3D Printed USB Phone Charger Enclosure

Intro: 3D Printed USB Phone Charger Enclosure

After searching hundreds of models of USB charger, all of them looked like Altoids boxes.

Decided to design my own enclosure!

STEP 1: Choose Your Schematic and Components.

Instructables have a hide range of usb charger models and schematics.

i used this one, just added a power jack for charging: https://www.instructables.com/id/Make-a-USB-iPhone-...

i've used recycled components from old electronic that had laying around.

STEP 2: Measure Your Circuit

After defining your circuit, take all the dimensions and make a simple draw with shape and design you'l need.

Choose a 3d modelling software (ex. solid works, fusion 360, rhino, etc.) and start modelling.

remember to give some size tolerance for all the fixings and sliding of the different parts.

Start printing!

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:715914

STEP 3: Test Everything Once Again

This charger worked with an Ipod 4, Gopro camera , Samsung cellphones and a WiFi portable hard drive.

Hope you find this helpful.

STEP 4: Final Product!

Comments

[Zack_F]

I love to eat pineapples with forks

[sbizarro]

good for you

[BoKKeR]

Hey I would like to know how much it costs to get this 3D printed by a home printer lets say, just taking the material. thanks for the answer

[sbizarro]

the filament is around 30€ / kilo, and about 2 hours printing, it's a normal DIY prusa i3. can't tell you the exact costs, but the material is cheap!

[BoKKeR]

yes I know how much is the filament can you give at least a estimated cost? if we talk in 10€ or 1€ or 0.10€ thanks :3

[sbizarro]

around 0.10 or 0.20€. plus the electricity used.

[BrownDogGadgets]

Good design, and I love your circuitry setup.

A few pointers from someone who has done this... a lot...

1) I often see a lot of people use 9V batteries for cell phone charging. Thats a very poor power source. 9V batteries have a high voltage but low amperage. Some as low as 200mAh. My iPhone has a 1800mAh battery, and larger phones have bigger ones. You'd need quite a few 9V batteries to charge up a phone.

2) Lithium batteries are a great idea. However, someone suggested using two of them in a series. That is bad. Depending on the charge controller you're using (and I've used the one you showed in some pictures below) doing multiple lithium batteries in a series can cause you to overcharge the batteries. Which could cause a small fire or explosion. More or less you'd have an imbalance in their amperage and you'd end up overcharging one by accident. The one you have in hand is designed for a cell lithium battery, so no series.

3) Instead, use a single lithium battery along with a Set Up converter. (Someone suggested that below as well.) It's the most simple solution and the way every commercial USB Power Bank works. It's also very very safe. The big issue people often have with the step up converters is that they're often limited to 500mA output, and a lot of newer gadgets need a minimum of 1A (1,000mA) output. I'm 99% sure thats the problem with the one you're using in some photos below, seeing as how I've used similar ones as well.

Just find a DC to DC converter with at least 1A output and you'll be golden for use with a lithium battery.

Keep in mind though that to charge up my 1,800mAh iPhone battery I have to use a 2,600mAh lithium battery. Amperage is lost in the conversion. Super small lithium batteries end up being just as useless as 9V batteries.

[sbizarro]

Thanks Joshua!!!

I tried with 3 li-ion cell batteries in parallel, but still didn't charge it. maybe there is a way of changing the limit current of the 0.9/5v boost or need to cheat the data pins like i did before.

I'll keep on testing.

[Cekpi7]

you should put 2x18650 in series
they have bigger capacity and they are rechargeable

[sbizarro]

Thanks for the tip! I'll try to find some of the kind. I have some old cellphone batteries, but need another kind of circuit.

[Cekpi7]

Use 3.7v to 5v converter it will be much more efficient

[sbizarro]

thanks!! i will! i'm trying with a mini usb li-ion charger and a 0.9 to 5v usb boost. but don't charge the ipod. only the wifi drive.

[Cekpi7]

I think that ipod need 1A
Also did you try to add resistors on data pins?

[sbizarro]

no yet, still finding an easy way of doing that on the 0.9v to 5v boost module.

[jbizarro]

:)

[STYRFING]

the sleekest lookin charger ive seen so far! Great that you linked your model in thingiverse :)

[sbizarro]

Thanks!!!

[seamster]

Excellent! I love your design; it's o sleek and simple. Very well done!

[sbizarro]

thanks seamster!!! (: