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rjs2015
EVDO Fledgling
Joined: 28 Dec 2007
Posts: 25
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 Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 7:17 pm Post subject: CTR350 and batteries |
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Is there a "safe" way to power CTR350 successfully by battery?
I mostly want it as a backup if the electricity goes out.
Does the 3Gstore carry such as item? |
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Alex
Site Admin
Joined: 19 Sep 2006
Posts: 3084
Location: Dallas, TX
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| Posted: Sun Feb 10, 2008 7:32 pm Post subject: |
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no, 3gstore has not yet settled on a product to sell and more importantly, to support.
right now i'd have to say the safest battery solution is the home made 4xAA pack described here: http://www.evdoforums.com/thread7064.html
another option is to get a home battery back-ups to provide backup power to more than just the CTR350? |
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JoeCHecht
EVDO Junkie
Joined: 05 Jan 2008
Posts: 409
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| Posted: Tue Feb 12, 2008 11:58 pm Post subject: Re: CTR350 and batteries |
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| rjs2015 wrote: | Is there a "safe" way to power CTR350 successfully by battery?
I mostly want it as a backup if the electricity goes out.
Does the 3Gstore carry such as item? |
When coupled with the Notatel Ovation 727, after purchasing all the different solutions suggested here in the forums, and everything I could find on the internet, and after extensive testing for things like undervoltage, overvoltage, capicity, price, features, (and blowing out a CTR-350), here is what I gotta say:
IMHO the Tekkeon 3450 is the way to go, but ONLY POWERED THOUGH THE USB PORT USING A CUSTOM USB TO CTR-350 power adapter cable (else you stand a very good chance of frying the CTR-350 in you plug up the cables in the wrong order).
The unit gives very good regulated power, and the USB port on this unit keeps up with power requiements of the CTR-350 quite well. You can easily build a custom cable from a spare USB cable (just use the red and black wires).
I think I can easily get 12-14 hours from this setup, and still charge my cellphones, palm, headphones, TomTom, headset, and more, and also use the Tekkeon to supply power to a monster HP DV9500T while I switch out batteries. Also, the power brick for the HP DV9500T will charge the Tekkeon unit, meaning I have only one power brick to carry, and I can charge and power all my (numerous) accessories. Its a blessing  Likewise, it will charge and power a PHS-300, and the soon to be released MBR-1000.
I have also used little 12V batteries from UPS power supplies and hook them to the CTR-350 mobile power adapter I got at the 3G store. It will run for several hours - HOWEVER - remember that using unregulated battery packs are not a good thing for the CTR-350, as you will undervolt the unit, especially as the batteries run down.
If you want a cheap but good emergency power setup, I recommend a Sears Platimum diehard sealed AGM marine battery (with handle and attractivly colored blue), and velcro the folowing to it:
1) AIMS 300 watt pure sine wave inverter (for electronics).
2) AIMS 1250 watt modified square wave inverter (for everything else)
3) 12 volt three way cigerette lighter adapter
4) digital volt meter
5) Wilson EVDO Duel Band Amp
6) CTR-350
Finally, hook a 20 LED USB desklight to the USB port on the AIMS 300 watt pure sine wave inverter, and get a Wilson OMNI antenna and mount it on a plastic folgers coffee can, and stuff the cord in the can.
Now, you have enough power to run a mobile office for 2 people running monster laptops with EVDO for 12+ hours, complete with coffee maker, esspresso machine, bagel toaster, and a small George Foreman Grill, all in an attractive, easy to tote package.
My wife and I take ours to our favorite beach pavillion, and "work" all day:)
Further, you can get a very small 1200 watt generator at Walmart for $182 that runs 6 hours on a gallon of gas. It will power 2 sears battery chargers, our refrigarator, and a small window air conditioning unit (that you must plug up to the inverter) all at once. Oh ya... we can run the washing machine, too (not at the same time)!
Finally, you can route some pretty cables from the battery in your car to somewhere in the passenger compartment and charge this "mobile power pack" that way too.
