Running my MacBook pro off one of my DeWalt power tool batteries. There are USB-C adapters for most major tool battery brands out there, many of which (like this one) will both power devices and charge the tool battery from a standard USB-C power plug. YMMV in terms of quality/safety (this is the official dewalt adapter which works great).
Great for power redundancy, etc. A no brainer if you already have the batteries for tools.
Oh, MAN. I need to look into this.
USB-C doesn't help me, but I'm pretty sure the DeWalt 20v is more voltage than my old Dell Inspiron laptop uses. I love the idea of being able to go do a short #FieldDay or a #POTA (or similar) without needing to haul the generator.
I'm gonna meter the voltage on the laptop's PS. It might even be 20V for all I know.
@kelvin0mql @ethanschoonover Most of the Inspirons (and dells in general) are/were 19v, so 20V won't hurt it.
Trick is getting the 20V USB-C trigger to tell the pack to hand you 20V, but those boards are fairly easy to get ahold of on Bezosmart
@ethanschoonover @Stormgren
I bet I’ve got a friend somewhere with a 3D printer.
I just DVM’d the B+ & B- slots on a DeWalt 20V pak: 19.7
And the end of the laptop cord: 18.9
Less than 1 extra volt. This will work. The laptop thinks its internal battery will last 2 hours while running fldigi. I bet with one DeWalt 4ah I can double that or more, & the 4ah is the smaller of my 2 paks.
I’m enthused.
https://www.instructables.com/Cordless-Tool-Battery-Laptop-Charger/
Pretty funny… just tear apart a battery charger!
Cordless Tool Battery Laptop Charger: I will start with an appology to all the Dewalt and Ryobi fans on Instructables but I am a Metabo tools man. I use their 18V Drill, Impact Gun and 4" Grinder. My van was broken into last year and the tools but not the batteries taken. I replace…
Ethan J. A. Schoonover
Kelvin n0mql EN35ld
Stormgren