@@davidmalawey Well ideally most things have the little plug diagram on them which will often indicate what part is positive and negative. If not its for sure on the power adapter assuming that you have it.
The USB C PD standard specifies 5V, 9V, 15V, 20V (and higher voltages to provide 100 watts or more). SOME USB C PD supplies can also provide 12V, but not all do - it's been deprecated from the standard. The PD trigger (common term) communicates to the PD supply what voltage it would like; if that voltage is not available, the next lower voltage will be supplied. The USB C PD supply will provide 5 volts unless/until a higher voltage is negotiated. The USB C PD supply will only provide the voltage commensurate with its wattage. For example, a supply must be rated at 60 watts to supply 20 volts. Two warnings: ● USB C PD supplies with multiple ports may not supply the maximum wattage to a single port, so a 60 watt-rated supply may not provide 20 volts, because no port is rated for the full output. ● Not every supply with a USB C complies to the USB C PD standard. There have been cases where supplies provide only 12 volts without any negotiation. Plug one of these into a device expecting 5 volts and the magic smoke will be released.
Thank you 🙏 for your added knowledge here which is crucial! So, full disclosure i began a script to make a full video and i wrote these points, and then while i was writing i noticed a couple questions i needed to verify. so then i got out the usb testers, and verified/rejected some points and then i made a couple WOW discoveries. then while i tried to characterize those discoveries into solid facts i hit more questions. then back to research… on and on in a cycle.
@@davidmalawey keep up the good work. I myself am aiming to replace a chonky ac to 15v brick for an ancient 100mhz windows 95 handheld with some sort of usb-c PD adapter set.
I wasn't aware that 12V had been dropped from the standard. So now, the millions (billions?) of devices which operate on 12V may not be able to be powered by PD. Some real smart thinking there.
Why would they drop 12V? It's the only higher voltage it has in common with the ATX standard, and manufacturers don't want to put DC/DC converters for USB. on the mobo
@@devongratrix4921sure, but a lithium ion charge circuit adds complexity, and not to mention the financial and environmental cost of a lithium ion battery.
They pretty much abandoned their original target market and tried to sell second-rate electronics. It got to where I couldn't find some of the most basic components. There are a few still around but they're a pale shadow of what they used to be.
@@baldeagle5297 So true the one down the street from me has wall after isle of consumer electronics and a roll-a-round drawer tower with actual electrical components, and never what I need in any of them.
I miss the actual RadioShack store. I thought they went out of business years ago and I'm surprised there are still some around. Not near me. It was so nice to go to my local RadioShack and buy parts off the shelf. Now - catalogs, or certain websites. (BTW I found it hard to follow what the original video is about.)
@@guitarbrad he claims to have designed a method of using one 5v wall power brick or a battery pack to power devices with multiple voltage requirements. instead of multiple power bricks, one for each, thing is he forgot about Amperage is as important if not more than voltage is.
Not all PD chargers support all the voltages. At least that is what I believe or some of the $1 devices don't work. Sometimes the resistors needed for usb c are absent.
That's why you need SMD resistors beforehand for some of these. A lot of these require that you bridge with a resistor or straight Bridge. You can buy specific purpose converters, or multi
@@TTS-TP No, you buy the main version of the board that come with the ref resistor's all on board on and you can desolder the some to get lower voltages.
I'm a little old school so I use one of those variable voltage power adapters that go from 1.5v to 12V and you can reverse the polarity of the tip. Even supports the 9V connector and 4 different barrel connectors
You can find them in junk bins all over the thrift shops. But they're like $12-$20 new off the rack. This video is all about a couple bucks. But here again it's nice to have about $20 worth of parts already laying around in a box.
It's amazing what one can figure out by learning some basics. Cheap solutions start flooding the mind. I have so many projects, once I retire... I'll never ever be bored. I love building things, and fabricating elegant solutions.
You'll like this, I had so many wall warts at my desk that I had 3 power strips in my cable management tray and still needed more outlets. I got a 12V 60A power supply and just cut the warts off the ends, put ring terminals on them and stacked them all on the threaded posts
Or just get a Pinecil which has both barrel jack and USB C PD built in. Plus a nice OLED display, upgradeable open source firmware, big range of available tips and costs barely anything.
That QR code for the device manual is genius. I already keep PDF versions of my manuals in my iCloud Drive so I’m not sure I’d ever implement this, but maybe for my family members who are less technologically inclined… Talking to you grandpa.
also if you ever want to free up some space in your icloud there are websites dedicated to device manual pdfs. its like huge databases of manuals you just search your device
We literally have a Rubbermaid 5,000 ton tote/snake pit full of all the special varieties of dc barrel jacks and cords we've collected over the years. This is like sliced bread to me right now especially, the algorithms and you are the MVP's. I can not thank you enough for your contribution here.
We’ve had universal adapters for these since at least the 90s. One transformer with switches for different power settings, and a cable with a bunch of dongles on the end for every plug type. You just had to read the labelled power requirement on each device. Simple even for little kids.
@@KRAFTWERK2K6 also, I think a lot of people don't realise how good even NiMh are vs alkaline in high drain circuits. If anyone remembers the AA cell digital cameras from the 00s, those ate through alkalines so quickly then people would throw the alkalines away not realising they probably still had half their life for other applications. NiMh lasted far longer on a single charge in the cameras. Places like Disneyland making a killing on selling more overpriced duracell from their kiosks whilst visitors continued to dump cells into the trash every hour of use
@@KRAFTWERK2K6 and way cheaper when you use (made in Japan by FKD) Ikea LADDA ones. add a couple STENKOL chargers and you're good to go for a long time for less than a year supply of alkaline throwaway batteries. 😽👌
I have done this for a while, it's nice. I think I have rechargeable batteries in every device we have, you can save a lot of money this way.. nice video 👍
Nice find. What's the IC part number? Googleing PD adapter module gives me only decoy PD trigger modules, with different (cheap) ICs. My concern would be that while the PD adapter negotiates the correct voltage there maybe a brief voltage over-shoot. Normally correct volatge is detected using USB C config channel, without that is the PD IC only acting as a auto-step down controller? Have you hooked the output terminals of the module to a oscilloscope and captured the event, would be cool to see? Thanks
The Brother label makers run a ridiculously long time on just about any batteries. I bought enough AAA NiMH batteries so I could put in the 6 the machine and have 6 spares to swap when it dies. I've been using those same 6 NiMH batteries for over 4 years and I had to replace the label tape cartridges 5 times, but I haven't had to swap the batteries yet. These are cheap rechargeable batteries from the grocery store that are only 700mAh and the thing is still going strong.
