IPAQ 310 12V charger

Just bought a charger on ebay for $4.99.

Works great and charges the unit even at full brightness.

Still messing with the bluetooth serial connector, will report when I
have that completed.

Cheers

Al

Thats great, but WHICH one?

Do you have a link for that charger?

I used one in the motorglider and need a few more for the car and
other planes.

Just an asside, that I am loving XCSoar on the iPAQ 310 as it is nice
and bright, has little glare when you wear a dark colored shirt
and the resolution is fantastic, all for $150 complete including the
mount arm.

Ray


On Sep 13, 1:06*am, "
wrote:
Just bought a charger on ebay for $4.99.

Works great and charges the unit even at full brightness.

Still messing with the bluetooth serial connector, will report when I
have that completed.

Cheers

Al

On Mon, 14 Sep 2009 11:38:59 -0700, jb92563 wrote:

Thats great, but WHICH one?

Do you have a link for that charger?

I bought an cigar lighter charger off eBay for my iPAQ 3630 when I bought
it, back in 2004. This charger delivers 1.4A at 5v and contains a tiny
switch-mode power supply, which I installed in the instrument
interconnect box I built and fitted behind the panel. The iPAQ never did
get installed in a glider, but now I run my Binatone PNA off the iPAQ
power supply. Works perfectly.

Bottom line: if one of these power supplies can power/charge a device
through its USB port then it can power/charge ANY OTHER device that can
be charged via a USB port: the USB 2.0 port specification says that the
socket must be able to supply up to 800 mA at 5v, so it figures that any
USB connected device must be able to be charged from such a port and/or
to be powered from it.

The only problem is that there are three USB connection types (the PC
size used on memory sticks and the two slightly different mini-USB sizes)
but that's easy to solve by using device specific cables with a common
connector at the USB end. That could even be a PC style USB socket -
Maplin (in the UK) sell USB sockets so you should be able to get them
from Radio Shack/Dick Smith/etc in other countries.

The switch-mode power supplies are readily available and cheap on eBay -
and many have a PC-style USB socket, so you can connect your device with
cable that came with it.


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

On Sep 14, 12:28*pm, Martin Gregorie
wrote:
On Mon, 14 Sep 2009 11:38:59 -0700, jb92563 wrote:
Thats great, but WHICH one?

Do you have a link for that charger?

I bought an cigar lighter charger off eBay for my iPAQ 3630 when I bought
it, back in 2004. This charger delivers 1.4A at 5v and contains a tiny
switch-mode power supply, which I installed in the instrument
interconnect box I built and fitted behind the panel. The iPAQ never did
get installed in a glider, but now I run my Binatone PNA off the iPAQ
power supply. Works perfectly.

Bottom line: if one of these power supplies can power/charge a device
through its USB port then it can power/charge ANY OTHER device that can
be charged via a USB port: the USB 2.0 port specification says that the
socket must be able to supply up to 800 mA at 5v, so it figures that any
USB connected device must be able to be charged from such a port and/or
to be powered from it.

The only problem is that there are three USB connection types (the PC
size used on memory sticks and the two slightly different mini-USB sizes)
but that's easy to solve by using device specific cables with a common
connector at the USB end. That could even be a PC style USB socket -
Maplin (in the UK) sell USB sockets so you should be able to get them
from Radio Shack/Dick Smith/etc in other countries.

The switch-mode power supplies are readily available and cheap on eBay -
and many have a PC-style USB socket, so you can connect your device with
cable that came with it.

--
martin@ * | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org * * * |

That is *not* the only problem. This is a case where the devil is in
the details. Various (usually pull-up resistors) signaling schemes or
funky wiring are used by different manufactures to indicate charger
functionality or request higher current etc. As has been discussed
here the iPAQ 310 has some compatibility issues, there can be similar
issues with the iPhone, and so on.

Darryl

On Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:21:59 -0700, Darryl Ramm wrote:

That is *not* the only problem. This is a case where the devil is in the
details. Various (usually pull-up resistors) signaling schemes or funky
wiring are used by different manufactures to indicate charger
functionality or request higher current etc. As has been discussed here
the iPAQ 310 has some compatibility issues, there can be similar issues
with the iPhone, and so on.

I understand what you're getting at, but there's about zero chance that a
cigar lighter adapter would take any notice of pull-ups etc. - what would
you expect from a $US 5.00 charger? Or the USB socket on a cheap computer
for that matter.

I had a quick scout for specifications: the only ratings I could see were
one at 5v/700mA for one unit and 5v/1000mA for a second, so I guess they
nominally conform to the USB 2.0 current rating. I'd suggest that a
device manufacturer who demanded more was being arrogant. Oh, wait, you
did say HP and Apple...


