Solar Boost Bag

Our weekly LIVE video chat. Every Wednesday at 8pm ET!

Moderators: adafruit_support_bill, adafruit

Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.
User avatar
Barbiturix
 
Posts: 28
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2014 4:28 pm

Solar Boost Bag

Post by Barbiturix »

Hello on the last design of your item (Solar Boost Bag) is it possible to change the battery of the hand_bag charger at the same time your charge , from it, your phone.
its seems that is not appropriate.

Aftre 12 hours plugged on 5V power, not getting the battery of the hand bag_charger charged and no high courant available on the output to charge the phone (arround 0.10 A at 4.2V

Thank for your advice

User avatar
adafruit_support_rick
 
Posts: 35092
Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2011 11:42 am

Re: Solar Boost Bag

Post by adafruit_support_rick »

You should be able to charge your phone while the battery is charging.

Sounds like there's something wrong with your charger. Are you sure your 5V power adapter works?

User avatar
Barbiturix
 
Posts: 28
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2014 4:28 pm

Re: Solar Boost Bag

Post by Barbiturix »

Hello,
My DC adapter is OK. Further to your comment, I plugged the DC to the mini USB socket of the solar Boost bag (instead of the 5.5mm/2.1mm socket) With this design it was Ok, after few hours both battery were fully charged. Current up to 0.8A and 5.2 V. (it was the same DC adapter with different cable and plug).

During this process I switched to the 5.5mm/2.1mm socket,
I got only 0.15 A with 5.2 V. instead 0.8A with mini USB plug. Is it OK to have this different behaviors?
I'm wondering if it is possible to plug my solar panel to the mini usb socket when I want to use my Solar Boost Bag outside to be sure my two battery will be charged ?

I'm backpacking next monday for several days , and I'll use my phone and solar boost bag with solar panel bought on your site.
thank for your support

User avatar
adafruit_support_rick
 
Posts: 35092
Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2011 11:42 am

Re: Solar Boost Bag

Post by adafruit_support_rick »

Wow - so there's something wrong with the DC jack on the charger. The internal circuitry is the same - it's just the electrical connection from the DC jack.
Or maybe the 2.1mm cable you're using is bad?

Anyway, yes, you can plug the solar panel into the USB socket.

User avatar
Barbiturix
 
Posts: 28
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2014 4:28 pm

Re: Solar Boost Bag

Post by Barbiturix »

Hello,
I'm back from backpacking and it was not that easy with the SOLAR BOOST BAG
I changed the DC cable 2 times (with a spare and a brand new one) the issue still there: too long to get battery charged (whatever the supply)
When I got chance to have 220v it was no possible to reach again the 0.8A (event today at home).
From DC à got 0.15A and from mini USB 0.35A
When I'm plugging my cellphone on the DC adapter (without the solar boost bag) I got 1.1A when is under 80% charged

Thank you for your support to fix this issue

RGDS
Fred

User avatar
adafruit2
 
Posts: 22144
Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2005 7:36 pm

Re: Solar Boost Bag

Post by adafruit2 »

hiya can you post a clear photo of the top of your solar charger board?

User avatar
Barbiturix
 
Posts: 28
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2014 4:28 pm

Re: Solar Boost Bag

Post by Barbiturix »

Hello
here it is
Picture of the top of the solar charging boards
Picture of the top of the solar charging boards
board.jpg (951.55 KiB) Viewed 526 times

User avatar
adafruit2
 
Posts: 22144
Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2005 7:36 pm

Re: Solar Boost Bag

Post by adafruit2 »

theres quite a bit going on there, can you draw a diagram showing the wiring? for example, where is the DC IN wire going?

User avatar
Barbiturix
 
Posts: 28
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2014 4:28 pm

Re: Solar Boost Bag

Post by Barbiturix »

Hello

here it is
wiring V2.jpg
wiring V2.jpg (67.09 KiB) Viewed 505 times

User avatar
adafruit2
 
Posts: 22144
Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2005 7:36 pm

Re: Solar Boost Bag

Post by adafruit2 »

i wonder if the thermistor is causing a problem? also when its charging, check the voltage at 'DCIN" it should be > 4.5V and ideally around 5V!

User avatar
Barbiturix
 
Posts: 28
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2014 4:28 pm

Re: Solar Boost Bag

Post by Barbiturix »

Hello
I got a stable 5.18V for 0.12A
IMG_1612.JPG
IMG_1612.JPG (287.44 KiB) Viewed 486 times
IMG_1611.JPG
IMG_1611.JPG (272.44 KiB) Viewed 486 times

User avatar
adafruit2
 
Posts: 22144
Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2005 7:36 pm

Re: Solar Boost Bag

Post by adafruit2 »

thats not going to work as well as you like because you are going thru the solar port which has a diode, so you need 5.5-6V ish

User avatar
Barbiturix
 
Posts: 28
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2014 4:28 pm

Re: Solar Boost Bag

Post by Barbiturix »

Is there a way to use a 220V-5V adapter for power supply and get the battery charged?

is the mini usb port appropriate to that? It worked several time in july but no more today.

User avatar
adafruit2
 
Posts: 22144
Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2005 7:36 pm

Re: Solar Boost Bag

Post by adafruit2 »

yah the mini USB is definitely what you want for 5V 'wall' charging. try it again?

User avatar
Barbiturix
 
Posts: 28
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2014 4:28 pm

Re: Solar Boost Bag

Post by Barbiturix »

This morning I tried with the 5v wall charging adapter plugged to mini USB I got a stable 5.18V and 0.19A. The issue still there.
current at 0.19A
current at 0.19A
FullSizeRender.jpg (222.61 KiB) Viewed 428 times
tension at 5.18V
tension at 5.18V
FullSizeRender-01.jpg (223.55 KiB) Viewed 428 times

Locked
Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.

Return to “Ask an Engineer! VIDEO CHAT (closed)”