NiMh are probably wasted in remote controls. They are better suited to high drain devices (where they often last longer than alkaline on a single charge anyway so it's a no brainer). An alkaline is happy in a remote for a couple of years usually, so your NiMh wouldn't be working hard enough to get the return of investment (unless you're not using low self discharge NiMh, then your probably charging them often anyway as they drain themselves).
No, don't do this. Power supplies are cheap and plentiful. The amount of current required for certain devices will melt those connectors with those tiny wires and that usb adapter is trash too.
@@glytchd Actually what killed Radio shack is that things became too easy to replace or repair. back in the day we did what was called component level repair work. checking and replacing resistors, capacitors, tunes, transistors, etc to diagnose and fix things, then along came Modular electronics, where whole sub assemblies of parts could be swapped in and out to diag and repair. then it got to the point where if something quit you threw the whole thing out and got a new one. Long before that point people stopped needing to get individual parts, there was not a widespread do it yourself community to replace it, that came later. The only other option for parts was to order 'direct from the factory' which really was a thing.
Ive been doing this for a couple years now, small battery powered motion lights, now being powered by 18650s and charged by a TP4056 module and recharged with a power bank. Same thing for my bright Solar powered motion lights, connected a TP4056 module and now im able to manually charge them during the winter or other days when sunlight is limited. USB powered modifications are the way to go guys.
They already make USB power delivery cables that would plug into these barrel jacks they includes them on label makers because a lot of the time barrel jack is more practical if it’s being used in a semi industrial environment
I second this, I actually just picked one up for a Bose speaker I found at a thrift store. As long as you know the diameter of the jack and the voltage you can plug that into Amazon with PD in the search bar and you will find tons of options for cheap!
@@ecospider5 I mean, I only payed $8 for a completely assembled cable that I didn’t have to spend any time figuring out or assembling. It was plug and play, I’m more than happy about paying the $5 premium for a nice cable that has proper molded strain relief.
That's pretty cool. I've only just discovered these little step-up pcbs, I used to build 9-18v charge pumps to power 18v guitar pedals from a 9v daisy chain. This does raise the question of polarity. The guitar pedal standard is (dangerously 'almost') centre negative. whereas these devices might vary so you would need to make 2 or have a means of reversing the polarity but that's really no more precarious than those multi voltage power supplies that came with a variety of plugs that you needed to know to orientate. I'm getting some. Thank you.
Not elegant enough, needs to have the machine’s barrel plug receptacle replaced with a USB-C receptacle. That way it’s fully USB-C-ified. It’s bonafide. 😀 “But, Daddy? You ain’t bonafide!”
There are also rechargeable aa batteries. Eneloops are pretty great and that way you don't to change how they're laid out or get a DC-DC converter if they're not using 3 batteries.
I made a similar mod to one of my Brother label printers. I made a small 2S 7.4V battery pack with two capacity-matched 21350-size disposable vape batteries, a protection board, and a USB-C charger board with built in cell balancing. It required a fair bit of plastic cutting, but it's worth the effort to avoid worrying about leaked alkaline batteries inside it ever again.
@mixerfistit5522 ... yes. It should be... but ofter it's not. I have hundreds of equipment in my lab... even on the power supply sometimes it's not written
Anyone who designs a product with a center negative barrel jack, and doesn't show the polarity is just pure evil. If you lose the original power adapter, you can sometimes measure the ~0.6V forward voltage of the reverse polarity protection diode, but not all devices have them.
@jaakkolehto1487 i am always doubting... it's not a joke when you power something with reverse polarity From 3d printers to vibrating platforms..... it's ridiculous the amount of different barrels and you can't guess the polarity on any of those ;(
Nimh rechargeable batteries 🔋 are cheap and are good for thousands of charge cycles. 5v, 9v and 12v power supply plugs are cheap at the thrift/flea market
Totally fascinating video. I am bringing a product to market which has been too many years in the making. We designed it with a barrel plug socket - and the electronics to work from 5v dc, to 9v dc - so it could be powered by an external usb a battery - albeit the motors inside give maximum power at 9v - now I can see potentially selling it with 2 or 3 cables - one of which like this - it could be powered by usb c, or the usb a cable, or a simply wall “wart” of appropriate voltage. Happy days !! So cool this can be made into the cable …
I have looked through the description, and the links do not show anything about these products. Am I missing something? I found Scuttle, and another robotics site, but not these connectors. What are they even called?
I'll paste them here: [shop my parts used for this video] PD trigger, 9v ► amzn.to/3XTWgnY PD trigger, 20v ► amzn.to/3ZzDTpH PD trigger, 12v ► amzn.to/3ZEUQz4 PD trigger, selective ► amzn.to/4ezzLKw Barrel plug ► amzn.to/3ZEUQz4 USBC power block ► amzn.to/3zJuktw Please note, it's hard to click the actual video description on mobile, since the link is buried next to other links.
NOPE, ten different voltages, ten different barrel plugs and then type of voltage AC/DC. Then we have to deal with POLARITY for the DC. Now you got me so AGGRAVATED, I need to ... smoke a joint to calm down.
The (+) used to be the center of the barrel on 98% of devices, but then the center became (-). These kits are great now! Notice the PD adapter gives you different choices, +9v, +12v, +15v, +20v. Some devices have a PLUS MINUS Supply, where there is a positive voltage, a negative voltage, and a common ground. Note that (-) is active voltage on a plus minus supply and ground is indicated by the symbol for ground.
They not saving 1 dollar on PD trigger. They saving millions on customers complaints. How many hundreds of thousands people would call customer service and ask why it not working without telling that they using different power supply or PC usb? And this is before talking into account that type c cargers constantly rebooting to negotiate power protocols. And if for phone or laptop it's fine, thanks to battery backup, but for game console, printer or server this 0.2 second power loss would lead to full reboot. Also most high power chargers have several ports and each time time something plugged/unplugged they again switching off and negotiating what of 5 protocols and 70 voltages devices want. Barrel power supplys never being "borrowed" by relatives, friends or relatives friends and you, as manufacturer doesn't want handle all these situations. I can confidently say that PoE(Power over Ethernet) have more chances to replace barrel jack as reliable power source connection than this disaster of power over type-c protocols.
