Charging options from a DC power bank?

[ThatFishGuy]

Hi everyone,
So looking at some handheld radios kind of got me thinking about charging capabilities. I have used powerbanks to charge DC items like phones and small electronics, but is there an easy way to adapt to charge things that use a dock? For example, some radios I will have soon use an ac/DC adapter so they can plug in the dock and charge the Li batteries. They do not use something common like a USB cable. Since they ARE charging with DC, are there any plug and play setups to connect the dock? Or would I have to use some kind of inverter to just use the stock AC plug? Not looking to charge anything big, just small handheld electronics. This is all assuming the radios, in my case, can charge off the 2.5a output of the powerbanks. Any advice? Thanks,

Sam

[ThatFishGuy]

I should clarify that I have seen larger AC/DC power banks, I was thinking more along the lines of the portable solar ones that only have USB connections.

[Jongage]

Your post is slightly confusing. Do you have a specific radio that you are looking to charge?

Take a look at the AC to DC brick converter. Most of them go from 120Vac to 12vDC. If so, you just need to cut the cord, install something similar to a power pole connector, that will allow you to use the connector for straight DC or AC connection.

clear as mud?

[Epaphroditus]

Plug and play is not likely. Splice, solder and shrink wrap are GTG!

[ThatFishGuy]

Ok sorry, my first post was all over the place because I was thinking about 10 different things at once. I didn't list a specific radio because I was thinking about it as a general concept. I was just referencing any small device that you would normally plug into an AC outlet to charge but is a DC device. I know there are large dual output converter/power banks.

I am looking to see if there is an easy/practical way to charge such devices with a compact powerbank that only comes with USB sockets. Essentially bypassing the little AC/DC converter wall plug that the devices would normally use to charge. Hopefully that makes a little more sense

[ThatFishGuy]

I'm comfortable with splice/solder operations, but if I were to go that route am I correct in assuming that a DC powerbank would work ok as long as the amperage output matches as to not blow up a battery?

[ThatFishGuy]

Also, I'm pretty sure the term I need to be using is *inverter*, not converter. I've worked with electronics but I'm rusty with the lingo

[Epaphroditus]

Voltage is way more important than amperage.

Start with the device you are wanting to charge - what's the DC voltage of its charging port? If you have something that's close then connect and away you go. Amperage will only impact total time to fully charge.

Using a USB (5VDC) to charge a 12 volt battery will never work.

I get great utility out of 3 pin voltage regulators. One resistor to set the voltage - get the LDO flavor for high efficiency. Those and a car battery can be rigged to replace the "wall wart" from pretty much anything except laptop chargers (those tend to be 15-24 VDC).

I bet your radio is 9VDC.

I frequently rewire my devices to use larger capacity batteries or replace batteries with a wall-wart (sounds like the opposite of what you want).

For example my driveway alerts use 4 AA batteries wired in series for 6VDC operation. The batteries last a month or so which us irritating so I rewired an external weatherproof box to hold a 6VDC lantern battery to provide power. Lasts about 2 years!

I have several motion activated lights that take 3 D cell batteries. Got tired or replacing batteries so wired in some wall warts to provide 4-9 VDC - the LED lights tolerate a wide range of voltages.

[gorn5150]

I charge my baefeng radios from usb power. I just bought 5v usb to 9v adapters. It is a simple boost circuit that works without a problem.

[ThatFishGuy]

Do you have links or pictures of what those adapters look like? That sounds exactly like what I was thinking. Thank you everyone for the help thus far!

[local_nobody]

side note: you can get a usb charging cable for the larger baofeng batteries (for the uv5r & similar radios).

edit: gorn beat me to it.

https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-USB-Power-Cable-Charger/dp/B01N2WZEAS?th=1

there's also this, charge on the dock from a usb.

https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-USB-Power-Cable-Charger/dp/B01N0TXCXV?th=1

[ThatFishGuy]

Thanks guys! I was able to find adapters for the critical stuff I'd have on me, so I think I'm set. The radios were just an example, but I was able to figure out the 5v-> whatever adapters I needed. All set for now