Multi Port USB Charger

Tired of figuring out how many USB chargers you can cram into one outlet.

Step 1: Warnings

After you make these modifications NEVER connect this USB hub to a computer.

As usual create at your own risk!

Step 2: Compatibility

The following devices have been tested and charge:

Nintendo 3DS
Nintendo DSi
Kindle Fire HD 7
Apple iPhone
Apple iPod
Samsung Galaxy S2
Samsung Tab 10.1
Samsung Galaxy Note 3
OnePlus One

Note: All of these device will charge but not all will charge at max current.

Step 3: Tools Needed

Soldering iron
Solder
Small screwdriver

Step 4: The USB Hub

The USB hub to modify. Save the wimpy power supply for another project.

Step 5: Opening the 10 Port USB Hub.

Flip USB hub over. Remove back cover by gently prying along the seam.

Step 6: Free the Circuit Board!

Gently pry out the circuit board. In my USB hub the power end had more room to get out compared to the other end.

Step 7: Circuit Board Out

Here is the circuit board once it is out of the case.

Step 8: Time to Solder

You may not be able to see from these 2 pictures but I had to fix many cold solder joints on this board. I was amazed at how many there were. All good solder joints must have a wet look to them. You can look up a soldering Instructable if you do not know how to solder.

Step 9: More Solder to Short Pins

Locate the USB pins on the bottom of (opposite side of USB ports) the circuit board. Get out your trusty soldering iron and some solder. You want to short the two middle pins together.

Step 10: New Power Supply

Purchase a 5 volt power supply with a compatible connector. I found a 5v 8 amp power supply.

Comments

[Cueball21]

Thanks for the information. I found a 13 port USB hub on eBay. I will modify it as you suggested and mark it not for data so I don't get confused. I have an iPhone, iPad or 2 and other usb devices that require less power. The problem becomes how to size a new power supply.

My knowledge of electronics is very basic: Volts X Amps = Watts. How do I find out the power needs of the smart devices and the other not-so-smart devices? I've read that USB power supplies are generally 5 Volts and USB devices other than smart devices draw 0.5 Amps in most cases. How do I size the new power supply?

I think I remember reading that power requirements are cumulative - just add them together to get the total needed - and that a factor of 50% should be allowed for overhead. Is this a good rule of thumb? I've read somewhere that most USB devices - other than smart devices - use about 0.5 Amps. If I assume that smart devices draw 10 times that ( or 5.0 amps each); and I plan to use all ports and not more than 5 smart devices, my logic yields: (5 x 5.0 Amps) = 25 Amps + (8 x 0.5 Amps) = 4.0 or 29 Amps x 150% for about 45.0 Amps. It seems that I would need to know how many Watts each type of device would draw to calculate voltage. This is a hypothetical; not real data. I just want to know if the approach is correct.

I realize that you didn't make this ible to teach an electronics course; so if you want to suggest other topics for me to research, I understand; however, I'd appreciate your comments on the hypothetical I posed in the paragraph above.

[oliverkwin10]

Why shouldn't it's be connected to a computer?

[jschlager]

The data pins are shorted. Useless for data transfers.

[Cueball21]

I'm about as slow as a snail and dumb as a whole box of hammers; so bear with my questions, please.

From what I got out of this ible, you removed the PCB and shorted the 2 inner USB connections to each other. I don't understand why this works. Can you explain? Also, how did you short the 2 connections, with solder or wire?

Is this solution ample for Apple products? I've read that they use a different sort of battery with different charging requirements.

????

[jschlager]

You can charge apple devices on this but will not charge at a high rate.

[jschlager]

Shorting the 2 inner pins fools many devices to think it is connected to a charger only and no data.

The inner pins are data lines for USB. Since you are shorting them the hub is useless for data transfers. So not useful for data transfers. As a result not really useful for connecting to a pc.

[sammutvr1997]

easy way to design the multi port charger

[fcfelix]

Hi, nice ible, I wanted to do something like this as well. But maybe for those who cant read from the board what those 2 middle pins are, can you tell us why we want to shorten those two? Are those Data+ and Data-? Is it necessary to shorten them and make the multiport charger-only-no-data? Thanks, best regards, Felix

[jschlager]

Many iPhones and Android devices will test if data+ and data- are shorted together. This signals that they are connected to a power supply and not a computer. A standard computer only supplies 500mA so they will operate in a slow charge state. Shorting the pins signals that they can draw the max current they can to charge.

[rparash]

if only one device will be connected it will get all 8 amp?

[jschlager]

The devce will only draw the maximum current it can. You can not push 8 amps into the device.