USB PD is really disappointing for this reason... a missed opportunity that could have been really amazing if they had a way to make the cables and everything less smart and more low-tech while still delivering power correctly.
We should not recommend people to DIY this stuff without having the full knowledge .... "you don't need to be an engineer" is inappropriate... what about amps, watts, polarity ? at worst people will burn their device and loose illegibility to after-sales services.
When I was seven years old, I was building radios that was in 1963 stuff like this very easy for me. The hardest thing I’ve heard from other people is there ability to solder understanding circuits isn’t that hard.
Pd puts out some serious current! You really want everyman to solder up their own power cables? What happens when that cheap ass $1 PCB fails and a fire starts? Whos at fault? I say stick to UL listed power cables and transformers! For the sake of yourself and your family/neighbors.
PD only gives high current if the device is smart enough to ask for it. Shorts will trigger the supply overcurrent protection. Transformer supplies don't have that protection.
I have been wanting to make this video for two year's now. So many people throw away their electronics because they feel It easier to just buy a new one ( electronic item ) than to power it from an alternate source. I have been doing this for year's now. I seriously applaud your time and consideration for making this video. Honestly, I should have done this over 10 years ago. Just thinking of the number of dollars people have spent on things they replaced unnecessarily could have saved thousands of dollars. I am embarrassed I never shared what I knew. My only excuse is laziness along with long hours working my job. You have now inspired me to start a channel to show people some of these tricks to keep from spending money they may need for more important thing's, or life saving thing's instead of buying more cheap Chinese made thing's we all know are going to break. If you don't mind, I will give you all the credit to some of my shortcuts I have been using also. Now that I am retired, this could be fun. Thank you for making me realize how selfish I was in not giving my ideas to others.
Besides soldering knowledge, you also have to know how to figure out the polarity of the barrel plug. Some devices expect tip positive, others negative. At some point, it's probably easier to get a universal power supply (used to be really common to see these in the 2000s), you have interchangable barrel tips, can select the voltage with a slider on the brick. Pretty handy.
I like to implant these boards in all my devices. Theres almost always room for that board and a little cutout in the case. And for compatibility reasons i like to set the board to 5V and use a step up converter after it. This way it doesnt matter which USB charger i use, it will always work.
Found massive wall clock from trash one time. Tested it out and it consumed the one AA battery in 15 days. Well wooden rod, drilled hole in the middle, made cable with male bullet connectors that i push trough the middle and into the ends, glued them in place, placed as battery replacement and then took old phone charger and stepdown converter with long leads to power it, measured the voltage from the adapter points and adjusted it to 1.5v since there is transfer losses due longer distance and when i got it around 0.01volts deviation put on. So far only time it has messed up the time is during power outages, but its easy to set again. If it had radio calibration i would not need to touch it ever again.
Working on 12v and 5v adapters for my 18v Ridgid packs. My 36v dual pack adapter works great. With the lifetime warranty, I'm powering everything off them.
perfect product idea .. make a USB cable that will use the High power feature of modern USB chargers (using 15v instead of 5) with a small regulator inside to power all the stuff you use ..
Yeah in the 80's and 90's we had power adaptors with 4 different connectors on the end, and a little dial on the plug to set the output power. Every kid had them.
From my experience, the power supplies with the barrel jack cable, like what would come included with the example label printer and shipping scale, tend to last a lot longer than USB cables of almost any design. Type A and B are pretty bulletproof, but any of the smaller variants wear out really fast and are generally more delicate. I've had really good quality USB cables from Anker that start loosing connection after only a year or so, nowhere near the 10,000+ cycles they're supposed to be rated for, but I have 20 year old type A/B devices and power supplies that still work like new.
TOP..as soon as i get the ones i think i ordered succesfully just now i can finally drag a bag of 100 pounds of power addaptors to the recycle mountains!!! CHEERS Dude!!
Sometimes it's simple (and dirt cheap), sometimes the device needs more power. And yes, USBC can provide almost anything that is needed, however, the adapters will be a bit more expensive and way more complicated. Last time I checked phone chargers were able to give like 65W, it's a huge power. To let it be passed through thin wires, it offers higher voltages than 5 or even 9V. The tricky part is negotiation, the device asks for specific settings and then the power supply delivers.
I have a tool trolley at work that I've fitted with hazard lights and underglow. I plan to get a 12V milwaukee charger in there too. It's all fed by a PD power bank and a little breakout board. Usb C is amazing
My mom sold Avon products. They had alot of decorations with lights, fiber optics etc. They sold these universal power source plug deals that have a switch on them for various voltages from 3-12 volts, a polarity switch and it has like 6 different end types on it including 3 different size barrel connectors, two different male headphone looking types and a 9v battery style connectotion. Had it for like 20 years at this point and suspect you would be able to find something like it on Amazon.
Not always the case. Since you showed a Brother label printer, mine uses 8 AAs. I tried using a power adapter with the specs matching the requirements (voltage, amps, and polarity) I had laying around. I tested it to make sure it worked with a meter. It did but didn't work with the printer. I had to buy an aftermarket AC adapter that was made for this printer and similar Brother models. It cost me around 50 USD with shipping.
Have that same powerbank / charger. You can use Molicel 4500 mAh cells for use in winter outdoors without damage to the cells (most Li-Ion don't react well to cold exposure).
Careful with those adapters and power blocks. Those are designed with specific devices in mind! One day your device works, and then it doesn't. Under or over amperage can be a gradual killer!
If you are going to do this, skip the barrel plug ; use a multimeter to verify the voltage and wire directly to the device skipping the barrel plug. If you want to be real slick, you can dremel out the space in the side of the piece of gear, and hotglue the connector inside the device.
Worth noting that you can reconfigure these PD triggers (IP2721) to one other voltage, 9/12 or 15/20. Because there are 2 IC variants used, the resistor right by the + output is either populated or removed to toggle between them. When its populated its like 10-20 ohms but shorting with solder works fine. Useful so you dont have to buy every single type.
