Wire Colors - Need Help Please

[masoct3]

Hi there,

So I am an ice fisherman. I have a 12v battery and I would like to be able to charge my phone while on the ice. So, I have a few charging cords, so I cut off the USB end, leaving me with the phone input end.

I now have 4 colors on the cut end: white, black, green and white.

SIDE NOTE: I was able to extend my LED strip light using speaker wire with butt splices and it worked on my 12V battery.

What are the colors for, and would I simply need to focus on black and white only?

Thank you so much!

[delcecchi]

Isn't the power voltage on USB 5 volts? Might not be good to hook phone up to 12 volts when it is expecting 5.

[masoct3]

Do they sell 5 volt batteries? What would you suggest you do in this situation?

[Whoaru99]

I suggest wiring a cigarette lighter style power socket to the battery then using a car charger/adapter.

Something along this line... http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3889591

Maybe can find something similar for less at NAPA or Fleet-Farm or a surplus store, etc.

[masoct3]

It seems this is for a deep cycle battery, like a car. I was hoping to charge the phone next to me in my hub. Any ideas for that type of situation?

I did find this, however. Its a AA portable battery charger from 12v to 5v. However it doesnt look like it gives a nice deep charge. But this might be an answer.

http://www.ladyada.net/make/mintyboost/

Thank you in advance,

[Scenic]

As mentioned above you simple hook up the cig plug to the positive and neg post on the battery. Then use your car charger as you normally would. I have done it several times for other uses. It can be used on the smaller 12v batteries.

[masoct3]

Okay, only because I am an amateur, I hope this is right:

Do I cut the car charger end and "tada", there will be only two wires (probably black and white)? Then allegator clip them to the smaller 12v and then connect the phone and that should be all?

Possibly this also?

Portable Power on ice

[Scenic]

Using the item that Whoaru99 gave you a link to there is no need to cut anything. You can use the alligator clips to connect to your battery and then you just plug your car charger in. If you don't like the alligator clips you can change them out to hook to your battery. No need to cut your car charger either way.

[masoct3]

Roger that. Thank you for the quick electricity primer.

Regards,

[Whoaru99]

Okay, only because I am an amateur, I hope this is right:

Do I cut the car charger end and "tada", there will be only two wires (probably black and white)? Then allegator clip them to the smaller 12v and then connect the phone and that should be all?

Possibly this also?

Portable Power on ice

Do NOT cut off the car charger end and wire direct.

The cig lighter/accessory plug end of the car charger has the necessary voltage regulation to reduce the 12V battery voltage down to the charging voltage for the phone.

Use an adapter like I showed. As far as the battery, doesn't matter if it's a big 12V car battery or a small 12V battery like for your Vex (or whatever) the adapter will work exactly the same way.