Develop Bugs

Travel charger

I had a question about a charger - I'm interested in getting a second charger for the Vibrant. I see that the charger that comes with the Vibrant says it has an output of 5.0V and 0.7A.
If I have an old LG charger that has an output of 5.1V and 0.7A, would that work. Could it damage the battery in my Vibrant, in anyway.
Thanks.

Not sure about your old charger, but it should work. Try it out at your own risk though.
I did want to comment on the chargers for the Vibrant. The phone seems to want a lot of current to charge properly. I was using an older 5V 500mA charger that served me well with my G1 and older BB Pearl. I had the Vibrant on it and it wouldn't charge fully. I also noticed the same thing when I would hook-up the vibrant to my notebook (typically 500mA max per port).
The good news is that there are a lot of cheap 5V 1A chargers on eBay. Just make sure to check a charger's spec before buying one.
$1.75 wall charger - http://cgi.ebay.com/US-AC-Power-USB...er_MP3_Player_Accessories&hash=item4aa03f4b9a
I also bought 5V 1A car chargers and mini USB to micro USB adapters so that I can use my old USB to mini USB cables when I am on the go.
$2.40 car charger - http://cgi.ebay.com/1000mA-1A-USB-C...er_MP3_Player_Accessories&hash=item4399e189d1
Charge only $1 - http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?LH_BIN=...r&_dmpt=PDA_Accessories&_trksid=p3286.c0.m301
Charge + Data $2 - http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=mi...adapter&_osacat=0&_trksid=p3286.c0.m270.l1313

I have used my iphone charger a couple times. Very small letters on the back but I think it says it is 1.0A. Worked fine bit I went back to my vibrant charger. I also found a car charger at a circle K for $9.99. Probably could of got one a little cheaper on ebay but it was there and i needed a charge...lol
Sent from my Samsung Vibrant using XDA App

Vegastouch said:
I have used my iphone charger a couple times. Very small letters on the back but I think it says it is 1.0A. Worked fine bit I went back to my vibrant charger. I also found a car charger at a circle K for $9.99. Probably could of got one a little cheaper on ebay but it was there and i needed a charge...lol
Sent from my Samsung Vibrant using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tried my old charger .. it works but is really slow compared to the one that came with the Vibrant. Probably going to end up purchasing an extra one for when I travel.

Personally I don't mind something charging slower when I travel as long as I'm getting more power to the phone than I'm using of course.

Monoprice has 1000mA
Anyone has experience with this wall charger from monoprice? (can't link, please look up Product ID: 6767)
It's rated at 1000mA. The stock charger that came with the vibrant is 700(I think). Will extra 300mA damage my phone?

sonnyg95 said:
Anyone has experience with this wall charger from monoprice? (can't link, please look up Product ID: 6767)
It's rated at 1000mA. The stock charger that came with the vibrant is 700(I think). Will extra 300mA damage my phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The extra 300mA will not damage the phone. Most smart phones require 700mA-1A to charge properly. But be careful, cheapo charger has potential to fry your phone. Anytime I buy a charger from ebay or cheap vendor, I plug it in to my old MP3 player for a week before I use it with my newer devices.
I have the same one that you see on monoprice. I've been using it for almost 2 years with no problem at all, YMMV tho.
I'd recommend this one. Looks identical to the charger that comes with my 3GS. Works well, I use it every day at work for more than 6 months now. Again, YMMV.
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.26446#open full view

sonnyg95 said:
Anyone has experience with this wall charger from monoprice? (can't link, please look up Product ID: 6767)
It's rated at 1000mA. The stock charger that came with the vibrant is 700(I think). Will extra 300mA damage my phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the max charge rate for a Li-ion battery is 1C. So you could charge at up to 1500mA.
I ordered that exact charger a few days ago.

sonnyg95 said:
Anyone has experience with this wall charger from monoprice? (can't link, please look up Product ID: 6767)
It's rated at 1000mA. The stock charger that came with the vibrant is 700(I think). Will extra 300mA damage my phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The amperage rating only tells you the *maximum* possible output. The device (your phone) controls the current draw. As long as the voltage matches (5v), you can use a charger with any amperage rating which is 700mA (0.7A) or higher.
(Note that this only applies to chargers that your phone plugs into. You have to be more careful with the self-contained spare-battery chargers (where you remove the battery from the phone and put it into the charger). But those are normally battery-specific anyway.)
Also, you *might* risk damaging the battery through long-term usage of a charger that can't supply at least the minimum amperage (such as the sfsilicon's 500mA transformer). The end of a charge cycle draws the most power which is probably why sfsilicon couldn't fully charge his battery.

