Magsafe as charge port

ESK8 Electronics
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Since I am currently trying to build a stealthy build I thought about charging port solutions. The standard 5.5mm plugs seem pretty low-tech and I thought about how amazing the magnetic Apple charger port actually is. Has anybody ever thought about using this type of plug for the DIY build? Seems like a great idea with a self-locking mechanism and dual power rails.

It should easily be doable with a magsafe 1 plug and a magsafe 1 to 2 converter that acts as the female end on the board. Solder the cables to the male magsafe 2 side and you should be done.

magsafe 1 charge cable

magsafe converter (proposed female side on the board) https://library.syr.edu/services/technology/loaner/images/plug.png

there are even caps out there to seal it up after charging

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And you could use the two outside pins for negative and the inside 3 for positive, or the other way around. That way you could plug it in any way and not have to care about polarity.

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exactly! Just wondering if there are other reasons why people have not already done this.

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Well lets try it then! Great idea!

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Really good idea!

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Pretty cool teardown: http://www.righto.com/2013/06/teardown-and-exploration-of-magsafe.html

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Hm - I wonder if the voltage for a 10S system will destroy that small PCB and chip. Also I don’t know if the chip is wired in parallel so that the energy transfer can still take place even when the chip is blown. LEDs and stuff we don’t need anyway - just a direct connection from one cable to the other is already enough.

Well there are even female boards: https://eustore.ifixit.com/out/pictures/generated/product/1/380_340_100/31bc750303092083d09940537e8e022b.ZxaqCvFp5MKMRvFU.jpg

but they ain’t cheap at 25€ :astonished:

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We’d probably be better off just using an xlr connector lol.

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where is the fun in that? :wink:

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good idea @Maxid i really like the magnetic magsafe port, go ahead :wink:

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@Maxid wow this idea is just BRILLIANT

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pogo + 3d printing? edit: cheaper pogos

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Well i think the hard part is not to get spring contacts but to actually make it magnetic. That 3D printed solution seems weirdly familiar no? :wink:

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ring magnet, and 20 mm metal washer on the other side.

pogos configuration - 5 pogos circle in the middle of the ring and 5 pogos around the first 5. should have enough space inside the ring magnet.

and we can add a threaded lid for waterproofing, something like this, but that looks like a lid.

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Soldering heat will be a big issue for the magnetic strength. I don’t think this will work, though correct me if I’m wrong.

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magnet don’t need to be close to the connector when soldering. I don’t know if it’s comprehensible, but I painted the idea:

I forgot about the female side of the connector. I haven’t find any cheap female pogos. those are 200 pcs :unamused:

plan B?

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if you are soldering in way that the entire magnetic housing will get that hot, you are doing something wrong :smiley:

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I was actually planning for building a wall mount, with build-in charger port, using pogo-pins

And then when I hang my board, it will recharge if needed (and if I have told it so… some logic/controller is neeeded)

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fun fact: the female jack can be bought in bulk on aliexpress for as cheap as 1.30€ per unit https://de.aliexpress.com/item/New-Original-MagSafe-2-DC-Power-Jack-Borad-w-for-Apple-MacBook-Pro-Retina-15-A1398/32623222760.html

To test however I ordered a used DC board from an old macbook. Will let you know how it turns out. Cable part will be from a broken charger I have sitting in a drawer.

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Really interested how good it will handle “higher” current(8-10 Amps)