Author Topic: Connecting an USB dynamo charger to a dynamo  (Read 5431 times)

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Connecting an USB dynamo charger to a dynamo
« Reply #25 on: 25 October, 2019, 12:40:32 pm »
If you have luggage in on your bike, it's easier to put the entire charger, along with whatever is being charged, inside and have some sort of connector upstream.

Re: Connecting an USB dynamo charger to a dynamo
« Reply #26 on: 25 October, 2019, 01:48:15 pm »
In terms of lights that incorporate USB charging the Axa Luxx 70 plus continues to perform extremely well for me after extensive use over quite a few years,
Me too. I don't like the judge-y light pattern ("you are so slow you don't need proper light now") and the beam has more artefacts than our Cyos but you can't knock the straightforwardness of the charge point. I haven't ever submerged it, but it's survived torrential downpours (so far). We've barely used the E-werk, we switched lights to the Axa when we thought we'd want charging.

Re: Connecting an USB dynamo charger to a dynamo
« Reply #27 on: 28 October, 2019, 01:37:13 am »
Does anyone know where to get a waterproof cover for the USB port/connector on the USB WERK?
I doubt that there will be one.
The circular plugs are waterproof, but USB ports aren't.

You could look for a USB-A socket on a long lead to a round plug, or a round plug to round socket extension lead, that would allow putting the socket in a handlebar bag.
An extension is part of the e-Werk cable set (£21). I've not seen it separately, but I've not looked.

Alternatively, get a length of inner tube that's fat enough to accommodate the socket, put the lead through it so the USB socket is recessed inside by about an inch from the end, then zip tie it to your head tube, folded over in the middle so both ends are downwards.
Should be pretty rainproof so long as you use mudguards. An advantage of this is that any water that does make it into the socket will dry off fairly quickly. The same can't be said for an attempted waterproof cover that's leaked.
If you don't have any dead tubes that are fat enough, Poundland sells inner tubes that were fat enough for my Igaro D2.

You get a cover for the USB-Werk side of the splash proof connectors; however if you have luggage on your bike, it's easier to leave the USB end on and stuff it into said luggage.

Thanks for the replies.
It's always struck me as insane that they didn't make the USB waterproof!
After all you can buy pre-wired waterproof USB's plugs & sockets (molded silicone covers) with removable caps, just the wire connectors are different from/not compatible with the "Werks" ones. :(
 
I've solved the problem (temproarily) with the cut off fingers from latex gloves stretched over it.
Tested today in the rain and it seems to work OK. :thumbsup:

You'd have thought someone would have come up with something like a miniature version of the plug & socket covers for gardening, where you connect them and then put the waterproof cover over it.

Re: Connecting an USB dynamo charger to a dynamo
« Reply #28 on: 28 October, 2019, 10:09:39 am »
The basic problem is that you can't waterproof without requiring dedicated cables, and persuading all the phone makers etc to switch to a standard design of waterproof socket. This latter isn't going to happen.

I dare say that B+M thought that using standard plugs and a USB-A socket was preferable.

B+M do sell a round plug to micro-USB plug lead for the *-Werk, which gives waterproofing as far as the socket in the device.

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Connecting an USB dynamo charger to a dynamo
« Reply #29 on: 28 October, 2019, 10:47:31 am »
If you have luggage in on your bike, it's easier to put the entire charger, along with whatever is being charged, inside and have some sort of connector upstream.
Depends on the luggage and what else you've stuffed into it...
It could go in my toptube bag along with the battery pack, money, ancient Nokia, head torch etc, but it's a pretty tight fit as it is.
If I put it in the frame bag it'll fall out every time I open it.
The trade off I've gone for it to zip tie it to the down tube and run the USB cable up into the top tube bag where all the USB cables congregate.
But then that's on the bike I use for the circumstances that call for on the go charging.


Sent from my BKL-L09 using Tapatalk


Re: Connecting an USB dynamo charger to a dynamo
« Reply #30 on: 28 October, 2019, 01:04:50 pm »
The basic problem is that you can't waterproof without requiring dedicated cables, and persuading all the phone makers etc to switch to a standard design of waterproof socket. This latter isn't going to happen.

