USB Powerbank ZY12PDN set-up

nonesuch

Here’s how I’ve been getting on setting up a USB powerbank pedalboard. So following on from the advice from @digitalscream I bought a ZY12PDN USB trigger module from eBay.

The model came with a little plastic enclosure, which is definitely something I wanted. I cut the 9V cable off an old unused power supply and attached the positive and negative to the terminal (+ and - are marked). At this point it should be said that the little terminal socket fell off the board. I had noticed it was a bit wobbly. Anyway, I soldered that back on and reattached the cable. (You can get a version of the board without the little socket - maybe I should’ve got that one).

Next I plugged a USB C cable from the powerbank (Bextoo 30000mAh), and into the trigger module. When it powers up you can change the output voltage using the little button. The LED changes colour and I checked it with a multimeter, it cycled from red (5V), yellow (9V) and green (12V). Then if you plug the USB cable in while holding down the button, you can select a voltage then press the button to save the selection. So now when I plug it in, it’s always 9V.

I plugged a daisy chain 9V cable into the cable from the module, and into a pedal. (I must admit I tried just one cheaper pedal to start with!). Yeah, so it all works - and even if only one low power pedal is plugged in, it doesn’t turn itself off like it can with a 9V conversion cable.

I’ve had a few pedals linked together now and everything works as it should.

I think the first thing I’ll change is just to have shorter cables coming in and out of the module, it’s a little bit messy at the moment. But yeah, it’s been a success so far.

digitalscream

Nice one - I kept meaning to put this thread up, but also kept running out of time.

I use mine in 12V mode to power a Harley Benton ISO-1 Pro, and it's more than enough for the job. On a previous board, I had two outputs in parallel from the terminals - one powering an HX Stomp, and the other into a couple of isolators to power some delay pedals.

It's absolutely the best way to power a board, IMO. The current delivery is way higher than most standalone units, even the expensive ones - you'll get 9V @ 3A from most power banks without any trouble at all.

nonesuch

digitalscream said:

It's absolutely the best way to power a board, IMO. The current delivery is way higher than most standalone units, even the expensive ones - you'll get 9V @ 3A from most power banks without any trouble at all.

You're right, I've just checked my Ripcord convertor cable, and that states 9V @ 1A, so 3A definitely gives you a lot more flexibility.

robinbowes

Looks very interesting.

Did I miss a link to some other thread?

R.

UnclePsychosis

Nice!

Any chance of a link to the module you bought? 

nonesuch

robinbowes said:

Looks very interesting.

Did I miss a link to some other thread?

R.

This was the most recent thread:

https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/284274/power-pack-with-pedals#latest

UnclePsychosis said:

Nice!

Any chance of a link to the module you bought? 

This one from eBay:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274777501214?var=575006978703

digitalscream

Meanwhile, I've got a few of these for tinkering:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Youmile-Charging-Trigger-Detector-ZY12PDN/dp/B0B5GRGPRK

They come with cable and plug adapters too, but no case - which doesn't bother me, because I can always print them if I need them.

For use in my pedalboard, I have a couple of these:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Qusedwey-ZY12PDN-Converter-Trigger-Detector-green/dp/B0DW7X9CK

ie the ones without the screw terminals, for soldering.

Humboldt

I use a ZY12 to power my 12v heated gloves but struggling to find those little cases for it. I'll probably get another for my pedals too as they're such handy gadgets. 

mart

I've been following this idea for a while, and I finally got hold of one of the modules @nonesuch linked. But I cannot get more than 5v out of it - even when the LED is happily yellow, my multimeter resolutely reads 5v. 

Do any of you clever chaps have suggestions for what I'm doing wrong? I just want a simple little 9v supply.

digitalscream

mart said:

I've been following this idea for a while, and I finally got hold of one of the modules @nonesuch linked. But I cannot get more than 5v out of it - even when the LED is happily yellow, my multimeter resolutely reads 5v. 

Do any of you clever chaps have suggestions for what I'm doing wrong? I just want a simple little 9v supply.