MV10 said:
.......
. The end of a charge cycle draws the most power which is probably why sfsilicon couldn't fully charge his battery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
that might explain why my laptop wouldn't always charge to 100% - first few times it did, and i'd find the notification msg when i'd close the laptop, but last few times it didn't
learn something every day
as i use the vibrant tethered every nite while browsing (which is when it was charging), any problem with finishing the charge with the samsung wall charger? ie interrupting the charge when i take it off the laptop?

Recommendation for a portable auxiliary power source

I'm looking for a "small and lightweight" auxiliary battery or charger that I can use when I have no access to an AC outlet to preserve the phone's battery charge. A small device that I can connect to the microUSB port of the Captivate with a short USB cable while I watch my movies. Preferably with a built-in rechargeable battery, but would consider a device that can take AA or AAA rechargeables. I know I can get a couple extra phone batteries with a charger for a few $$$ in eBay, but I want something I can take out of my briefcase and in a second connect it to the phone without the inconvenience of having to remove my Amzer Argyle case and the back cover of the phone. I'm afraid I'm going to stretch my phone case out shape by taking it off and putting it on, mess up (loosen) the locking mechanism of the back cover or will end up, somehow, bending the simulated carbon fiber back cover. Not to mention the fear of dumping my coffee on the internals of the phone while it sits with the back exposed on the food tray of a plane/train/bus or on whichever surface I happen to be having my coffee. The icing on the cake would be if this auxiliary power source could also serve as a phone stand.
Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

I ordered one of these - there are other variations; but this is 4000mAh (so almost 3 times our current battery), The USB port is a full 1A, and will also charge my camcorder battery. They do make one with 2 USB ports:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0029U2WTG/ref=oss_product
It was $25 when i ordered it last week - now it is more.

Tekkeon MP1550
I've been using this to charge several usb devices on the go. i had it for several years now. its better if you pair it with sanyo eneloops.
its $14.99 @ newegg $22.30 on amazon

Many thanks for your suggestions... but is there anything smaller? That Energizer XP4000 looks like an excellent option at $25, but at $50 it is a little too big an expensive.
Edit:
I just ran across the Duracell Powersource Mini.... Anyone using this with a Captivate? Also, does anyone have any details on the specs of the battery in this powerpack? I could not even find any details in the Duracell site.
Amazon
Duracell
I also found this one, but for $1.49 I don't know if it'll end up killing the phone. But it could be nice rechargeable AA batteries.

tamanaco said:
Many thanks for your suggestions... but is there anything smaller? That Energizer XP4000 looks like an excellent option at $25, but at $50 it is a little too big an expensive.
Edit:
I just ran across the Duracell Powersource Mini.... Anyone using this with a Captivate? Also, does anyone have any details on the specs of the battery in this powerpack? I could not even find any details in the Duracell site.
Amazon
Duracell
I also found this one, but for $1.49 I don't know if it'll end up killing the phone. But it could be nice rechargeable AA batteries.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I won't buy anything that I can't find tech specs on - so the Duracell unit could be 1000mAh or 3000mAh - for the price i would say it is around 1000. The 2 AA chargers have to up the 3V to 5V and so the best available power is about 1000 mAh (i base this on the altoids chargers specs using 2 2500mAh AA batteries).
If all you want is a 1000 mAh in a small form factor, Target sells one (the Energizer XP 1000) in the store for about $20 with a bunch of tips. Keep in mind that our batteries are 1500 mAh so you won't get a full charge.

alphadog00 said:
I won't buy anything that I can't find tech specs on - so the Duracell unit could be 1000mAh or 3000mAh - for the price i would say it is around 1000.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Duracell appears to be the exact same device as the Xantrex Technologies 852 2051 Xpower Mobile Mini. If this is the case, then it appears to be a 3000mAh device. I like this charger because it has a built-in mini USB connector and a separated regular USB which makes it very convenient. I wonder who the OEM is... Duracell or Xantrex?
I also came across the IOGEAR Gear Juice Mobile, but based on some of the users' reviews it appears to have have 2000mAh rechargeable battery.

