11-13-2011, 02:32 PM | #16 | |
Fanatic
Posts: 569
Karma: 199759
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Vancouver, BC
Device: Kobo WiFi, Kobo Glo, Kobo Vox, Samsung Galaxy S4, Samsung Tab2
|
Quote:
|
|
11-13-2011, 06:48 PM | #17 |
Wizard
Posts: 1,326
Karma: 1077205
Join Date: Jun 2011
Device: Kobo Touch, Sony T1, Kobo Mini
|
I wonder if the minty boost charger would work for charging Vox. This link shows how apple device knows it can charge at higher rate.
http://www.ladyada.net/make/mintyboost/icharge.html |
11-13-2011, 06:56 PM | #18 |
Wizard
Posts: 2,302
Karma: 2607151
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Toronto
Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kindle Paperwhite, Asus ZenPad 3, Kobo Glo
|
You might also consider this one:
http://ca.shopblackberry.com/Product.../ACC-39344-301 It's the "Premium International Charger" for the Blackberry Playbook -- enough amps for the Vox and handy to charge a smartphone in twice normal time. It comes with a variety of snap-on plugs. It can be purchased from Blackberry or other dealers. |
11-13-2011, 07:52 PM | #19 |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 12,167
Karma: 73448616
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Toronto
Device: Nexus 7, Clara, Touch, Tolino EPOS
|
I think what we need is a hacker with some experience in electronices. I think what Kobo have done is similar to Garmin on their GPS's; they place a load across some of the pins on the USB cable. See http://pinouts.ru/GPS/garmin_nuvi_power_pinout.shtml
|
11-14-2011, 12:21 AM | #20 | |
Groupie
Posts: 190
Karma: 157090
Join Date: Nov 2011
Device: Kobo, Kobo Vox
|
Quote:
I have a digital lifestyle backpack that can inductively charge my electronics and I hope to design a case for my Vox that includes inductive (wireless) charging. To this end I'll be studying the official charger, so I'll post anything I learn here. |
|
11-14-2011, 06:13 AM | #21 |
Evangelist
Posts: 490
Karma: 351398
Join Date: Oct 2010
Device: Kobo Vox and Glo
|
I might've found a AA USB battery charger device. http://www.ebay.ca/itm/270810499131 Just for grins, and if no one else feels like it, I'll buy the device. I won't need it much, as I mostly travel by vehicle and with my laptop, but I don't mind having an extra device around to charge things on an emergency basis if my laptop isn't available or convenient. And I *always* have AA batteries around.
I used the search terms "2A usb charger -car" without the quotes on ebay.d PeterT/Jeff - I'm a bit confused though. A few postings back in this thread Jeff stated that "I've used several and they've done the job." So we don't really need to pull the charger apart. Assuming that Jeff meant that he used several with the Vox. Last edited by TonyToews; 11-14-2011 at 06:18 AM. |
11-14-2011, 06:35 PM | #22 |
Groupie
Posts: 190
Karma: 157090
Join Date: Nov 2011
Device: Kobo, Kobo Vox
|
They'll charge the battery, but the charging notice won't appear. It seems the official charger does something with the data pins, not just the 5v+/- pins. In my experience a lot of usb-based chargers are going this route (Apple, for example, with their iPhone and iPad chargers).
|
11-14-2011, 08:16 PM | #23 |
Evangelist
Posts: 490
Karma: 351398
Join Date: Oct 2010
Device: Kobo Vox and Glo
|
Jeff, thanks for the clarification. Does that include the orange/green charge indicator light? Will the Vox/other USB device continue to pull amps from the charger even when the device is fully charged?
|
11-16-2011, 01:03 AM | #24 | |
Evangelist
Posts: 490
Karma: 351398
Join Date: Oct 2010
Device: Kobo Vox and Glo
|
Quote:
|
|
12-06-2011, 08:21 PM | #25 | |
Evangelist
Posts: 490
Karma: 351398
Join Date: Oct 2010
Device: Kobo Vox and Glo
|
Quote:
No big deal but the extra wait is irritating. I now have the 18650 batteries on order from a Canadian vendor so I should have them in a week or so. What that eBay listing also did not make clear, at least to me, is that it also charges the internal 18650 batteries from a standard USB port. I had assumed you'd have to charge the AA batteries from an external battery charger. And you can charge those batteries at the 2 amp rate using your Kobo charger. I wonder what the capacity of the Vox internal battery is? The four batteries I purchased were 3.7 V at 2400 mah. The tech specs just state 7 hours battery life. |
|
12-16-2011, 02:39 AM | #26 |
Groupie
Posts: 190
Karma: 157090
Join Date: Nov 2011
Device: Kobo, Kobo Vox
|
Internal battery is a 3.7V 4000mAh Li-ion pack providing 14.8 Watt-hours. It is produced by Darfon (Model: D1-11-04) and I've seen a couple white sheets around with more specs but my google-fu is failing me right now.
|
01-02-2012, 06:59 PM | #27 | |
Member
Posts: 16
Karma: 594730
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Montreal, QC, Canada
Device: Sony eReader PRS-600, Kobo Vox
|
Alternate battery charger
I can't find a 5v2a charger. There is one on ThinkGeek (http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/tra...b/?srp=23#tabs) that claims to be a 2a device, but I haven't tried it yet.
Is there any way to change the output of a laptop / PC USB port to 2a? That might solve the problem. Quote:
|
|
01-02-2012, 07:09 PM | #28 |
Grand Sorcerer
Posts: 12,167
Karma: 73448616
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Toronto
Device: Nexus 7, Clara, Touch, Tolino EPOS
|
The whole problem is not so much the 2A charger; rather, it's the USB cable being used.
I have not got the skills, but am convinced that all the cable is doing is presenting a resistive load across some of the USB pins that is detected by the Vox, and that this then informs the Vox that this is the correct charger. For an example of another device and it's cabling requirements, take a look at the cable for a GARMIN Nuvi GPS For 2A chargers take a look at The Source. For instance I see this LENMAR ACUSB31 that is 3.1A USB charger. |
01-02-2012, 07:41 PM | #29 | |
Wizard
Posts: 1,117
Karma: 2094306
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Montreal, Canada
Device: Lots and lots of electronic gadgets...
|
Quote:
Amazon sells a version with both the wall and car charger for $39.99... http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA300_.jpg Last edited by Cdesja5; 01-02-2012 at 08:04 PM. Reason: length of cable |
|
01-02-2012, 09:14 PM | #30 | |
Evangelist
Posts: 484
Karma: 26106
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Canada
Device: Kobo Vox, Amazon Fire 7
|
Quote:
Incidentally, today I emailed help@kobobooks.com asking how I might purchase an extra Vox charger because other chargers don't work properly. When I get a reply, I'll post here. Perhaps if more customers asked the same question, Kobo will hurry up and make them available. My charger is plugged in in my bedroom and that's where I have to return the Vox to recharge it, or else keep lugging the charger around. I'm sure a lot of folks would be interested in an extra one. |
|
Tags |
apps, travel, vox |
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Travelling to Mexico | flossie | Which one should I buy? | 2 | 01-02-2011 09:36 PM |
Travelling with Kobo | dmacmart | Kobo Reader | 5 | 08-05-2010 02:48 AM |
PRS-600 Travelling need more books | sminarovich | Sony Reader | 9 | 02-22-2010 11:22 AM |
Travelling with the iLiad? | JohnnySack | iRex | 3 | 07-09-2008 03:18 AM |
travelling for free | Unregistered | Lounge | 0 | 06-25-2003 07:45 AM |