Are you connecting it via a proper USB-C cable to a USB-C power supply that supports PD? And you're definitely not using a USB-A to USB-C adapter?

nonesuch

I have mine connected to the powerbank using a USB-C to USB-C cable. I must admit I'm not totally sure how you know if your powerbank is USB-PD capable. The maximum I can get from my trigger module is 12V, even though it is capable of 15V and 20V. That must be down to the limitations of the powerbank. Possibly.

digitalscream

nonesuch said:

I have mine connected to the powerbank using a USB-C to USB-C cable. I must admit I'm not totally sure how you know if your powerbank is USB-PD capable. The maximum I can get from my trigger module is 12V, even though it is capable of 15V and 20V. That must be down to the limitations of the powerbank. Possibly.

I usually get power banks that have a display on them which give a reading of the output voltage and current. You can get cables with a display in the plugs, which tell you the power consumption too.

Try plugging it into a USB C charger that's capable of at least 18W - that'd have to be 9V/2A. That'll isolate whether the problem is your module (or how you've got it configured), or your power bank.

nonesuch

digitalscream said:

nonesuch said:

I have mine connected to the powerbank using a USB-C to USB-C cable. I must admit I'm not totally sure how you know if your powerbank is USB-PD capable. The maximum I can get from my trigger module is 12V, even though it is capable of 15V and 20V. That must be down to the limitations of the powerbank. Possibly.

I usually get power banks that have a display on them which give a reading of the output voltage and current. You can get cables with a display in the plugs, which tell you the power consumption too.

Try plugging it into a USB C charger that's capable of at least 18W - that'd have to be 9V/2A. That'll isolate whether the problem is your module (or how you've got it configured), or your power bank.

It's not really a problem for me personally, because I only really want 9V output (which I'm getting). But, yeah I was wondering how you know what any particular powerbank is capable of delivering.

mart

digitalscream said:

mart said:

I've been following this idea for a while, and I finally got hold of one of the modules @nonesuch linked. But I cannot get more than 5v out of it - even when the LED is happily yellow, my multimeter resolutely reads 5v. 

Do any of you clever chaps have suggestions for what I'm doing wrong? I just want a simple little 9v supply.

Are you connecting it via a proper USB-C cable to a USB-C power supply that supports PD? And you're definitely not using a USB-A to USB-C adapter?

Ah, no, it's USB-A coming from the charger - I'm clueless about this stuff and I hadn't picked up on the need for it to be C there. I guess that'll be the problem then. Thanks!

robinbowes

digitalscream said:

Are you connecting it via a proper USB-C cable to a USB-C power supply that supports PD? And you're definitely not using a USB-A to USB-C adapter?

This has saved me some pain later - I had not grokked that the source needs to be USB-C!

digitalscream

robinbowes said:

digitalscream said:

Are you connecting it via a proper USB-C cable to a USB-C power supply that supports PD? And you're definitely not using a USB-A to USB-C adapter?

This has saved me some pain later - I had not grokked that the source needs to be USB-C!

Yep - not just USB-C, but USB-C PD (Power Delivery). Basically, standard USB-A can only do 5V, as can standard USB-C. USB-C PD, however...on first connection, it delivers 5V to fire things up. At that point, the client device and the power supply do some negotiation whereby the client asks for a certain power spec, and the supply replies either with that power spec (at which point it switches to that level) or the list of options it has available, and the client device either picks one or just carries on with the default 5V.

Most of these trigger boards have an all-or-nothing approach - either the voltage that you specify, or 5V.

These days, just about all chargers and power banks can do at least 18W, in the form of 9V @ 2A. Most can do 24W or 36W (12v @ 2A or 3A). Getting past that is significantly less common, although I've got a couple of 100W chargers here that can do 20V @ 5A.

vasselmeyer

On the subject of USB power, I've just bought a USB-powered thing from Aliexpress for a tenner. It's running a Boss MS-3, a Valeton GP-5, a Dunlop mini-wah and a Hobbytronic mdi-USB midi converter, all from a Samsung phone charger (9V 1A or 5V 2A).