This is why you buy a $20 90W power brick that has all the adapters for just about any laptop power connector plus USB-c and do not have to worry about soldering or anything. The same universal charger can also be used for LCD monitors that use an external power brick.
So you're amazed at being able to go back to what we already had in the 80s, paying a few bucks at Radio Shack to get a universal power supply with a set of different-sized barrel connectors. The power supply had a slider for the different voltages, and you could put the barrel tips on one way or the other to account for positive being tip or ring.
The answer is always yes! As long as the voltage isn’t greater than the required voltage, almost any amperage typically* works (*typically only the required amps are pulled, but the voltage is forced in regardless of power requirements. Still shouldn’t use more than a 20% difference in amps if you wanna be extra secure) This means you can power an original NES with a foot massager power cable(yes, I’m not joking. My fiance had one and that was what we used for power. Exact voltage, but 2 amps more. Worked like a charm 🥰)
All we needed was standardisation. We could have made all electronic devices use the same barrel plug, same polarity and same voltage. Including power in USB C is useful but a simple barrel plug as an alternative would be more robust. For most people most of the time they need a robust charging port much more than a data port.
Buy a usb c to barrel adapter. Just make sure you get the proper voltage and size. If you have many devices and don't know what barrel plug to buy, buy them all, find a vendor that supplies a wide variety, and invest the $14. Then replace them as you find a good fit in a product. Even the PD usb c power supplies are cheap now. I even use them to charge laptops at full speed, usb c is impressive. Just gotta buy direct.
new idea for startup: voltage-configurable USB-C to barrel plug adapter. so you buy a ton of these, no need to solder, maybe a small switch to toggle and you are good to go!
9 VDC power supplies, in fact any power supply ever needed, are available on Amazon or other places for mere dollars. and then the device can be operated the way it was designed, which always preferred to expedient adapters and what-nots to make it run. also, there's rechargeable AA batteries, which makes the operating cost much less.
The P-touch labeler has a convenient cavity near the hinge, adjacent to the tape cartridge, so you can pull one AAA battery out when not in use and keep from killing them so fast. That can be the difference in the batteries lasting months instead of minutes.
NO, they do NOT use this one barrel plug, they use 16 different types of barrel plugs sone that are only 0.4mm different size but not compatible.
The most ANNOYING part of barrel plugs. This is the next problem to solve after USB-C universality
no problem, just directly solder to where the batteries go instead of the plug
Isn't the solution to switch to USB C?
@blufudgecrispyrice8528 yes but getting everyone to agree to switch practically every device for every application to one cable is a bit harder
@@Glepno fair
Fun fact, brother labelers are pretty much the only ones who put the positive lead on the outside of the barrel plug.
God! That's evil! 🥲
holdup-seriously? this is the most clever trolling ever if you’re kidding.
@@davidmalawey Yes, it's reversed on most brother labelers (but not their industrial lines)
I have a cheap bass guitar amp withe positive on the outside. So i accidentaly blew a cap.
@@davidmalawey Well ideally most things have the little plug diagram on them which will often indicate what part is positive and negative. If not its for sure on the power adapter assuming that you have it.
The USB C PD standard specifies 5V, 9V, 15V, 20V (and higher voltages to provide 100 watts or more). SOME USB C PD supplies can also provide 12V, but not all do - it's been deprecated from the standard.
The PD trigger (common term) communicates to the PD supply what voltage it would like; if that voltage is not available, the next lower voltage will be supplied. The USB C PD supply will provide 5 volts unless/until a higher voltage is negotiated.
The USB C PD supply will only provide the voltage commensurate with its wattage. For example, a supply must be rated at 60 watts to supply 20 volts.
Two warnings:
● USB C PD supplies with multiple ports may not supply the maximum wattage to a single port, so a 60 watt-rated supply may not provide 20 volts, because no port is rated for the full output.
● Not every supply with a USB C complies to the USB C PD standard. There have been cases where supplies provide only 12 volts without any negotiation. Plug one of these into a device expecting 5 volts and the magic smoke will be released.
Thank you 🙏 for your added knowledge here which is crucial!
So, full disclosure i began a script to make a full video and i wrote these points, and then while i was writing i noticed a couple questions i needed to verify. so then i got out the usb testers, and verified/rejected some points and then i made a couple WOW discoveries. then while i tried to characterize those discoveries into solid facts i hit more questions. then back to research… on and on in a cycle.
@@davidmalawey keep up the good work. I myself am aiming to replace a chonky ac to 15v brick for an ancient 100mhz windows 95 handheld with some sort of usb-c PD adapter set.
I wasn't aware that 12V had been dropped from the standard. So now, the millions (billions?) of devices which operate on 12V may not be able to be powered by PD. Some real smart thinking there.
This comment deserves more views.
Why would they drop 12V? It's the only higher voltage it has in common with the ATX standard, and manufacturers don't want to put DC/DC converters for USB. on the mobo
Pretty sure the labels are the most expensive part of using the label maker.
Generic will save money but you are correct. AAs are cheap.
😂
Not to mention that you now need an outlet nearby.
"So many machines..." Use batteries. He was referring to all battery devices generally. Did you not get that?
@@devongratrix4921sure, but a lithium ion charge circuit adds complexity, and not to mention the financial and environmental cost of a lithium ion battery.
I think we miss Radioshack. Who remembers the catalogues?
They pretty much abandoned their original target market and tried to sell second-rate electronics. It got to where I couldn't find some of the most basic components. There are a few still around but they're a pale shadow of what they used to be.
@@baldeagle5297 So true the one down the street from me has wall after isle of consumer electronics and a roll-a-round drawer tower with actual electrical components, and never what I need in any of them.
I miss the actual RadioShack store. I thought they went out of business years ago and I'm surprised there are still some around. Not near me. It was so nice to go to my local RadioShack and buy parts off the shelf. Now - catalogs, or certain websites.
(BTW I found it hard to follow what the original video is about.)
@@guitarbrad he claims to have designed a method of using one 5v wall power brick or a battery pack to power devices with multiple voltage requirements. instead of multiple power bricks, one for each, thing is he forgot about Amperage is as important if not more than voltage is.
