Charge options to combat range anxiety and avoid shipping Ac/dc usb charger

[comradekingu]

Since range anxiety is a thing, and that fear sometimes is just fear of change/unwarranted. With how good battery time is, it shouldnt be a problem, but it is.

I have forgotten my pandora charger _once_, and i still remember it as being annoying, things like that stick. And that little barrel jack adaptor has gone missing a few times. Things like this must not even possibly happen.

On initial purchase people are inclined to get away from cumbersome charging, thats a selling point, but they are also tied to it, because they are used to one place and one charger for each device.  That takes away from the mobility of things. To really change someones habits they must see themselves using it.

As a very easy (and optional) measure i thought of this:

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/culcharge-smallest-usb-charge-and-data-cable-for-iphone-and-android/x/2680298

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Short-Flat-Micro-USB-Data-Sync-Charging-Cable-for-Samsung-S4-S3-LG-HTC-One-JT1-/301120289221?pt=US_Cell_Phone_PDA_Cables_Adapters&var=&hash=item461c2af9c5

Something like this that hooks into the kensington lock. Maybe something can be found that is even better, but the point remains. 

That little fix enables the pyra to be charged most everywhere. And if you find yourself not needing it, you can use it to charge someones phone, or your own.

The alternative is an inductive plate that can be glued to only the battery cover for wireless charging. More costly, more wasteful and really just for convenience, but worth looking into existing options.

TL;DR  Onboard usb charging, what is the best option?

 

[WizardStan]

The Pyra will be strictly USB charging via microUSB. I'm not sure what you're asking to be changed.

 

[ekianjo]

strictly USB charging via microUSB.

nothing else but that? already confirmed?

 

[WizardStan]

nothing else but that? already confirmed?

I can't find the exact post where ED confirmed it, but in this post it is very heavily implied, microUSB for charging and serial debugging. He did confirm that this would be the only charging port (no more barrel jack) but I can't remember exactly which thread that was.

 

[Grench]

nothing else but that? already confirmed?

I can't find the exact post where ED confirmed it, but in this post it is very heavily implied, microUSB for charging and serial debugging. He did confirm that this would be the only charging port (no more barrel jack) but I can't remember exactly which thread that was.

My understanding is that you can charge via the microUSB plug style charging (and serial) port OR via the microUSB side of the microUSB 3.0 OTG port.  Two options, both use standard and ubiquitous microUSB charging cords.

The important bit that we do not know yet is what the minimum mA or A rating for the transformer is going to be.

USB AC adapters range in capacity from 500mA through 5A.  The Pandora likes my 750mA microUSB charger from an old Blackberry.  The Pyra may require more than the 500mA that you can get from an old notebook's USB port - no way to know yet.

But, what we know:

The barrel jack is gone.  

There will be two charging port options.  

Both charging options are microUSB.

microUSB chargers are now available everywhere.

 

[Yoyobuae]

The good thing is that microUSB cables are ubiquitous, compared to miniUSB which are much harder to find.

I hope we also get a dedicated charger (ie. one with a USB socket) with at least 1.0A output. Even at that rate it will take ~6 hours to fully charge Pyra's 6000mAh battery.

 

[TrashyMG]

The good thing is that microUSB cables are ubiquitous, compared to miniUSB which are much harder to find.

I hope we also get a dedicated charger (ie. one with a USB socket) with at least 1.0A output. Even at that rate it will take ~6 hours to fully charge Pyra's 6000mAh battery.

I'm actually hoping it will be at least 2.5A those are fairly common now.

 

[Yoyobuae]

Ok as long as it doesn't make Pyra live up to it's name.

My Pandora's battery goes up to 42ºC while charging with wall charger at around 1.2A.

 

[Binky]

Will we be able to charge from both µUSB ports at once? e.g. with two USB cables to a computer that only has 500mA USB2.0 ports.

How will the Pyra regulate / negotiate power from the serial/debug port?

I though devices were only allowed to draw 100mA without asking nicely.

or was the idea that the debug port will draw as much as it can get (suitable for a wall charger) and the µUSB3 port will negotiate with the host device?

Could charging current be configurable from software?

 

[WizardStan]

I though devices were only allowed to draw 100mA without asking nicely.

