GetUSB.info Logo

iPod Charger Made from Altoids Tin

There is definitely an Altoids DIY underground. I bumped into an article on how to make an iPod charger from an Altoids Tin yesterday at Chris DiClerico’s website. After doing a little research I see there is a big following for Altoids Tin do-it-yourself projects. So, to service my reader group, herezzz the how to:
ipod charger altoids
It’s a very easy project and a great one for beginners looking to tweak something. The goal is to make a charger from two 9V batteries and two AA batteries which should juice your iPod for another 10 hours. Then house that charger in a clean looking Altoids Tin. Couple things you’ll need:
  • Soldering tool & some sort of Dremel to cut tin
  • 9V connectors (PP3 snap connectors)
  • Altoids Tin
  • Firewire connector (socket)
  • Batteries & electrical tape
  • **all can obtained from RadioShack or similar
Lets take a look at the schematic.
altoids charger schematic
Here you see how the soldiered connections will be made. The idea is to soldier the power of the connector (pin 1) through the battery configuration then ground out to the Firewire port (pin 2). This should give you a nice 11-12 volt output.
Note: You need to soldier the black ground of the two AA battery pack to the red power of the two 9V batteries. Study the diagram and picture (below) again if you’re unsure.
It was suggested to get the “vertical 6 pin Firewire receptacle through-hole type” for that model was more sleek and easier to install into the Altoids Tin.
charger ipod DIY
~~~
altoids ipod tin
Chris also mentions the batteries may discharge at an uneven rate which ultimately effects your charge length. SO – it’s a good idea to replace all the batteries at once since they run in parallel – as half charged batteries will quickly drain new batteries. Chris also made a mini version from an Altoids Gum Tin.
altoids gum charger
I’ll be doing another post soon on doing this same procedure but using USB, of course. Source: Thanks Chris!

Tags: ,

Rich Gates

Administator for GetUSB.info GetUSB.info started in 2004 with the concept of providing USB information for everything USB related. At the time, USB was gaining momentum and every day new products, articles and news became published. Today, the site is focused on bringing technical information, tricks and hacks to USB related products. The site does publish off topic information as well, to keep the variety up. Please visit the footer area of any page if you or your company is interested in article or product placement via purchased advertising.

Copyright © 2006 +

USB Powered Gadgets and more...

All Rights Reserved

GetUSB Advertising

This is a high value website providing great exposure to your product and brand. Visit our advertising page to learn specifics.

For more information
Visit our advertising page.

Nexcopy Provides

USB copy protection with digital rights management for data loaded on USB flash drives.

Contact us learn more