SparkFun Electronics Commentsurn:uuid:214d0e4e-f1b1-d287-ce26-ac5b4c9f82492024-03-29T06:50:53-06:00SparkFun ElectronicsCustomer #503652 on PRT-11358 - USB Battery Pack - 1000 mAhCustomer #503652urn:uuid:50725ba6-fdde-a48d-14b3-9a290086b1be2016-01-27T23:55:37-07:00<p>Has anyone figured out what the minimum load would <em>prevent</em> the auto-shutoff "feature" kicking in ? I had assumed a 1000mAh lipo would be ideal for my application (it draws no more than 250mAh) so I would get ~4 hours of runtime on a full charge. But no luck - it runs for a few seconds & then shuts down :-(
I know a larger load may work but how much larger? More to the point, a bigger load is not only a waste of energy but will shorten the run-time. Any input would be appreciated.</p>
PointyOintment on PRT-11358 - USB Battery Pack - 1000 mAhPointyOintmenturn:uuid:a4e5b33f-4a09-16b7-061d-c626dfe0de242015-04-29T15:44:50-06:00<p>If it works like one of the USB battery packs I have, yes. If it works like the other one I have, no. It depends on whether its input and output are usable simultaneously. One of my packs (Justin 5,200 mAh) can supply current while it's plugged in; the other (Justin 10,000 mAh) turns off its outputs while it's plugged into power. So… I don't know. Maybe. It's on sale right now, too, so you could just buy it and see for yourself if nobody who knows shows up.</p>
PointyOintment on PRT-11358 - USB Battery Pack - 1000 mAhPointyOintmenturn:uuid:429d42db-4eda-560d-496e-1cbc14c88aa02015-04-29T15:39:11-06:00<p>USB battery packs stay on while the current being drawn is above some threshold value. It sounds like your Electric Imp isn't drawing enough current for the battery pack to think anything is connected.</p>
PointyOintment on PRT-11358 - USB Battery Pack - 1000 mAhPointyOintmenturn:uuid:c15d1588-0934-3f4c-1f21-c324f67460c82015-04-29T15:38:13-06:00<p>That may not be your desired behavior, but it's how every USB battery pack I've used or seen works, so I don't think it indicates a defect. I suppose you could add a normally closed pushbutton to the USB V+ line to serve as an off button.</p>
Customer #480346 on PRT-11358 - USB Battery Pack - 1000 mAhCustomer #480346urn:uuid:edf0204b-f55a-87f2-2a31-1ad46230ec892015-01-15T14:08:12-07:00<p>This works great along with the USB microB Cable to power my arduino yun.</p>
Katscan on PRT-11358 - USB Battery Pack - 1000 mAhKatscanurn:uuid:0dc7b75e-c70e-9952-4d71-3411302cb29c2014-10-18T07:17:27-06:00<p>Is there a trick to getting the battery to shut off? The button works to power it on but no ammount of pressing or holding will it turn off. I have to remove the USB cable before it will turn off. Is this supposed to happen?</p>
Customer #564943 on PRT-11358 - USB Battery Pack - 1000 mAhCustomer #564943urn:uuid:e13fdbd4-3eee-a383-a83b-8f8e9c68a0d72014-07-11T09:06:04-06:00<p>I bought this to run an Electric Imp and it shuts off after a few seconds. If you hold the power switch in it stays on though. I guess I can replace the momentary switch with a toggle. Pretty disappointing.</p>
Customer #447569 on PRT-11358 - USB Battery Pack - 1000 mAhCustomer #447569urn:uuid:c73038af-502b-eb5b-6ad5-0256affb9afa2013-06-17T17:40:59-06:00<p>This pack works with raspberry pi model B?</p>
Customer #256401 on PRT-11358 - USB Battery Pack - 1000 mAhCustomer #256401urn:uuid:b1da4957-f18f-cebc-9ae0-732fa26f84f12013-04-06T20:18:42-06:00<p>I realize this sounds like a stupid question, but how do you use this?<p>At first I thought I had a bad battery, but SparkFun sent a replacement and it behaves the same way:</p><p>1) The power pins always show a 0.17V drop, even shortly after charging.
2) After fully charging (according to the indicator light) and then letting it sit for an hour and plugging back into the charger, the indicator shows it is dead.
3) It doesn't have any switches or buttons or other obvious reasons it wouldn't supply power.
