Introduction: IPad Dual-USB Charging Cable
Charge your iPad using 2 USB ports, twice as fast as on a single USB port.
1. Cut 2 iPod|iPhone|iPad Cables
2. Identify and verify the cables that carry power (in case you are not using the apple supplied cables) - usually they are red (+5V) and black (G)
3. On one of the USB cables, cut and isolate the data cables (the two cables NOT power related as in item 2 above)
4. Reconnect everything (I used a small veroboard, but just simple splicing/soldering should be okay) - Just make sure you connect the power cables IN PARALLEL.
5. Insulate and test (I used Sugru to create a more hardy enclosure)
This has been tested to bring up a 7% battery charge iPad to full in about 5 hours - more testing is underway for validation)
4 Comments
9 years ago
This wouldn't work, iDevices only accept 5v and a resistor on one of the 4 wires inside USB (I forgot which one) which acts as a key, without it, it wouldn't charge, it would ignore it. Same with this, too much voltage will make the iDevice ignore it
11 years ago on Introduction
One USB cable could bring the charge up faster. And, if you aren't careful, using this could ruin the iPad you just spent 500 plus dollars on.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
if you are unfamiliar with series and parallel wiring you should look it up, it is very helpful when dealing with electrical instructables. because the iPad is rated for 5v/10watts by apple. that's 2 amps if this is connected to a PC it would never ever be in danger besides faulty wiring as a pc only outputs max 5.25volts/900 mA's over a standard USB port. not to mention if u supply access amperage it just won't use it. so to readdress the point.. as long as you clearly can ID the 5+volt and gnd and connect them correctly in PARALLEL this charger is just about equal to the wall wart they ship it with.
NOTICE: some PC's have dedicated charging ports they can output around 1.5-1.8amps so you technically wouldn't even need this cable if your PC had such ports, but they only come on high end motherboards.
12 years ago on Introduction
Clever