If you live in australia, we've had 'jaycar' cats for about 40 yrs. They only just changed from mail to pdf cos its 600 pages! 'Radio parts' also.
Not all PD chargers support all the voltages. At least that is what I believe or some of the $1 devices don't work. Sometimes the resistors needed for usb c are absent.
that’s why i need a whole 60 minute video. there’s a ton of capabilities and a ton of considerations before moving forward.
That's why you need SMD resistors beforehand for some of these. A lot of these require that you bridge with a resistor or straight Bridge. You can buy specific purpose converters, or multi
@@davidmalaweydo please make a video on this it would be super interesting to do a deeper dive.
@@TTS-TP No, you buy the main version of the board that come with the ref resistor's all on board on and you can desolder the some to get lower voltages.
Subbed for this video
I'm a little old school so I use one of those variable voltage power adapters that go from 1.5v to 12V and you can reverse the polarity of the tip. Even supports the 9V connector and 4 different barrel connectors
i did not even know such devices existed
You can find them in junk bins all over the thrift shops. But they're like $12-$20 new off the rack. This video is all about a couple bucks. But here again it's nice to have about $20 worth of parts already laying around in a box.
I know the one, I bought mine nearly thirty years ago.
@@waverider5751 I remember those, got mine at RadioShack
Yeah those are probably great until you accidentally switch it to 12v and plug it into something that only takes 5v. Magic smoke.
It's amazing what one can figure out by learning some basics. Cheap solutions start flooding the mind. I have so many projects, once I retire... I'll never ever be bored. I love building things, and fabricating elegant solutions.
You'll like this, I had so many wall warts at my desk that I had 3 power strips in my cable management tray and still needed more outlets. I got a 12V 60A power supply and just cut the warts off the ends, put ring terminals on them and stacked them all on the threaded posts
Brilliant. For the first time in my life and 15 yearsof youtube time, I felt like praying for a youtuber! God bless you man. More DIY please.
Hold on a minute. Before pray, check current requirement. Batteries have got lots of current. USB does not.
...and I forgot to mention polarity differences. Some plugs are positive on the center and others the reverse. A mistake like this could kill a device
The protection circuit for that is dirt cheap, but often it's not mentioned that it's present.
What kind do you recommend?
Yeah the plugs are designed with variations so that doesn’t occur 😂 just wire up the correct barrel it’s not hard
I did this for my portable 75W soldering iron and i love it, being able to have a pen sized soldering iron and use it with my laptop brick is amazing
Or just get a Pinecil which has both barrel jack and USB C PD built in. Plus a nice OLED display, upgradeable open source firmware, big range of available tips and costs barely anything.
Yea… but I bought it before the pinecil
It's now PS not PD
I mean unless you have many of the PD chargers
That QR code for the device manual is genius. I already keep PDF versions of my manuals in my iCloud Drive so I’m not sure I’d ever implement this, but maybe for my family members who are less technologically inclined… Talking to you grandpa.
also if you ever want to free up some space in your icloud there are websites dedicated to device manual pdfs. its like huge databases of manuals you just search your device
usb PD is the greatest standard that came out in the last decade I think, woth RCS messaging being the second best
RCS would be great if Google hadn't been typically awful google with it
We literally have a Rubbermaid 5,000 ton tote/snake pit full of all the special varieties of dc barrel jacks and cords we've collected over the years. This is like sliced bread to me right now especially, the algorithms and you are the MVP's. I can not thank you enough for your contribution here.
If cheeky, the manufacturer reverses the polarity of the barrel plug. So, I always check the diagram before plugging my own thing in.
We’ve had universal adapters for these since at least the 90s. One transformer with switches for different power settings, and a cable with a bunch of dongles on the end for every plug type. You just had to read the labelled power requirement on each device. Simple even for little kids.
Yeah but this is way better because there's no risk of selecting the wrong voltage when swapping, as long as you don't use the wrong dongle
They also have invented rechargeable batteries...
a concept absolutely foreign to many people these days, even though they are much safer.
@@KRAFTWERK2K6 also, I think a lot of people don't realise how good even NiMh are vs alkaline in high drain circuits. If anyone remembers the AA cell digital cameras from the 00s, those ate through alkalines so quickly then people would throw the alkalines away not realising they probably still had half their life for other applications. NiMh lasted far longer on a single charge in the cameras. Places like Disneyland making a killing on selling more overpriced duracell from their kiosks whilst visitors continued to dump cells into the trash every hour of use
@@KRAFTWERK2K6 and way cheaper when you use (made in Japan by FKD) Ikea LADDA ones. add a couple STENKOL chargers and you're good to go for a long time for less than a year supply of alkaline throwaway batteries. 😽👌
Yeah but those are too low in voltage for many devices
@@electricpaisy6045 no, when they are charged they are at 1,48v
I have done this for a while, it's nice. I think I have rechargeable batteries in every device we have, you can save a lot of money this way.. nice video 👍
Nice find. What's the IC part number?
Googleing PD adapter module gives me only decoy PD trigger modules, with different (cheap) ICs.
My concern would be that while the PD adapter negotiates the correct voltage there maybe a brief voltage over-shoot. Normally correct volatge is detected using USB C config channel, without that is the PD IC only acting as a auto-step down controller?
Have you hooked the output terminals of the module to a oscilloscope and captured the event, would be cool to see?
Thanks
Click on the three dots above his picture, then click on DESCRIPTION and then MORE.
You deserve a million subs. Everyone needs to fn see this. And you explained it well and thoroughly for such a short video.
While I appreciate the idea for some things, I do think NiMh AAs are a better solution for many things such as remote controls.
The Brother label makers run a ridiculously long time on just about any batteries. I bought enough AAA NiMH batteries so I could put in the 6 the machine and have 6 spares to swap when it dies.
I've been using those same 6 NiMH batteries for over 4 years and I had to replace the label tape cartridges 5 times, but I haven't had to swap the batteries yet.
These are cheap rechargeable batteries from the grocery store that are only 700mAh and the thing is still going strong.
NiMh are probably wasted in remote controls. They are better suited to high drain devices (where they often last longer than alkaline on a single charge anyway so it's a no brainer).
