Charging the battery with USB power pack?

[jhaifley]

I was wondering if one of those USB power packs (basically a battery with a USB port) would work to charge the SDA? I am thinking something like that might come in handy for a longer liveaboard trip if no power was available and the solar panel wasn't keeping up. They don't seem that heavy nor expensive and you get the benefit of also changing your camera or cell phone with the thing. Has anyone ever tried something like that?

 

[jhaifley]

Nobody tried this, or knows if it will work? I am thinking it should but wanted confirmation.

 

[jhaifley]

I ordered a USB battery extender online last night. When it comes in, I will post on how well it works.

 

[scubafanatic]

I ordered a USB battery extender online last night. When it comes in, I will post on how well it works.

...looking forward to hearing how this works out for you, as if I were in the market for this computer (which I might just be, given the great sale on these over @ Dive Right In Scuba) I'd definitely want a way to charge the battery that wasn't reliant on me leaving a $ 2000 computer laying out in the sun for anyone to steal...nor do I want to HAVE to being a laptop computer along in order to simply charge up a tiny dive computer!

 

[DiverLaura]

if its a live-aboard boat, and has a plug in, where you charge other things like dive lights and stuff, you can just use the travel-adaptor...

but ya, let me know how it works!

 

[jhaifley]

I haven't been able to really test it yet. It does charge the SDA, but I haven't had a chance to run the battery of the SDA down to really see how much of a charge it can provide. The battery pack I bough is a 5500mAh unit, but not sure how that compares to the battery the computer has. I am hoping it can completely charge the computer at least once if not twice. That would be perfect.