Powering PSR-800 from vehicle USB port

[racin06]

My 2011 Buck Regal Turbo has a USB port to connect an MP3 player like an iPod, as well as being able to access the onboard 40GB hard drive. I've yet to take advantage of the USB port. However, today I was thinking and assumed that I should be able to power and charge batteries in my PSR-800 via the USB port. My assumption was correct. Anyway, I just wanted to share this with others who may have a USB port in their vehicle, as this is another option to power your PSR-800 (or other scanners) in your vehicle, especially if you don't have access to a vehicle power/charger adapter.

 

[rwier]

I...............................I was thinking and assumed that I should be able to power and charge batteries in my PSR-800 via the USB port. My assumption was correct. ................................

Correct, but this part: : " and charge batteries in my PSR-800", may be

1) inadvisable
2) noneffective
3) both of the above

Someone who knows batteries will explain, or maybe I am mistaken.

 

[racin06]

I doubt there is a problem charging batteries. However, just to be certain, it would be nice to have others chime in here with their thoughts.

 

[Kevinbb]

just bought a new 2012 Chevy Equinox with all the fancy new gadgets including a USB port. When plug my MP3 player in, the music titles show up on the radio console screen while its playing my tunes. Nice ! What would be even nicer is plugging in my PSR 800 and have the channels start scrolling across my radio console screen! I'll have to check it out tomorrow but I don't have any high hopes other than having another hole to plug in and charge my batteries

 

[rwier]

My thinking was along these lines, which may or not be correct:

The radio will not operate (scan) and charge at the same time. It will only charge from the USB port when the USB port is active and the radio is turned off. It takes (on average) 16 hours to charge fully discharged batteries. So to significantly charge the radio from a USB port in a vehicle, one would seem to need to leave the vehicle alone for extended periods of time with power being supplied to the USB port. Not something I would be comfortable with.

In my own case, I have never operated any scanner off battery power only, and if the batteries are not necessary for normal operation, I remove them before any operations.

 

[divemaster500]

Wondering what a Buck Regal Turbo looks like?

 

[racin06]

I own the black carbon metallic 2011 Regal Turbo with black interior, as in the below photos. Not to hijack my own thread, but I previously have owned a new Saab and BMW 3 series and I was looking to buy another European sports sedan. However, I really wanted to buy American; however, there really aren't many American sports sedans that look and handle like the European sports sedans. A friend told me to take a look at the Regal Turbo, which was designed and developed in Germany...with over one million miles driven on the Nurburgring circuit. Anyway, after test driving the Regal Turbo, I was immediately sold. The Regal Turbo has the looks and handles like a European sports sedan. Well, I guess you could say it IS a European sports sedan because of its development in Germany. I don't know how many people have come up to me and say "that's a Buick?" LOL. Buick has certainly shed their grandpa-car image with the Regal Turbo. I love driving this car!

 

[divemaster500]

Very nice ride! My wife is looking again.....I will leave it at that......

 

[troymail]

...and now back to the thread.... :lol:

I run my 800's off of a cig lighter dual USB converter -- my two radios are always on - on USB or batteries.

True - you cannot charge and run off the USB at the same time. I rarely attempt to charge using the USB cable - only when I have to.

Most times, I just run the batteries down to empty and then swap them with one of the two extra sets I always have on external chargers.

 

[Mikejo]

Cigarette lighter power drop/surge and PSR-800

I have a PSR-800 scanner I like to use in my car. The problem I'm having is, that when it's plugged into the cigarette lighter dongle that allows me to get USB power into my radio, if I forget to turn the scanner off before I go to restart my car, what happens is the scanner will not power up.

At this point, the only way to get the radio to work is to unplug from the USB power, and remove the batteries, reinstall the batteries, or plug it into USB power (one or the other), at this point the scanner will now power up.

My question is, is there a way I can place something in-line to prevent the power drop, and then surge after starting the car that would smooth out the power so that this will not happen to my radio?

I'm guessing that perhaps a capacitor of an appropriate value in the line, with a resistor placed after it to prevent capacitor from discharging too quickly to prevent damage from the opposite problem (that being a power spike when the capacitor discharges) would be a possible solution of some sort?

Does anyone know of a prepackaged solution for this problem? is there a circuit design schematically I could follow and build my own solution that anyone is aware of?

 

[kruser]

I have a PSR-800 scanner I like to use in my car. The problem I'm having is, that when it's plugged into the cigarette lighter dongle that allows me to get USB power into my radio, if I forget to turn the scanner off before I go to restart my car, what happens is the scanner will not power up.

At this point, the only way to get the radio to work is to unplug from the USB power, and remove the batteries, reinstall the batteries, or plug it into USB power (one or the other), at this point the scanner will now power up.

My question is, is there a way I can place something in-line to prevent the power drop, and then surge after starting the car that would smooth out the power so that this will not happen to my radio?

I'm guessing that perhaps a capacitor of an appropriate value in the line, with a resistor placed after it to prevent capacitor from discharging too quickly to prevent damage from the opposite problem (that being a power spike when the capacitor discharges) would be a possible solution of some sort?

Does anyone know of a prepackaged solution for this problem? is there a circuit design schematically I could follow and build my own solution that anyone is aware of?

Can you tell if power is turned off to the port in your car during crank?
That's what it sounds like may be going on. A lot of new cars seem to interrupt power to accessory power ports during crank unlike the old days where the cigarette lighter socket did stay powered. At least in older American made cars.

If this is the case, you will probably need to tap an unswitched power source at one of the fuse panels. And maybe find a better 12 volt to 5 volt regulator that will not drop out when the voltage drops during crank.
Any decent regulator should handle the lower input voltage during crank and still provide regulated 5 VDC. So my guess is your power source is being switched off during crank.
Some newer cars have two cigarette lighter type sockets. If yours has two, watch them both with a meter and see if one remains powered during crank.

 

[Mikejo]

That is possible, I do have two sockets actually one is under the armrest in the center consul, perhaps that one is protected I'll have to check it out and see. Also, I suppose I could look for another 12v - 5v USB source in the meantime.

 

[DJ11DLN]

That is possible, I do have two sockets actually one is under the armrest in the center consul, perhaps that one is protected I'll have to check it out and see. Also, I suppose I could look for another 12v - 5v USB source in the meantime.

There's only one power port in my Terrain that stays live with the key off...the one next to the lift gate. But via a long USB cord I have my Pro-668 plugged into it just so it won't give me the set-the-clock routine when I power it up after it's been off for a couple of hours (I don't leave any batteries in the scanner). And yes that port goes dead when the car cranks.

What you would have to do is install a separate power port wired directly to the battery, with appropriate fusing of course. And just to be safe a voltage stabilizer between the battery and the port would assure that the port will always see at least 12.5V as a voltage drop can cause the condition you describe as easily as an interruption. I try to remember to turn mine off every time I shut the car off. So far the times I've forgotten I just re-power the scanner and all is fine but I know my time is coming so I carry a spare programmed SD card just in case.