Replace G1W / A118 battery with USB Power bank?

adimw

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Location
Calgary
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Dash Cam
A129, A119 Pro, B1W, 2*A119, 4*A118, G1W-H, G1W,
Hi all, not sure how well this might work?

Doing this with the aim of giving the cameras some "parking cam" standby time.

http://www.fasttech.com/products/0/10004461/1341300-qidian-1a-1-5a-2a-4a-6-18650-mobile-power-bank

  • Power pack output: DC 5V / 2A (USB 1), DC 5V / 1A (USB 2), DC 3.7V / 4A (OUT M), DC 5V / 2A (OUT M), DC 9V / 1.5A (OUT M), DC 12V / 1A (OUT M)
I could run it one of three ways, either
  1. USB car Charger-> Power Bank USB or 5v->USB to existing dash cam
  2. USB car Charger -> Power Bank 12v -> to dash cam power adaptor -> cam
  3. USB car Charger -> Power Bank DC 5v output -> direct to dash cam (remove dashcam battery).

The power bank holds 6x 18650 batteries which should be miles better than the internal battery.

My thoughts on the 3 options so far;

  1. may set off 'PC Camera' mode depending on cable used, may need mods. - thought less efficiency loss by losing the cameras factory 12v->5v adaptor.
  2. extra power usage by going car 24v -> USB charger -> Battery bank -> 12v -> 5v -> Camera
  3. likely to cause corrupted clip(s) when battery bank dies.

My other wonder is that when the power bank dies... and then is given power again when the vehicle is started, will the battery bank auto start and begin charging its batteries AND give power output to the cameras immediately.
 
Most power banks don't do pass through, (charge and output at the same time)

Cameras will start and run from a power bank no problem
 
I've just noticed a wee note on the description;

On/off switch usage (thanks @Whitedog for reporting this):

  • The on/off switch on the side of this charger controls automatic on/off mode, it does not directly control power output state.
  • When the switch is in the ON position (recommended setting): the charger automatically powers itself off when your device is full, and when nothing is connected
  • When the switch is in the OFF position: this disables the automatic power control and power is always available through the USB ports. Power depletes quicker in this mode when it's not charging anything.
I'm assuming that if the switch is "OFF" it will always try to push charge out, might also mean it charges and outputs at the same time? I'll ask on Fasttech and see if an owner can advise.

EDIT: done: http://www.fasttech.com/forums/-/t/1448776/-/last
 
I have Anker E4 ( 13'000mAh ) , it has 1A and 2A out. It can recharge and output at same time.
Now they have Anker E5 ( 15'000mAh ).

Although battery based dashcams are not reliable ( not recommended ) for parking mode due to low efficiency of motion- or g-sensor activation / recording and due to battery related risks ( low lifespan, may swelling etc. )
 
I made the mistake of buying the Anker 2nd Generation E4 - they've removed passthrough now so it can't recharge and output at the same time. From their point of view there will be less warranty claims and failures though.

I only bought it as the manual said initially it could - but after finding it couldn't and asking the question they revised the manual and the website! Oops.

I've found lots of other uses for it and without the passthrough it's still a very useful device :)
 
I made the mistake of buying the Anker 2nd Generation E4 - they've removed passthrough now so it can't recharge and output at the same time. From their point of view there will be less warranty claims and failures though.

I only bought it as the manual said initially it could - but after finding it couldn't and asking the question they revised the manual and the website! Oops.

I've found lots of other uses for it and without the passthrough it's still a very useful device :)
So the E5 in reality doesnt have passtrough? Its a shame they advertised it and then removed / changed specs.
Anyway, I am happy my E4 has passtrough and still going strong.
 
The 1st Gen E5 probably will mate and be like the 1st Gen E4 - it seems like they're removing it in some of the 2nd Gen series which is a shame as it does limit what you can do when you're stuck.

From the FAQs on the 2nd Gen E5 (don't think it's available here just yet) but it says that passthrough is not supported again like the 2nd Gen E4.

http://www.ianker.com/support-c76-g455.html
 
I have Anker E4 ( 13'000mAh ) , it has 1A and 2A out. It can recharge and output at same time.
Now they have Anker E5 ( 15'000mAh ).

We've had this discussion elsewhere on DCT but I'll paraphrase some comments I made previously:

While certain brands such as Anker claim to have "pass-through" charging, this may be more of a marketing thing. On Anker's web site where they claimed the original E4 battery can simultaneously charge and discharge, they added the caveat, "However, constant pass-through charging may affect the battery’s lifespan." This is a disclaimer and an admission that they know this practice is not a good idea. Many consumers have no idea how long these battery banks should last and probably wouldn't make the connection to their use of pass-through charging when the bank craps out in say, two years instead of three. Anker knows this.

So, even with specialized circuitry it is generally an unwise idea to charge and discharge a lithium battery pack simultaneously. Devices you intend to run off the battery should be turned off while charging. This allows the battery to reach the threshold charge voltage unhindered and reflects the correct saturation current responsible to terminate the charge. A parasitic load confuses the charger throughout the entire charging process but especially when the voltage hovers near the charge termination point.

As far as I know, pass through charging is really primarily suited to lead-acid batteries as used in a typical motor vehicle. While some new technologies may allow for pass through charging of lithium batteries it is not a good practice, especially if done on a full time basis. Lithium batteries were never designed for that.
 
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