I saw that one that looked like the Duracell but i could not be sure. Wherever you buy make sure you can return if it is not what you want.
It seems hard to find much that is 1500 mah or larger without getting to big.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

tamanaco said:
Many thanks for your suggestions... but is there anything smaller? That Energizer XP4000 looks like an excellent option at $25, but at $50 it is a little too big an expensive.
Edit:
I just ran across the Duracell Powersource Mini.... Anyone using this with a Captivate? Also, does anyone have any details on the specs of the battery in this powerpack? I could not even find any details in the Duracell site.
Amazon
Duracell
I also found this one, but for $1.49 I don't know if it'll end up killing the phone. But it could be nice rechargeable AA batteries.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have attached the Tech Specs for you!
Sorry for the crappy quality...the color original exceeded the upload size limit.

MasterN02 said:
I have attached the Tech Specs for you!
Sorry for the crappy quality...the color original exceeded the upload size limit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is good enough;
The good news is that Xantrex makes both and they are 3Ah. The only down side is that you are limited to .5A charge - same as USB. I picked the Energizer as it is capable of 1A output, although our phones only draw about 700 mA max.
Wait one other downside - miniUSB not microUSB so it won't fit our phones without an adapter. This must be an "old" product as the spec sheet says it fits "New Motorola phones such as RAZR and ROKR" neither are made any more.

Given that the Xantrex appears to be an old product I have continued to look around for an auxiliary power source. I found the Kensington K38056US which has a microUSB and a MiniUSB output connectors and uses a regular built-in USB connector to charge. So the element of convenience is very high given that it can also be charged with the Captivate charger. Only thing is that the battery is 1200 mAh, but it appears to have an output of up to 1000 mAh. Amazon has it for $30. The specs sheet says that it started shipping on 5/1/10 so this one is a "fairly" new device.
In terms of power I have not yet found anything that matches the Energizer XP4001 for its size, but it is a little heavier than the Kensington (5.4 onz vs. 4.0 ) and you also have to carry an additional AC adapter.
The search continues...

Splash Intense 5400mAh External Battery Pack
Anyone tried this for the Captivate? at 3.2 oz weight and dual charging it looks very portable!
Splash Intense 5400mAh External Battery Pack

kothrud123 said:
Anyone tried this for the Captivate? at 3.2 oz weight and dual charging it looks very portable!
Splash Intense 5400mAh External Battery Pack
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hey...sorry for irrelevant posting...but your name sounds familiar ..! are you from Pune?
btw Splash Intense 5400mAh should work with captivate, 5400mAh is lot of power, i guess it can recharge captivate at least 3 times considering its 1500mAh battery..

Well, I just received the Duracell Powersource Mini which I ordered from Amazon as it's on sale for $19.50 down from the MSRP of 59.99. The [URL="http://www.amazon.com/Xantrex-Technologies-852-0251-XPower-Mobile/dp/B000R9T3T8/ref=pd_sim_ol_4"]Xantrex Xpower Mobile Mini [/URL]which is the same device is still selling for $45.50.
I added a music CD to my order as the Powersource Mini is eligible for free shipping on orders of $25+. Given the Powersource has a Mini-USB male connector and a regular USB female port built-in, I also got a shorter 2.5ft USB to Micro-USB cable from ebay for $2.99 to use with the Powersource Mini. (Also with free shipping and it fits perfectly in the Captivate) This short USB to Micro-USB cable will be used to charge my Captivate and the built-in Mini-USB connector will be used to charge my MP3 player and Camera. The Powersource Mini comes with a USB AC charger and a USB Vehicle DC charger adapter which gives me added flexibility.
The only issues I have found, so far, is that the DC input port of the Powersource is proprietary, so you always need to carry the 4.5ft USB charging cable and "possibly" the AC adapter. The USB AC adapter that comes with the Powersource is just a little bit bigger than the USB AC adapter that comes with the Captivate. A very negligible size difference, but I'd be afraid of using the Powersource AC adapter on the Captivate for prolonged periods of time as it "might" damage the phone. In the description of the AC Adapter of the Powersource it says that it is a AC/DC "Switching" Adapter. This "might" mean that it's designed specifically for the Powersource to switch off when it's fully charged. Also the output specs of the Powersource adapter are 5.5 volts 800mA compared to the 5.0 volts 700mA of the AC adapter that comes with the Captivate. I'd be nice if I only had to carry one AC adapter. Any thoughts on these USB AC/DC adapters being interchangeable?
Edit: In a previous post it was said that this device might be old because it had a Mini-USB instead of Micro-USB connector. A sticker on the device says that it was manufactured on 09/26/2008... So it is a bit old, but not extremely so.