That's the standard. The Pandora violates that.That's why sometimes you need to put the Pandora into mass storage mode, so it's in a mode that your computer accepts needs more power, otherwise it might just refuse.

Could charging current be configurable from software?

The Pandora's current is technically configurable from software, the Pyra should just be an enhancement on that.

 

[Kiga]

Since range anxiety is a thing, and that fear sometimes is just fear of change/unwarranted. With how good battery time is, it shouldnt be a problem, but it is.

I have forgotten my pandora charger _once_, and i still remember it as being annoying, things like that stick. And that little barrel jack adaptor has gone missing a few times. Things like this must not even possibly happen.

On initial purchase people are inclined to get away from cumbersome charging, thats a selling point, but they are also tied to it, because they are used to one place and one charger for each device.  That takes away from the mobility of things. To really change someones habits they must see themselves using it.

As a very easy (and optional) measure i thought of this:

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/culcharge-smallest-usb-charge-and-data-cable-for-iphone-and-android/x/2680298

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Short-Flat-Micro-USB-Data-Sync-Charging-Cable-for-Samsung-S4-S3-LG-HTC-One-JT1-/301120289221?pt=US_Cell_Phone_PDA_Cables_Adapters&var=&hash=item461c2af9c5

Something like this that hooks into the kensington lock. Maybe something can be found that is even better, but the point remains. 

That little fix enables the pyra to be charged most everywhere. And if you find yourself not needing it, you can use it to charge someones phone, or your own.

The alternative is an inductive plate that can be glued to only the battery cover for wireless charging. More costly, more wasteful and really just for convenience, but worth looking into existing options.

TL;DR  Onboard usb charging, what is the best option?

Indeed, I started to look for my Pyra kit (I have done well since I caught the last black one of that discountinued pacsafe case available in my country), I was looking for something like that "culcharge" because they don't sell it anymore.

Inductive charging is worse than usb in any point (energy wasting, charging time, portability).

An external charger with at least two battery port is necessary. So that we would not have to wait 6h because we could switches between batteries, it could also charge faster because there wouldn't be the heat issue and it would improve Pyra's life.

 

[Grench]

In theory, this device could charge the Pyra from dead to full in around an hour and 15 minutes - probably boil and explode the battery at that rate, but hey, the logos are nearly a match too.

5W at 5VDC from wood:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/biolite/biolite-basecamp-stove-turn-fire-into-electricity

Seriously, a 2A charger and 3-5 hour recharge (dependent on temperature regulation during charge) from dead battery to full should be perfectly adequate.

Maybe someone could make a replacement battery door/cover with an integrated heat sink so that it can charge faster when left upside down?

 

[comradekingu]

Maybe something like this https://www.crowdsupply.com/xipiter/usbcondom

 

[deadofmind]

The USB Condom is nothing more than a USB connector that removes the data ports that a regular USB cord has. I do not think it would be applicable to this use case.

 

[Natsu]

Speaking of charger. Is the Pyra coming with a 3.0 usb? Not that we can do it with the Pyra, but Oppo manage 4.5A.
 

I'm actually hoping it will be at least 2.5A those are fairly common now.

I agree.

 

[Binky]

Is the Pyra coming with a 3.0 usb?

It will have a microUSB3.0 port, which will be able to act as either a host or slave. 

 

[Natsu]

It will have a microUSB3.0 port, which will be able to act as either a host or slave.

I meant USB cable.

 

[Grench]

It will have a microUSB3.0 port, which will be able to act as either a host or slave.

I meant USB cable.

I don't think that the concern is with the cable's capability of handling that type of power - but with what happens to a VERY dense LiIon battery when subjected to extended charging at that level.  The Oppo's battery is HALF the power of the Pyra's - in about the same amount of space.  That heat has to go somewhere.

So - the charge rate is likely to be limited more based on thermals than on amperage - though higher amperage may have a benefit for very short (15 min?) charge cycles (airport, coffee shop, etc.).  Standard plug-in for overnight charging shouldn't care so much so long as the waste heat can get out - regardless of whether we're feeding it 1A or 5A - though there should be a listed maximum that can be safely plugged into the unit.

 

[Binky]

Will it be able to  negotiate current draw using the debug/serial port?

 

[Askarus]

For me it's important that it can run while it gets power from an external source without heat development.

Else it'll get to hot when in the docking station.