CAPSULE MAX CHARGING FROM POWER BANK

#1

Hi all i was wondering if someone could help me out. I recently purchased the Nebula Capsule Max but the battery life really isn’t great. Would anyone know if this could be charged with a powerful power bank (what wouod be the output voltage requirements)?
And what is the size of the DC power cable used to charge it? Want to buy a USB A to DC-in adapter.

Many thanks

#2
#3

Hi there,

Thanks for your inquiry.

Please be noted that Capsule Max requires 15V/3A input with a tip size of 3.5x1.35mm on its DC cable. Anker currently don’t have a portable power bank could charge in this specification.

If you find the battery doesn’t last long enough, please go through settings>projector>image mode to set up as battery mode and see how long it could last. If you have any other questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us at support@seenebula.com. Thank you!

Anker Support Team

Power supply for Nebula Capsule Max
#4

Hi thanks for your response.

So if i had a USB to DC cable would the Capsule Max charge from the Anker Atom PD 4 (plugged in not portable power bank)?

#5

Thanks.
Found a cable on Ali express for a fraction of the price of the cable on amazon, that looks like its a lot stronger quality then the one on Amazon.
When it comes will update.

#6

The most important thing is to know the polarity is correct. 15V inserted incorrect polarity could fry your Capsule beyond warranty…

You get what you pay for usually.

#7

So is that yes or a no to the atom PD 4? To be honest not sure what polarity is but the output is 5V==2.4A. Would charging through that fry my battery??

#8

How good is your electrical knowledge?

Nothing to do with the charger. Your Aliexpress cable which must implicitly do 5V-15V step up and end in the correct barrel size and polarity is the important question. If it is >15V or incorrect polarity you risk damage. Check the Capsule charger, it’s polarity and the one you ordered.

If this makes no sense, you’re best not even attempting it, you risk bricking, no warranty your Capsule.

#9

My electrical knowledge really is not that great :grimacing::slightly_frowning_face:

Below is the link to the cable from aliexpress i am referring too.

Let me know what you think.

Thanks for your input. Appreciate it:+1:

#10

Save me time, post pic, good resolution, non-blurry of the Capsule charger underside where it shows the polarity.

The cable you ordered is utterly useless for your problem, it is not stepping up from 5V to 15V. It is simply changing the shape of 5V.

There’s a reason it is a fraction of the cost, it isn’t doing anything. You wasted your money with that cable.

Also if you step up 5V 2.4A you get 15V 0.8A. that would be a very slow charge, if it worked. Anker does sell 5V 3A, they’d become 15A 1A, more likely to work.

A quick electrical tutorial:

  • Electrical power is made up of Energy per electron multiplied by number of electrons per second. These are expressed in Volts (Energy per unit) and Current / Amps (quantity).
  • Volts is similar to height of a waterfall making water fall down faster, current is similar to width of a waterfall.
  • You can via induction process (coils of wires) alter the Volts up/down and it makes Current down/up, total power is not altered.
  • This would be like passing a waterfall through a narrower gap below so the water in the narrower gap was force to move faster.
  • If a “dumb” electronics port needs a given Voltage, it simply will not work with a significantly lesser voltage, it’s like asking water to flow uphill.
  • So you step up Voltage to required level to make it work, that steps down current.
  • So USB 5V 2.4A, if it steps up becomes 15V (3 times voltage) but 2.4A is stepped down (3 times smaller) to 0.8A
  • The Capsule requires 15V 3A. You absolutely need 15V. 0.8A may be enough to slow down it’s discharge / recharge slowly.
  • Step up/down requires a minimum size of electronics, at least the size of your thumb, so any cable without that, and especially not saying 15V is not stepping up 5V, so it’s not going to work.
#11

Dear all,

Anybody find a cable who is ready to use ?

thank you

#12

Hi all,

so I have a pretty big Xiaomi Powerbank with 20.000mAh that supports 15V 3A output.
I will have to use 3 adapters to get from USB-C powerbank output to the small DC input of the Capsule Max.

My question is: If it shows 5 different supported output specs on the powerbank (from 5V to 20V), how does the charging and charged devices define that 15V 3A is required?

Btw I’ll only receive the Capsule Max tomorrow.

Thanks
Phil

#13

Won’t work.

The powerbank is expecting to connect with a device which will negotiate, present all supported modes and then they agree the highest in common. Just because it can do 15V doesn’t mean it will. It’s like you pulling up at a gas station with a pump which does regular or plus or diesel, you still have to select which.

You’d need a PD sink to do the negotiations then output 15V. Getting expensive.

#14

Thanks for the reply. Are you sure about that? Jesus is it really that difficult to power that thing with a powerbank :man_facepalming:t4:

If the negation doesn’t take place, will it use the lowest output or what is the default?

#15

The most probable outcome is it will not work. Sometimes if there is no successful protocol negotiation, the default of 5V will be offered. 5V is not 15V.

You need to either take a 5V output Powerbank and a 5V to 15V conversion something, or a USB PD sink which selects 15V and then output. In the thread above are mentions of cables which do 5V to 15V, see if anyone reported they worked.

To be clear, most members are infrequent, to trigger their response quote their names to trigger an email to them.

#16

I use this powerbank to charge my capsule max in my camper.

#17

I’m confused. What you’re describing also doesn’t do the negotiation or conversion from 5 ton15V with an extra device?! You seem to have a similar setup like I do.

#18

No.

The Capsule need 15V DC. It states needs 3A also but that’s probably peak corner case and less than 3A will work in some situations like say when it’s powered off or to slow the discharge.

15V you can get a few different ways.

A 5V to 15V conversion cable, mentioned above. It needs 5V input from a 5V portable charger.

A 15V capable portable charger, and a PD sink which select 15V.

Until someone who owns either lists the products used, nothing is verified to work. Just explaining why it won’t simply work just because some portable charger can do 15V does not mean it will do 15V. How the hell would it know from 5 9 12 15 V which to use?

If the Capsule was different altogether, say it came with a 15V PD charger then the PD sink was within the Capsule. It doesn’t. It’s a 15V DC.

#19

I use the powerbank to charge the capsule max using a cable I had before like the one mentioned above. Since it worked from the start, I did not worry about voltages at all.

#20

If you have a working setup, link to all the parts.

Looks like you have used a 5V powerbank and a 5V to 15V conversion cable? That cable probably would not work with a 15V capable powerbank as the cable is probably not a PD sink.