Martin

--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

On Sep 14, 5:06*pm, Martin Gregorie
wrote:
On Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:21:59 -0700, Darryl Ramm wrote:
That is *not* the only problem. This is a case where the devil is in the
details. Various (usually pull-up resistors) signaling schemes or funky
wiring are used by different manufactures to indicate charger
functionality or request higher current etc. As has been discussed here
the iPAQ 310 has some compatibility issues, there can be similar issues
with the iPhone, and so on.

I understand what you're getting at, but there's about zero chance that a
cigar lighter adapter would take any notice of pull-ups etc. - what would
you expect from a $US 5.00 charger? Or the USB socket on a cheap computer
for that matter.

I had a quick scout for specifications: the only ratings I could see were
one at 5v/700mA for one unit and 5v/1000mA for a second, so I guess they
nominally conform to the USB 2.0 current rating. *I'd suggest that a
device manufacturer who demanded more was being arrogant. Oh, wait, you
did say HP and Apple...

Martin

--
martin@ * | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org * * * |

Martin,

There have been several individuals that have taken apart the HP-
supplied car charger and there ARE non-standard (as defined by the USB
spec) voltage divider resistors in the circuit on the charger side.
This provides a signal set to the device (throught the cable) to
trigger it to use the high current mode on the device. If you plug
the device into a standard USB port on the computer it will not charge
at the same rate as with the HP charger. If you plug it into another
vendor's car charger there is no guarentee the device will operate in
high current mode.

In addition, the HP-supplied USB connector A-to-Mini cable has the
mini connector pins 4 & 5 shorted together. This is also a signal to
the device that high current mode can be used. Using a "standard" USB
a-to-mini cable will not allow high current mode.

In short (pun intended) the HP design has many "safe guards" to insure
that the device does not use high current mode on a device or port
that cannot supply the needed current. Or with a cable that may not
be designed for the higher current.

All of this because the HP IPAQ 310 series devices have a high current
drain if the backlight is in the brightess mode, which is desireable
for use in the cockpit and automobile.

I have tried several different USB port car chargers with the HP-
supplied cable and have not been able to get the high curent mode, I
have tried the HP car charger with a standard A-to_mini cable and also
failed to get the required current.

I have been able to modify another charger by adding the resistor
divider circuit and using the HP-supplied USB cable to get the high
current mode to work.

So yes you're probably right there are "arrogant" manufacturers but
the power to "light-up" the unit has to be supplied some way and the
HP design team used the described method, with protection to assure
the device didn't cause damage with a non-HP setup.

Mike "in no way associated with HP" Bamberg

At 19:28 14 September 2009, Martin Gregorie wrote:

Bottom line: if one of these power supplies can power/charge a device
through its USB port then it can power/charge ANY OTHER device that can
be charged via a USB port: the USB 2.0 port specification says that the
socket must be able to supply up to 800 mA at 5v, so it figures that any

USB connected device must be able to be charged from such a port and/or
to be powered from it.

Not true Martin. The HP310 has a non standard usb port. A standard charger
will not charge the device in use unless a non standard cable is used.

Jim

On Sep 15, 1:00*am, Mike Bamberg wrote:
On Sep 14, 5:06*pm, Martin Gregorie
wrote:



On Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:21:59 -0700, Darryl Ramm wrote:
That is *not* the only problem. This is a case where the devil is in the
details. Various (usually pull-up resistors) signaling schemes or funky
wiring are used by different manufactures to indicate charger
functionality or request higher current etc. As has been discussed here
the iPAQ 310 has some compatibility issues, there can be similar issues
with the iPhone, and so on.

I understand what you're getting at, but there's about zero chance that a
cigar lighter adapter would take any notice of pull-ups etc. - what would
you expect from a $US 5.00 charger? Or the USB socket on a cheap computer
for that matter.

I had a quick scout for specifications: the only ratings I could see were
one at 5v/700mA for one unit and 5v/1000mA for a second, so I guess they
nominally conform to the USB 2.0 current rating. *I'd suggest that a
device manufacturer who demanded more was being arrogant. Oh, wait, you
did say HP and Apple...

Martin

--
martin@ * | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org * * * |

Martin,

There have been several individuals that have taken apart the HP-
supplied car charger and there ARE non-standard (as defined by the USB
spec) voltage divider resistors in the circuit on the charger side.
This provides a signal set to the device (throught the cable) to
trigger it to use the high current mode on the device. *If you plug
the device into a standard USB port on the computer it will not charge
at the same rate as with the HP charger. If you plug it into another
vendor's car charger there is no guarentee the device will operate in
high current mode.

