Power Bank Keepalive

On Sat, 11 Jun 2022 21:04:41 -0000 (UTC), "Don" <g@crcomp.net> wrote:

>  Many consumer grade USB power banks come with a built-in
>  automatic shutdown circuit. Light loads, such as the nominal
>  6.8 ?A drawn by a portable MP3 player, are not enough to 
>  prevent shutdown. To compensate, this project uses 
>  a 555 to nominally pull 100 mA every 5.5 seconds.
>
>  ( excerpt - read more at https://crcomp.net/mp3mod/index.php )
>
>Danke,

When the MP3 player is drawing uA, it means that its own  
internal battery is charged up. Who cares if the external 
bank shuts down ?

If the MP3 player internal battery is low, it should draw 
current from the external bank, to recharge, when present.

If your external battery bank is misbehaving, you should 
consider using another that doesn't.

If the mp3 Player is misbehaving, then ditto.

'Smart' battery electronics are configured, modified 
and patched by imbeciles.

Portable MP3 players are available that offer trouble-free 
operation from a single charge, at moderate volume levels, 
for >12hrs. No fuss - no muss - no bother.

RL

Don wrote:
> jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com wrote:
>> Don wrote:
>>
>>>  Many consumer grade USB power banks come with a built-in
>>>  automatic shutdown circuit. Light loads, such as the nominal
>>>  6.8 ?A drawn by a portable MP3 player, are not enough to
>>>  prevent shutdown. To compensate, this project uses
>>>  a 555 to nominally pull 100 mA every 5.5 seconds.
>>>
>>>  ( excerpt - read more at https://crcomp.net/mp3mod/index.php )
>>
>> Maybe just a capacitor would keep it alive.
>
> The Power Bank doesn't show a garbage can with an X through it as is
> typically found on Li-Ion batteries. For all I know the Power Bank /is/
> just a capacitor.
>     It's the perfect size - about half the length of a smart phone. The
> whole gadget fits nicely into my pocket with plenty of space left over
> for a small flashlight and a Swiss army knife.

In the light of a new day, my caffeine enhanced neurons now understand 
your intention to use a capacitor to replace the 555 and not the Power
Bank. It probably won't work because MP3 chips seem super sensitive to 
the slightest power disruption, no matter how short. 
    IOW the Power Bank must first automatically shutdown before the 
capacitor kicks in. And, most likely, the oh-so-brief, transient voltage
droop triggers the MP3 player to replay its current audio track from the 
beginning.

Danke,

-- 
Don, KB7RPU, https://www.qsl.net/kb7rpu
There was a young lady named Bright Whose speed was far faster than light;
She set out one day In a relative way And returned on the previous night.

legg wrote:
>  Don wrote:
>
>>  Many consumer grade USB power banks come with a built-in
>>  automatic shutdown circuit. Light loads, such as the nominal
>>  6.8 ?A drawn by a portable MP3 player, are not enough to
>>  prevent shutdown. To compensate, this project uses
>>  a 555 to nominally pull 100 mA every 5.5 seconds.
>>
>>  ( excerpt - read more at https://crcomp.net/mp3mod/index.php )
>
> When the MP3 player is drawing uA, it means that its own
> internal battery is charged up. Who cares if the external
> bank shuts down ?
>
> If the MP3 player internal battery is low, it should draw
> current from the external bank, to recharge, when present.
>
> If your external battery bank is misbehaving, you should
> consider using another that doesn't.
>
> If the mp3 Player is misbehaving, then ditto.
>
> 'Smart' battery electronics are configured, modified
> and patched by imbeciles.
>
> Portable MP3 players are available that offer trouble-free
> operation from a single charge, at moderate volume levels,
> for >12hrs. No fuss - no muss - no bother.

My MP3 contraption was originally connected to a half-depleted Power 
Bank (too lazy to fully charge it beforehand) with half of its power
consumption LED indicators dark. And it's now been used for about fifty 
hours with no change in indicators. In the end, instead of hours, the
Power Bank may last for /seasons/.

My 555 keep-alive is the tail end of a long process. It entailed 
experimentation on a couple of different MP3 players and Power Banks. 
It all cases, the simultaneous use of internal and external batteries
and/or USB Power Bank ports ended in failure.

My goal never was to advance the state of the art. It was always to 
simply listen to MP3s during treks and spins, from a SD inserted into
a cheap, disposable (eg no tears if lost/broken) MP3 player.

From a metaphysical perspective, my keep-live functions as absurdist, 
modern art. An attempt to add an old fashioned ON/OFF switch to a
device created by an industry with an unhealthy obsession for baroque,
Rube Goldbergist switches.

Danke,

-- 
Don, KB7RPU, https://www.qsl.net/kb7rpu
There was a young lady named Bright Whose speed was far faster than light;
She set out one day In a relative way And returned on the previous night.

