Hacking DS Solar Charger

[TLSpartan]

I want to make a DS Lite solar charger right. I could regulate the amps and volts but there is one problem. The DSL charger end. does anyone know where to get these ends or a suitable DSL solar charger.

 

[4saken]

You probably have thought of this, but you could dismantle one of those cheap USB DSL chargers.

 

[TLSpartan]

wat do u mean by dsl chargers. because ive seen some preety crappy chargers out there for cheap. inside the charger cord are their just positive and negative wires or are their more. because on the actual DS Lite charger input there is only 2 contacts but there maybe more(ground)

 

[Veho]

Here's a solar charger for PSP, DS and GBA SP. It's $50. Here's a review. It's a bit expensive, but I don't think making one yourself would be that much cheaper.

 

[Psyfira]

veho: it's for the DSPhat, not the lite
[Edit] Although I suppose you could buy the charger and just make an extra extension cable to fit the lite...

 

[Xenophobia]

try This

or This

4 in 1 HAhA

 

[FAST6191]

I would go with sacrificing a USB/car charger as well, you can pick them up for about 10 of your local currency.

As for solar intermittent/trickle charging is not ideal (I realise the sun shines a bit more around your part of the world but still) so I suggest you either augement or use a capacitor bank (an array of Ta-capacitors in conjunction with a Zener diode should be cheap enough to pull off and work fantastically).

I would love to see some pictures as well if it comes together.

 

[4saken]

wat do u mean by dsl chargers.

DSL = DS Lite

 

[TLSpartan]

im goin to use FAST6191's idea. about the array of capacitors. how much wat type and capicatance. watt type zener diode 3 watt. it says the dsl is 2.3. watts with answers
i have a car charger/ usb(the usb cable plugs into the car CHARGER
. what do you mean by augement.

The DSL cuts off power automatically once it is fully charged doesnt it

im thinkin of doin wind instead, cheaper

 

[FAST6191]

My DS charger kicks out (or at least the back says it does) 5.2 V and 320ma which is around 1.7Watts.

As for capacitors Ta means Tantalum capacitors because while they are fairly expensive they have massive storage for their size (commercial run into the order of a farads/capacitor) and can just about hang in there voltage and current wise not to mention take temperature drops well (-15 to 60 C is about average). Stick a bunch in parallel (a PCB is your best bet here) and you have yourself a nice rechargeable cell.

The maths might get a bit tricky (capacitors drain exponentially and the zener diode equations coupled with solar voltages (when accounting for time) is not going to be back of envolope worthy, more a hour in excel/matlab).

Edit:
Yeah when it is done charging it cuts out and wind would likely be nicer to work with (solar is not the best for really small scale things like this).

 

[Wanque]

I'd like to build a little wind turbine to attach to my DS so I could power it by running down the road!

The danger would be going too fast, and the fan turning into a propeller - the DS would fly off into the clouds! I'd never finish Phoenix Wright!

But any idea to power your DS with renewable energy is good! Very green!

 

[mikeosoft]

i prefer to run my ds off of natural gas, i have an extention running from the stove off the wall and right to the left of my sofa. i just plug and chug... werks fabulous

 

[TLSpartan]

thanks guys. but i will have to make in this in like a month or two. i have have just used up my money supply. i am getting a 1G Micro sd for 65 dollars and the remaining money is going towards a wi-fi adapter(not official one tohugh, heard they get hot). has anyone here heard of any one makin a power supply or something for there ds

 

[rippon]

Gamestop sells a DS phat charger that comes with a DSL adapter, could be very useful with the solar charger, or as spare parts.

 

[FAST6191]

Various people have made USB cables into DS/SP cables and I imagine it would not be hard to pull of for the lite (different end and all) although should you procure adaptors that rippon speaks of then things may get interesting.

 

[-KangaRod-]

Sometimes I don't know if people are serious or not.
Wind charged DS's?
Solar Powered Battery chargers?

What is the world comming too. Just get a USB adaptor and plug it into the back of your Wii if the wall socket (like a regular person) isn't fancy enough for you.

 

[Veho]

Sometimes I don't know if people are serious or not.

What is the world comming too. Just get a USB adaptor and plug it into the back of your Wii if the wall socket (like a regular person) isn't fancy enough for you.

I don't know if you're being serious or not.

 

[tackle]

Well do you have a picture yet of the results?

 

[4saken]

There are retail solar chargers too you know

I've heard the USB chargers were really hard to take out of the port. Anyway, if you're out of the house and on the go, where would you expect to find a USB port anyway. The AC is always more accessible (public ports in Central Station, Sydney

, my friend uses them to charge his DS)

 

[HBK]

Sometimes I don't know if people are serious or not.
Wind charged DS's?
Solar Powered Battery chargers?

What is the world comming too. Just get a USB adaptor and plug it into the back of your Wii if the wall socket (like a regular person) isn't fancy enough for you.

Don't get surprised if in 20 years time those normal power chargers are ancient history.