LANCECASPER Posted November 18 Report Posted November 18 10 hours ago, toto said: Fwiw I flew with my Mini for the first time this past weekend, and used a cigar lighter cable (linked below). No problems so far. I still haven’t fully decided whether the cable or battery approach is better for the long term, but the cable worked fine for my <90 minute hop. https://a.co/d/7l5qiNw Here's a setting that should be off, otherwise power consumption will go up. https://starlink.com/support/article/123263fe-abc5-60e0-3af1-9e022aeba80a
toto Posted November 18 Report Posted November 18 9 hours ago, LANCECASPER said: Here's a setting that should be off, otherwise power consumption will go up. https://starlink.com/support/article/123263fe-abc5-60e0-3af1-9e022aeba80a Nice, I’ll do that - thanks!
MikeOH Posted November 19 Report Posted November 19 10 hours ago, LANCECASPER said: Here's a setting that should be off, otherwise power consumption will go up. https://starlink.com/support/article/123263fe-abc5-60e0-3af1-9e022aeba80a Yeah, if I need snow melted I've got bigger issues than battery life
toto Posted November 19 Report Posted November 19 For those who are going the dedicated circuit route - it looks like this True Blue Max may be the only USB jack with adequate output power for the Mini? https://www.mcico.com/truebluepower/resource-center/articles/true-blue-power-usb-chargers-the-only-100-watt-solution-compatible-with-starlink-mini I’m still not sure where all the 100-watt references are coming from. I haven’t seen anything from Starlink that says 100 watts is required, and the unit itself says 60w max. https://mooneyspace.com/topic/49675-cigarette-lighter-socket-as-usb-power-source/page/3/#findComment-929252
gabez Posted November 19 Report Posted November 19 On 10/7/2024 at 7:41 AM, toto said: I get very nervous trusting a gazillion dollars' worth of avionics to a cheap power adapter - I just carry an external battery pack. I second this. I have a cigarette lighter adapter that shows voltage and I just use it as second source from my G3 and then just carry 2 battery packs one with solar charger. the new iPads/devices pull quite a bit of load and rarely I can really charge my iPad from it. better a well known battery pack
LANCECASPER Posted November 19 Report Posted November 19 10 hours ago, toto said: For those who are going the dedicated circuit route - it looks like this True Blue Max may be the only USB jack with adequate output power for the Mini? https://www.mcico.com/truebluepower/resource-center/articles/true-blue-power-usb-chargers-the-only-100-watt-solution-compatible-with-starlink-mini That's the one I put in recently. I realize that I have lithium polymer batteries in my phone and tablet, but the electronics and software have continued to improve in the way that they charge and monitor heat. I don't care to carry the large auxiliary lithium batteries. Even though it's a low probability, just having one runaway auxiliary battery and it doesn't end well.
wombat Posted November 19 Report Posted November 19 12 hours ago, toto said: I’m still not sure where all the 100-watt references are coming from. I haven’t seen anything from Starlink that says 100 watts is required, and the unit itself says 60w max. From Starlink's website: To power your Starlink Mini, you will need a USB PD source with a minimum rating of 100W, 20V/5A. Please note that Starlink Mini will not work with USB PD ratings of 65W or lower. https://starlink.com/support/article/fba85643-e7fa-4b55-21e5-021422d5701e?srsltid=AfmBOoqy1zNMiIgQH-JuuZfHrM1zeDgFw2DCi0j1VtfS-Q53PX52F1y6 I'm amused/puzzled by this: Some of us are uncomfortable using the certified, guaranteed protected onboard power system to power a Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) Starlink device. As a risk mitigation measure, we are choosing to bring in a battery pack that has a demonstrated history of destroying Mooneys while in operation. On the other hand, I think the actual risk level here is extremely low; we're all probably more likely to be hit and killed by a blue vehicle on the way to or from the airport than we are to be injured or killed by an electrical issue from having a Starlink plugged into aircraft power or a battery system. Much better risk mitigation would be to mitigate fuel level inaccuracies, emergency procedures for open doors (including oil doors), and VFR-into-IMC even for those who are instrument rated and current. 1
