$1.78 USB Power Monitor

erco · 2014-08-09 06:41

I might need two, since they come in clear and blue.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-Charger-Doctor-Mobile-Battery-Tester-Power-Detector-Voltage-Current-Meter-G9-/161364003839

mindrobots · 2014-08-09 07:24

Dang you!

I wish I could make estimates like this at work. From the PayPal order confirmation:

Estimated delivery between Tuesday, Aug. 26 and Wednesday, Oct. 1

erco · 2014-08-09 08:26

I guess that means you ordered one! My work here is done.

Bill Henning · 2014-08-09 09:15

Dang, that is cute! I'll order a bunch. Thanks!

erco wrote: »

I might need two, since they come in clear and blue.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-Charger-Doctor-Mobile-Battery-Tester-Power-Detector-Voltage-Current-Meter-G9-/161364003839

Duane Degn · 2014-08-09 09:34

You got me too (again).

erco · 2014-08-09 09:34

Thank SRLM, his post here got me interested in a cheaper version.

http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php/153786-Open-Propeller-Project-2-Envision-the-S3-Robot?p=1283435&viewfull=1#post1283435

Ron Czapala · 2014-08-09 11:45

erco wrote: »

I guess that means you ordered one! My work here is done.

OK - I ordered three. Might try to remove the USB ports to use standalone...

erco · 2014-08-09 12:43

Ron Czapala wrote: »

OK - I ordered three. Might try to remove the USB ports to use standalone...

Of course, there are all kinds of cheap voltmeters/ammeters without USB:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RC-Voltage-Lipo-Battery-Meter-Tester-Indicator-2-6-cells-LED-Panel-Voltmeter-S9-/310778768986?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item485bdbae5a

http://www.ebay.com/itm/0-30V-Red-LED-Display-Digital-Voltage-Voltmeter-Panel-Motor-Motorcycle-02-ERUS-/400705508624?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d4be8d510

http://www.ebay.com/itm/gib-New-Direct-Current-DC-0-36Inch-LED-Digital-Display-Voltmeter-Panel-/171334248571?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item27e451287b

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-3PCS-0-30V-Colors-Red-LED-3-Digital-Display-Voltage-Voltmeter-Panel-Motor-01-/380898759352?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item58af55d2b8

http://www.ebay.com/itm/XD-3-New-0-36-Inch-LED-Digital-Ammeter-Amp-Current-Display-Panel-Gauge-DC0-1A-/111352636854?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item19ed2265b6

banjo · 2014-08-10 00:44

Also ordered three, don't know if I really need them but who knows...

CuriousOne · 2014-08-10 01:33

Don't get too excited.

They aren't that precise, I already own couple of them. And while their sense resistor is only 0.05 ohm, on charging actual device trough this, charge time increases 20-30%, have no idea why.

erco · 2014-08-10 13:02

@CuriousOne, I'll have to start consulting you for all of my Ebay China purchases. You're always one step ahead!

Cluso99 · 2014-08-10 15:43

Bought one too. Good for seeing how much current is being consumed by my props powered by usb. Much simpler than using a meter.

localroger · 2014-08-10 16:29

Well done Erco. Between this and the dash camera you got me to spend $50 on a Sunday night.

Mark_T · 2014-08-10 16:38

I'm interested in whether they record charge in mAh, not just current - I designed such a monitor
last year and made it display current for 4s, then flicker and display charge for 0.5s and flicker and
switch back to current. Monitoring charge is handy when I'm charging my phone

SRLM · 2014-08-10 17:00

Mark_T wrote: »

I'm interested in whether they record charge in mAh, not just current - I designed such a monitor
last year and made it display current for 4s, then flicker and display charge for 0.5s and flicker and
switch back to current. Monitoring charge is handy when I'm charging my phone

What is the difference between charge and current?

erco · 2014-08-10 18:07

localroger wrote: »

Well done Erco. Between this and the dash camera you got me to spend $50 on a Sunday night.

If only I got some kickbacks from Ebay, Paypal, and the "Free Shipping " Corporation.

I sure hope this stuff is better than CuriousOne reports!

erco · 2014-08-10 18:32

Volts and amps.

erco · 2014-08-10 18:47

For those with $9 to spend, here's a deluxe OLED version:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mini-OLED-USB-Charger-Capacity-power-Current-Voltage-Detector-Tester-Meter-/281346507482

Gotta love this hoarder's review: You can never have enough Charger Doctors...

SRLM · 2014-08-10 18:53

SRLM wrote: »

What is the difference between charge and current?

I figured it out: charge is sum(current). Presumably starting at 0 from when the monitor is plugged in.

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) · 2014-08-10 18:54

'Ordered one. I'll probably forget about it until it shows up. Then -- whoa! -- Christmas in August! ... or September ... or ... as my PayPal balance sloooowly drains through a tiny hole.

-Phil

erco · 2014-08-10 19:37

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) wrote: »

I'll probably forget about it until it shows up

Is that even possible?

How the heck could we have ever lived (if you can call it that) without these, blindly plugging in USB items and letting them charge willy-nilly?

Buy several extras for birthdays, bar mitzvahs, and stocking stuffers. Friends don't let friends charge blindly.

Ron Czapala · 2014-08-20 15:38

Got my three today...

localroger · 2014-08-20 16:53

Got mine today too. Kinda fun to watch the current draw drop off as the cell phone charges. And the external USB hard drive maxes out the port when it's spinning.

erco · 2014-08-20 17:25

No fair! I found them and you guys get them before me! Plus, I live in LA, where everything should arrive first. I better get mine soon.

Although I did receive my fancy OLED one several days ago. So nanner nanner!

Ron Czapala · 2014-08-20 17:35

erco wrote: »

... I live in LA, where everything should arrive first.

UPS has a big hub at Louisville WorldPort

Worldport is the worldwide air hub for UPS
The facility is currently the size of 80 football fields and capable of handling 115 packages a second, or 416,000 per hour

mindrobots · 2014-08-20 17:41

I didn't get mine yet...of course, I live in Medina, OH where delivery trucks only go AFTER their last stop.

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) · 2014-08-20 17:42

Mine hasn't gotten here, either.

O Lord, won'tcha buy me

an amps monitor.

I've plugged all my stuff in,

but I don't know the score.

I wait for deliv'ry

each day until four.

O Lord, won'tcha buy me

an amps monitor.

'Still, still waiting...

-Phil

Ron Czapala · 2014-08-20 17:45

Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) wrote: »

Mine hasn't gotten here, either.
O Lord, won'tcha buy me
an amps monitor.
I've plugged all my stuff in,
but I don't know the score.
I wait for deliv'ry
each day until four.
O Lord, won'tcha buy me
an amps monitor.

'Still, still waiting...

-Phil

Phil,
Where's the YouTube video of you singing that little ditty??

mindrobots · 2014-08-20 17:46

Thanks for that little ditty, JanJop!

erco · 2014-08-20 17:47

PhiPi: Didn't you remember to forget about it until it showed up?

Duane Degn · 2014-08-20 18:16

erco wrote: »

Although I did receive my fancy OLED one several days ago. So nanner nanner!

I received my OLED one today but it was DOA. :frown:

Darn. I also received five of these volt meters.

$1.78 USB Power Monitor

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