hi- i don't know a great deal about electronics, but i have coupled a model steam engine (Stuart 10H) up to a dynamo that puts out 12 volts dc at 5300 rpm at 2.3 amps.
I picked up an analog volt meter (0-15 volts) that shows the dynamo puts out plenty of juice.
However, when I hook it up to a USB car charger and plug a phone into it, the charge light on the phone only lights up when the voltage is around six, and the phone does not actually charge.
I am wondering if there is some way to control the dynamo output to conform with the input expectations of the USB charger.
Failing that, if I wire the cell phone (which is no longer used and cheap to begin with) directy to the dynamo and run it at five volts, would that work?
I showed the guys at my local electronics store, and while they thought it was neat, they did not have any suggestions on moderating the output so the phone would charge.
While the engine will peg the volt meter at about 3/4 throttle, at five volts, it is turning at a placid, sustainable rate.
It sounds great!
BTW, i am running it on compressed air.
I picked up an analog volt meter (0-15 volts) that shows the dynamo puts out plenty of juice.
However, when I hook it up to a USB car charger and plug a phone into it, the charge light on the phone only lights up when the voltage is around six, and the phone does not actually charge.
I am wondering if there is some way to control the dynamo output to conform with the input expectations of the USB charger.
Failing that, if I wire the cell phone (which is no longer used and cheap to begin with) directy to the dynamo and run it at five volts, would that work?
I showed the guys at my local electronics store, and while they thought it was neat, they did not have any suggestions on moderating the output so the phone would charge.
While the engine will peg the volt meter at about 3/4 throttle, at five volts, it is turning at a placid, sustainable rate.
It sounds great!
BTW, i am running it on compressed air.