Has anyone tried what looks to be the same Surface cable for $6.95 from Amazon? Amazon.com : GooDGo(TM) Premium New Power Charger Adapter Cable fit for Microsoft Surface RT Surface Pro : Electronics It looks like the same cable that is sold by Mike Guyver. I'm all for paying for quality but does his 3rd party cable offer anything better/different than these cables that are popping up on ebay and amazon? Obviously the MS cable is best but would require modification and quite costly at that. Also the Intocircuit is on sale today for $74.99 at amazon and for a little over $80 it looks like a complete solution for portable external power and from this thread it looks like it can also double as a secondary charging set up as well; battery charger on outlet to battery and finally the cable into the surface pro. If that all works, it's a heck of a better value proposition than the official MS charger by itself for $60+. I'm thinking that as long as the battery power is clean, which from this thread it sounds like it is, the cable comes secondary because it really boils down to the power -/+ wiring adapted to the surface magnetic interface.
External Battery Pack Option
- Thread starter dc5
- Start date
Neil Rauch
New Member
Yes even I am using solar charger and you can say it is good charging option in difficult circumstances..
mysterysh33p
New Member
Hello!
I didn't find it necessary to post a new thread about external batteries so I'll post my question here.
I'm currently on the hunt for an external battery that will work for the surface pro 1. I've done some research and found a cord and purchased it after reading up on other blogs and forums.
Now I am looking for the battery itself. I'm looking for something that will give it about 4 more hours of battery life. I'm using the surface pro as my portable solution to digital drawing at conventions instead of having to bring my laptop and large pen display. I love the battery life it currently has, but adding 4 more hours or so will make it so I can cut costs on paying extra for electricity (on top of the fee for the table) at conventions and faires.
The requirements for the cable to work would be DC12V 3.6A. I'm sort of tech savvy when it comes to computer software but electrical and hardware are not my strongest points.
I've spent days looking for a battery but I also have a limited budget and can't afford to spend hundreds on a unit.
Here's a list of some batteries I found, would anyone be able to tell me if they would work?
OXA Metal Box S1
NewNow Multifunction Power Bank
Anker 2nd Gen Astro Pro2
All in all would anyone have a recommendation for a battery that would cost about $50-80? I took a look at the batteries suggested here but some of those are a bit out of my price range..
I didn't find it necessary to post a new thread about external batteries so I'll post my question here.
I'm currently on the hunt for an external battery that will work for the surface pro 1. I've done some research and found a cord and purchased it after reading up on other blogs and forums.
Now I am looking for the battery itself. I'm looking for something that will give it about 4 more hours of battery life. I'm using the surface pro as my portable solution to digital drawing at conventions instead of having to bring my laptop and large pen display. I love the battery life it currently has, but adding 4 more hours or so will make it so I can cut costs on paying extra for electricity (on top of the fee for the table) at conventions and faires.
The requirements for the cable to work would be DC12V 3.6A. I'm sort of tech savvy when it comes to computer software but electrical and hardware are not my strongest points.
I've spent days looking for a battery but I also have a limited budget and can't afford to spend hundreds on a unit.
Here's a list of some batteries I found, would anyone be able to tell me if they would work?
OXA Metal Box S1
NewNow Multifunction Power Bank
Anker 2nd Gen Astro Pro2
All in all would anyone have a recommendation for a battery that would cost about $50-80? I took a look at the batteries suggested here but some of those are a bit out of my price range..
Wayne Orwig
Active Member
The SP1 runs for about 4 hours on the internal 42 watt hour battery. You want 4 more hours, so you need MORE than 42 watt hours (factor in losses).
1) The OXA Metal Box that you linked to is 10 amp hour. At an unknown voltage so we can only guess at watt hours. Likely a single LiIon cell. So figure 3.8 volts. Or 38 watt hours. So maybe 3 hours of extra run time. But they don't state what the 12 volt output ability is. It needs to be over 3 amps.
2) The NewNow MultiFunction Power bank that you link to states 12 volt, 12 amp hour, or 144 watt hours (don't believe it). BUT, it is a 12 volt 2 amp output. A bit on the low side to power the SP1. AND WORSE, it is a 12 volt, 1 amp input. They state it can be charged in 4 hours. Or 48 watt hours in. If you figure it is a single cell 12 amp hour 3.8V LiIon, or about 46 watt hours, that adds up. So figure about a 4 hour added run time from this. But the 2 amp only out may be a problem.
