USB powerbank with unique chip.

Okay, they (finally) came in, and are as-pictured. <a href="https://www.ebay.com/itm/162613432563" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.ebay.com/itm/162613432563</a> (NB: they don't fit protected cells... waiting for a couple of unprotected cells to arrive Prime next-day so I can actually test them.)

Can a couple of these be hooked up in parallell, and their output current doubled? That will probably make them both think they're being charged. I guess their might be better ways to get a 5-6V supply for RC gas powered cars from 18650s, but I haven't looked too much into it yet.

Oh yeah, so to reply, I tried it out because I have one of these cheapy things. I used a 47pF ceramic disc. It did keep my inductor load going without a dip (or noticeable dip, didn't put a scope on it), but it had a really weird pattern of thinking it was charging. With a variable capacitor, it might really be possible to mess with, but at that point it feels super dirty hacky.

avfusion

I think that would trick it into thinking that it's always charging, since it wouldn't be letting the voltage drop to detect that there's no charger plugged in.

Could you not drop a tantalum or some fat ceramic cap across the USB ports to suppress that 2 second dip? I figure that could help the dip while not ruining its ability to see if it's charging (though I understand that it will momentarily think it's charging upon the first time it discharges)

avfusion

Good luck sir! Share your results if possible?

Michael Thompson

Oh, interesting find! I think I found a supplier of them after a bit of looking: many of these listings contain images of the empty tube (to show that it's a DIY kit). Happily, this circuit board looks very, very different than most of them. Though one caveat: there is another one with an SO-8 but also a few SOT23 jobbies. Now the question is: will the cases I just ordered show up with PCBs that match the images? If not, I'm out over five whole dollars, so, really hoping this gamble pays off!

A couple of these stacked together seem like the ideal thing to give my dash cam that little extra "parking mode" capacity, just don't like the thought of leaving li-ions in the car (hidden away behind dashboard not in direct sunlight).

Marmite

They tend to be sold only to the mass producers of these packs. It might be easier to buy them in the packs. The manufacturer of the chip is Hotchip.

Big Clive

Technically speaking the two supplies may balance out and supply that current, but it might be unpredictable.

Big Clive

Got a perfect use case for that chip, but I can't find them for sale :-(

If this was plugged in to a 500mA supply and the battery was charged, would this be able to deliver 1000mA on the output?

Zachary Faragher

While it has some redeeming values it seems like what probably did it in is the sum of the flaws you found.

Michael Thompson

Interesting. I have a cheap "solar-recharging" battery pack from about 7 years ago that also has the rare feature of being able to charge itself while powering another device. This feature is evidently quite rare; have you seen other battery packs that can do this? I don't have an oscilloscope, or I'd check to see if this pack does a similar voltage dip.

George Dorn

Interesting, as my iPad is currently being powered by one of those that I bought to re-use the 18650 from a power bank I inadvertently blew up. Seems to work well, but over 1 A and it’s not interested. But that will hopefully protect it from the bungling ape that blew up my old one!

Phil Collins

This style case can be stacked for a really long powerbank if you parallel cells inside

iamdarkyoshi

Hi just for interest In homebargains.co.uk today I bought for £3 a Skinny Power bank "Electric Jelly (I can't find on their SITE ) This link below might work, I hope you will see a rubbery PINK flat power bank Warning - I am sad it did NOT have a standard USB outlet. I now need an adaptor "micro usb to USB" get.google.com/albumarchive/109451571931505016765/album/AF1QipMPLI8UGxBVe6ni4I5TnzNcnDgM4f244W0aG9pL Also there is a picture of a silly dead power bank disposal using I saw in Nerja Spain, what a waste of materials ? who will use it ? I have never found myself in the street with dead batteries and looked for a disposal unit, I would just go to a shop they often have a cardboard battery container . John

John Harrison

Handy function indeed. I have assembled half a dozen packs with a single 18650, a TP4056 and a QS-1205CBUL buck as a hot charging ups. These were built last year while I was working in Berks as a web developer and had a pi zero-w with apache on it. I could essentially keep working on the 6 train 4 hr commute with my pocket server. The job has now ended so they are daisy chained on to a 5w6v solar panel and used for phone charging.

Very neat! I want something exactly along these lines but for 12 volts specifically for my mag-lev (levitron) gadget. When it loses power it launches the platform across the room when the stabilization fields collapse. It means I can't levitate anything 'nice' in case of a power outage.

Jamie F

I also have a E-cig battery that was quite new but suddenly decided to stop working as well, I could not find any obvious faults on it. it has built in USB charger and voltage regulator. Supposed to be 1600mAh and they last quite long on a charge, but not sure wether it's a real 1600..

It is a Solar powered PIR LED lamp I've had for a bit over a year that stopped working and I was wondering if you could figure out it's fault. I opened it and it has 18650 battery and quite neat circuitry. It showed some signs of water being present in the past, but couldn't quite see exactly what went wrong nor if it is fixable.. it was flickering a few days before it went out. One of these: <a href="https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Newest-450LM-36-LED-Solar-Power-Street-Light-PIR-Motion-Sensor-Light-Garden-Security-Lamp-Outdoor/32506004718.html" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Newest-450LM-36-LED-Solar-Power-Street-Light-PIR-Motion-Sensor-Light-Garden-Security-Lamp-Outdoor/32506004718.html</a>

What is it you were thinking of sending? I have to be careful about space here these days.

Big Clive

@Big Clive Hi! Where can I find the adress to send you stuff for review? :)

I load tested it and at bang on 1A it cut off.

Big Clive

Sorry, I knew I'd missed something. I'll add it in.

Big Clive

Please always include a YouTube link in the description on Patreon so I don’t have to log in to sodding Patreon just to watch a YouTube video! Cheers!

Neil Brewitt

I tested a very similar one last day with an Raspberry Pi 2b and it couldn't boot correctly.

The 800mA output current might be an issue for some of the more powerful pi's.

Big Clive

Might make a good UPS for a Raspberry Pi.