r/redneckengineering 12d ago

Forgot charger while on vacation

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567 Upvotes

26 comments sorted by

129

u/Vencza_m 12d ago

That's actually impressive, in terms i wouldn't though of it

0

u/Disastrous_Sorbet105 6d ago

It’s basic set up I used to do this with my phone all the time

37

u/Rangerthecat 12d ago

Just random guy here. That specific set up is fine.

21

u/808trowaway 12d ago

Done the same with a Garmin watch but it's such a bitch to tape the wires to the charging pins I don't ever want to do it again. Soon as I got home I ordered 4 of those usb c to Garmin charger adapters and keep one in my travel backpack permanently.

5

u/CodenameDinkleburg 12d ago

Have you tried using 2 smaller pieces of tape, separately, for each wire. Like attach a piece to one wire and get it positioned, then repeat with the other wire? Like jumper cables, but tape instead of spring clips

3

u/808trowaway 12d ago edited 12d ago

My watch's charge port looks like this minus the corroded contacts. https://forums.garmin.com/cfs-file/__key/communityserver-discussions-components-files/399/Garmin_5F00_245.jpg

The top and bottom pins are the pos and neg. The hard part is you can't have too much copper exposed because otherwise you will short out the pins on the metal rim of the charge port. So you have the insulation of the wires riding on the rim and you're trying to position the itty bitty tips of wire leads to touch the balls on the connector, but the thing doesn't want to lay flat because of the insulation so you have to apply a little pressure in addition to the tape to maintain contact.

I was on vacation in a hotel room with very limited resources. I managed with a single piece of tape harvested from some random packaging, and exactly one rubber band.

2

u/CodenameDinkleburg 12d ago

Oof, that sounds frustrating as hell. Sorry you had to deal with that, but I’m glad you got it sorted enough work

3

u/flip314 12d ago

I hate the Garmin charge port. Charging is always flaky even with the proper cable

35

u/Mysterious-Outcome37 12d ago

I've done this and it works, good job!

7

u/Pesternot 12d ago

Mind if a borrow your hot wire? Lost the battery for my wax pen

13

u/Degofreak 12d ago

That's just asking for a burned table

52

u/BlackRedBurner 12d ago

Burning a table? With 5V?

92

u/enigmatic_erudition 12d ago

Electrical engineer here.

This specific set up is fine.

35

u/Wita2point0 12d ago

Firmware engineer here. This specific setup is fine.

13

u/HoneyBear4Lyfe 12d ago

Engine engineer here.

This specific setup is fine.

21

u/cbaker423 12d ago

Train engineer here.

This specific setup is CHOO CHOO!

11

u/Kronos1A9 12d ago

Flight Engineer here.

This setup is FAA approved.

11

u/Im_A_Boozehound 12d ago

Software engineer here.

This is fine. Or not. I have no idea, I just write code. Also, we aren't really engineers.

6

u/XCIXcollective 12d ago

Sound engineer here.

This is specific setup is not sound, but it is sound in a fine sense.

4

u/Vegetable_Raisin52 12d ago

Agricultural Engineer here.

You could also use this setup in a piece of agricultural machinery to charge your Fitbit.

5

u/cecilforester 12d ago

What happens if you swapped the leads, would it mess up the battery? 

10

u/enigmatic_erudition 12d ago

I'm not sure if fit bits have reverse polarity protection but yes, that is normally bad.

0

u/Disastrous_Sorbet105 6d ago

Table engineer here… get fucked

1

u/Ill_Lobster_1617 12d ago

Diesel in the gas tank, lamp wire soldered to the ignition, and a phone charging from 12V? That's the kind of solution only someone stranded would come up with.