How to connect A129 to Cellink Neo 9 for Buffered Parking Mode

[joe384]

I'm currently using an Anker 2x 18W USB PD charger connected to 2x Poweradd 20,000mAh USB PD Powerbanks to get a total of 40,000mAh capacity and 36W charge rate - plenty for the supermarket car park, a 10 minute charge will easy give 2 hours parking mode and a full charge will give a full weekend with most dashcams. Also use a cheap voltage regulator (hardwire kit) to supply power while the powerbanks are charging and the outputs of the 3 are just connected in parallel. Not enough charge rate for 24 hour coverage, but more than enough for supermarket car parks.

The powerbanks cost me on average £4.10 delivered in ebay auctions, while a Cellink Neo with far less capacity than the two would cost £350 from Blackvue!

I always thought the charge rate referred to the output of the powerbank, I didn't realise you could fast charge the powerbank as well.

I'm not sure how you have done your setup? Are you saying you have spliced into the same usb cable for the dashcam with 3 input connectors?

 

[Nigel]

I always thought the charge rate referred to the output of the powerbank, I didn't realise you could fast charge the powerbank as well.

Yes, although you need to read the specifications carefully to check the "input" watts, some of the ones described as "45W" only charge at 10W or 15W. Also you need a charger capable of supplying that input.

I'm not sure how you have done your setup? Are you saying you have spliced into the same usb cable for the dashcam with 3 input connectors?

Yes, although the "hardwire kit" is connected via a diode so that power from the batteries doesn't leak back into it. It is a bit questionable if this is a valid thing to do, it is not in the USB specification, but you can buy cables that do it and it normally works. You should check the output voltage before plugging anything valuable into it, preferably under load, since some cheaper powerbanks may give an unstable output voltage.

 

[joe384]

Yes, although you need to read the specifications carefully to check the "input" watts, some of the ones described as "45W" only charge at 10W or 15W. Also you need a charger capable of supplying that input.

The powerdrive you linked to has a big infographic taking up most of the page implying it will charge at 100W. It seems they slap that on every product regardless though! They seem to sell at least 50 different car chargers - easy to get confused.

 

[Mtz]

What about wiring the Viofo HK3 hardwire kit power wires (BATT and GROUND) to the powerbank battery and then wire the ACC wire to your ignition circuit from the car. This will then use the car as a "car running / car parked' signal and power will be supplied from the powerbank battery when off, or passed through when engine is running.

The ACC wire on the Viofo HK3 hardwire kit simply is a trigger wire. The BATT wire provides all power to the A129 Pro.

I agree this is the best idea to use NEO with HK3 from Viofo or SGDCHW from Street Guardian.

For the charging, we only need a USB C PD input. For the output, most powerbanks only have 1 USB C socket, so unless you can use that socket for input and output then we have to use USB A, but the dashcam does not need much power anyway.

So the new Viofo hardwire kit needs USB C PD output to be used with powerbanks which support fast charge. But that powerbanks need to support charging when delivering (pass-through charging ). About this feature are a lot of discussions here.
The output needed by the dashcam is a powerbank specification, fast charge for output is not so needed, just USB is enough.

enjoy,
Mtz

 

[gabilondo77]

The Zendure powerbank have reliable pass-through charging,they are expensive but very good powerbanks with lots of protection features too,and fast charging input feature.

 

[Mtz]

OK, but we need to know more models which support pass-through charging maybe 20000mAh capacity and which technology is the best for the cells inside powerbanks. But first we need to know if the Viofo hardwire kit will support fast charge.

enjoy,
Mtz

 

[Nigel]

So the new Viofo hardwire kit needs USB C PD output to be used with powerbanks which support fast charge. But that powerbanks need to support charging when delivering.

I think it is simpler if we just use USB C PD for charging the powerbank, all the old "fast charge" systems like Qualcomm and different connector types just make things complicated, USB C is the future.

I think most powerbanks do not support "charging when delivering", I have one USB C PD powerbank that does and one that does not, so it would be good if the hardwire kit could provide the camera power while charging the powerbank. Also, the powerbanks that do provide pass-through sometimes take a bit of time to switch which can result in the camera rebooting, which is not desirable.

The Zendure powerbank have reliable pass-through charging,they are expensive but very good powerbanks with lots of protection features too,and fast charging input feature.

The Zendure powerbanks are impressive, but there is a cost, and since we are only powering a dashcam from the output and not recharging an iPad, they are more expensive than required. For many people a much cheaper powerbank should be adequate, only needs 1 USB C PD connector with 36W in and 10W out.

and which technology is the best for the cells inside powerbanks.

I think nearly all powerbanks are LiPo these days, and LiPo cells are safe enough now, as long as they are not charged below freezing.

CellLink use LiFePo4, but the only real advantage is that you can charge at full speed until they are full, with LiPo you have to slow down towards full, but this does not make much difference unless the capacity is too small anyway.

