Brainstorm: laptop battery to 5v/12v (molex) converter

Many roads lead to this moment, where:
1. We have many small computers and devices that run on 5v (E02, smartphones, 2.5" hard drives etc) or 12v (Pogoplug Pro, 12v tap on 3.5" hard drives, home routers etc).
2. A plentiful and inexpensive battery to adequately power these devices is already used in laptops and typically is 19v.
3. Some devices such as 3.5" hard drives use both 5v and 12v and are well served interfacing with the molex standard.
3. DC-to-DC converters are common and many times inexpensive.

I envision a small and simple device that plugs into a laptop battery's power interface and outputs a molex, and maybe a battery indicator on the device. Internally I don't know how to make it happen, what the electrical configuration might be.

I don't even know if a laptop battery only outputs a singular 19v or if there are additional taps based on the cells inside. But assuming it's only 19v, would a person take two converters like this, set one to output 12v and the other one 5v and wire that to the appropriate molex plug, good to go?

* Caution: Lithium ion batteries can go Hindenburg if there aren't protections in place. They may already be built into the batteries though, but that can't go overlooked.

This is as far as I can run with the idea, and think if it were possible and executed efficiently, it's a huge step forward.
What you think?

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-= Cloud 9 =-



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/15/2016 11:50AM by JoeyPogoPlugE02.

How about using a lead-acid battery with a 110V/220V Automatic Electric Car Battery Charger Intelligent Pulse Repair Type Battery Charger 12V/24V 6AH-200AH MF-2C to charge the battery. Then, use a Car Cigarette Lighter 3 Way Auto Socket to provide 12VDC outputs (preferably with an ON/OFF switch on each port) and a Universal Dual Car USB Charger Adapter to provide 5VDC outputs?

Yeah and instead of hard drives and Pogoplugs, we'll step up the voltage and power a laptop!
I give up.

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This may seem unrelated, but check it out. http://www.thepodx.com/POD-X-Diesel-Kit-p/fl-pod-xdsl.htm

A guy I work with was selling these for a big discount. After using one the company bought to get a forklift going, my "light bulb" lit up. I had just bought a Kangaroo mini pc and a monitor. I ended up buying one and yes, it will power the Kangaroo and 19" monitor. I did minimal testing, and don't know how long it would last. I left it hooked up for a few hours running the Kangaroo and monitor, but don't remember if I even checked the discharge. I've used it a few times to jump my truck, and am still impressed with it. I haven't checked yet, but would guess it likely has an adaptor that would work on a pogo v4.

Similar products are available really cheap if you shop around. Mine came with multiple adaptors and a charger. I would think this would last a very long time running a few pogos and hdd's. Someone could probably calculate the appr. battery life based on battery capacity vs draw.

JeffS Wrote:
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> This may seem unrelated

Features
400amp and 800amp jump start ports
Up to 20 jump starts in one charge. One charge lasts for 6 months if unused
5v USB port for charging cell phones, MP3 players, tablets, cameras, GPS units, PSPs and more
19v output for charging laptops and other elecrtonics
High power LED with 3 functions: flashlight, strobe, and Coast Guard approved S.O.S
Charges the Night Sparrow and LED Safety Flares

Price be damned, it does offer 19v output for laptop and a 5v for USB stuff.
So that means my goal is the same: convert 19v to dual-tap 12v and 5v (I'll have to see if there's schematics showing how they arrived at their design for the 5v tap).

I'll find some old church people to fast and pray, and summon Bodhi, Gravelrash and Bobba. The three wise men. I bet I have weird dreams tonight...

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/15/2016 10:47PM by JoeyPogoPlugE02.

Here's one for $27.00 I don't know if you could build one for this small amount.

Quote

Condition: New
Brand: Unbranded
Battery Average Life: More than 1500 times
Type: Jump Starter
Battery Charge Time: 5-7hours Manufacturer
Part Number: Does Not Apply
Output Power: 5V -12V-19V & 0.5A -2A-3.5A About
Warranty: Yes
Features: Portable
Battery Specific: Lipo Battery
Country/Region of Manufacture: China
Vehicle Type: Vehicle
Starting current: 200A Voltage: 12V
Peak current: 400A
Battery Power: 20000mAh
Color: Multi color
Item Length: 16.5 cm
Item Width: 7.5 cm
Item Height: 4.0 cm

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/15/2016 11:25PM by JeffS.

JeffS Wrote:
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> I don't know if
> you could build one for this small amount.

Wow and a half! These newer generation batteries take everything to new levels. I saw a similar item at Wal Mart today for twice the price FWIW. That would power my neighborhood doomsday server and probably charge every cell phone in the neighborhood as well! Not hard to imagine poor people charging these things at work and running a home computer lab at night with the electricity they acquired.

Well even if I have no progress on my recycling efforts JeffS, this would still accomplish what we were looking for.
I'll go tell the old people they can eat now LOL

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Joey,

> I'll go tell the old people they can eat now LOL

:))

I think your goal is not clear. Do you still just want 12V 2A-5A to power the HDD on Pogo, even with wallwart? or now you really want a battery that output 12V and 2A-5A?

-bodhi
===========================
Forum Wiki
bodhi's corner (buy bodhi a beer)

JoeyPogoPlugE02 Wrote:
> So that means my goal is the same: convert 19v to
> dual-tap 12v and 5v (I'll have to see if there's
> schematics showing how they arrived at their
> design for the 5v tap).
>
For a 19VDC to 12VDC @2A max, perhaps this inexpensive DC-DC Adjustable Boost Module 2A will do?

bodhi Wrote:
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> I think your goal is not clear. Do you still just
> want 12V 2A-5A to power the HDD on Pogo, even with
> wallwart? or now you really want a battery that
> output 12V and 2A-5A?

The main goal is portable molex power. Molex is an old "standard" and further adapters are cheap.

The secondary goal is to repurpose standard 19v laptop batteries for the task at hand.

So the result, is a plug that clips or clamps to a charged laptop battery, and has a molex receptacle on the other side of it. And a bump in the middle.

habibie Wrote:
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> For a 19VDC to 12VDC @2A max, perhaps this
> inexpensive...

That's nice, and reminds me I'd made one of them from a kit years ago and never so much as tested it. It was to be used for a tube preamp I'd built, to vary the heater voltage on the tubes. I'll have to dig that up and see if I've got part 1 of what I'm trying to make.

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JoeyPogoPlugE02 Wrote:
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> habibie Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > For a 19VDC to 12VDC @2A max, perhaps this
> > inexpensive...
>
> That's nice, and reminds me I'd made one of them
> from a kit years ago and never so much as tested
> it. It was to be used for a tube preamp I'd built,
> to vary the heater voltage on the tubes. I'll have
> to dig that up and see if I've got part 1 of what
> I'm trying to make.
>
I was wondering, if you need a 5A current, can you put 3 modules in parallel to produce a max 6A? Do you need some diodes for protection on each module?