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DC powered USB hubs and 12V power hubs


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Friends,

Since I purchased a CCD recently, I've had this huge cable management problem. It also didnt help that my notebook has only two USB ports, while I need a minimum of three for my EQDIR, CCD, Guider and joystick. I've tried unpowered hubs, but no use. All the powered hubs available in the market have AC adapters, while I have only a 12VDC supply.

Given the above circumstances, I'd like to design a DC powered USB hub, which will also have a PCB for 12VDC supplies. I know that Primaluce labs and Hitech astro make them, but they are very expensive for me.

Any help with the circuit design will be really helpful

 

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10 minutes ago, astrosathya said:

Admins: If the below post doesn't belong here, please shift it to the appropriate location/category.

Friends,

Since I purchased a CCD recently, I've had this huge cable management problem. It also didnt help that my notebook has only two USB ports, while I need a minimum of three for my EQDIR, CCD, Guider and joystick. I've tried unpowered hubs, but no use. All the powered hubs available in the market have AC adapters, while I have only a 12VDC supply.

Given the above circumstances, I'd like to design a DC powered USB hub, which will also have a PCB for 12VDC supplies. I know that Primaluce labs and Hitech astro make them, but they are very expensive for me.

Any help with the circuit design will be really helpful

 

But most of the AC powered USB hubs are 12v coming out of the AC adapter - you just need to chop the wire off the AC transformer, or source the same spec bullet connector and attach it to your 12vdc supply (the right way round).

My Orico is certainly 12v.

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2 minutes ago, John78 said:

But most of the AC powered USB hubs are 12v coming out of the AC adapter - you just need to chop the wire off the AC transformer, or source the same spec bullet connector and attach it to your 12vdc supply (the right way round).

My Orico is certainly 12v.

Oh, I'd assumed that USB hubs worked off of 5VDC and the 12VDC would be reduced to 5VDC before it reaches the USB circuit. But truth be told, I want to build a power and USB hub in a single unit. 

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6 minutes ago, John78 said:

But most of the AC powered USB hubs are 12v coming out of the AC adapter - you just need to chop the wire off the AC transformer, or source the same spec bullet connector and attach it to your 12vdc supply (the right way round).

My Orico is certainly 12v.

That is not so... most are 5V, only a few are 12V, like Transcend 4-port USB3 hub: Putting 12V on a normal hub will kill it immediately.
DC converters 12 to 5 volts are available though, so there is always a solution

If you need help designing or making one, just send me a PM

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39 minutes ago, astrosathya said:

Oh, I'd assumed that USB hubs worked off of 5VDC and the 12VDC would be reduced to 5VDC before it reaches the USB circuit. But truth be told, I want to build a power and USB hub in a single unit. 

Yes, the power supply that plugs into the mains supplies 12 Volts at a couple of Amps to the hub. The hub then down-converts that internally to 5 Volts and a lot more Amps. The reason is that a cable from the power supply to the hub that was capable of carrying the (up to) 5 Amps the hub could theoretically need if it was charging a load of equipment would be too bulky, heavy and stiff.

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32 minutes ago, pete_l said:

Yes, the power supply that plugs into the mains supplies 12 Volts at a couple of Amps to the hub. The hub then down-converts that internally to 5 Volts and a lot more Amps. The reason is that a cable from the power supply to the hub that was capable of carrying the (up to) 5 Amps the hub could theoretically need if it was charging a load of equipment would be too bulky, heavy and stiff.

I am sorry, but this is not the case. You got wrong information.

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8 minutes ago, Waldemar said:

I am sorry, but this is not the case. You got wrong information.

The OP needs to check, its not wrong information - there are obviously different models out there.  I have 2 Orico's and 5 and 10 port USB 3 hub and they are both 12v and I have a TPlink UH720 at work and that is also 12v.

So out of a sample size of 3, 100% are 12v.

edit : I agree - that if you put 12v into a powered hub intended to be supplied with 5v it will blow it up.

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Not all USB hubs will need an external power supply - if the total load of all connected peripherals can be supplied by the USB port on the laptop, then no additional power may be required. Again, this might not be true of all hubs and may also be affected by the length of cabling.

I would identify the hub you want, either based on whether it requires a 5V or 12V supply to begin with, or simply based on USB 2.0/3.0 or size and shape, whetever - if the hub you want has a 5V input, search "DC to DC 12V to 5V converter" on ebay.in or similar - there are many similar parts that will supply 5V 3A which may or may not be sufficient. Note that there may be some loss in conversion (eg heat) so 3A@5V may draw >1.25A at 12V - maybe budget a little more, perhaps 1.5A (or measure it).

