Saving 40$

After having played with electronics for some time now, I start to see some nice benefits. So... Do you need a home-made-looking car charger to accessorize your 600$ smart phone? Well, today is your lucky day so fire up you soldering iron.

Ingredients:

• An old cellphone charger with a proprietary connector that won't fit into anything standard.
• A female USB connector (I took mine from a dead keyboard)
• A multimeter
• If you have a bad karma, you'll also need a 5v voltage regulator
• 15 minutes of pure fun

Phase 1: Rip open that cellphone charger connector's head and get to the two wires that will give you a 5v current (you can check that with your handy multimeter).

• If you're lucky: there will only be two wires giving exactly 5v.
• If you're not lucky: You have more than two wire and have to find the right two using your multimeter.
• If you're really not lucky: You have more than 5v and will have use that 5v current regulator.

Phase 2: Solder the two wires to the USB connector using this diagram...



...or this one.



Phase 3: Using hot glue and other methods you deem appropriate, hide your bad soldering job back into the connector's head.



Voila! 40$ saved. Now you can get McDo for your entire family and still have enough for a Starbucks tomorrow morning.