In addition, the HP-supplied USB connector A-to-Mini cable has the
mini connector pins 4 & 5 shorted together. *This is also a signal to
the device that high current mode can be used. Using a "standard" USB
a-to-mini cable will not allow high current mode.

In short (pun intended) the HP design has many "safe guards" to insure
that the device does not use high current mode on a device or port
that cannot supply the needed current. *Or with a cable that may not
be designed for the higher current.

All of this because the HP IPAQ 310 series devices have a high current
drain if the backlight is in the brightess mode, which is desireable
for use in the cockpit and automobile.

I have tried several different USB port car chargers with the HP-
supplied cable and have not been able to get the high curent mode, I
have tried the HP car charger with a standard A-to_mini cable and also
failed to get the required current.

I *have been able to modify another charger by adding the resistor
divider circuit and using the HP-supplied USB cable to get the high
current mode to work.

So yes you're probably right there are "arrogant" manufacturers but
the power to "light-up" the unit has to be supplied some way and the
HP design team used the described method, with protection to assure
the device didn't cause damage with a non-HP setup.

Mike "in no way associated with HP" Bamberg

The setup HP (and others) is using is part of the USB 2.0 spec

On Mon, 14 Sep 2009 22:00:11 -0700, Mike Bamberg wrote:

There have been several individuals that have taken apart the HP-
supplied car charger and there ARE non-standard (as defined by the USB
spec) voltage divider resistors in the circuit on the charger side. This
provides a signal set to the device (throught the cable) to trigger it
to use the high current mode on the device. If you plug the device into
a standard USB port on the computer it will not charge at the same rate
as with the HP charger. If you plug it into another vendor's car charger
there is no guarentee the device will operate in high current mode.

.....

In short (pun intended) the HP design has many "safe guards" to insure
that the device does not use high current mode on a device or port that
cannot supply the needed current. Or with a cable that may not be
designed for the higher current.

That's fair - IOW the device can be charged from a standard USB 2.0 port.

Have you any idea what its current draw is when not charging (i.e. fully
charged) and set to high brightness.

I did say at the start that I was using an iPAQ 36xx car adapter to run
my Binatone. I originally came with an iPAQ multiway connector and is
rated at 1.4 amps at 5v - or more correctly, that's what the 3630 manual
says it can draw.

FWIW, when I pulled that PSU out of the cigar lighter plug shell and
added it to my data distribution box, I wired it to a D-9 socket. Thge
remains of the original cable and the Binatone cables were modified to
have a D-9 plug on the PSU end.

Looks like I should modify my advice: get an iPAQ car adapter and use the
electronics out of that: they provide 5v with enough current to keep an
iPAQ happy. eBay is offering Belkin units for around $6.00 and genuine HP
units for $25 or so (these are UK 'Buy It Now' prices).


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

On Sep 15, 8:05*am, Martin Gregorie
wrote:
On Mon, 14 Sep 2009 22:00:11 -0700, Mike Bamberg wrote:
There have been several individuals that have taken apart the HP-
supplied car charger and there ARE non-standard (as defined by the USB
spec) voltage divider resistors in the circuit on the charger side. This
provides a signal set to the device (throught the cable) to trigger it
to use the high current mode on the device. *If you plug the device into
a standard USB port on the computer it will not charge at the same rate
as with the HP charger. If you plug it into another vendor's car charger
there is no guarentee the device will operate in high current mode.

....

In short (pun intended) the HP design has many "safe guards" to insure
that the device does not use high current mode on a device or port that
cannot supply the needed current. *Or with a cable that may not be
designed for the higher current.

That's fair - IOW the device can be charged from a standard USB 2.0 port.

Have you any idea what its current draw is when not charging (i.e. fully
charged) and set to high brightness.

I did say at the start that I was using an iPAQ 36xx car adapter to run
my Binatone. I originally came with an iPAQ multiway connector and is
rated at 1.4 amps at 5v - or more correctly, that's what the 3630 manual
says it can draw.

FWIW, when I pulled that PSU out of the cigar lighter plug shell and
added it to my data distribution box, I wired it to a D-9 socket. Thge
remains of the original cable and the Binatone cables were modified to
have a D-9 plug on the PSU end.

Looks like I should modify my advice: get an iPAQ car adapter and use the
electronics out of that: they provide 5v with enough current to keep an
iPAQ happy. eBay is offering Belkin units for around $6.00 and genuine HP
units for $25 or so (these are UK 'Buy It Now' prices).

--
martin@ * | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org * * * |

Not quantitatively, but in my bench testing the device stayed fully
charged with the backlight on full, bluetooth off and charging in "non-
high-current" mode (i.e. pins 4/5 not shorted and data lines not
driven to 3v).