4) It doesn't seem to be a load sensor either, because the battery doesn't respond to small resistors or my phone.</p><p>Did I miss something? Or is it just another junk battery from China?</p></p>
Akatm7 on PRT-11358 - USB Battery Pack - 1000 mAhAkatm7urn:uuid:b67093b8-9feb-3840-42d9-b4a516be49502013-02-24T15:50:03-07:00<p>unfortunately you would have to get a higher power battery pack. I would suggest that you get the 6600mah battery pack from here at sparkfun but you can also get the 2000mah one and that one should work. either one will work though.</p>
FrankM on PRT-11358 - USB Battery Pack - 1000 mAhFrankMurn:uuid:a32b1240-6f2a-6cb2-a022-c05a8062cc712013-02-04T09:52:56-07:00<p>My 1000mAh pack ( PRT-11358 ) arrived Saturday and I just plugged it in to my laptop. So far, so good, but I did notice that the LED is very dim, to the point of being nearly invisible in my normal office lighting. Admittedly this is a case where low LED power drain is a good thing, but the problem seems to be with the "viewing port" in the button it's stuck behind; I can see the LED burning brightly when I look into the USB "OUT" port.<p>Which might be more difficult once I have something plugged into that port. <grin!></p><p>Obviously you can't fix the unit I have, and I don't plan on returning it, but it would be nice if you could pass this information back to the manufacturer so they could improve on it for"USB Battery v1.1".</p><p>Thanks.</p></p>
EEtwidget on PRT-11358 - USB Battery Pack - 1000 mAhEEtwidgeturn:uuid:4dd2a0ef-5c9c-13ed-e781-5c8edc1df7ab2013-01-25T02:43:44-07:00<p>I'm having the sam problems with the bigger battery. Adding a load resistor should work, but its also a waste of power and you might need to heatsink. Till I have time to open this thing up I just plug my phone into one of the open ports to charge. That draws enough current to keep the battery on. I use the second port to power my project.</p>
sidusnare on PRT-11358 - USB Battery Pack - 1000 mAhsidusnareurn:uuid:8012dce3-81eb-e25c-8213-363226ddc11e2013-01-24T18:20:04-07:00<p>I am using this to drive a blue-tooth RS232 module, it isn't enough power to keep it from auto shutoff, anyone know a way around this?</p>
MRSHKO on PRT-11358 - USB Battery Pack - 1000 mAhMRSHKOurn:uuid:061013de-2f67-bcd2-b54a-04e90bf386f92013-01-24T14:12:48-07:00<p>I just received the lipo charger. It works for both iphones and blackberries. Joy!</p>
BigHomie on PRT-11358 - USB Battery Pack - 1000 mAhBigHomieurn:uuid:69cc9cb9-3b83-0a7b-4f01-8a78a0b4e5912013-01-23T10:11:12-07:00<p>Has anyone tried hacking this charger and adding a higher power lion batt? like <a href="https://www.sparkfun.com/products/8483?" rel="nofollow">this one</a> perhaps</p>
MRSHKO on PRT-11358 - USB Battery Pack - 1000 mAhMRSHKOurn:uuid:f34051a2-00fb-037a-e139-23fadb8548ca2013-01-16T18:19:54-07:00<p>Ok, answered my own question. It has a switching supply. Take a look at the tear-down picture in the 2A version.<p>Still don't know if it has the resistor strappings to work with an iphone though</p></p>
MRSHKO on PRT-11358 - USB Battery Pack - 1000 mAhMRSHKOurn:uuid:e17ec0e7-eece-205e-24dd-e9a825d472e12013-01-16T18:17:41-07:00<p>I'm really confused by this product. The charging IC is a linear charger, but what is producing the 5V? Either this has 1) a switching power supply or 2) it has 2S batteries and it is regulated to 5V. Anyone at Sparkfun know? You said you opened it. Does it have an inductor in there?<p>Has it been tried on an iphone?</p></p>
Doughball on PRT-11358 - USB Battery Pack - 1000 mAhDoughballurn:uuid:749f5d98-9854-1ad0-37ad-5ef58424d4512013-01-13T09:31:55-07:00<p>Does anyone know if this can be used as a uninterrupted power supply (UPS)? I want to run my circuit off this, then if the power goes out, have it run off the charged battery. When the power comes back on, the internal battery would charge back up.</p>
Customer #311588 on PRT-11358 - USB Battery Pack - 1000 mAhCustomer #311588urn:uuid:aafad22d-def2-6033-4172-0826b2918a012013-01-13T01:28:23-07:00<p>I actually have two questions
1. Can this work as a LiPo recharger? I mean, like If I was to get another 1S LiPo and then toss it in? (Also thinking of just what if I wanted to replace the LiPo inside in the future)
2. Does this have a cut-off circuit? That is, if the device draws and draws power will the pack "shut down" before it reaches the minimum Voltage before it explodes or whatever?</p>
RobertC. on PRT-11358 - USB Battery Pack - 1000 mAhRobertC.urn:uuid:8d4191a5-0fc0-7eba-46a8-15016b4ea5092013-01-11T08:36:56-07:00<p>we have. it's made by the same people who make our batteries, so they have the same lipo battery that we sell inside.</p>
TheMoogle on PRT-11358 - USB Battery Pack - 1000 mAhTheMoogleurn:uuid:982e80f4-369c-237e-769d-1d0475da94cb2013-01-11T06:51:08-07:00<p>Have you cracked open one of these yet to see what type of battery these have in them? An Internals photo would be nice to see. I purchased something similar from china on ebay with a mini solar panel, when I opened it up I was shocked to find it had no fuse or thermal protection on the batteries.</p>