http://www.thinkgeek.com/computing/usb-gadgets/ceca/
Its only a 1500 mAh, but its pretty compact and it fits around your wrist.
Seems more convenient than a typical power source.

www . amazon . com/New-Trent-IMP1000-11000mAh-Blackberry/dp/B003ZBZ64Q/ref=pd_sxp_grid_i_0_2
thinking about purchasing this one, only thing is it looks a little bulky

epicguy said:
www . amazon . com/New-Trent-IMP1000-11000mAh-Blackberry/dp/B003ZBZ64Q/ref=pd_sxp_grid_i_0_2
thinking about purchasing this one, only thing is it looks a little bulky
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you ever buy this? I'm considering one for some travel and wondered how it worked out.

http://www.energizerpowerpacks.com/my/products/index.php#externalbatteries
I have both the XP2000 and XP8000 and both work very well.

I can't link but I bought a "Satechi icel 5200mAh" batter extender off amazon. It will charge my phone 3+ times before I need to recharge it. I use it to travel. Works great with all my portable devices as long as they use a USB charger. If I could take pictures I would show the size against a phone. I've put them both in a jacket pocket before without worry

tamanaco said:
I'm looking for a "small and lightweight" auxiliary battery or charger that I can use when I have no access to an AC outlet to preserve the phone's battery charge. A small device that I can connect to the microUSB port of the Captivate with a short USB cable while I watch my movies. Preferably with a built-in rechargeable battery, but would consider a device that can take AA or AAA rechargeables. I know I can get a couple extra phone batteries with a charger for a few $$$ in eBay, but I want something I can take out of my briefcase and in a second connect it to the phone without the inconvenience of having to remove my Amzer Argyle case and the back cover of the phone. I'm afraid I'm going to stretch my phone case out shape by taking it off and putting it on, mess up (loosen) the locking mechanism of the back cover or will end up, somehow, bending the simulated carbon fiber back cover. Not to mention the fear of dumping my coffee on the internals of the phone while it sits with the back exposed on the food tray of a plane/train/bus or on whichever surface I happen to be having my coffee. The icing on the cake would be if this auxiliary power source could also serve as a phone stand.
Thanks in advance for your suggestions.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a portable charger with capacity of 1900mAh. Its lightweight Its output is 4.5 to 5.5v 800mA Max. Though the charge time is around 2 to 4 hours, it would be rite for your need and purpose. I am not sure of Thinkgeek, but if you can check gadget store Chinabuye, there are more ranges of power charging, you can check and choose the better one, I ordered it from them at reasonable rate.

