Make iPod Charger Question

[Seahawks Fan]

On the back of my iPod it reads, "Rated 5-30V 1A Max."

I have a power supply for a defunct Game Cube that provides a regulated 12.0 Volts at 2.5 Amps.

I believe that the rated Amps for power supply is the amount that can be drawn from it. Does the 1 Amp Max mean the iPod will only draw 1 Amp, or does this mean something else?

V=IR, and I=V/R. It seems to me that the iPod will only draw as much amperage as it needs. Would a 12 Volt 2.5 Amp power supply be OK?


Thanks for any replies.

 

[Sceadwian]

If what you've read is correct then you're fine. The possible current draw on the 12V supply is more than the iPod needs, the voltage is not higher so it will only draw what current it needs. If you plug it in and it explodes into flames though it's not my fault =) Nor is it my fault if anything else intoward happens, you're the one that plugs it it.

 

[MikeMl]

On the back of my iPod it reads, "Rated 5-30V 1A Max."
...

My wife's iPod charges off the 5V from a USB spigot. The rating probably means that there is a switching inverter inside the iPod, so that it does not matter what voltage (5-30V) is connected to it. It will convert whatever is connected to the appropriate internal battery charging voltage.

It is likely that the current that it draws is inversely proportional to the voltage, i.e. it draws the maximum 1A at 5V, but at 30V it would only draw only 170mA (Input power is approx 5W).

My Garmin GPS is built that way. It will operate (and charge) on any voltage from 8V to 36V.

 

[jimlovell777]

DO NOT use that supply to charge your iPod without regulating it down to 5V. On the USB pins the iPod expects and can only handle 5V. Since the iPod is also Firewire compatible it lists 5-30V. It's worth noting that typically iPods won't charge unless you do something with the data lines, simply connecting + and - power does nothing.

 

[Seahawks Fan]

Hey thanks everyone for your replies. The cable for my wall charger is broken. ipod Charger is a brick/transformer that plugs directly into the wall w/ female adapter. I guess I will have to buy a new charger cable. I have extra iPod USB cables, I took one cable apart and it has red and black wires for voltage, 2 other wires for USB data. I'm not sure how signaling is done to start/stop charge, so I am not going to mess with it, but there was an article online about building a charger using USB cable.