12 volt adapter for charging batteries

[parrothead600]

I would like to be able to charge the battery, for my DC500, while I am on the boat. The only chargers that I have need 110VAC to work. Has anyone come up with a way to charge the battery from a 12VDC power point?

 

[DandyDon]

Never tried. You can buy adapters that convert 110v to 12v, but I have never seen the reverse. But then, if it's not an air conditioned liveaboard, I don't want to open the case anyway. I do charge and carry a spare battery. If you search Ebay for np-900, you find many accessories that fit the DC500; wish I'd known this before I bought mine.

See this post http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/3682027-post8.html

This battery has almost twice as much mAh as the one that comes with the camera http://cgi.ebay.com/1200mAh-FOR-MIN...yZ162045QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem for $9 including shipping.

And for $9, get this charger that looks like it does work on 12v or 110v BATTERY CHARGER FOR MINOLTA NP-900 NP900 DIMAGE CAMERA - eBay (item 170239328904 end time Jul-20-08 06:02:52 PDT)

Check those closely, tho - in case I missed something, but I really like that 1200 mAh battery. In fact, I think I'll get one. I have 3 - 650 mAh batteries already, but hell this looks great. Haha, ordered.

 

[TN Traveler]

Actually SeaLife supplies a 12v adapter with car plug as part of it's "Travel Kit" (spare battery, charging tray and 12v adapter) for the DC-800. Since the batteries for both the DC-500 and DC-800 are 5v and the plug sizes are the same - it should work for either.

I got one in my DC-800 "Travel Kit" that I don't think I'll use - so PM me and maybe we can work out a deal, if you want it.

 

[Former Sealife Employee]

The DC800 adapter will not work with the DC500.

 

[horsediver1]

I've done this with my horse trailer you can buy a small watt inverter that converts 12 vDC to 110-115ac. The problem you have to worry about is 110 around water which can be solved with a ground fault circuit. However water and 110 is dangerous and could make for a shocking experience. But can be done for about $50.00

TG

 

[TN Traveler]

The DC800 adapter will not work with the DC500.

Can you explain why?

Since the plug fits both, the polarity is the same and the output is 5v, it should work.

 

[DandyDon]

I've done this with my horse trailer you can buy a small watt inverter that converts 12 vDC to 110-115ac. The problem you have to worry about is 110 around water which can be solved with a ground fault circuit. However water and 110 is dangerous and could make for a shocking experience. But can be done for about $50.00

TG

Saltwater even worse! :11:

I think I like my 1200 mAh battery find much better, almost twice as much as the 650 standard battery. Hope it works ok. That and a 1 Gb card with the firmware update so it won't freeze and I should be good for even a 4 or 5 dive day. I have had dives where I shot so rapidly that I fogged the lens - cenote dives that felt like cave dives, and an eagle ray the next day that kept circling repeatedly to dive bomb the sand, along with my shoot shoot shoot nature - but I think much of that was from not presoaking.

Got an email today; the battery has already shipped, be here early next week.

TNTraveler does this look like it included a 12v and would work okay? http://cgi.ebay.com/BATTERY-CHARGER...yZ162046QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem I still hate the idea of opening the housing on a boat too small to have 110 inside an air conditioned cabin.

 

[TN Traveler]

DD - since the NP-900 batteries work in the DC-500 and this charges those batteries, I would suspect it would work.

The one thing I would be careful about is using the wall or car adapter with the original DC-500 portable charger deck. If the polarity was reversed, it would destroy the battery; but, if you use the charger deck and the adapter together, they should charge any NP-900 compatible battery.

Since you are planning on using an after-market battery with your camera, this should charge it just fine.

 

[SkipperJohn]

How big is your boat? I have a 1,400 watt power inverter-non sine wave, that will power most appliances. If you have a smaller boat you can get a portable unit that will easily cover 400 watts, then use any charger you wish (and a lot of appliances).
Just be advised, power inverters use a ton of amps. I have a separate dry-cell battery just for the inverter. It's rated about the same as an 8D but half the size (twice the $). Deep cycle (4 batteries in total on my boat-no generator)

 

[Former Sealife Employee]

Can you explain why?

Since the plug fits both, the polarity is the same and the output is 5v, it should work.

Although both power cables have 5V output, the amperage output is different - DC500 output is 3 amps and the DC800 2amps.