Just got my UPBX...(Voltage regulator malfunction?)

[Anonymous user]

And I'm getting an output of 5.39 volts from the device. Any advice?

[Anonymous user]

If all else fails, can I RMA the product?

[Anonymous user]

And I'm getting an output of 5.39 volts from the device. Any advice?

[Anonymous user]

The only resistor I found was a 10 watt, 100 Ohm wirewound used in recalibrating unbalanced batteries. I still got 5.39 volts using it (Because it's only drawing 50mAH).

[BillP]

one response I got so far:

This is normal with fresh batteries and no load. The output voltage will be decreased when loaded and when the battery capacity is depleted.

[BillP]

well i wont claim to be an expert on this exact product but i checked the product page [seen here|http://www.apc.com/resource/include/techspec_index.cfm?base_sku=UPBX] and it says the battery volts out is 5.3v..and usb ports in general output 4.5-5 volts for charging as far as my understanding goes..

am i missing something? what did you expect it to be?

from what i can tell, this sounds like it is operating normally.

[Anonymous user]

I asked Notorious about this (as on a previous thread on the front page) and he said that the 5.3 volts is a typo and it should be 5.0 volts. On the two laptops I've tested, they got around 5.09-5.1 volts which is within the normal 4.75-5.25 volts for the USB standard (www.usb.org).

I would of expected it to be around 5.1 volts which is attained by using NiMH sitting around the shelf for two days.

[BillP]

hmm i see.

like i said, i am not an expert on this product but i understand what you are saying.

Kevin (Notorious KMP) can probably comment on this further as far as the typo goes..

also, i dont have one to test myself..

kevin, what do you say about this? i dont have much experience with this product.

[TheNotoriousKMP_apc]

Ugh troubleshooting on my vacation? You guys are killing me!!! Hahaha.

Anyways, Angela, I spoke to SDP about this when it first came up, he said the standard output is 5.0 V since it's a USB device.

I would bring it back to him and ask him to check with Bradner, etc. all the mobile guys to see what the deal is. I actually have no clue on how to test the voltage on these things, despite having one sitting right in front of me as I right this.

[Anonymous user]

When looking at the device with the switch on the left and the gap on the bottom, the left pin on the USB is positive and the very right pin is negative. Although if you're using a digital multimeter (that reads negative voltage) then just use at the ends.

Edit: I will assume to link images instead of attaching them. I also apologize for disturbing you, I'm still kinda in the mood to "get everything done so I can fix three machines and replace a faulty 8800GT."

This is the power source.
!http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a34/User221/HPIM4128.jpg!

This is the orientation of my description.
!http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a34/User221/HPIM4129.jpg!

Multimeter reading.
!http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a34/User221/HPIM4130.jpg!

Message was edited by: Malkor

[BillP]

thanks Kevin.

I know you enjoy posting on your vacation 🙂

I will investigate with SDP on Monday and see whats up with this and post back.

[BillP]

just an update - waiting to get a response back from some mobile product gurus 🙂

[Anonymous user]

Hmm...Alright. I know that this UPBX is a simple and lightweight device (meaning it isn't going to be as sophisticated as a standard USB hub on a mainboard), but I am still not fond of using a USB device as a "resistor" of sorts. I already get a voltage of 5.15 (1.287 X 4) using Nickel Metal Hydride cells and I am uncertain as to what voltage it would drop to then.

To me, although I would see the price of said device going up, but keep the voltage steady when on or off load and balance the mAH output when necessary. Of course the UPBX might already regulate mAH, but I know little about the product except that I won't test any of my devices on it.

[voidstar_apc]

While I'm not familiar with the UPBX, you might try putting a small resistance, say 1k, between the 0 and 5V lines before measuring with your DVM. The control circuitry on many power supplies need a little bit of load to properly regulate. Measuring them unloaded can give misleading results.