tamanaco said:
Well, I just received the Duracell Powersource Mini which I ordered from Amazon as it's on sale for $19.50 down from the MSRP of 59.99. The [URL="http://www.amazon.com/Xantrex-Technologies-852-0251-XPower-Mobile/dp/B000R9T3T8/ref=pd_sim_ol_4"]Xantrex Xpower Mobile Mini [/URL]which is the same device is still selling for $45.50.
I added a music CD to my order as the Powersource Mini is eligible for free shipping on orders of $25+. Given the Powersource has a Mini-USB male connector and a regular USB female port built-in, I also got a shorter 2.5ft USB to Micro-USB cable from ebay for $2.99 to use with the Powersource Mini. (Also with free shipping and it fits perfectly in the Captivate) This short USB to Micro-USB cable will be used to charge my Captivate and the built-in Mini-USB connector will be used to charge my MP3 player and Camera. The Powersource Mini comes with a USB AC charger and a USB Vehicle DC charger adapter which gives me added flexibility.
The only issues I have found, so far, is that the DC input port of the Powersource is proprietary, so you always need to carry the 4.5ft USB charging cable and "possibly" the AC adapter. The USB AC adapter that comes with the Powersource is just a little bit bigger than the USB AC adapter that comes with the Captivate. A very negligible size difference, but I'd be afraid of using the Powersource AC adapter on the Captivate for prolonged periods of time as it "might" damage the phone. In the description of the AC Adapter of the Powersource it says that it is a AC/DC "Switching" Adapter. This "might" mean that it's designed specifically for the Powersource to switch off when it's fully charged. Also the output specs of the Powersource adapter are 5.5 volts 800mA compared to the 5.0 volts 700mA of the AC adapter that comes with the Captivate. I'd be nice if I only had to carry one AC adapter. Any thoughts on these USB AC/DC adapters being interchangeable?
Edit: In a previous post it was said that this device might be old because it had a Mini-USB instead of Micro-USB connector. A sticker on the device says that it was manufactured on 09/26/2008... So it is a bit old, but not extremely so.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got one of these from xs cargo for $10, at 3000 mAh it can charge the phone completely and still have some juice left. The non-usb charging port is annoying, but i've been thinking about modding it.
Sent from my SGH-I897 using XDA App

[Q] Backup Battery/Extra rechargeable Battery?

Hey, i was wondering if this extra battery pack would charge my Acer A100 before i bought it. dose it have the same connectors to use it with the a100, also dose it put out a safe voltage?
http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00...&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=463383511&pf_rd_i=915398
Thanks

Shotgun4 said:
Hey, i was wondering if this extra battery pack would charge my Acer A100 before i bought it. dose it have the same connectors to use it with the a100, also dose it put out a safe voltage?
http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00...&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=463383511&pf_rd_i=915398
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm going to go with a tentative yes. Since it has a 12v output, however I'd check out this one:
amazon.ca/Energizer-XP8000-Universal-Adapter-External/dp/B0029U2WZU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328748112&sr=8-1
People on another forum had a long discussion on the subject and the consensus that was reached was that it was the best off the shelf option.

I don't think you will be able to plug that one into your tablet - the plug for the A100 is a rare one.
Check this discussion for all the gory details:
www.acertabletforum.com/forum/acer-a100-accessories/1404-external-battery-a100-3.html
I finally ordered this one:
http://www.expansys.ca/energizer-xp8000-universal-power-adaptor-221031/
You then have to order the correct adapter (NP12) for free from the manufacturer. It's an excellent product.

excuse my filthy american links, but hopefully you can find something similar up north:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1M-3-3FT-US...ccessories&hash=item3cc1d51cd8#ht_2036wt_1139
+
any battery at all. I use a duracell. smaller battery, but gives enough of a boost to get through the day at $20 instead of $100
http://www.amazon.com/Duracell-Powe...6KG6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1328811173&sr=8-2

leftovermagic said:
excuse my filthy american links, but hopefully you can find something similar up north:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1M-3-3FT-US...ccessories&hash=item3cc1d51cd8#ht_2036wt_1139
+
any battery at all. I use a duracell. smaller battery, but gives enough of a boost to get through the day at $20 instead of $100
http://www.amazon.com/Duracell-Powe...6KG6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1328811173&sr=8-2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But isnt USB charging all 5 volt, and our device is 12 volt. How can that cable charge an A100???

Yeah, @leftovermagic, that cable won`t help much with the Evo power pack that shotgun4 was asking about.
And American links aren't filthy, they're just not accessible to the rest of the world.

NoSudo said:
But isnt USB charging all 5 volt, and our device is 12 volt. How can that cable charge an A100???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, excuse my ignorance. Sorry.
Sent from my touchpad via tapatalk

When I was at the local Radio Shack they had "G" type(I think it is) connectors that can go onto the ends of the charge adapters they sell. Fry's has the same stuff. Its just the little connector end you attach it to the wire your self. Im guessing as long as you have 12v supply that will deliver around 1.5A and a pos and neg wire you could just one of those. Its the same end as is on the universal car chargers folks are using from Walmart.
I have been wanting to find a small solar pannel or somthing for camping and such.
No
Originally Posted by leftovermagic >
Ah, excuse my ignorance. Sorry.
Sent from my touchpad via tapatalk
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Click to collapse
Hehe no worries man. I didn't think about that or realize it my self until I went to buy an adapter and looked at the specs on the wall charger. I had guessed it would be 5v like most other small portable devices too.

so overall , do we have an external battery charger we could use with this tablet?