 

[gabilondo77]

On Amazon US the Zendure A8 PD costs 82$(some promotion I think),if someone from US wants it...I have paid 120€ on Amazon Spain.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/B0761MWT6B

 

[gabilondo77]

Alternator voltage is normally 13.8V, but USB PD can only run at 5, 9, 12, 15, 20, so if the charger can only reduce the voltage then the highest possible is 12V, and the maximum amps for 12V USB PD is 3A.

I did notice however that my supposedly 36W (2x 18W) Anker charger actually consumes 50W when charging my two powerbanks simultaneously, so maybe more is possible even if not in the specification!

Hi Nigel,I've discovered that the charger is raising the voltage from 12V up to 20V if is demanded by the PD consumer.Check this interesting PD test from minute 8:35 with a car charger with 12V input

Anyway I will test with my RD UM25C meter,and I will test the chargers too with a RD 35HD load tester which provide 5V/9V/12V/20V trigger.I will do the tests next weekend and upload pictures.

 

[gabilondo77]

Today I was supposed to receive the Zendure A8PD powerbank but it didn't arrived. I called Amazon and they told me that the package was damaged and they will make a refund. I can't believe it,it's the third time I bought a battery and it ends up with a refund.Between yesterday and today I have received 5 other purchases from Amazon without problems. It seems like the batteries just don't want to arrive. Now I have 445€ blocked(from Neo9 and Zendure) in refunds for one week and no battery

 

[Juanmontequinto]

Today I was supposed to receive the Zendure A8PD powerbank but it didn't arrived. I called Amazon and they told me that the package was damaged and they will make a refund. I can't believe it,it's the third time I bought a battery and it ends up with a refund.Between yesterday and today I have received 5 other purchases from Amazon without problems. It seems like the batteries just don't want to arrive. Now I have 445€ blocked(from Neo9 and Zendure) in refunds for one week and no battery

The third is the good one

 

[gabilondo77]

Now is the fourth...

 

[Mtz]

What was the reasons you wanted to buy the Zendure A8PD ? Because I think you don't need 5 charging ports.

Fully Recharge in Only 4 Hours?

Pass-Through Charging (Charge-Through)?

I don't consider other features to be interesting for a dashcam.

enjoy,
Mtz

 

[gabilondo77]

What was the reasons you wanted to buy the Zendure A8PD ? Because I think you don't need 5 charging ports.


I don't consider other features to be interesting for a dashcam.

enjoy,
Mtz

Real,reliable pass-through charging is the main feature for me,I know there are cheaper ones with this feature but I don't trust them,that's a dangerous feature if is not well made.The second one is 30W charging.

 

[gabilondo77]

Finally I've received it.. I put it on wall charger and it charges at 30W,when is reaching to 90% is charging at 20-22W.

 

[gabilondo77]

Now with the Black Friday offers,I bought another Zendure (X6 Limited Edition this time) with 45W PD input charging and 20100mAh 74Wh capacity.The original price was 120€ and I bought it for 72€...This one goes to my wife's car with Viofo A129 dashcam.The Zendure A8PD with the A129 Pro Duo in my car,saturday making the weekly shopping,it was 91% when I start from home and after 3 supermarkets parking recording,when I get home was 93%..very impressed with the fast charge..I drove maybe 10 minutes,and the camera was recording at least 30 minutes,front and rear 2K+FHD..

 

[joe384]

Do you get 45w charging then when you use the car charger?

 

[gabilondo77]

Do you get 45w charging then when you use the car charger?

This one is new,I have receive it today so didn't test the 45w charge yet..The other one(A8PD) wich is 30W input,is charging at 30W on wall charger and on car charger,the other day was charging at 20W or less because starting from 90% charge,the powerbank slows down the charging power rate at 20W...14W..12W...5W..2W...etc till it finish the charge...I will test soon the 45W input of the new powerbank with both wall/car chargers.
LE: I've just tested the new one on wall charger,the powerbank was on 71% check attached picture.I will test it on car charger over the weekend.

 

[gabilondo77]

Do you get 45w charging then when you use the car charger?

Yes,and it seems the car charger(rated to 45W) delivers a little better than the wall charger(rated to 60W),maybe because the powerbank was empty and more power hungry with the car charger.It was 71% on the wall charger picture.

 

[JakeLepeg]

Sorry I didn't answered,but my Amazon purchase was cancelled by the seller after few days,telling me that his account was hacked and he never sold the Neo 9 battery pack,no money was taken from my account,very strange situation after all.Two days ago I found the NEO 9 on this webstore http://www.car-dvr.co.uk/cellink_b/powerbank/cellink_neo9.html with option to ship to EU outside UK.I've made the payment by PayPal and now after two days I have received a refund from them to my PayPal account,just like that,no explanation and they didn't answered to my emails asking about the situation.I can't find anywhere this battery so finally I think I will buy this powerbank with pass-through charging and 100Wh capacity: https://zendure.com/collections/a-series-portable-chargers/products/supertank-blue

They went bust, ceased trading