On Sun, 12 Jun 2022 14:47:29 -0000 (UTC), "Don" <g@crcomp.net> wrote:

>Don wrote:
>> jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com wrote:
>>> Don wrote:
>>>
>>>>  Many consumer grade USB power banks come with a built-in
>>>>  automatic shutdown circuit. Light loads, such as the nominal
>>>>  6.8 ?A drawn by a portable MP3 player, are not enough to
>>>>  prevent shutdown. To compensate, this project uses
>>>>  a 555 to nominally pull 100 mA every 5.5 seconds.
>>>>
>>>>  ( excerpt - read more at https://crcomp.net/mp3mod/index.php )
>>>
>>> Maybe just a capacitor would keep it alive.
>>
>> The Power Bank doesn't show a garbage can with an X through it as is
>> typically found on Li-Ion batteries. For all I know the Power Bank /is/
>> just a capacitor.
>>     It's the perfect size - about half the length of a smart phone. The
>> whole gadget fits nicely into my pocket with plenty of space left over
>> for a small flashlight and a Swiss army knife.
>
>In the light of a new day, my caffeine enhanced neurons now understand 
>your intention to use a capacitor to replace the 555 and not the Power
>Bank. It probably won't work because MP3 chips seem super sensitive to 
>the slightest power disruption, no matter how short. 
>    IOW the Power Bank must first automatically shutdown before the 
>capacitor kicks in. And, most likely, the oh-so-brief, transient voltage
>droop triggers the MP3 player to replay its current audio track from the 
>beginning.
>
>Danke,

Maybe a cap across the UPS ac output will make current that fools the
load sensor into thinking there is always a load. The cap will
dissipate no power.

It wouldn't be hard to try.



-- 

Anybody can count to one.

- Robert Widlar

On Sunday, June 12, 2022 at 11:41:11 AM UTC-4, jla...@highlandsniptechnology.com wrote:
> On Sun, 12 Jun 2022 14:47:29 -0000 (UTC), "Don" <g...@crcomp.net> wrote: 
> 
> >Don wrote: 
> >> jla...@highlandsniptechnology.com wrote: 
> >>> Don wrote: 
> >>> 
> >>>> Many consumer grade USB power banks come with a built-in 
> >>>> automatic shutdown circuit. Light loads, such as the nominal 
> >>>> 6.8 ?A drawn by a portable MP3 player, are not enough to 
> >>>> prevent shutdown. To compensate, this project uses 
> >>>> a 555 to nominally pull 100 mA every 5.5 seconds. 
> >>>> 
> >>>> ( excerpt - read more at https://crcomp.net/mp3mod/index.php ) 
> >>> 
> >>> Maybe just a capacitor would keep it alive. 
> >> 
> >> The Power Bank doesn't show a garbage can with an X through it as is 
> >> typically found on Li-Ion batteries. For all I know the Power Bank /is/ 
> >> just a capacitor. 
> >> It's the perfect size - about half the length of a smart phone. The 
> >> whole gadget fits nicely into my pocket with plenty of space left over 
> >> for a small flashlight and a Swiss army knife. 
> > 
> >In the light of a new day, my caffeine enhanced neurons now understand 
> >your intention to use a capacitor to replace the 555 and not the Power 
> >Bank. It probably won't work because MP3 chips seem super sensitive to 
> >the slightest power disruption, no matter how short. 
> > IOW the Power Bank must first automatically shutdown before the 
> >capacitor kicks in. And, most likely, the oh-so-brief, transient voltage 
> >droop triggers the MP3 player to replay its current audio track from the 
> >beginning. 
> > 
> >Danke,
> Maybe a cap across the UPS ac output will make current that fools the 
> load sensor into thinking there is always a load. The cap will 
> dissipate no power. 
> 
> It wouldn't be hard to try.

Not a UPS, a power bank.  No AC output. 

-- 

Rick C.

- Get 1,000 miles of free Supercharging
- Tesla referral code - https://ts.la/richard11209 

On Sat, 11 Jun 2022 20:31:06 -0600, rbowman <bowman@montana.com>
wrote:

>On 06/11/2022 04:21 PM, a a wrote:
>> On Saturday, 11 June 2022 at 23:43:26 UTC+2, Don wrote:
>>> a a <mant...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> On Saturday, 11 June 2022 at 23:04:48 UTC+2, Don wrote:
>>>>> Many consumer grade USB power banks come with a built-in
>>>>> automatic shutdown circuit. Light loads, such as the nominal
>>>>> 6.8 ?A drawn by a portable MP3 player, are not enough to
>>>>> prevent shutdown. To compensate, this project uses
>>>>> a 555 to nominally pull 100 mA every 5.5 seconds.
>>>>>
>>>>> ( excerpt - read more at https://crcomp.net/mp3mod/index.php )
>>>> smart powerbanks come 2 usb sockets, so you just connect your MP3 player
>>>> to one usb socket and LED light to 2nd usb socket to keep it on.
>>>>
>>>> Smart MP3 platers come with internal battery, you can charge from power bank
>>> Your blatantly obvious approach was the first solution attempted by me.
>>> It was eventually, reluctantly, rejected because it doesn't work out so
>>> well in practice. Read the link to find out why.
>>> Danke,
>>>
>>> --
>>> Don, KB7RPU, https://www.qsl.net/kb7rpu
>>> There was a young lady named Bright Whose speed was far faster than light;
>>> She set out one day In a relative way And returned on the previous night.
>> MP3 player is an ancienct product, no more offered on a market.
>> Most guys prefer smartphone to get and play back music.
>>
>
>I was surprised a couple of years ago when I went to Best Buy to get an 
>MP3 player and they only had one, one piece that is, not one model.
>
>The question remains which would I rather take to the gym and possibly 
>destroy, a $30 SanDisk Jam or a smart phone. Which is more convenient to 
>clip to my t-shirt?  Even though I don't have a $1000 smart phone it's 
>still not a hard question.

It is a little disappointing; how the original, simple MP3 players
disappeared from the local retail market.

I think it was the introduction of early small screens that killed 
them. Fashion trends are a bitch.

RL

On Sunday, 12 June 2022 at 18:01:21 UTC+2, legg wrote:
> On Sat, 11 Jun 2022 20:31:06 -0600, rbowman <bow...@montana.com> 
> wrote:
> >On 06/11/2022 04:21 PM, a a wrote: 
> >> On Saturday, 11 June 2022 at 23:43:26 UTC+2, Don wrote: 
> >>> a a <mant...@gmail.com> wrote: 
> >>>> On Saturday, 11 June 2022 at 23:04:48 UTC+2, Don wrote: 
> >>>>> Many consumer grade USB power banks come with a built-in 
> >>>>> automatic shutdown circuit. Light loads, such as the nominal
> >>>>> 6.8 ?A drawn by a portable MP3 player, are not enough to
> >>>>> prevent shutdown. To compensate, this project uses 
> >>>>> a 555 to nominally pull 100 mA every 5.5 seconds. 
> >>>>> 
> >>>>> ( excerpt - read more at https://crcomp.net/mp3mod/index.php ) 
> >>>> smart powerbanks come 2 usb sockets, so you just connect your MP3 player 
> >>>> to one usb socket and LED light to 2nd usb socket to keep it on. 
> >>>> 
> >>>> Smart MP3 platers come with internal battery, you can charge from power bank 
> >>> Your blatantly obvious approach was the first solution attempted by me. 
> >>> It was eventually, reluctantly, rejected because it doesn't work out so 
> >>> well in practice. Read the link to find out why. 
> >>> Danke, 
> >>> 
> >>> -- 
> >>> Don, KB7RPU, https://www.qsl.net/kb7rpu 
> >>> There was a young lady named Bright Whose speed was far faster than light; 
> >>> She set out one day In a relative way And returned on the previous night. 
> >> MP3 player is an ancienct product, no more offered on a market. 
> >> Most guys prefer smartphone to get and play back music. 
> >> 
> > 
> >I was surprised a couple of years ago when I went to Best Buy to get an 
> >MP3 player and they only had one, one piece that is, not one model. 
> > 
> >The question remains which would I rather take to the gym and possibly 
> >destroy, a $30 SanDisk Jam or a smart phone. Which is more convenient to 
> >clip to my t-shirt? Even though I don't have a $1000 smart phone it's 
> >still not a hard question.
> It is a little disappointing; how the original, simple MP3 players 
> disappeared from the local retail market. 
> 
> I think it was the introduction of early small screens that killed 
> them. Fashion trends are a bitch. 
> 
> RL
MP3 player is off-line device, so no more hot since you need to get one connected to smaretphone or PC to get music files copied.

MP3 is dead horse today , worth nothing

You risk nothing if you wear bluetooth earphones at the gym.