Thats what we do for emergency power, and I live in Florida where we have been hammered over and over by hurricanes. The system is well tested, inexpensive, and requires a minimal gas supply (something your not going to be able to get after a hurricane). We can go 28 days on our little supply of 4 boat gas cans and the gas in the two cars. We stay cool, stay clean, have ice, keep parishable food, and continue working with full internet. Again, this system is a real blessing
I have been working with 12V/110V "mobile" power systems ever since I wired the power systems for our sailboat 10 years ago, where we where once able to go almost 6 months without auxillary power, all while powering a computer, navigation equipment, lights, TV, stereo, VHS, and a small icebox.
Thats my 2 cents...
Joe |
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rjs2015
EVDO Fledgling
Joined: 28 Dec 2007
Posts: 25
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| Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 8:57 pm Post subject: Thanks for advise |
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Being a non-tech person I think I will wait until 3GStore recommends and supports a product. I took a leap of faith when I dumped my s-l-o-w dial-up and have been extremely satisfied since.
Alex, if the 3GStore does get such a product I hope that will announce it. |
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Jim_in_VA
EVDO Junkie
Joined: 09 Apr 2007
Posts: 849
Location: On the Chesapeake Bay, Virginia
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| Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 9:20 pm Post subject: |
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wow, just don't go to the airport with that thing Joe
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jackrodgers
EVDO Addict
Joined: 23 Mar 2006
Posts: 1131
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| Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2008 9:43 pm Post subject: Re: CTR350 and batteries |
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| rjs2015 wrote: | Is there a "safe" way to power CTR350 successfully by battery?
I mostly want it as a backup if the electricity goes out.
Does the 3Gstore carry such as item? |
The obvious answer is to buy a UPS Backup device like you would for your computer. Plug it into to ac outlet and the ac plug of the router into the ups outlet. Hopefully it will have enough power for hours of use.
Most of the answers were focused on a portable power pack and not your backup request.
In fact, if you are using one for your computer, if there is spare outlet just plug the router ac plug into that, use an extension cord if you need one. |
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Capt Ron
EVDO Junkie
Joined: 01 Feb 2007
Posts: 153
Location: Central Florida Connected Using Razr & CTR350
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| Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 9:35 am Post subject: Re: CTR350 and batteries |
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| jackrodgers wrote: | | rjs2015 wrote: | Is there a "safe" way to power CTR350 successfully by battery?
I mostly want it as a backup if the electricity goes out.
Does the 3Gstore carry such as item? |
The obvious answer is to buy a UPS Backup device like you would for your computer. Plug it into to ac outlet and the ac plug of the router into the ups outlet. Hopefully it will have enough power for hours of use.
Most of the answers were focused on a portable power pack and not your backup request.
In fact, if you are using one for your computer, if there is spare outlet just plug the router ac plug into that, use an extension cord if you need one. |
I tried my APC battery backup and it only lasted about 1 1/2 hours. But I have had it for quite a while so the battery may be getting to old. Although it hasn't indicated that it is weak on it's display.
I think that you loose a lot changing the voltage from 12 to 110 and back to 5 volts. |
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JoeCHecht
EVDO Junkie
Joined: 05 Jan 2008
Posts: 409
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| Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 12:00 pm Post subject: Re: CTR350 and batteries |
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| Capt Ron wrote: |
I tried my APC battery backup and it only lasted about 1 1/2 hours. But I have had it for quite a while so the battery may be getting to old. Although it hasn't indicated that it is weak on it's display.
I think that you loose a lot changing the voltage from 12 to 110 and back to 5 volts. |
Your battery is probably fine. One might figure that a small UPS could power the little CTR350 unit for a long time, however, testing here has shown they will not.
In general, the small UPS units are built with a small 12V battery hooked to a very cheap modified square wave inverter with charger. There is a lot of loss going from 12V to 120V to 5V. That same battery, if taken out of the UPS and directly hooked up to the auto adapter (12V to 5V) will power the CTR-350 for several hours.
It is also worth noting that the cheap UPS units with the modified square wave inverters can be quite hard on some AC power adapters, and I have read reports of some adapters getting burned out (they will run hotter). Finally, there have been suggestions here of using an inverter to re-charge a cheap UPS. In general, this will only work if you use a pure sine wave inverter (much more expensive).
Joe |
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