Homebrew iAudio X5 MP3 player car holder/ charger

[HodgeBrad]

I am wanting to make a cradle for my MP3 player for the car. As far as I can tell, one isn't commercially availabe. The MP3 player is an:
iAudio X5
I want to take the desktop charger:
iAudio X5 Desktop Charger
and mount it in my car so I will have a handy cradle and won't have to hook & unhook all of the wires each time I get into my car.<p>Here is the question ... I can get the correct tip at Radio Shack, but not the correct transformer. So I was wanting to splice the tip on to another transformer I had from a cell phone charger. The MP3 players wall adapter outputs: 5V DC, 1.5A.
The cell phone car adapter puts out: 5V DC, 1A LPS (what ever LPS means).
Do you guys think this is close enough?
Thanks,
B.H.

[Newz2000]

The power converter that came with your mp3 player allows more power/current if the player needs it. 7.5 watts vs 5 watts on your replacement.<p>Does the charger do anything besides charge the battery? Is there more connectors on the cradle than just power? Probably a USB, but what else?<p>Also, I've built several 5v power supplies, they're very easy. You only need an LM7805 voltage regulator, 2 capacitors and if desired, an LED and resistor to show that it works. The LM7805 is rated at 1 amp, but the notes say if you put a heat sink on it, it can handle more. Other's on this message board can comment further, regarding how much current. Also the LM317T will work and is rated to 1.5 amps. It requires a few additional parts, but not much.

[Chris Smith]

AND,.... all of those regulators come in the T0-3 package which can handle up to 10 amps.

[HodgeBrad]

There are other connectors on the cradle. You are correct, there is a USB, Line-in, and Line-out to go with the power-in. I think this thing can charge via USB, but I haven't been able to confirm that. Unfortunately when I tried to use the miniUSB cell phone car charger with it (for my Audiovox SMT 5600), the MP3 player thought it was connected to a computer, and you can't use it when it is connected via USB. It is not "smart" enough to tell the difference between the computer, and just a charging device. So that is why I am trying to make a car charger for the cradle. Unfortunately, the car charger that is commercially available only fits the "All-in-one" style plug on the bottom of the unit where it plugs into the cradle.

[HodgeBrad]

Also, when I test the AC adapter with my multimeter. I get 5V and 5 Amps instead of the 1.5 Amps it says it outputs. Is that normal? I was wondering if the device only draws 1.5 amps maybe.

[sofaspud]

5 amps is most assuredly a measurement error.
Radio Shack doesn't stock 5V adapters? That seems odd, but RS never ceases to amaze me (in their own non-electronics way). If you want to hook this up in your car, why do you need a transformer in the first place?
How does the charger cradle connect to a power source? Is this through an AC adapter? A click on the cradle page Detailed Specifications link only provides the brand and model (shades of RS!)
If it does use an AC adapter, you only need a DC adapter for converting 12VDC to the cradle voltage/amperage. Attach the correct plug on the end if necessary.

[HodgeBrad]

The cradle nomaly only uses an AC adapter. I am trying to make a 12V DC to 5V DC 1.5 Amp power adapter for the car.

[Michael J]

Hi BH,<p>I would be checking to see it the output of your cradle is pulsed or not first.<p>Most of the newer chargers are pulsed types
they use higher currents and charge more
efficiently for the longevity of the cells etc.<p>Otherwise run the unit flat and try to measure
the actual charging current from your charger.<p>Just a thought.