Introduction
Charging various batteries all together can be messy, especially with different camera brands, LED lights, and wireless gear. I wanted a solution that simplified the process and allowed flexibility for future upgrades.
The cost-effective solution for organising a camera and equipment battery chargers with an IKEA Skadis pegboard. With the 3D print charger mount you can easily re-locate them or easily modify the setup if your system goes larger.
The main advantage of this system is it uses strong magnets to mount the charger so you can easily remove your chargers. This means you’re not stuck to a fixed charging location.
Material List
3D PRINT PARTS
- Dual Bay Charger Plate:
- XTAR SN4 Charger Plate:
- XTAR VP4 Plus Charger Plate:
- XTAR VN2 Charger Plate:
OPTIONAL PRINT PARTS
- IKEA Skadis Twisted in Cable Clips:
- IKEA Skadis Pegboard Backer Support (M4 Screw):
- IKEA Skadis Tray Divider (43mm):
- IKEA Skadis Tray Divider (XTAR Charger):
- AA and AAA Battery Holder (by lucabianco97):
- IKEA Skadis Cable Passthrough plug + jig (by kpimmel):
**I just found an optional backer/spacer designed by Storbamsen, It does not require any screws. So It can be installed in any pegboard slot behind the holder: https://www.printables.com/model/622686-ikea-skadis-spacer
BATTERY CHARGERS AND POWER SUPPLY
- 140W PD Charger: Aliexpress | Shopee Thailand
- 100W USB Type C to DC Power Jack: Aliexpress | Shopee Thailand
- Dual Bay Camera Battery Charger (Fits DuraPro Plate): Aliexpress
- XTAR SN4 Camera Charger: Aliexpress | Shopee Thailand
- XTAR VP4 Plus Battery Charger: Aliexpress | Shopee Thailand
- XTAR VN2 Camera Charger:
COMPONENTS FOR THIS PROJECT
- 4mm Neodymium Magnet (30x10mm): Aliexpress | Shopee Thailand
- Thin Metal Plate Disk For Magnetic Car Phone Holder (65x45mm & 40mm): Aliexpress | Shopee Thailand
- M3 Screws – BHS and FHS (8mm): Aliexpress | Shopee Thailand
TOOL I USE
- ARROWMAX Electric Cordless Screwdriver (SES): Aliexpress
- NP-F970 7800mAh Battery with Power Indicator: Aliexpress | Shopee Thailand
- NP-F770 5200mAh Battery with Power Indicator: Aliexpress | Shopee Thailand
- NP-FW50 2160mAh Battery: Aliexpress
FILAMENT USE IN THIS PROJECT
- eSun ABS+: Aliexpress | Shopee Thailand
- eSun PETG: Aliexpress | Shopee Thailand
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How to Make
Magnetic 3D Print Holders:
For all the print parts, I use eSun ABS+. It print a bit easier and emits less odour than regular ABS. However, If you find it difficult to print with ABS, you can also try PETG, and it should work well. Based on my experience with other printed pieces on the pegboard, PLA or PLA+ can be a bit fragile and might bend over time, especially for larger prints.
Each holder is designed to use with 4 mm thick neodymium magnets sized 30×10 mm. I use A+B epoxy glue to fix them to the printed parts. Alternatively, for a less permanent solution, 20mm thin double-sided tape can be used.
The printed hooks are securely fastened to the base plate using 8mm M3 screws. If you prefer, you can also use some glue between the hook and the holder to make the connection stronger.
On the charger side, I use a thin self-adhesive metal plate typically used with a magnetic mobile phone holder. These plates come in various sizes and shapes, allowing you to choose the one that matches your charger. Just make sure you properly clean the surface before attached them to the back of the charger.
Generally, the initial design of the magnetic holders worked flawlessly as expected. However, if you intend to use the XTAR SN4 with a larger battery such as the Sony NP-F970. it’s necessary to include extra magnets to provide sufficient support for the additional weight.
The NP-F docking doesn’t include any battery locking slots. The only thing that holds the battery to the charging dock is brass contact pins. When positioned vertically, it won’t be firmly bound to the charger plate. Even though XTAR uses larger brass pins compared to other chargers, there’s still a risk of damage if it’s accidentally pulled forward with force.
Note on XTAR NP-F Battery Docking
Organising the Wiring:
I recommend to use 90-degree angled cable to save some space above the charger. I choose to route the cables in front of the board which is easier to manage or in case I want to move things around.
To make things tidy, I’ve designed a small cable clip that’s simple to use. They will fit 3.5mm – 5mm cables. To use them just find an empty slot and simply twist it in.
If you prefer you can also route the wire behind the board, but keep in mind that the pegboard slots aren’t wide enough for most USB headers to pass through. You’ll need to drill the slot to widen it.
Kim Pimmel has designed a pass-through plug and jig for this and share it on Thingiverse. If you intend to route the cables behind the board free to check it out.
Powering Up:
Initially, I intended to use a multi-port 140W PD charger and use a DC-to-PD adapter for the XTAR VP4 which needs 12V input. You can find more details about this adapter and how I selected the PD power supply in my previous post: Upgrade any Laptop with USB-C PD Charger.
Unfortunately, when I tested it by running all the chargers simultaneously, The VP4 didn’t seem to work well with the PD power supply. It randomly reset when I plugged in a battery into other chargers.
Therefore, I decided to make a dedicated power supply for them. This will enable me to use a single power supply to power all the chargers. It will have multiple USB and PD outputs, plus a 12V output, and some extra ports for other uses.
It’s a work in progress and I’ll cover this in a future video, so if you’re interested, please subscribe and hit the bell for updates.
Anyway, if you’re using all chargers with USB ports. The multi-port PD power supply should work fine.
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