toto Posted November 20 Report Posted November 20 9 hours ago, wombat said: From Starlink's website: To power your Starlink Mini, you will need a USB PD source with a minimum rating of 100W, 20V/5A. Please note that Starlink Mini will not work with USB PD ratings of 65W or lower. https://starlink.com/support/article/fba85643-e7fa-4b55-21e5-021422d5701e?srsltid=AfmBOoqy1zNMiIgQH-JuuZfHrM1zeDgFw2DCi0j1VtfS-Q53PX52F1y6 Is this something unique to a USB power source? The Starlink-provided power supply outputs 60w and the Mini accepts 60w max (according to the printed guidance on the devices). https://mooneyspace.com/topic/49675-cigarette-lighter-socket-as-usb-power-source/page/3/#findComment-929252
LANCECASPER Posted November 20 Report Posted November 20 7 minutes ago, toto said: Is this something unique to a USB power source? The Starlink-provided power supply outputs 60w and the Mini accepts 60w max (according to the printed guidance on the devices). https://mooneyspace.com/topic/49675-cigarette-lighter-socket-as-usb-power-source/page/3/#findComment-929252 In the post above yours, quoting the Starlink website, "Please note that Starlink Mini will not work with USB PD ratings of 65W or lower." That's no doubt the reason that Mid-Continent says that their 60W USB power won't work with the Starlink Mini
toto Posted November 20 Report Posted November 20 Just now, LANCECASPER said: In the post above yours, quoting the Starlink website, "Please note that Starlink Mini will not work with USB PD ratings of 65W or lower." Right, I know - that’s why I was asking if this is unique to a USB power source. The power supply that comes from Starlink uses their 1/4” plug on both ends, no USB.
LANCECASPER Posted November 20 Report Posted November 20 1 minute ago, toto said: Right, I know - that’s why I was asking if this is unique to a USB power source. The power supply that comes from Starlink uses their 1/4” plug on both ends, no USB. I try not to overthink things. If the manufacturer of the product who would like to sell their product says it doesn't work I believe them. I don't need to know the exact reason why.
toto Posted November 20 Report Posted November 20 11 minutes ago, LANCECASPER said: I try not to overthink things. If the manufacturer of the product who would like to sell their product says it doesn't work I believe them. I don't need to know the exact reason why. I’m just trying to educate myself. The Mini says it takes 60w max and the Starlink power supply outputs 60w. But they say a USB source must output 100w. I’m just curious why that might be. As far as I can tell, the only aircraft USB jack that will support the Mini is the True Blue Max, and it’s also the only one that seems to go above 60w. So I think if you’re going USB, it’s academic. ETA: According to this Reddit thread, it’s because the USB PD spec requires 20v output for a 100w port. Anything less than 100w and there’s no guarantee (per the spec) that the port can support 20v. The Mini doesn’t require 100w, but it does require 20v. So this is a way to ensure that whatever USB source you’re using can supply 20v. https://old.reddit.com/r/Starlink/comments/1fxlupm/mini_powered_by_60w_usbc_port/
LANCECASPER Posted November 20 Report Posted November 20 On 11/19/2025 at 7:02 PM, toto said: I’m just trying to educate myself. The Mini says it takes 60w max and the Starlink power supply outputs 60w. But they say a USB source must output 100w. I’m just curious why that might be. As far as I can tell, the only aircraft USB jack that will support the Mini is the True Blue Max, and it’s also the only one that seems to go above 60w. So I think if you’re going USB, it’s academic. ETA: According to this Reddit thread, it’s because the USB PD spec requires 20v output for a 100w port. Anything less than 100w and there’s no guarantee (per the spec) that the port can support 20v. The Mini doesn’t require 100w, but it does require 20v. So this is a way to ensure that whatever USB source you’re using can supply 20v. https://old.reddit.com/r/Starlink/comments/1fxlupm/mini_powered_by_60w_usbc_port/ Also those 100w Mid-Continent USB jacks require a minimum of 22 volts, so they won't work on 14v airplanes.
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