An alkaline is happy in a remote for a couple of years usually, so your NiMh wouldn't be working hard enough to get the return of investment (unless you're not using low self discharge NiMh, then your probably charging them often anyway as they drain themselves).
I've been looking for this solution to my barrel plug problems for a long time now. Thank you so much! I'm trying this with my mophie charger.
Wtf TH-cam years years I've spent watching these shorts. And today I got something I can actually use...
No, don't do this. Power supplies are cheap and plentiful. The amount of current required for certain devices will melt those connectors with those tiny wires and that usb adapter is trash too.
Yes you can actually use it ... once,
Gee almost like ppl in charge don't want us to know how to fix things. Why you think they killed of diy and car channels. Right to repair
@@jacobvarley5453 now that you mention it. Yeah i bet if i cracked it own id be appalled at the 24agw wires lol!!
@@glytchd Actually what killed Radio shack is that things became too easy to replace or repair. back in the day we did what was called component level repair work. checking and replacing resistors, capacitors, tunes, transistors, etc to diagnose and fix things, then along came Modular electronics, where whole sub assemblies of parts could be swapped in and out to diag and repair. then it got to the point where if something quit you threw the whole thing out and got a new one. Long before that point people stopped needing to get individual parts, there was not a widespread do it yourself community to replace it, that came later. The only other option for parts was to order 'direct from the factory' which really was a thing.
You're the first person ive seen with my battery pack. XTAR IS THE BOMB
even better they sell pd cables with interchangable tips that set the voltage automatically no need for making your own
Not for a dollar they dont
I'm pretty sure those only work with devices that also recognise PD. The device has to tell the charger what voltage it wants
Do they set the polarity, too?
Brilliant ty
Ive been doing this for a couple years now, small battery powered motion lights, now being powered by 18650s and charged by a TP4056 module and recharged with a power bank. Same thing for my bright Solar powered motion lights, connected a TP4056 module and now im able to manually charge them during the winter or other days when sunlight is limited.
USB powered modifications are the way to go guys.
They already make USB power delivery cables that would plug into these barrel jacks they includes them on label makers because a lot of the time barrel jack is more practical if it’s being used in a semi industrial environment
I second this, I actually just picked one up for a Bose speaker I found at a thrift store. As long as you know the diameter of the jack and the voltage you can plug that into Amazon with PD in the search bar and you will find tons of options for cheap!
I use those but they are not $2 cheap like this solution is.
But they cost $10 and up
@@ecospider5 I mean, I only payed $8 for a completely assembled cable that I didn’t have to spend any time figuring out or assembling. It was plug and play, I’m more than happy about paying the $5 premium for a nice cable that has proper molded strain relief.
@@theman7003 0.15 for me
That's pretty cool. I've only just discovered these little step-up pcbs, I used to build 9-18v charge pumps to power 18v guitar pedals from a 9v daisy chain.
This does raise the question of polarity. The guitar pedal standard is (dangerously 'almost') centre negative. whereas these devices might vary so you would need to make 2 or have a means of reversing the polarity but that's really no more precarious than those multi voltage power supplies that came with a variety of plugs that you needed to know to orientate.
I'm getting some. Thank you.
Use the printer in Barcode mode - print coupons for batteries 😂😂
Reverse inflation
Get the "better once" they have a button toblet you switch between voltages indicated by a led, best diy thing i ever bought
Not elegant enough, needs to have the machine’s barrel plug receptacle replaced with a USB-C receptacle. That way it’s fully USB-C-ified. It’s bonafide. 😀 “But, Daddy? You ain’t bonafide!”
I did the same thing to my p-touch. PD is a game changer.
Now replace the AA batteries in that label machine with an 18650
Was thinking about the same thing!
There are also rechargeable aa batteries. Eneloops are pretty great and that way you don't to change how they're laid out or get a DC-DC converter if they're not using 3 batteries.
Gotta add some charge and protect circuitry!
leave the batts in the machine and they are dead.. you really need a voltage readout if your gonna use lithium
It's a low powered device. Cheap NiMH batteries would do fine.
I made a similar mod to one of my Brother label printers. I made a small 2S 7.4V battery pack with two capacity-matched 21350-size disposable vape batteries, a protection board, and a USB-C charger board with built in cell balancing. It required a fair bit of plastic cutting, but it's worth the effort to avoid worrying about leaked alkaline batteries inside it ever again.
Why not just buy lion AA cells? Very inventive to use what you got.
Untill you burn your devices because the + - are inverted ....
Yeah, the barrels might be positive on the outside or on the inside ...
It's rare but that should be stamped near the socket anyway
@mixerfistit5522 ... yes. It should be... but ofter it's not. I have hundreds of equipment in my lab... even on the power supply sometimes it's not written
Not to mention that amps are even more important 😂😂
Anyone who designs a product with a center negative barrel jack, and doesn't show the polarity is just pure evil. If you lose the original power adapter, you can sometimes measure the ~0.6V forward voltage of the reverse polarity protection diode, but not all devices have them.
@jaakkolehto1487 i am always doubting... it's not a joke when you power something with reverse polarity
From 3d printers to vibrating platforms..... it's ridiculous the amount of different barrels and you can't guess the polarity on any of those ;(
Been doing this for a while! The volt switcher is slick
I’m about to USB C eVERYthINg!
и сжечь!
I’ve been able to essentially do that
My iPhone
Hair clippers
Drill
All tv remotes
Lighter
AirPods
wow, I haven't seen these usb c adapters yet. thank you very much for this excellent idea! =)
you can purchase rechargeable AA and AAA batteries...worth the investment and much less hassle than....this
This is the best way of getting the fire brigade quickly to your home 🔥
Nimh rechargeable batteries 🔋 are cheap and are good for thousands of charge cycles. 5v, 9v and 12v power supply plugs are cheap at the thrift/flea market
Totally fascinating video.
I am bringing a product to market which has been too many years in the making. We designed it with a barrel plug socket - and the electronics to work from 5v dc, to 9v dc - so it could be powered by an external usb a battery - albeit the motors inside give maximum power at 9v - now I can see potentially selling it with 2 or 3 cables - one of which like this - it could be powered by usb c, or the usb a cable, or a simply wall “wart” of appropriate voltage. Happy days !! So cool this can be made into the cable …
Have you heard of rechargeable batteries? They're pretty useful.
