canlogic Posted February 10, 2008 Share #141 Posted February 10, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) This stuff looks good but also I don't see anything wrong with the Delkin charger. Delkin charger (if they will make the plate) is available where this make take quite awhile to see production and also has to go through certification. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted February 10, 2008 Posted February 10, 2008 Hi canlogic, Take a look here Any sign of the Hahnel twin charger yet?. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
charlesphoto99 Posted February 10, 2008 Share #142 Posted February 10, 2008 Well, I'll take whatever's cheaper considering it seems like I've already spent the price of a dslr's worth of add ons already in order to make the M8 "right." A smaller charger would be great but not at "$200" or so that was being bandied about, I don't care how nice Tim and Wilson are business is business. I also don't think the size of the Leica charger is that bad, but if I could have a charger that does several different types of batteries all in one then that would be a real space saver. Personally I think that there are M8 accessories still to be dreamed of and designed that Tim could do much better and more cost effective than a new charger. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrc Posted February 11, 2008 Share #143 Posted February 11, 2008 Maybe a dumb question -- but would it be possible to "repackage" the current M8 charger? See if somebody like DAG might be able to do it, just buy a couple of plastic pieces and restructure what we've already got? Actually, I think Leica should be doing this -- I've got a D-Lux 3 charger that's everything we'd need, except the plate. As for Mark's suggstion to make it a dual charger, I'd prefer a very small single charger -- it's easy enough to get a compact dual plug. That way, if you want to charge two batteries at the same time, you'd buy two chargers, and always have a back-up. From reading all of this, I didn't get a real tight grip on where Tim's project is -- is it anywhere beyond some concept drawings? JC Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted February 11, 2008 Share #144 Posted February 11, 2008 JC, you have a delightfully naieve view of what's required to build an electronic product, especially since you (presumably) don't want to be electrocuted or have your house burnt down in the process. Just a piece of duct tape between you and oblivion. I'm working on a design for a double charger, about 8 * 6 * 2 cm run off the brick for my Sony SZ laptop which goes everywhere I go. LED bargraphs to show the charge/charging status of the battery with a USB socket for charging an iPod and my Sony Ericsson mobile phone. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fotogo Posted February 13, 2008 Share #145 Posted February 13, 2008 JC, you have a delightfully naieve view of what's required to build an electronic product, especially since you (presumably) don't want to be electrocuted or have your house burnt down in the process. Just a piece of duct tape between you and oblivion. I'm working on a design for a double charger, about 8 * 6 * 2 cm run off the brick for my Sony SZ laptop which goes everywhere I go. LED bargraphs to show the charge/charging status of the battery with a USB socket for charging an iPod and my Sony Ericsson mobile phone. In keeping with the idea of small and compact, I am wondering if the daisy chain concept can be dropped completely. Two chargers and two mains voltage leads would be needed, so why not just use two chargers and ignore the daisy chain. Clearly the option of using a single compact charger is then available if one needs the packing space. Take two of the single chargers along if you need them. This would also serve to keep the costs of the single charger at a minimum, and eliminate the safety concerns of daisy chaining. The smallest male type connector (off the shelf) I can find is the computer monitor three lead variety. No figure 8 male style seems to be available. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speenth Posted February 13, 2008 Share #146 Posted February 13, 2008 In keeping with the idea of small and compact, I am wondering if the daisy chain concept can be dropped completely. As I've suggested before, I think the only way to go with daisy-chaining would be to have the moulding of the charger's shell include the business end of a figure 8 cable. Thus one charger literally plugs into another (like joining lego bricks, and no cable required). However, this might stretch even your design genius Tim, were your present clean design proposal not to become awkwardly shaped and needlessly more costly to manufacture. I'm with you - daisy-chaining is a nice idea, but not at the cost of a small, pocketable design such as the one you've already presented to us. Steve' Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted February 13, 2008 Share #147 Posted February 13, 2008 Advertisement (gone after registration) In keeping with the idea of small and compact, I am wondering if the daisy chain concept can be dropped completely. Two chargers and two mains voltage leads would be needed, so why not just use two chargers and ignore the daisy chain. Clearly the option of using a single compact charger is then available if one needs the packing space. Take two of the single chargers along if you need them. This would also serve to keep the costs of the single charger at a minimum, and eliminate the safety concerns of daisy chaining. The smallest male type connector (off the shelf) I can find is the computer monitor three lead variety. No figure 8 male style seems to be available. Tim, I agree with you, I've never seen the type of connectors which are needed for this daisy chaining. Eliminating the second connector gives you more space internally. The challenge for me, keeping in mind this is a one off, is the connector to mate with the battery if I'm not going to use the battery holder from the Leica charger as I did originally. 