Voltage Leeway- Gamecube

Stratocaster · Post by **Stratocaster** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 7:17 pm

So in looking at batteries for my GCp one thing I've found is I can get 2500mAh NiHh batteries that are 1.2V and 2600mAh Li-Ion batteries that are 3.7V. Both of these are about the same size. The problem is even though the Li-Ion batteries are more efficient for size, they don't add up to the 12V I need. You get 3 for 11.1V or 4 for 14.8V. Will 11.1V not be enough? Is 14.8V too much? I also have to consider my screen... What I would like is 8 2600mAh Li-Ion batteries which I can line up parallel for 5200mAh at 14.8V. Would that work?

Also I'm very open to other battery ideas. I'm looking for great size-to-Ah ratio at 12V. Preferably something easy to hook up to whatever I want, and it'd be best if it were chargable while not having to be removed. What do you all think?

I'll probably post another thread with my progress and pictures of my portable tommorow or next week. I'm leaving on vacation Saturday though so it will be tommorow or a little while.

Thanks in advance.

Valium · Post by **Valium** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 8:26 pm

The Gamecube is a very fickle machine, as it needs 4 different voltages to run. The highest of these, the 12v, needs very little power, so a step up voltage converter would be much better than using a 12v battery. There is another thread in this forum, not sure which exactly, that shows the circuits you'd need to make for the voltages the Gamecube needs. Your best bet is to use 2 of the Li-ion batteries, adding up to 7.4v. Enough to power the screen, and not too large of a step up till 12v.

Stratocaster · Post by **Stratocaster** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 10:53 pm

Well I'm actually using the zenith screen which has a stepdown converter with it... and its all almost hooked up, so at this point I would rather use a 12V battery rather than try and rewire the whole thing. Besides, as of right now I don't know how to make a step up converter.

Website · Post by **Life of Brian** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 11:12 pm

I know some folks (Turbo Tax, for example) just feed the system the 14.8v and let the on-board power regulator stuff take care of the rest of the details. It's not as efficient as one could be, but it's a lot easier. Does your GameCube have a separate power regulator board or is it one of the revisions that has it built in?