Destroy available MP3 devices and forget the problem 

a a <manta103g@gmail.com> wrote: 

> legg wrote: 
>> rbowman wrote: 
>> > a a wrote: 
>> >> Don wrote: 
>> >>> a awrote: 
>> >>>> Don wrote: 

>> >>>>> Many consumer grade USB power banks come with a built-in 
>> >>>>> automatic shutdown circuit. Light loads, such as the nominal 
>> >>>>> 6.8 ?A drawn by a portable MP3 player, are not enough to 
>> >>>>> prevent shutdown. To compensate, this project uses a 555 to
>> >>>>> nominally pull 100 mA every 5.5 seconds. 
>> >>>>> 
>> >>>>> ( excerpt - read more at https://crcomp.net/mp3mod/index.php ) 

>> >>>> smart powerbanks come 2 usb sockets, so you just connect your MP3
>> >>>> player to one usb socket and LED light to 2nd usb socket to keep
>> >>>> it on. 
>> >>>> 
>> >>>> Smart MP3 platers come with internal battery, you can charge from
>> >>>> power bank 

>> >>> Your blatantly obvious approach was the first solution attempted by
>> >>> me. It was eventually, reluctantly, rejected because it doesn't
>> >>> work out so well in practice. Read the link to find out why. 
>> >>> Danke, 
>> >>> 
>> >>> -- Don, KB7RPU, https://www.qsl.net/kb7rpu There was a young lady
>> >>> named Bright Whose speed was far faster than light; She set out one
>> >>> day In a relative way And returned on the previous night. 

>> >> MP3 player is an ancienct product, no more offered on a market. 
>> >> Most guys prefer smartphone to get and play back music. 
>> > 
>> >I was surprised a couple of years ago when I went to Best Buy to get
>> >an MP3 player and they only had one, one piece that is, not one model.
>> > 
>> >The question remains which would I rather take to the gym and possibly
>> >destroy, a $30 SanDisk Jam or a smart phone. Which is more convenient
>> >to clip to my t-shirt? Even though I don't have a $1000 smart phone
>> >it's still not a hard question. 

>> It is a little disappointing; how the original, simple MP3 players 
>> disappeared from the local retail market. 
>> 
>> I think it was the introduction of early small screens that killed 
>> them. Fashion trends are a bitch. 

> MP3 player is off-line device, so no more hot since you need to get one
> connected to smaretphone or PC to get music files copied. 
> 
> MP3 is dead horse today , worth nothing 
> 
> You risk nothing if you wear bluetooth earphones at the gym. 
> 
> Destroy available MP3 devices and forget the problem 

Run that through Google Translate again, this time choose English as the 
target language.

Don <g@crcomp.net> wrote:
> a a wrote:
>> Don wrote:
>>> a a wrote:
>>> > Don wrote:
>>> >> Many consumer grade USB power banks come with a built-in
>>> >> automatic shutdown circuit. Light loads, such as the nominal
>>> >> 6.8 ??A drawn by a portable MP3 player, are not enough to
>>> >> prevent shutdown. To compensate, this project uses
>>> >> a 555 to nominally pull 100 mA every 5.5 seconds.
>>> >>
>>> >> ( excerpt - read more at https://crcomp.net/mp3mod/index.php )
>>> > smart powerbanks come 2 usb sockets, so you just connect your MP3 player
>>> > to one usb socket and LED light to 2nd usb socket to keep it on.
>>> >
>>> > Smart MP3 platers come with internal battery, you can charge from power bank
>>> Your blatantly obvious approach was the first solution attempted by me.
>>> It was eventually, reluctantly, rejected because it doesn't work out so
>>> well in practice. Read the link to find out why.
>>
>> MP3 player is an ancient product, no more offered on a market.
>> Most guys prefer smartphone to get and play back music.
> 
> It sounds about right - you're probably correct in regards to what most
> people do. They use their phone to download MP3s from the Inet.
>     OTOH, my phone is used strictly for phone calls, SMS, and 
> photographs. By choice, it never connects to the Inet.
>     A plain MP3 player appeals to me in the same manner as a unix 
> command - it does only one job and it does it well. In this case, it
> plays MP3s pre-loaded onto an SD card. And it actually is still sold on
> ebay. There's a link to a retailer on my page.

Check out this dusty fool foaming over some trash mp3 player that requires 
an external battery pack plus some 555 hack nonsense to even stay powered 
on.

Rediculous.

On a sunny day (Sun, 12 Jun 2022 09:14:24 -0700 (PDT)) it happened a a
<manta103g@gmail.com> wrote in
<5f238ad3-dc3e-4fe5-830c-898dfed23cfen@googlegroups.com>:

>MP3 player is off-line device, so no more hot since you need to get one connected to smaretphone or PC to get music files
>copied.
>
>MP3 is dead horse today , worth nothing

Bull, I have many mp3 capable things, credit card size mp3 / video player, what not,  phone
But my mp3 player is a 20 year old or so Creative Muvo, runs on an AAA Eneloop battery all day if needed,
easy to charge or swap, I concatenated all my favorite music into one long mp3 so it
can run unattended for many hours, and is small and simple to use.



>You risk nothing if you wear bluetooth earphones at the gym.

I prefer no RF shit next to my head, you see what it can do to people ;-)


>Destroy available MP3 devices and forget the problem 

Silly