Battery advice

[Reptile Smile]

I built mine last night, and was absolutely thrilled that it worked first time, ready to go.  Amazing, and a huge shout out to the team that did this - and props to Ian Fallon for a great job on the manual.

I have an Anker 10400 power pack and it's a great solution, and I'm happy with it.  That said, it's in a shared Permit To Fly aircraft, and in an ideal world, I would either install it permanently with a feed through a step-down regulator, as previously put on here (which of course is fine, and one way to do it, but is a lot of faff), or alternatively to leave the PA unit in the aircraft and then get group members to bring their own battery pack.

Now that in itself I guess is fine - there's only four of us, but I was just wondering whether it's possible to wire up some kind of unit that takes 'every day' batteries and if so what type, or whether that's a cack-handed bodge, and whether the Anker is the most elegant solution all round. 

Any thoughts would be gratefully recieved!

[DaveStyles]

Hi,

No need for a "cack handed bodge" !

The beauty of PilotAware is that it runs from a standard USB port. This means that the "Power Banks" that are widely available to recharge mobile phones can also be used to run a PilotAware. (about the same size as a mobile phone)

I get about 3 hours out of my power bank that is in theory a 3500mah battery.

There are some power banks out there that claim to be 500000mah for £10, so the only word of caution is to go for a reputable brand.

No need to wire it in, keep it portable, just use a power bank like you may use for your phone or your iPad.

Dave Styles
PilotAware Hardware.

[Paul_Sengupta]

Do you have a power socket in the aeroplane?

[Reptile Smile]

Hi,

No need for a "cack handed bodge" !

The beauty of PilotAware is that it runs from a standard USB port. This means that the "Power Banks" that are widely available to recharge mobile phones can also be used to run a PilotAware. (about the same size as a mobile phone)

I get about 3 hours out of my power bank that is in theory a 3500mah battery.

There are some power banks out there that claim to be 500000mah for £10, so the only word of caution is to go for a reputable brand.

No need to wire it in, keep it portable, just use a power bank like you may use for your phone or your iPad.

Dave Styles
PilotAware Hardware.

Hi Dave - no, that's what I mean.  I have that, but whilst I could recommend others in group to buy the Anker like I have, I just wondered if I could put something together where they could just plug in some D size cells.

Paul - no, not at the moment.

[DaveStyles]

Hi,

No need for a "cack handed bodge" !

The beauty of PilotAware is that it runs from a standard USB port. This means that the "Power Banks" that are widely available to recharge mobile phones can also be used to run a PilotAware. (about the same size as a mobile phone)

I get about 3 hours out of my power bank that is in theory a 3500mah battery.

There are some power banks out there that claim to be 500000mah for £10, so the only word of caution is to go for a reputable brand.

No need to wire it in, keep it portable, just use a power bank like you may use for your phone or your iPad.

Dave Styles
PilotAware Hardware.

Hi Dave - no, that's what I mean.  I have that, but whilst I could recommend others in group to buy the Anker like I have, I just wondered if I could put something together where they could just plug in some D size cells.

Paul - no, not at the moment.

You *could* come up with something, some batteries and a 5v regulator.

but by the time you get a box big enough for 4 x D cells, make up a small circuit to give you stable 5v to a USB socket or similiar, and then take that in an aeroplane, an environment where you really don't want things to go pop or wrong. You are probably better off spending £20 on a rechargeable pack that has been built and tested already, and weighs a lot less.

[Paul_Sengupta]

A quick google throws up this:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Digital-Additions%C2%AE-Battery-Extender-Batteries-Black/dp/B002PHC1XU

But surely a rechargeable would be better in the long run?

[Reptile Smile]

Thanks both.

[DaveStyles]

I was majoring on this bit,

... if I could put something together ...

lots of things to buy.
Check the capacity of AA's though.

[JCurtis]

You could always fit a Charge2 into the aircraft, as it's a permit aircraft.  Then simply plug the PAW and you tablet/phone of choice into the other port.

Then no need to remember to buy batteries, or charge them, just plug in and go.

[Reptile Smile]

Right, I'm sorry to be a recurrent pain in the undercarriage.

Turns out the microlight does indeed have an aux 12v power socket.  I'd like to use this to power both my phone running SkyDemon (a Samsung Note 3) and the PA unit.  Am I likely to be able to power both of those from the same socket - something like this? Perhaps using the 2.1A for the Note 3 and the 1.1A for the PA unit?

However - does the power from this need regulating before it gets to the PA unit?  And if so, what would I need to achieve this?

Any thoughts and advice gratefully received

[DaveStyles]

Check the power available from the 12v socket first.

3A at 5v is 15W.
I doubt the 12v socket is rated less than 1.25A, but I'd check.

Then the answer is "yes", but be a *little* bit careful as some of the *cheapest* USB converters have switch mode power supplies that could/may interfere with the radio.

I'm sure there will be recommendations around for which ones don't on microlight forums ?

[Paul_Sengupta]

Am I likely to be able to power both of those from the same socket - something like this? Perhaps using the 2.1A for the Note 3 and the 1.1A for the PA unit?

Yes, but I'd also try it the other way around, 1.1A for the phone, 2.1A for the PAW. My 7" tablet takes just over an amp when the screen is on and the battery is run down so has to be charged. I believe the PAW will take just over an amp as well.

I'd personally use a reputable make, known to not interfere with the radio. I use one of these:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Anker-Charger-PowerIQ-Technology-Motorola-Black/dp/B00D82O68Y

They have a new version of it out now.

[Reptile Smile]

Magic darts, thanks both.

With regards to, say, the Anker charger, can I run a regular USB lead from this to the Raspberry Pi, or does it need to be regulated first?

[DaveStyles]

A regular USB lead is fine. PAW runs on 5v.

[Ian Melville]

Not quite regular USB. Needs to be a short 20AWG cable as recommended in the known hardware list.

For example:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/271936509656?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT