use 4 2500Mah Energizer AA rechargables in mine and it works great. The Voltage on each battery is 1.2V.

So, 3x AAA NiMH batteries at 2500mAh, 1.2V each (1.2 x3=3.6V, 3DS battery) and one false battery spacer should do it, right?
edit: wait a sec, how do I get/make a spacer!

 

[Miss Panda]

I tend to take my charger lead everywhere I think I may use it- and sneakily charge it at work, in the pub (had to unplug a lamp, but hey), in a secluded area of a supermarket- anywhere there's an unguarded plug socket really

No way, you are joking right?

@Tigris
This looks really interesting, I wouldn't have the guts to take the risk. Make sure to let us know how it goes.

 

[doyama]

I have been using something very similar, since i bought my 3DS at release (Mine uses 4 AA). The only thing i've noticed is if you use it on Max Brightness, it will want to blink a little so you have to set the brightness down to three. I think this is due to the 3DS is pulling more amps than what the charger can give.



P.S.: which store was it in?

Poundland- probably a bit like one of America's $1 stores

Yes and no. Dollar stores in our god forsaken country are full of useless crap that even dumb deaf and blind monkeys wouldn't use. At least Poundland has some decent stuff mixed in with all the junk. Poundland even in the 'now fit for humans' town of Slough was cleaner and better organized than some of the Dollar Tree stores around me now.

Note the 'now fit for humans' is a DIRECT QUOTE from a billboard I saw when I was in Slough. I think the Slough marketing team really needs to find better quotes to market their town

 

[ferret7463]

No, you need to worry more about the Volts than the Mah. Too many Volts can harm your 3DS. The Mah is simply how long the batteries maintain their charge. I use 4 2500Mah Energizer AA rechargables in mine and it works great. The Voltage on each battery is 1.2V.

So, 3x AAA NiMH batteries at 2500mAh, 1.2V each (1.2 x3=3.6V, 3DS battery) and one false battery spacer should do it, right?
edit: wait a sec, how do I get/make a spacer!

The Adapter out put is as follows....4.6v @ 900mA.
So if you had 4, 1.2V that would be 4.8V which is not even a concern due to the fact that often times they allow for such variance in the electrical outlet. I have been using may device pretty much since day one. Like i said the only problem I've had was having to set the brightness down to 3. so it would not blink while i play it . The Official adapter does the same blinking if you try to play it while it charges as well.

 

[doyama]

Also note that the USB specification requires 5V out. So removing a battery will reduce the voltage to the point where it might not even register.

 

[Deleted User]

No, you need to worry more about the Volts than the Mah. Too many Volts can harm your 3DS. The Mah is simply how long the batteries maintain their charge. I use 4 2500Mah Energizer AA rechargables in mine and it works great. The Voltage on each battery is 1.2V.
So, 3x AAA NiMH batteries at 2500mAh, 1.2V each (1.2 x3=3.6V, 3DS battery) and one false battery spacer should do it, right?
edit: wait a sec, how do I get/make a spacer!

The Adapter out put is as follows....4.6v @ 900mA.
So if you had 4, 1.2V that would be 4.8V which is not even a concern due to the fact that often times they allow for such variance in the electrical outlet. I have been using may device pretty much since day one. Like i said the only problem I've had was having to set the brightness down to 3. so it would not blink while i play it . The Official adapter does the same blinking if you try to play it while it charges as well.

QUOTE(doyama @ Jun 9 2011, 07:03 PM)

Also note that the USB specification requires 5V out. So removing a battery will reduce the voltage to the point where it might not even register.

Aha, so purchasing four NiMH 1.2V batteries at anything up to and including 1,000,000mAh (Don't exist, but theoretically) and bunging them in the charger, buying a USB to 3DS Cable, hooking it all up and it will definitely work, right?

 

[ferret7463]

It has worked for me, Bud. If you can't a find USB to 3DS charging cord, a USB to DSi cord is what i have been using.