As I said in post #3,
http://www.expansys.ca/energizer-xp8...daptor-221031/
It's pricey, but it works well.

jschall said:
As I said in post #3,
http://www.expansys.ca/energizer-xp8...daptor-221031/
It's pricey, but it works well.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK thanks sounds like a plan. I will go with this and post back on a review how it work out. Thanks guys for all the help.
Sent from my HTC EVO 3D GSM using XDA App

Anker Astro 3 battery backup pack
Bought an Anker Astro 3 (10000 mAh battery pack from Amazon (has 9v/12v option) for $59. Bought a special cable for the Anker to Acer Iconia from Edosupply on Ebay for $8.50.
Charges my A500 from <10% to 100% in ~ 100 mins with the switch set to 12v. Nice
The Ebay description says that the cable can be used "for Anker External Battery fit Acer ICONIA Tab A500 A501 A200 A100". Mine works for my A500 so I suppose it should work for the rest?

Confirmed here as well:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1835878

I wanted to share my experience with an external powerbank for the A100.
My main issue was, I need something like the Ankor, but that product wasn't available for me to buy in Australia. Amazon sellers wouldn't ship the item, nor at a reasonable price.
So instead, I bought something similar, which I bought out of China (Ebay). It works perfectly, and the powerbank can be used on other USB charging items which require 2A 5V power (HP Touchpad, etc). Perfect for when we travel with multiple mobile phones, tablets, etc.
For the Powerbank, I bought this: 10000mah Powerbank
For the cable for the A100, I bought this: 2pcs Short DC 5 5x2 1mm Female TO 3 0x1 1mm Cable | eBay
Again, both work perfectly for the A100, and all my other charging needs.

Car charger
I am looking for a way to use it in the car. I first tought on going with 120v converter and use its usual wall charger but i would prefer something more integrated.
I've looked into this:
http://www.amazon.ca/Psa18r-120p-Ad...1394232288&sr=8-6&keywords=iconia+car+charger
But it seems rock cheap and I expect it to either burn or the cable to break easily (looking at it)
Did anyone had any previous experience with Pwr+ products ?

Struggling with a car charger

Hey, I am hoping someone can help me find the correct car charger adapter for my Galaxy note. I have tried a few and struggled.
I am looking for an adapter similar to this ... http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B002C3AFHG
The problem is that it doesnt output correct (5v, 1mAmp ... read comment http://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R2LOQFBMC3I746/ref=cm_cr_pr_viewpnt#R2LOQFBMC3I746) ... as a result, the charge is very slow and not useful for using device as a sat nav.
Is there anyone who has bought such an adapter that charges well?
Thanks.:cyclops:

Yes. The stock SAMSUNG car charger charges at a rate sufficient to increase the charge in the battery while using a nav device.
A search in this forum will find an older thread that discussed this. On member tested many car chargers and discovered that the SAMSUNG was the only one he found that performed properly.
Based on that review, I purchased the SAMSUNG charger on either ebay or amazon (don't remember) for a very good price. I also saved a great deal of money by not purchasing a bunch of cheapies that didn't work! I have been very pleased with my purchase.
Kraz
Sent from my Beautiful, White GT-N7000 using xda premium

I bought one on dealxtreme, was about 4 dollar and it works perfect.

Thanks so much for the information - I now know there is something out there, but no links I cant confidently find these chargers you guys speak of...
any links? Thanks

Car Charger
I have the same problem I have bougth a couple of cheap ones off ebay, but the battery still drains during Sat Nav use.
Looks like I may have to shell out for a more expensive one........

It doesnt seem an uncommon problem, but dame, it so difficult to find help. I have searched high and low for the above links. The problem is a real one, esp as I am looking for an adapter to plug to an exisiting cable...

