More on charging a phone with a 6 volt battery
Forum rules
If you need help logging in, or have question about how something works, use the Support forum located here Support Forum
Complete set of Forum Rules Forum Rules
If you need help logging in, or have question about how something works, use the Support forum located here Support Forum
Complete set of Forum Rules Forum Rules
-
Topic author - Posts: 663
- Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2019 11:15 am
- First Name: Tony
- Last Name: Bowker
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 touring
- Location: La Mesa, CA
- MTFCA Number: 32
- MTFCA Life Member: YES
- Board Member Since: 2005
More on charging a phone with a 6 volt battery
I can recall several articles on this subject with lots of mixed results. On the recent Golden Gate tour my phone ran out of poop and was stuck. So I need a solution.
My first effort was a cheap plug in lighter to USB socket and it did not function. No charge showed on the phone display and it took less than 0.01amp.
Next I tried a more expensive converter and it functions correctly.
Here is the set up: After running for an hour or so to see if anything got too hot, the phone had charged from 54% to 80% Now I have to install the parts in the Coupe. I found a screw under the dash board to mount a phone holder and tomorrow I go searching for a cigarette lighter outlet that will be out of the way of my knees.
As to why one functioned and the other failed I could hypoithise that the cheap one had a seven volt zener diode to drop the normal 12v to 5v required by the USB specification. Naturally this will not function on only a six volt input. Again I suspect the more expensive device has a DC-DC high frequency inverter and copes with the 6v input with no problems.
My first effort was a cheap plug in lighter to USB socket and it did not function. No charge showed on the phone display and it took less than 0.01amp.
Next I tried a more expensive converter and it functions correctly.
Here is the set up: After running for an hour or so to see if anything got too hot, the phone had charged from 54% to 80% Now I have to install the parts in the Coupe. I found a screw under the dash board to mount a phone holder and tomorrow I go searching for a cigarette lighter outlet that will be out of the way of my knees.
As to why one functioned and the other failed I could hypoithise that the cheap one had a seven volt zener diode to drop the normal 12v to 5v required by the USB specification. Naturally this will not function on only a six volt input. Again I suspect the more expensive device has a DC-DC high frequency inverter and copes with the 6v input with no problems.
- Attachments
-
- Current draw of half amp
- 006155C2-E29C-4A86-8EC1-AF49A4F20060.jpeg (41.32 KiB) Viewed 2571 times
-
- Set up
- C83B5547-28F6-4436-B8AE-1C62B0536716.jpeg (31.59 KiB) Viewed 2571 times
Last edited by TonyB on Thu Jun 10, 2021 9:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Tony Bowker
La Mesa, California
1914 Touring, 1915 Speedster, 1924 Coupe.
La Mesa, California
1914 Touring, 1915 Speedster, 1924 Coupe.
-
- Posts: 415
- Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 7:01 pm
- First Name: Michael
- Last Name: Deichmann
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 Touring, 1921 Roadster P/U, 1922 Fordor (danish custom body)
- Location: Rågeleje, Denmark
- MTFCA Number: 29116
- Board Member Since: 2007
Re: More on charging a phone with a 6 volt battery
I have similar experiences. I also experimented with several and found one where it worked. If I use the SatNav function it does not charge but keeps it charged so that's OK.
Ford Model T 1914 Touring
Ford Model T 1921 Roadster Pick-up
Ford Model T 1922 Fordor (danish build body)
ECCT, Strobospark, HCCT(Sold), Rebuilding coils
Ford Model T 1921 Roadster Pick-up
Ford Model T 1922 Fordor (danish build body)
ECCT, Strobospark, HCCT(Sold), Rebuilding coils
-
- Posts: 6496
- Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2019 9:37 pm
- First Name: Steve
- Last Name: Jelf
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1923 touring and a few projects
- Location: Parkerfield, Kansas
- MTFCA Number: 16175
- MTFCI Number: 14758
- Board Member Since: 2007
- Contact:
Re: More on charging a phone with a 6 volt battery
You can buy 6 to 12 volt converters online for under $20. I have them in my T's for phone charging, Garmin, etc.
The inevitable often happens.
1915 Runabout
1923 Touring
1915 Runabout
1923 Touring
-
- Posts: 245
- Joined: Tue Oct 29, 2019 4:14 pm
- First Name: Greg
- Last Name: Popove
- Location: Olds AB
Re: More on charging a phone with a 6 volt battery
If it were just for me, I'd connect a USB power outlet directly to the 6V system. Most phones have good power regulators that will adjust and filter the power to charge the phone.
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/82 ... 1532551500
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/82 ... 1532551500
-
Topic author - Posts: 663
- Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2019 11:15 am
- First Name: Tony
- Last Name: Bowker
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 touring
- Location: La Mesa, CA
- MTFCA Number: 32
- MTFCA Life Member: YES
- Board Member Since: 2005
Re: More on charging a phone with a 6 volt battery
Maybe I didn’t make it clear enough but one cheap converter did not function and did not charge the iPhone. I made a guess as to why.