I have some AA rechargeable batteries that have a built-in USB-C socket, so you can charge them with a USB-C cable. Witchcraft!
Know what the difference between 1.3v and 1.5v is? Over 3 batteries or more?
Yup And they also are not such insane fire hazards such as lithium ion batteries.
@@KRAFTWERK2K6 The USB-C rechargeable AA's are Lithium, but it's not insane, just need to not cheap out on the cell or BMS.
This is great! I'm using this on some pc fans on a project soon.
For some applications, rechargeable batteries may be a better option
Got a link on a source you’d recommend for ordering?
thanks for this suggestion, i’ve added the parts in description.
I have looked through the description, and the links do not show anything about these products. Am I missing something? I found Scuttle, and another robotics site, but not these connectors. What are they even called?
I'll paste them here:
[shop my parts used for this video]
PD trigger, 9v ► amzn.to/3XTWgnY
PD trigger, 20v ► amzn.to/3ZzDTpH
PD trigger, 12v ► amzn.to/3ZEUQz4
PD trigger, selective ► amzn.to/4ezzLKw
Barrel plug ► amzn.to/3ZEUQz4
USBC power block ► amzn.to/3zJuktw
Please note, it's hard to click the actual video description on mobile, since the link is buried next to other links.
@@davidmalawey thanks so much David. That’s excellent.
The power bank part is the icing on the cake!
NOPE, ten different voltages, ten different barrel plugs and then type of voltage AC/DC. Then we have to deal with POLARITY for the DC. Now you got me so AGGRAVATED, I need to ... smoke a joint to calm down.
I learned something new. I didn't know the electronics industry had such bad practices.
Bro has anger problems
The (+) used to be the center of the barrel on 98% of devices, but then the center became (-). These kits are great now! Notice the PD adapter gives you different choices, +9v, +12v, +15v, +20v. Some devices have a PLUS MINUS Supply, where there is a positive voltage, a negative voltage, and a common ground. Note that (-) is active voltage on a plus minus supply and ground is indicated by the symbol for ground.
damn. i wish i thought of this sooner.
I like that XTAR power bank, helps me charge my 18650s or 21700s for my flashlights but also serves as a power bank.
They not saving 1 dollar on PD trigger. They saving millions on customers complaints.
How many hundreds of thousands people would call customer service and ask why it not working without telling that they using different power supply or PC usb?
And this is before talking into account that type c cargers constantly rebooting to negotiate power protocols. And if for phone or laptop it's fine, thanks to battery backup, but for game console, printer or server this 0.2 second power loss would lead to full reboot. Also most high power chargers have several ports and each time time something plugged/unplugged they again switching off and negotiating what of 5 protocols and 70 voltages devices want.
Barrel power supplys never being "borrowed" by relatives, friends or relatives friends and you, as manufacturer doesn't want handle all these situations.
I can confidently say that PoE(Power over Ethernet) have more chances to replace barrel jack as reliable power source connection than this disaster of power over type-c protocols.
USB PD is really disappointing for this reason... a missed opportunity that could have been really amazing if they had a way to make the cables and everything less smart and more low-tech while still delivering power correctly.
Yep, did this with my Ti-83 calculator. Tripled the battery life while making it rechargeable through USB-C
We should not recommend people to DIY this stuff without having the full knowledge .... "you don't need to be an engineer" is inappropriate... what about amps, watts, polarity ? at worst people will burn their device and loose illegibility to after-sales services.
When I was seven years old, I was building radios that was in 1963 stuff like this very easy for me. The hardest thing I’ve heard from other people is there ability to solder understanding circuits isn’t that hard.
Pd puts out some serious current! You really want everyman to solder up their own power cables? What happens when that cheap ass $1 PCB fails and a fire starts? Whos at fault? I say stick to UL listed power cables and transformers! For the sake of yourself and your family/neighbors.
Agree. At the very least this video should be a teaser and not taken as instruction
PD only gives high current if the device is smart enough to ask for it. Shorts will trigger the supply overcurrent protection. Transformer supplies don't have that protection.
I have been wanting to make this video for two year's now. So many people throw away their electronics because they feel It easier to just buy a new one ( electronic item ) than to power it from an alternate source. I have been doing this for year's now.
I seriously applaud your time and consideration for making this video. Honestly, I should have done this over 10 years ago. Just thinking of the number of dollars people have spent on things they replaced unnecessarily could have saved thousands of dollars. I am embarrassed I never shared what I knew. My only excuse is laziness along with long hours working my job.
You have now inspired me to start a channel to show people some of these tricks to keep from spending money they may need for more important thing's, or life saving thing's instead of buying more cheap Chinese made thing's we all know are going to break.
If you don't mind, I will give you all the credit to some of my shortcuts I have been using also. Now that I am retired, this could be fun. Thank you for making me realize how selfish I was in not giving my ideas to others.
I'm sure it would be a great channel!
:)
God bless you,
Besides soldering knowledge, you also have to know how to figure out the polarity of the barrel plug. Some devices expect tip positive, others negative.
At some point, it's probably easier to get a universal power supply (used to be really common to see these in the 2000s), you have interchangable barrel tips, can select the voltage with a slider on the brick. Pretty handy.
I like to implant these boards in all my devices. Theres almost always room for that board and a little cutout in the case. And for compatibility reasons i like to set the board to 5V and use a step up converter after it. This way it doesnt matter which USB charger i use, it will always work.
Found massive wall clock from trash one time. Tested it out and it consumed the one AA battery in 15 days. Well wooden rod, drilled hole in the middle, made cable with male bullet connectors that i push trough the middle and into the ends, glued them in place, placed as battery replacement and then took old phone charger and stepdown converter with long leads to power it, measured the voltage from the adapter points and adjusted it to 1.5v since there is transfer losses due longer distance and when i got it around 0.01volts deviation put on. So far only time it has messed up the time is during power outages, but its easy to set again. If it had radio calibration i would not need to touch it ever again.
type c pd is revolutionary and it's so efficient and smart 🤓
Working on 12v and 5v adapters for my 18v Ridgid packs. My 36v dual pack adapter works great. With the lifetime warranty, I'm powering everything off them.