3) The Anker Astro 20 amp hour unit is again likely a single cell rating at 20 amp hour. Or 3.8V @ 20 amp hour is about 76 watt hours. Now you are getting somewhere. That might give you over 6 hours of extra run time. Great, until you read the comments. A few people state that it does not have the current ability to run a Surface. Odd indeed.
Going to be hard to beat the 26000MaHr one.
http://www.amazon.com/Intocircuit®-Notebooks-Compatible-Thunderbolt-Connectors/dp/B00BB5VQCE/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1411099502&sr=1-3&keywords=intocircuit power castle
1) The OXA Metal Box that you linked to is 10 amp hour. At an unknown voltage so we can only guess at watt hours. Likely a single LiIon cell. So figure 3.8 volts. Or 38 watt hours. So maybe 3 hours of extra run time. But they don't state what the 12 volt output ability is. It needs to be over 3 amps.
2) The NewNow MultiFunction Power bank that you link to states 12 volt, 12 amp hour, or 144 watt hours (don't believe it). BUT, it is a 12 volt 2 amp output. A bit on the low side to power the SP1. AND WORSE, it is a 12 volt, 1 amp input. They state it can be charged in 4 hours. Or 48 watt hours in. If you figure it is a single cell 12 amp hour 3.8V LiIon, or about 46 watt hours, that adds up. So figure about a 4 hour added run time from this. But the 2 amp only out may be a problem.
3) The Anker Astro 20 amp hour unit is again likely a single cell rating at 20 amp hour. Or 3.8V @ 20 amp hour is about 76 watt hours. Now you are getting somewhere. That might give you over 6 hours of extra run time. Great, until you read the comments. A few people state that it does not have the current ability to run a Surface. Odd indeed.
Going to be hard to beat the 26000MaHr one.
http://www.amazon.com/Intocircuit®-Notebooks-Compatible-Thunderbolt-Connectors/dp/B00BB5VQCE/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1411099502&sr=1-3&keywords=intocircuit power castle
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mysterysh33p
New Member
Wayne -
Thanks so much for the response! I have had my eye on that battery for awhile but I didn't know if it was worth the price. Also thank you for taking the time to break each of them down for me!
I shall hope for the best!
Thanks so much for the response! I have had my eye on that battery for awhile but I didn't know if it was worth the price. Also thank you for taking the time to break each of them down for me!
I shall hope for the best!
rabilancia
Member
i own and use the intocircuit 26000 battery. it gives me about two full extra charges on my SP1.
now if i could just find the appropriate power cable for my SP3!
now if i could just find the appropriate power cable for my SP3!
Alessandro
New Member
Hello, I found this topic very interesting but I still have a question. Is it possible to disable the charging option when plugged in, in order to avoid draining electricity from the battery?
For example on my laptop when I am at home I just take off the battery and use the laptop plugged in, of course we can't remove our battery from the surface but there is some options about what I said?
Thank you very much!
For example on my laptop when I am at home I just take off the battery and use the laptop plugged in, of course we can't remove our battery from the surface but there is some options about what I said?
Thank you very much!
Wayne Orwig
Active Member
Are you saying that you want to 'disconnect' the battery on the Surface and run from the AC adapter only?
Can't be done.
Sort of a shame too. That means that the battery has to stay in place, even when the units gets really hot, which is very bad for the battery. And of course, when the battery fails, and it will eventually fail, it can't be replaced with normal tools.
Alessandro
New Member
Thanks for the reply.
Anyway I bought the charging cable on aliexpress here's the link http://www.aliexpress.com/snapshot/6309216045.html so it seems it has the right requirement I mean 12 v but it says 2.5 amper does it just mean it will take a little bit more to charge? Is 2.5 amps the right quantity?
I would like to use it with introcircuit 26000mah power bank.
Anyway I bought the charging cable on aliexpress here's the link http://www.aliexpress.com/snapshot/6309216045.html so it seems it has the right requirement I mean 12 v but it says 2.5 amper does it just mean it will take a little bit more to charge? Is 2.5 amps the right quantity?
I would like to use it with introcircuit 26000mah power bank.
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