Tony Bowker
La Mesa, California
1914 Touring, 1915 Speedster, 1924 Coupe.
La Mesa, California
1914 Touring, 1915 Speedster, 1924 Coupe.
-
- Posts: 627
- Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2019 2:00 pm
- First Name: George John
- Last Name: Drobnock
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1922 Coupe
- Location: Central Pennsylvania
Re: More on charging a phone with a 6 volt battery
Say ever consider a solar panel mobile phone charger?
-
- Posts: 245
- Joined: Tue Oct 29, 2019 4:14 pm
- First Name: Greg
- Last Name: Popove
- Location: Olds AB
Re: More on charging a phone with a 6 volt battery
I wasn't too clear either. Using a 12V to 5V converter will probably not work on a 6V system. It depends on the specs of the components.
Just hooking a USB phone charger cord to 6V will probably work because most power regulators in the phone will have no trouble converting 6V to 5V, which the phone requires.
Just hooking a USB phone charger cord to 6V will probably work because most power regulators in the phone will have no trouble converting 6V to 5V, which the phone requires.
-
- Posts: 813
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 3:59 pm
- First Name: William
- Last Name: Vanderburg
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 2
- Location: Jackson, NJ
- MTFCA Number: 28382
Re: More on charging a phone with a 6 volt battery
Paul Shinn did this on his YouTube channel to one of his Model As.
He bought a certain plug in charge receptacle and wired it directly to his battery.
The plug receptacle looks like a cigarette lighter or power source in a modern car
He bought a certain plug in charge receptacle and wired it directly to his battery.
The plug receptacle looks like a cigarette lighter or power source in a modern car
William L Vanderburg
1925 Touring
1922 Center Door Sedan
1925 Touring
1922 Center Door Sedan
-
- Posts: 664
- Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 10:06 pm
- First Name: Ed
- Last Name: Fuller
- Location: NJ
- MTFCA Number: 29582
- MTFCI Number: 22818
- Board Member Since: 2012
Re: More on charging a phone with a 6 volt battery
When the subject of phone chargers comes up periodically, I always recommend picking up a USB portable power bank battery pack. They fit in your pocket and for around $20-25 you can pick up a decent one. You can take it anywhere and it will eliminate unreliable power converters and running wires in your T. To me it doesn’t get much easier than that.
-
- Posts: 346
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 6:57 pm
- First Name: John
- Last Name: Hunter
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 Geelong Tourer
- Location: Blue Mountains, Australia
- Board Member Since: 2002
- Contact:
Re: More on charging a phone with a 6 volt battery
I use a 6 to 240V inverter to power my iPad through its charger. No need for a 12V battery in my car.
-
- Posts: 5459
- Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 4:56 pm
- First Name: Frank
- Last Name: Brandi
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: Speedster (1919 w 1926)
- Location: Moline IL
- Board Member Since: 2018
Re: More on charging a phone with a 6 volt battery
Interesting
The past is a great place and I don't want to erase it or to regret it, but I don't want to be its prisoner either.
Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
-
- Posts: 726
- Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 5:42 pm
- First Name: Matt
- Last Name: G
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 Touring, 1926 Fordor Project, TT C-cab flatbed farm field find, TT dump truck project
- Location: California
- MTFCA Number: 30697
Re: More on charging a phone with a 6 volt battery
Who would ever want to put a phone in there car? Phones are for talking. Cars are for driving.
The next thing you know people will be talk about using their phone to take photos. But then what would cameras be for?
Anyway if things don’t go well with the power supply it may work for smoke signals.
The next thing you know people will be talk about using their phone to take photos. But then what would cameras be for?
Anyway if things don’t go well with the power supply it may work for smoke signals.
-
- Posts: 5459
- Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 4:56 pm
- First Name: Frank
- Last Name: Brandi
- * REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: Speedster (1919 w 1926)
- Location: Moline IL
- Board Member Since: 2018
Re: More on charging a phone with a 6 volt battery
Phones can assist in driving. Some can be used for driving too Helps on the job They can drive you crazy tooMatt in California wrote: ↑Fri Jun 11, 2021 3:50 pmWho would ever want to put a phone in there car? Phones are for talking. Cars are for driving.
The next thing you know people will be talk about using their phone to take photos. But then what would cameras be for?
Anyway if things don’t go well with the power supply it may work for smoke signals.
The past is a great place and I don't want to erase it or to regret it, but I don't want to be its prisoner either.
Mick Jagger
Mick Jagger
-
- Posts: 245
- Joined: Tue Oct 29, 2019 4:14 pm
- First Name: Greg
- Last Name: Popove
- Location: Olds AB
Re: More on charging a phone with a 6 volt battery
Next, they'll want to install a OBD port.