Add current requirement for USB supply to requirements for 12V (motors, etc...) and size your primary 12V supply accordingly. Also consider whether your 12V supply is truly 12V or 13.8V or whether it varies with charge - some devices may vary as to whether they can operate ok within a range of supply voltages or not.

Decide on what 12V connectors you want to use, eg 12V cigarette lighter plugs, or XLR or some other locking connector and build or buy a distribution panel to integrate into your box.

Remember to fuse everything to protect the wiring - panel mounted fuses with LED indicators would be easily accessible.

I'm sure there are power supply build threads in DIY Astronomer that would be good reads.

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Both are available, the OP just needs to check. I shopped around when looking for hubs and found that the majority (but no means all) of the powered hubs were actually 12v.  Naturally USB itself is 5v, so internally there will be a dc-dc convertor for this.

The Orico ones noted above seem to work fairly well.  I have 2 (4 port and 7 port) and both have been faultless for over a year.  This is one of the ones I have, and it comes with a 12v power supply, but I just power this with my own 12v supply and not with the AC adaptor.

If you have the knowhow to make your own it would be a great project, but don't feel they aren't available in 12v as they most certainly are, and are fairly reasonably priced.  However, one big caveat, look through the forums and you will find a whole raft of horror stories about hubs, so shop wisely.

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19 minutes ago, RayD said:

Both are available, the OP just needs to check. I shopped around when looking for hubs and found that the majority (but no means all) of the powered hubs were actually 12v.  Naturally USB itself is 5v, so internally there will be a dc-dc convertor for this.

The Orico ones noted above seem to work fairly well.  I have 2 (4 port and 7 port) and both have been faultless for over a year.  This is one of the ones I have, and it comes with a 12v power supply, but I just power this with my own 12v supply and not with the AC adaptor.

If you have the knowhow to make your own it would be a great project, but don't feel they aren't available in 12v as they most certainly are, and are fairly reasonably priced.  However, one big caveat, look through the forums and you will find a whole raft of horror stories about hubs, so shop wisely.

I’ve got that Orico model but in a 5 and a 10 port, it’s faultless and built like a tank, my tplink is faultless also but more plastic.

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Just now, John78 said:

I’ve got that Orico model but in a 5 and a 10 port, it’s faultless and built like a tank, my tplink is faultless also but more plastic.

Yes they certainly seem pretty good for the money.  My only negative would be the blue LED's, which are pretty bright, but I solved that with a strip of black tape.

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I to have an Orico usb hub and it has its own 12v power supply which i dont use as i power it from my 12v power hub, works like a charm...

A lot of powered usb hubs are only 5v and the power supply that comes with them steps the voltage from 240 to 5v, so the person that says that the power supply for these 5v hubs steps is down to 12v and then the USB hub itself steps that down again to 5v is completely WRONG... :) the hub itself is just that, a hub that splits the USB signal.

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I've got a 4-port Belkin hub that has a power input label of 7.5V at 2.1A (= 500mA per outlet + 100mA internal), and comes with matching plug-top supply. It has a line/mains power switch, and I tend to use it for low-power loads (e.g. mouse), line-powered from my desktop.

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For what it is worth I have just checked 7 different USB hubs including two different Startech hubs and a couple of different sized Uspeed hubs and all of mine can be powered with 12v, my 4 port and 7 Port Startechs both run via a 12v feed.

BTW the input plug is 2.1mm

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12 minutes ago, Jkulin said:

For what it is worth I have just checked 7 different USB hubs including two different Startech hubs and a couple of different sized Uspeed hubs and all of mine can be powered with 12v, my 4 port and 7 Port Startechs both run via a 12v feed.

BTW the input plug is 2.1mm

Yeah 12v seems to be the norm - its obvious why - if you have a 10 port hub with 2 2amps and 8 500mA you'd need like a 10amp 5v adapter brick and it'd be a beast and expensive - much cheaper, smaller and easier to use 12v 4amp ac adapter an dc-dc convert on device.

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The Startech USB2 7 port industrial hubs I have run off 12v DC and can run off 7-24v DC. The power connector is a two pin block connector which you have to attach your power lead and secure with screws. There is enough room to in the block connector to attach "fly leads" to create your power connection. HTH

https://www.startech.com/uk/Cards-Adapters/USB-2/Hub/Mountable-Rugged-Industrial-7-Port-USB-Hub~ST7200USBM

Steve

 

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