This is the most useful short I've ever watched
perfect product idea .. make a USB cable that will use the High power feature of modern USB chargers (using 15v instead of 5) with a small regulator inside to power all the stuff you use ..
Yeah in the 80's and 90's we had power adaptors with 4 different connectors on the end, and a little dial on the plug to set the output power. Every kid had them.
They still exist.
Welp. I think I found my new favorite channel for a while
From my experience, the power supplies with the barrel jack cable, like what would come included with the example label printer and shipping scale, tend to last a lot longer than USB cables of almost any design. Type A and B are pretty bulletproof, but any of the smaller variants wear out really fast and are generally more delicate. I've had really good quality USB cables from Anker that start loosing connection after only a year or so, nowhere near the 10,000+ cycles they're supposed to be rated for, but I have 20 year old type A/B devices and power supplies that still work like new.
Scolling paid off today, going stop here and take my win for the day.
TOP..as soon as i get the ones i think i ordered succesfully just now i can finally drag a bag of 100 pounds of power addaptors to the recycle mountains!!! CHEERS Dude!!
Sir, You have just earned yourself a subscription. Thank you, Good Day!
Sometimes it's simple (and dirt cheap), sometimes the device needs more power. And yes, USBC can provide almost anything that is needed, however, the adapters will be a bit more expensive and way more complicated. Last time I checked phone chargers were able to give like 65W, it's a huge power. To let it be passed through thin wires, it offers higher voltages than 5 or even 9V. The tricky part is negotiation, the device asks for specific settings and then the power supply delivers.
I have a tool trolley at work that I've fitted with hazard lights and underglow. I plan to get a 12V milwaukee charger in there too. It's all fed by a PD power bank and a little breakout board. Usb C is amazing
They sell power delivery barrel plug adapters ready made for just a couple of bucks. They are compact and convenient and work well.
I love it! Thank you. This is what the Internet is for.
I power my portable heating blanket with PD. It works great
My mom sold Avon products. They had alot of decorations with lights, fiber optics etc. They sold these universal power source plug deals that have a switch on them for various voltages from 3-12 volts, a polarity switch and it has like 6 different end types on it including 3 different size barrel connectors, two different male headphone looking types and a 9v battery style connectotion. Had it for like 20 years at this point and suspect you would be able to find something like it on Amazon.
Briljant video thanks man! Im off ordering me some parts!
Not always the case. Since you showed a Brother label printer, mine uses 8 AAs. I tried using a power adapter with the specs matching the requirements (voltage, amps, and polarity) I had laying around. I tested it to make sure it worked with a meter. It did but didn't work with the printer. I had to buy an aftermarket AC adapter that was made for this printer and similar Brother models. It cost me around 50 USD with shipping.
THIS IS AMAZING! give us a quick tutorial man!!
Thats why i love USBC PD
Best vid of month
Taught me something new. Going to look into it thanks
Have that same powerbank / charger. You can use Molicel 4500 mAh cells for use in winter outdoors without damage to the cells (most Li-Ion don't react well to cold exposure).
Careful with those adapters and power blocks. Those are designed with specific devices in mind! One day your device works, and then it doesn't. Under or over amperage can be a gradual killer!
Wow. This is actually genius
If you are going to do this, skip the barrel plug ; use a multimeter to verify the voltage and wire directly to the device skipping the barrel plug. If you want to be real slick, you can dremel out the space in the side of the piece of gear, and hotglue the connector inside the device.
Worth noting that you can reconfigure these PD triggers (IP2721) to one other voltage, 9/12 or 15/20. Because there are 2 IC variants used, the resistor right by the + output is either populated or removed to toggle between them. When its populated its like 10-20 ohms but shorting with solder works fine. Useful so you dont have to buy every single type.
This is why you buy a $20 90W power brick that has all the adapters for just about any laptop power connector plus USB-c and do not have to worry about soldering or anything. The same universal charger can also be used for LCD monitors that use an external power brick.
Fantastic, thank you for this 👍
You could replace the AA cell with a rechargeable LI cell. It is easy. I did it with my RC controllers, cars and flying machines.
Using a usb c pd for this is acually pretty cool
So you're amazed at being able to go back to what we already had in the 80s, paying a few bucks at Radio Shack to get a universal power supply with a set of different-sized barrel connectors. The power supply had a slider for the different voltages, and you could put the barrel tips on one way or the other to account for positive being tip or ring.
you sir, are awesome!!
The answer is always yes!
As long as the voltage isn’t greater than the required voltage, almost any amperage typically* works
(*typically only the required amps are pulled, but the voltage is forced in regardless of power requirements. Still shouldn’t use more than a 20% difference in amps if you wanna be extra secure)
This means you can power an original NES with a foot massager power cable(yes, I’m not joking. My fiance had one and that was what we used for power. Exact voltage, but 2 amps more. Worked like a charm 🥰)
the disposable vapes that come with a built in charger is my goto.. even if you don't vape its still a good deal 😊
All we needed was standardisation. We could have made all electronic devices use the same barrel plug, same polarity and same voltage. Including power in USB C is useful but a simple barrel plug as an alternative would be more robust. For most people most of the time they need a robust charging port much more than a data port.
Buy a usb c to barrel adapter. Just make sure you get the proper voltage and size.
If you have many devices and don't know what barrel plug to buy, buy them all, find a vendor that supplies a wide variety, and invest the $14. Then replace them as you find a good fit in a product.
Even the PD usb c power supplies are cheap now.
I even use them to charge laptops at full speed, usb c is impressive.
Just gotta buy direct.
new idea for startup: voltage-configurable USB-C to barrel plug adapter. so you buy a ton of these, no need to solder, maybe a small switch to toggle and you are good to go!
Hell yes, I love this.
9 VDC power supplies, in fact any power supply ever needed, are available on Amazon or other places for mere dollars. and then the device can be operated the way it was designed, which always preferred to expedient adapters and what-nots to make it run. also, there's rechargeable AA batteries, which makes the operating cost much less.
The P-touch labeler has a convenient cavity near the hinge, adjacent to the tape cartridge, so you can pull one AAA battery out when not in use and keep from killing them so fast. That can be the difference in the batteries lasting months instead of minutes.
Side note, pretty sure this is an undocumented and probably accidental “feature”