I dare say that B+M thought that using standard plugs and a USB-A socket was preferable.

B+M do sell a round plug to micro-USB plug lead for the *-Werk, which gives waterproofing as far as the socket in the device.

No need to persuade anybody, if you start making waterproof USB plugs/sockets that "work" then in time everybody else will use them.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Connecting an USB dynamo charger to a dynamo
« Reply #31 on: 28 October, 2019, 01:14:15 pm »
Unlikely to happen, USB is supposed to be a reliable low-cost connector for connecting computing peripherals, not something for use in rough environments.

In the style of the EtherCON, Neutrik have a ruggedised version of the USB A and B connectors that's IP65 rated.  I'd trust those to work, but the size and weight (and the fact that the thing you want to connect to probably has mini/micro/C connectors) makes them completely impractical.

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Connecting an USB dynamo charger to a dynamo
« Reply #32 on: 28 October, 2019, 02:14:41 pm »
The standardization on USB mostly happened because the EU threatened to legislate a standard plug and ban the selling of wall adapters with phones. (or something along those lines)
USB was too convenient to not use as it was and phone manufacturers no longer need to make/order wall adapters.
Apple did as Apple does and produced something to lock their users into holy wafers Apple approved products.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Connecting an USB dynamo charger to a dynamo
« Reply #33 on: 28 October, 2019, 04:30:08 pm »
To be fair to the Mega-Global Fruit Corporation, even their stuff speaks USB.  It just uses a funny connector.

The regulation was always about the wall wart, rather than the charging port.

FifeingEejit

  • Not Small
Re: Connecting an USB dynamo charger to a dynamo
« Reply #34 on: 28 October, 2019, 04:40:19 pm »
To be fair to the Mega-Global Fruit Corporation, even their stuff speaks USB.  It just uses a funny connector.

The regulation was always about the wall wart, rather than the charging port.

True, though once the USB based standardization for both charging and communication happened it made no sense to continue having the separate charging port, my last Nokia (an E72) had both a USB Micro port and the "small nokia" port, both of which could be used for charging. 
Which was a bit pointless...


Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Connecting an USB dynamo charger to a dynamo
« Reply #35 on: 28 October, 2019, 04:57:47 pm »
That did make sense at the time, given that the Nokia chargers were as close as we got to a de-facto standard.

But yes, the move to USB has greatly simplified matters, in an as-confusing-as-possible sort of way.

None of these things are waterproof, of course.  I'm not sure what the ideal solution to that is, other than enclosing things.  Inductive charging is inefficient, which isn't what you want here.  Something like the old Garmin serial connector would probably be how I'd attempt to make a waterproof charging port on a handheld device.  Or swappable batteries a la eTrex, which is increasingly impractical for phones, just as 18650 cells have become sort-of mainstream.

Re: Connecting an USB dynamo charger to a dynamo
« Reply #36 on: 28 October, 2019, 06:55:01 pm »
The micro USB connector for the phone is not a problem as the phone has a waterproof case and the connector is inside it.

It's the "Standard" sized USB at the other end that's the problem, all that's needed is a cover for that when you're charging.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Connecting an USB dynamo charger to a dynamo
« Reply #37 on: 28 October, 2019, 08:45:11 pm »
If you don't need to unplug it, you can waterproof an inline USB A-A connection with self-amalgamating tape.  I've got such a connection in a dusty corner of the bathroom floor (don't ask) where it's regularly soaked during mopping sessions, and it's been fine for a few years now.

Of course, if you've got an e-Werk or USB-werk and don't need to unplug it, you can eliminate that connection entirely by buying the appropriate cable.

Re: Connecting an USB dynamo charger to a dynamo
« Reply #38 on: 28 October, 2019, 09:04:16 pm »
If you don't need to unplug it, you can waterproof an inline USB A-A connection with self-amalgamating tape.  I've got such a connection in a dusty corner of the bathroom floor (don't ask) where it's regularly soaked during mopping sessions, and it's been fine for a few years now.

Of course, if you've got an e-Werk or USB-werk and don't need to unplug it, you can eliminate that connection entirely by buying the appropriate cable.

Doh! :facepalm:
Thanks Kim I didn't think of that.

I'm off to source a cable. :thumbsup: