High Power USB Hub

OK. I played around a bit tonight.

I took an old 4 port USB hub I had lying around, and replaced the input usb wire with a power socket. Then I used a 5V 2.5A power supply and connect it to the new power socket. My Galaxy S charged (saying it is connected to KIES), but not my Motorola Defy, or my iPad3. After lots of head scratching, I turned to my friend Google to discover that the data pins of the output USB connectors must be shorted. Now all my devices charge nicely from the hub.

One last problem is that there is some heat build up within the hub. I am most likely going to build the whole thing from scratch, to ensure there are no heat generating components inside and to get a nice looking case.

But for now it will do ;)
 
zamicro said:
OK. I played around a bit tonight.

I took an old 4 port USB hub I had lying around, and replaced the input usb wire with a power socket. Then I used a 5V 2.5A power supply and connect it to the new power socket. My Galaxy S charged (saying it is connected to KIES), but not my Motorola Defy, or my iPad3. After lots of head scratching, I turned to my friend Google to discover that the data pins of the output USB connectors must be shorted. Now all my devices charge nicely from the hub.

One last problem is that there is some heat build up within the hub. I am most likely going to build the whole thing from scratch, to ensure there are no heat generating components inside and to get a nice looking case.

But for now it will do ;)
Click to expand...

That sounds awesome. Please keep us posted. Then a "how to" :D
 
zamicro said:
OK. I played around a bit tonight.

I took an old 4 port USB hub I had lying around, and replaced the input usb wire with a power socket. Then I used a 5V 2.5A power supply and connect it to the new power socket. My Galaxy S charged (saying it is connected to KIES), but not my Motorola Defy, or my iPad3. After lots of head scratching, I turned to my friend Google to discover that the data pins of the output USB connectors must be shorted. Now all my devices charge nicely from the hub.

One last problem is that there is some heat build up within the hub. I am most likely going to build the whole thing from scratch, to ensure there are no heat generating components inside and to get a nice looking case.

But for now it will do ;)
Click to expand...
Only thing that worries me about this, I always thought there was circuitry in the charger which allowed communication with the battery to prevent overcharging. Li-ion batteries don't like overcharging and they don't like getting too hot. If you're shoving 1A to a battery that wants 0.5A it's definitely going to go poof after not too many charging cycles.
 
That Mondohub is pretty slick. Have a pile of devices hooked up.
At first I though the on/off switch would be a waste but it has turned out to be pretty useful.
 
BigAl-sa said:
Only thing that worries me about this, I always thought there was circuitry in the charger which allowed communication with the battery to prevent overcharging. Li-ion batteries don't like overcharging and they don't like getting too hot. If you're shoving 1A to a battery that wants 0.5A it's definitely going to go poof after not too many charging cycles.
Click to expand...
Yes - it is such circuity - however not in the charger, but in your charged device.
 
sajunky said:
Yes - it is such circuity - however not in the charger, but in your charged device.
Click to expand...
I'd still be very worried about where the extra joules are going if you pump too much current into the battery. The circuitry in something like a phone certainly cannot get rid of that...
 
Don't need to worry about current. Just make sure voltage is correct. Internal circuit (in your device) controls charging the battery and knows the best when to cut it off.
 
sajunky said:
Don't need to worry about current. Just make sure voltage is correct. Internal circuit (in your device) controls charging the battery and knows the best when to cut it off.
Click to expand...

Correct. Current usage is determined by the consuming device, while the voltage is determined by the supplying device. Thus as long as the power supply can supply more Amps than the device consumes, all will be ok.
 
BigAl-sa said:
Only thing that worries me about this, I always thought there was circuitry in the charger which allowed communication with the battery to prevent overcharging. Li-ion batteries don't like overcharging and they don't like getting too hot. If you're shoving 1A to a battery that wants 0.5A it's definitely going to go poof after not too many charging cycles.
Click to expand...

This is possible, but I think that most devices nowadays have the circuitry on itself instead of in the charger.
 
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