External Battery Pack Option

[Wayne Orwig]

Wayne are you using a oem MS plug or a (eBay) Chinese mag connector.

I notice that the cheaper version mag connectors seem cheaper..obviously. I also notice with the cheaper connectors that it will spark if I don't align the connector just rite on the surface. Which happens about everytime.

That is complicated.......

I bought a cheap 12 volt Surface charger off of Ebay. Turns out, as I suspected, that the charger would only handle the RT. The Pro overloaded it and literally smoked it. But that was fine, because I really mainly wanted the cable. So I used the cable from that and made up and adapter for my IntoCircuit battery. All was well.
For about a month.
I noticed that the wire on the cheap cable would actually get a little warm. They were using some pretty small wire gauge for the 3+ amps. Then one day the connector at the Surface end literally melted. :disappointed:
I simply ordered a MikeGyver connector to replace it, and being the cheapskate that I am, I ordered the non-OEM plug end version. It is working fine so far.
I'm not sure I understand where you are seeing arcing.

 

[Padron26]

Thanks Wayne, I'm only asking cause I've been having problems with the setup that I have.

1st setup old, PROBLEMATIC... 26000 intocircuit, there dc cable cut in half, with a Chinese SP 120v charger cable.

2nd working same as above except I used a MS oem SP Charger connector.

The first setup works fine as long as everything stays perfectly still and if you connect the sp charger end first, then plug it into the battery pack.
I mentioned that the Chinese connector before had arching issues if you try to charge the SP while the charger was plugged in.
Second the cheap connector would ground out if you wiggled the connector while trying to charge. This causes the intocircuit to go into safemode and you will have to plug in the wall charger for it to reset.
##Everyone Make sure to check your polarity, as this Chinese connector has the polarity switched## I'm glad that I checked it beforehand. Or else I'd be making a warranty claim.

I got tired of fiddling with the cheap parts, so today I cut off a oem 120v surface pro charger connector (which was a extra charger) and resoldered it to the intocircuit dc cable, and plugged it into the intocircuit and hotdamn everything is working.
I don't have to worry about arching and wiggling the connector anymore.

 

[Padron26]

I was seeing arching rite on the surface pro itself, when I would connect the mag connector to the SP while the charger was plugged into the wall. I would hear and see a spark between the connector and the SP.
It would also arch while it was securely plugged into the SP, but this required a little wiggling. The initial arching napped nearly every time I would try to charge. Unless it was unplugged from the wall.
This only happened on the Chinese connector that was purchased on eBay. Which was also the my very first cheap connector that I've ever bought in my lifetime.

 

[Berrago]

Can you guys help me out I have awkward question about the intocircuit battery pack, I just received it Monday, a few days ago. From eBay.
Anyhow when I charge my surface pro 64 from 5% left I will only get a maximum 44% charge. The surface is on but screen off. No programs running in background. In power saver mode.
the intocircuit will be done charging in a hour and a half almost to the minute, ive timed it 3 times now.

I think there is something wrong with my intocircuit....when I charge it it will stop showing the blinking lights after a hour and a half. I will let it go for 6-8 hours. And in the morning I will tap the button to see the charging progress all 5 lights show. But when I unplug it and tap the button. I will only get 4 lights.
My question is is this normal, I would think that I would get more than 40 percent charge and that all the lights would display after being charged overnight.
to me it doesn't seem like it working rite it only works either way for a hour and a half charging and discharging.
for $115 this aint doing its job, in my eyes

Edit, 1st paragraph, last sentence. When I say done charging. I mean the battery pack is empty or drained.

 

[Wayne Orwig]

Are you saying that your Surface Pro goes from 5% to 44%, and the IntoCircuit goes from 100% to no LEDs working (0%) in an hour and a half?

If that is what it is doing, you must have a bad battery pack.

 

[Berrago]

Yeah that's rite, my sp will be at 5% then I'll plug in the intocircuit which was charged over nite 8 hours +/- and in a hour and a half almost to the min. The intocircuit will be drained 0%. No lights nothing.

I've tried charging several different devices . And they all get roughly a 2100-2300 mah charge. Every time the intocircuit will be completely drained in a hour and a half.
I've tried different chargers to charge the intocircuit, with no change.

Thanks for the quick reply Wayne.

 

[johnknee]

Either your Intocircuit has a bad battery pack inside or it has been used already to begin with. I would contact the eBay seller and have it exchanged.

 

[Berrago]

I messaged the eBay seller. I sent It back to them today, they should have it in a day or 2. It would be nice to try it out once I get a functioning one.

 

[dyelongjustice]

Hey, sorry for the late response. Yes, this is using the part referenced above. I've redone the test, and it basically works out that the 20000 mAh anker battery gives you almost exactly ONE full recharge (it's slightly more). Pretty sweet, all things considered

 

[dyelongjustice]

This is using the parts you referenced in the above post? I think I will pull the trigger on the same parts if so...

Oops, the post above was in response to this!

 

[heed]

Thanks Dyelongjustice

 

[jakedai]

Hi all,

I'm new to this forum, and to the Surface Pro, but have one and love it. I'm headed off in a few weeks on a big climbing expedition in India where I'll be fully off the grid for several weeks and relying on solar power and batteries to run devices and to download, process, and edit photos and video captured on the trip. I've done this on dozens of major expeditions in the past using a variety of products, most recently Goal Zero solar panels and batteries. However, the newness of the Surface and the relative lack of power adapters and options makes it a bit more challenging.

So, I have a couple of questions since there seem to be some gurus out here!

1. I've been in touch with Mike at mikegyver.com (great guy, and very helpful and responsive), and will be ordering parts from him.
2. With the IntoCircuit 26000mAH battery, does anyone know if this can be charged via solar panel? (I know it will take a long time.) I will have Goal Zero Boulder 15 (Boulder 15 Solar Panel | Solar Panel | Goal Zero) or Nomad 13 (Nomad 13 Solar Panel | Solar Panel | Goal Zero) panels with me.
3. Does anyone know of a good Pro cable with a 6mm connector on it? I ask because I may go with the GZ Yeti 150 battery (Goal Zero Yeti 150 Solar Generator | Power Pack | Goal Zero), which is made to work seamlessly with the GZ panels, but it has a 6mm jack. (I'll have Mike's DC chargers, too, but would like to be able to plug in multiple devices without using the built-in inverter to conserve power.) So, being able to attach the surface pro directly to the Yeti for charging would be great.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts and ideas!

Jake