6 0.1inch spaced blade connectors with a guide to prevent mis-connection and geting them damaged. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
papimuzo Posted February 13, 2008 Share #148 Posted February 13, 2008 At the end Tim, contrary to what I MP to you I second the idea to abandon the daisy chain concept. I will be happy if needed to use two "ordinary" Franken II fed with commercial figure of 8 cables, available everywhere. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stunsworth Posted February 13, 2008 Share #149 Posted February 13, 2008 When the mains lead is taken into consideration surely there won't be much space saving - if any - when compared to the standard Leica unit. Or am I missing something? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
marknorton Posted February 13, 2008 Share #150 Posted February 13, 2008 Steve, if you are not already taking a mains lead (= power cord) with you already, you are correct. However, I always have one for my laptop which is why I power my charger from the laptop brick which is also already there. My new one is about the size of a pack of cards. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speenth Posted February 13, 2008 Share #151 Posted February 13, 2008 When the mains lead is taken into consideration surely there won't be much space saving - if any - when compared to the standard Leica unit. Or am I missing something? Hi' Steve', I find the Frankencharger is a plain awkward shape to pack. I travel with two of my Leica lenses in a freeby Airline bogbag that's more stowable than the Frankencharger! The power lead is not an issue. I have to have one anyway - for a laptop or other device (and a separate lead occupies no significant space inside a suitcase or bag). Tim's little charger will slide into any small space in my camera bag, or a rucksack or inside one of my shoes when I pack a suitcase. His design is more than portable - its pocketable. Pocket the Frankencharger and you might do yourself an injury! Given the experience of the functionally impressive, excellently conceived, well manufactured and wonderfully packaged 'Thumbs-Up' , I am awaiting the Franken II with gleeful anticipation. Steve' Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
canlogic Posted February 13, 2008 Share #152 Posted February 13, 2008 If you are going for small I would rather have the fold out plug approach. What I would rather have is a dual charger with a small power adapter with rca type plug. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speenth Posted February 13, 2008 Share #153 Posted February 13, 2008 If you are going for small I would rather have the fold out plug approach. What I would rather have is a dual charger with a small power adapter with rca type plug. An integral region-specific plug will drive up the cost and reduce the versatility of the charger. Every region will require a different charger (separate versions at least for Australia; US; Europe, excluding that renegade semi-detached bunch, the Brits, who'll need yet another unique variant). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrycioni Posted February 13, 2008 Share #154 Posted February 13, 2008 JC, you have a delightfully naieve view of what's required to build an electronic product, especially since you (presumably) don't want to be electrocuted or have your house burnt down in the process. Just a piece of duct tape between you and oblivion. I'm working on a design for a double charger, about 8 * 6 * 2 cm run off the brick for my Sony SZ laptop which goes everywhere I go. LED bargraphs to show the charge/charging status of the battery with a USB socket for charging an iPod and my Sony Ericsson mobile phone. Greetings At the risk of causing a poop storm (I am mentioning Nikon here)! I have no less than three M8 battery chargers with two cameras and six batteries. If the M8 has a single weak point it is the charger and I believe the source of many power problems with the camera. I have never let my batteries go below one bar before changing them out - I know this is somewhat retentive but then again I have not had any significant power problems. It makes me appreciate the twin charger that came in the box with the Nikon D3 - given the size of the ENL 4A Nikon has done an amazing job. That little puppy has a smaller footprint than the M8 charger and charges two much larger batteries. The point being something similar for the M8 would be a nice addition to our favorite RF baby. Best To All. Terry Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlesphoto99 Posted February 13, 2008 Share #155 Posted February 13, 2008 An integral region-specific plug will drive up the cost and reduce the versatility of the charger. Every region will require a different charger (separate versions at least for Australia; US; Europe, excluding that renegade semi-detached bunch, the Brits, who'll need yet another unique variant). Well there is such a thing as plug adapters as long as the charger itself is 120/240. I too question the extra space and tangle of a power cord. Many of use Mac laptops which use a different connector than pc laptops so the one cord fits all argument is a bit simplistic. Of course the ability to have both a built in foldable plug and a figure eight mains would be the best. The mains cord for those hard to reach places and the foldable prongs for those times you want it to be truly pocketable. