Lets see if I can answer a few questions
|
Originally Posted by jmcphie
|
Anyone know what the output is on extended battery packs?
I have two - a boxwave USB battery pack and a generic one from eBay.
With four 1.2 V 2500mah rechargeables, I would expect this to charge my Axim's standard 1100mah battery just fine, even when it is dead. Unfortunately, I find this is not true. Are all battery extender packs not made equal? What's the catch?
I think it makes sense that one would use a battery extender pack once the battery is very low, meaning if this doesn't work, I will soon have little reason to keep these things.
Please help, and thanks in advance!
|
You would think 4x 1.2v would work except thats 4.8v normal charge voltage of the Axim is either 5.4v or 5.0v depending on which input pin is used. On the 5.4v pin you need a steady 5v at least. Part of the problem is that many battery extenders are made for alkaline batteries which are 1.5v that adds up to a 6v output. So that the voltage is something the Axim can handle they put a diode on the output. A standard diode drops about 0.7v which brings the voltage down to 5.3v. If your using NiMH you get about 4.1v which is much too low to charge or run the Axim. One note battery voltage is based on a LOT of factors and the higher the load the lower the output voltage.
My guess is your problem is not current but voltage (although the voltage might be too low because of the high current
).