Best way to power my Bome and usb controllers?

Bome Products
1

Hi, I have just bought a Bome box and hoping to use it to manage my Launch control and FX Express pedal and possibly also Behringer Xtouch compact.

At the moment, I am powering the Bome box from an IKEA Koppla 3 port charger.

This seems to be just about sufficient to make the Launchcontrol work (although sometimes it gets disconnected).

However, if I try to use a simple passive USB hub and connect both the LC and my FBV pedal, the pedal lights flash and it doesnt connect properly and the LC acts up.

So I clearly need a better power solution but I want to use it live and keep the setup as compact as possible.

I’m wondering. If I get a powered USB hub. Say something like https://www.amazon.co.uk/RSHTECH-Aluminum-Portable-Splitter-Individual/dp/B07KFGY2CR

Can I use that for the usb controllers AND to power the Bomebox? If so, is it better to get one with or without fast-charging for the bomebox power?

Or is it better to get a POE supply that is sufficiently able to power the Bomebox and pass through power to the usb devices via passive usb hub? If so, are there any recommended POE devices? It’s not something I’m all that familiar with.

Looking at some of the compact POE injectors - they only seem to offer 0.5amps. https://www.amazon.co.uk/antoble-Injector-Adapter-Supply-Ethernet/dp/B07DGR7KYW

I’m not sure what my USB devices use, the specs just say USB powered. I guess USB devices can take up to 0.5amp each right?

Thanks!

2

Personally, I like to use a POE Injector for 2 reasons to power BomeBox

  1. It locks in place so it is less likely to jar loose
    2)It provides higher voltage than a 5v USB power supply so is less prone to voltage fluctuations.

BomeBox consumes about 150ma so the POE you showed should work but since it provides less than 1a, BomeBox will not have enough current on it’s own to power your USB devices without a powered USB hub. BomeBox can provide up to 1a however it needs to have sufficient power in to do this.

You can indeed power BomeBox with a USB hub as long as it provides consistent power (not a fast charging port which cycles power up and down). If you see BomeBox constantly rebooting, the most likely causes would be too low or non-consistent power.

So your choices would be

  1. USB powered Hub to power both BomeBox and attached devices
  2. POE injector for BomeBox and powered USB hub for devices.

For me, I would go with option 2 for the reasons I explained above.

Some devices can take quite a bit of power. Measuring current on my Launchpad MINI I recorded 500 ma so it. My APC-40 MKII takes 250 (which I believe is the USB spec). I have several controllers that take over 250 ma so apparently some manufacturers do not pay much attention to the spec.

Steve Caldwell
Bome Customer Care

Also available for paid consulting services: bome@sniz.biz