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
footnoteblog Posted February 13, 2008 Share #156 Posted February 13, 2008 The flat, two-prong, swing out plug design seems simplest to design, being able to adapt to other plug styles. Not to mention it's used in most major countries (marketshare)-- U.S., Mexico, Canada, Japan, and most of Southeast Asia. Adapters are easy to find and make to convert those plugs to other styles. A single, small charger with a DC input option sounds ideal. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speenth Posted February 13, 2008 Share #157 Posted February 13, 2008 Well there is such a thing as plug adapters as long as the charger itself is 120/240. Yes but ... to be approved for sale in many countries a Franken II with a fold-out plug will have to be factory-fitted with the proper plug for each region. If not, many of us will have to import the device and put up with having to also use a plug adaptor - rather defeating the object of buying a small pocketable charger in the first place! Steve' Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
footnoteblog Posted February 13, 2008 Share #158 Posted February 13, 2008 I think marketshare will trump flexibility. It would make no sense to try and convert a UK-only (for example) plug to the rest of the world, or a non-flat-prong plug. It's just bad design and marketing. or use those c-8 (?) style connectors (2-lead laptop-style) with cables for each country. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fotogo Posted March 13, 2008 Share #159 Posted March 13, 2008 The flat, two-prong, swing out plug design seems simplest to design, being able to adapt to other plug styles. Not to mention it's used in most major countries (marketshare)-- U.S., Mexico, Canada, Japan, and most of Southeast Asia. Adapters are easy to find and make to convert those plugs to other styles. A single, small charger with a DC input option sounds ideal. Lads, My first meeting with a charger production company was last week and I thought I would give a brief recap here for all interested. The company I met with employed about 600 with and engineering staff of almost 50. Attending the meeting were the General Manager of the company, Chief Design Engineer (an EE) and a Production Manager. This particular company already produces a fairly wide variety of consumer electronics and various Li-Ion battery chargers are one of those products. My first point of discussion was testing and certification for the export market. The response could not have been better in my opinion. They had their own in house testing facility, but went outside to an independent lab for certification. In this case that firm was TUV. This name will easily be recognized by anyone engaged in consumer products production. TUV is world renowned for their expertise and thorough testing to a wide variety of world safety standards. Along with the standard safety tests for UL, CE, GS and EMC ratings, they perform a RoHS test which covers most EU countries environmental pollution standards for electronic components. Next point of discussion was the intended performance requirements for my design. Basically this comes down to the compact charger with a charging time of 3.5 hours while charging the Leica 1900 mAh battery from mains supplying 100-240 VAC / 50- 60 Hz with automatic switching. I had removed the (flash, bang, pop, smoke and fire) daisy chain design components from my last design offering here in this forum, for the simpler single connection design, so as to look like a real pro in the mist of the REAL PROS on the scene. This seemed to work as no one broke out into uncontrollable laughter as we reviewed the performance criteria and my drawings for the PCB and case. I would like to raise a point here for some feedback, about one design issue that affects my final version. Do we need or want a connection for a 12 volt in car adapter to power this Franken II charger? This is simple enough to add, but of course affects the cost. My next step will be to visit two more similar production facilities for competitive quoting. I am presently in the states and will be here for a few weeks, so these additional meetings will have to wait until mid April. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalippe Posted March 13, 2008 Share #160 Posted March 13, 2008 Do we need or want a connection for a 12 volt in car adapter to power this Franken II charger? [/u] Yes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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