[Anonymous user]

I went ahead and bought a 10 watt, 10 ohm wirewound (The next size down is a standard 1 watt resistor but I would probably smoke that with a 2.5 watt (5V*.5A) load) resistor while disposing of my older batteries properly. I was only able to knock the voltage down to 5.37.

I used a search engine to find an ohm calculator:

Current = Voltage / Resistance.

537mAH = 5.37V / 10 Ohms.

[voidstar_apc]

Then it's definitely regulating to 5.39 V on fresh batteries no matter how much current you draw. Oh well, it was worth a shot.

For future reference, I wouldn't test with that 10 ohm wire because USB is rated to at most 500 mA... 1kOhm is safer for this situation.

[Anonymous user]

If it were to be regulated at 5.00 volts at 10 Ohms you would hit 500mAH right on the spot.

The problem with using a 1K Ohm resistor is that you're only drawing 5mAH...1% of a typical MP3 device (assuming said device charges on USB). I don't know if that's enough load to trigger anything.

I don't think it's regulating it at all, I could of tested the device on that resistor with NiMH batteries which when sitting for a while would drop to 1.287 volts per cell resulting in a 5.15 volt output...

Edit: The Creative Zen Micro that I own will optimally charge optimally at 1.0A (special Creative Adaptor) although it will still work (albeit slowly) on a USB hub.

Message was edited by: Malkor

[Anonymous user]

Thanks.

I might as well do it next Monday though...Unless there is some sort of solution to this before that date. I wonder if the original model has this problem.

[Anonymous user]

Apparently I cannot get a refund, bummer.

[BillP]

apc can only replace it with a new one. if you bought it through apc, we accept returns for a refund within 30 days with a restocking fee unless its apc's fault.

[Anonymous user]

I bought it through APC and the support person said I could. I just probably got confused by the Terms and Conditions sometimes.

(I know this comment sounds a bit stupid, but if I didn't buy it through APC I would of returned it to the vendor I bought it from).

[BillP]

alright 🙂

the email support person that you contacted happened to ask me about this so at least i knew what she was talking about 😄

[TheNotoriousKMP_apc]

I'm going to chime in, but not as an admin/moderator, moreso as an end-user since I do have one of these things.

I haven't measured the voltage, but I'm taking the pictures that you provided Malkor as proof positive that the output is a little off.

Now my question is, specifically for Malkor, what damage have you seen this do, or has this done to any of your USB equipment?

I haven't used this yet on any of my USB products, but just to charge my best friend's cell phone overnight, and there seemed to be no damage with that.

Can you provide me some insight?

[Anonymous user]

I have yet to try this on any of my USB devices either, but I wouldn't want APC to be responsible for a discontinued Creative Labs product or a PSP-2000. Those are the only two devices that I have that can be charged using USB. I know the Energizer variant of a USB device designed specifically for iPods (meaning it only has the iPod port) has fried many iPods since its release for reasons I do not know (because I don't own either of them).

The biggest problem with overvolting, as with computers (and some insight with a Black and Decker manual on their inverter with USB device which I returned to a local retailer) is that it generates heat and increases the wear and tear of a device. Also depending on how the USB device regulates its voltage towards the Lithium Ion battery, if the battery is overcharged it has a chance of explosion.

If I had a cell phone with a USB port I would of tried it, but only because the life expectancy of a cell phone is only 2 years or less.

[Anonymous user · Accepted solution]

http://www.usb.org/developers/devclass_docs/batt_charging_1_0.zip

Here is the usb.org document that talks about the standard for USB charging devices (including portable on the go variants). I read the whole document (although I found the parameters a bit confusing) and where it shows a table the output voltage should be 4.75 to 5.25 when less than 500mAH is applied. It's also implying that the device (UPBX in this case) should change its mAH ratings depending on which mode the device is in.

I also scanned though the big USB 2.0 spec sheet and at 7.2.2. it says the following.
"The voltage supplied by a high-powered hub is 4.75V to 5.25V."
"The voltage supplied by a high-powered hub is 4.40V to 5.25V."