Building a Minelab FBS battery car charger

[TXDIRTFISHER]

If the Minelab car charger for FBS model batteries costs $40+, could you take a car cell phone charger and modify it to work?

The Minelab wall charger says the output is 15VDC / 100ma. I have a Sprint car charger for a phone that is rated for 5V / 85ma Output. That doesn't meet the 15VDC output so I don't think it will work. Could another cell phone car charger work or do they all have a 5VDC output range?

If I could find a car charger with a 15VDC output I could then just change the end connector to work with the battery and save some $$.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

[Jeff In North Georgia]

You can go to a Walmart, Radio Shack, or such store and buy a "universal" car charger for $20 or less. Most have an adjustable voltage output switch that can be set to the 9.6 VDC rating on the battery pack. Also usually come with several different size output plugs (one should fit your battery pack) and can be reversed to changed the output plug polarity if needed. Minelab ones are 100 ma so you would need one with this rating or higher. The pack has a current limiter built into it so going to a higher ma output charger does not improve the charging time.

Hope that helps.
Jeff

[RJGMC]

YOU ASKED. SO LETS DO THIS THE EASY WAY.

The simplest, safest way, (the correct amps/volts) is to buy an inverter that plugs into the cigarette lighter. It converts 12v dc into 110 ac, just like your house. you use your house charger in the car. My daughter has used her laptop computer in the car for hours running on the 110 power from the inverter. Should work like a charm. When you are not charging batteries on your detector, you can use it to recharge your cell phone with the house charger,

If you are not using it, just unplug it or most of them come with a switch.

Bob

[TXDIRTFISHER]

Thanks for the suggestions. I have an inverter that I use and it works fine. I have a lot of old cell phone car chargers and I like building things if I can instead of buying them. I'll check radio shack and see what they have. Thanks again