It's Alive!!! Portable USB Powered Pi


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by SSilver2k2 » Sun Sep 16, 2012 10:26 pm
Hey all,

So I've been working on my portable Raspberry Pi gaming / uber machine. I posted before about using the small 2inch Adafruit LCD display, powered through the GPIO pins. I was trying to find a good way to power the Pi and borrowed a friends Duracell USB battery charger. It will power the Pi, but not the LCD screen.

Today I was wandering through WalMart and saw a Kodak KP1000 battery charger on clearance for $16.00. I decided to try it and at worst, I return it. I have to say that it's working BEAUTIFULLY :D

It's stated output is 5v at 700mA

Right now I am seeing how long it can power the Pi and LCD before cutting out (currently going over 20 minutes).

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by mahjongg » Sun Sep 16, 2012 10:36 pm
Nice!
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by malakai » Sun Sep 16, 2012 10:47 pm
Sweet do keep us posted as the kodak site is selling them for $7

http://store.kodak.com/store/ekconsus/en_US/pd/Essential_USB_Power_Pack_KP1000/productID.222954500

Note the specs listed here though:
Specifications

Capacity: 1000 mAh
Amp output: 1.0 A
Charge method: USB
Power pack charge time: 3 hours
Connectivity: micro USB
Tips: no
Size: 3.7 × 1.8 × 0.5 in.
Weight: 1.7 oz

I live in the US and here's the total shipped ground:
Total: $13.53

So hope I have good things to say once it arrives :D
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by Menace » Mon Sep 17, 2012 12:15 am
Really nice!
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by SSilver2k2 » Mon Sep 17, 2012 12:28 am
It lasted a little over an hour with the LCD panel. Works for me :D
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by startreksteve » Mon Sep 17, 2012 10:59 am
Will the Pi run on one of these?
£10.00 in Asda UK
http://direct.asda.com/iSound-Universal ... p&istBid=t
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by JoeDaStudd » Mon Sep 17, 2012 1:57 pm
startreksteve wrote:Will the Pi run on one of these?
£10.00 in Asda UK
http://direct.asda.com/iSound-Universal ... p&istBid=t

If you have a little more to spend get one of these
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B008 ... 00_s00_i00
£19.99 delivered with 2 usb outputs and 9200mAh so it will last ~6 times longer then the ASDA one.
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by SSilver2k2 » Tue Sep 18, 2012 12:43 pm
I'm sure those other chargers will work fine as long as they output 5v and 700mA or higher. The Duracell charger was 5v 500mA and it worked fine for just the Pi.

My issue with the other chargers is they are a lot bigger. I'm going for ultra portable with my project so the Kodak power pack is a great size. If size isn't a concern, go for it :)
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by proxima » Tue Sep 18, 2012 4:30 pm
While we're on the subject, and seeing as I just happen to have tested this 10 minutes ago - I confirm that one of these http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000UH46YY/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00 can power a Pi quite happily. And as it has two outputs and states each can provide 1A (or 2A if only one is in use), I assume it could power *two* Pis.

I also bought a 2 inch USB lead at the same time, so the Pi can sit on top of the battery, with just enough cable to reach round.

(This wasn't what I bought the battery for, but it's coming in handy more often than I expected).
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by Bigcat123 » Tue Sep 18, 2012 5:25 pm
What is the cheapest one??? I am making a robot and so it would come in useful! I am in the UK and don't want to pay for expensive shipping!

Thanks a million! :)
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by startreksteve » Wed Sep 19, 2012 10:16 am
Well the Asda one is twice as powerful, and a third of the price, work it out!
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by startreksteve » Thu Sep 20, 2012 7:48 am
Well I bought the Asda one, it runs the Pi fine, although it seems to boot a little slower. word of warning, dont try to power the Pi, an external USB HD and a wireless keyboard sender all at once!
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by startreksteve » Fri Sep 21, 2012 10:58 am
Scratch the above recommendation, It died on me, and thought it charges up ok, it outputs power on and off. A replacement does the same. Dont buy it!
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