GoPro External Charging Cable

by AndreyT

7.1K1356

Intro: GoPro External Charging Cable

Have you ever wanted to take a looooong time lapse but didn't have the battery power or the equipment to make it, well today I will show you how to make a GoPro external charging cable so you can take those long time lapses you want.

STEP 1: Tools and Parts

The tools and parts needed for this project are:

GoPro (or any other camera with a mini USB connector)
USB connector
Mini USB connector
Ribbon cable
Soldering Iron
Rotary tool
Supper glue

STEP 2: Cutting and Bending

Now you have to cut the metal shell off the back of the mini USB connector. Don't cut thru the mini USB connector or your gonna have big problems. Then bend the plastic part in a 90 degree angle but be careful not to break it.

STEP 3: Soldering and Adding a String

Heat up your soldering iron and start soldering the two power pins to the ribbon cable. Don't make the solder joint too big because you want the connector to fit into your frame. Solder the ribbon cable to the USB connector and electrical tape to the connection. Now add a small piece of string and super glue it to the mini USB connector for easy removal.

STEP 4: Test Fit and Troubleshooting

Test fit the charger and try charging the camera. If the camera couldn't fit in the case then grind the connector lower and try again. test for shorts or other wires that are touching or are not supposed to be connected. I am not accountable for damage caused to your camera or accessorys because of this project.

STEP 5: Go Have Fun

The best step in this Instructable. Go out and have fun with you new external charging cable. If you take a time lapse then show me it, I would love to see your time lapses,I put my time lapse down below, Check it out. Have Fun.

6 Comments

philslizzy 8 years ago

This will be a good way to connect an external mic too, using the micro USB

Science brainiac 8 years ago

I'm gonna try and make a robot with this thing and connect my phone to it and then connect to my wifi and also put a security camera with the robot and connect a camera to the robot so I can see what the robot sees via computer and install a GPS so I can see where it is if it has ran away

AndreyT 8 years ago

Great idea, you should make an instructable on it. I would like to see the robot when your done.

Lmecano 8 years ago

Nice idea to use a sheet of wires instead of the standard cable.

Have you tried it ? Because I'm not sure that the seal will still work if it is more compressed in a specific location.

Thank you !

braytonlarson 8 years ago

The thing is, you probably wont be using an external charging cable anywhere you think the camera will actually need the water seal. You aren't going to try to charge the thing underwater or anything. It's really just so you can use the standard gopro mount while keeping it charged.