DIY a Long USB Power Cable from an Old Car Charger

If you want to record a time-lapse video with your camera, you might find that you don't have a suitably long USB power cable among your accessories. Fortunately, if you have an unused car charger with a two-meter cable, you can put it to good use by converting it into a longer USB charging cable.

You will find that the car charger is better built than expected. Its casing does not use the usual snap-fit design, so you will need a hacksaw to open it.

After opening it, you will find that the internal circuit board is densely laid out. The charger is rated for a 5V, 1A output, and the main control chip is sealed in place with glue.

The wire cores look substantial, and the quality of the cable materials is reassuring.

Once you have prepared the USB connectors, solder them to the two ends of the cable in turn to complete the modification.

The camera has a rated power supply current of 500mA. When you test it with the camera, the current remains stable at 470–480mA. This makes the modified cable a very good option for powering your camera during time-lapse photography.