I got the stock Car Dock and love it. Use it to play music via bluetooth and nav and its charges just fine.

nirpaudyal said:
It doesnt seem an uncommon problem, but dame, it so difficult to find help. I have searched high and low for the above links. The problem is a real one, esp as I am looking for an adapter to plug to an exisiting cable...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It isn't difficult to find help. It IS difficult to want to help someone too lazy to do a simple search!
Go to amazon and search for "original car charger for Galaxy Note". I bought the one from Frontier Telecom LLC.
You'll have to do the rest yourself. I'm not going to buy it for you.
kraz
Sent from my Beautiful, White GT-N7000 using xda premium

You can use any standard usb charger and get the correct current with a modified USB cable.
There is a thread in the forum tells you how to modify it. Basically, shorten the pin 3 and 4 (data differential pair) of the USB connector, and you will smile.

MoonCocoon said:
You can use any standard usb charger and get the correct current with a modified USB cable.
There is a thread in the forum tells you how to modify it. Basically, shorten the pin 3 and 4 (data differential pair) of the USB connector, and you will smile.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm using a cheapo 1amp USB car charger and a standard micro usb cable. Works well with my Note.

Currently I'm using a 2100mah output car charger with 2 in 1 (apple + micro usb) charging head to charge my notes. It can charge and ipad with no problem.
Fast charging from the 2.1A output

Difference betweeb 1a and 2
Hi guys,
My cheap car charger I bought from ebay do not charge my note, when I use the navigation.
1) How do I check whether they are 0.5a or 1a. It is not written on the charger and not in the description on ebay. How do I mesure that, with an android software?
2) Is there a difference between using a 1a and 2a car charger or is this limited to 1a anyway?
thanks

I have purchased this very recently and looks like it is doing a good job. My phone gets charged perfectly during my driving
http://www.capdase.com/en/product5.php?cid=9&bid=1&mid=6&pid=6775
I also purchased this to help me hold the Note when i use Navigation
http://www.capdase.com/en/product5.php?cid=1&bid=27&mid=865&pid=11509

Interesting.
This is what I just bought on dealextreme.com:
http://dx.com/p/car-cigarette-power...harger-for-ipad-iphone-white-dc-12-24v-104826
Will see if 2.1A will charge it faster... At least I will have the option between 1A and 2.1A

Samsung stock charger is the best. Charges my Note at the same rate as the travel charger

snakez07 said:
Samsung stock charger is the best. Charges my Note at the same rate as the travel charger
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's what I posted in the first response to the OP a month ago. I only bought this one car charger for $19 including free overnight shipping.
I am amazed when I read of people buying several of the cheapies that almost never work as well as the OEM charger, because they think $19 is too much to pay for a charger. They spend at least that much on multiple chargers plus MULTIPLE SHIPPING and still don't have a charger that works well!
Just buy the OEM. You'll save money and have a charger that works well when using Sat Nav.
kraz
Sent from my Beautiful, White GT-N7000 using xda premium

3a charger + charge adapater
If you just want it easy and dont mind the cost, get the sumsang charger - Im just not sure if it shows up as "AC charging" or the slower "USB charging" and if it will actually charge up with full brightness on, GPS, wifi, bluetooth all at once... I do use all those at once.
But if your ok with a bit of fiddling around, get a 12v step down to 5v 3amp power module and use it with a dedicated ic chip charger cable - it will work with all androids and even the misus iphone and will always give fast AC mode charging with more amps than most phones need. or use it to power 2-3 devices.
$5 for the power adatper
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Car-Led-Dis...337?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item256f93f0b1
$2 for the charging cable (example)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-in1-mult...903429?pt=PDA_Accessories&hash=item3cc9932cc5
$1 for a cigarette connector, only to use the cigarette connector body.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/USB-Car-Cig...er_MP3_Player_Accessories&hash=item2ec08a050d
The important part is getting a charger cable with the inbuilt IC chip to tell the gnote to go into AC charging mode, otherwise this solution has been working great for years.

Review of Anker Astro E5 15000 mAh external battery w/pics!!!

This is a review of Anker Astro E5 15000 mAh external battery: http://www.ianker.com/product/79AN15K-WA
Being familiar with footprint of their E4 battery, when Anker announced a new E5 model with higher capacity I was expecting to see bigger and heavier model with a typical 30% efficiency loss. I know I bring it up in a lot of the reviews, but labeled capacity of ANY external battery is not what your phone battery going to see. Its a total capacity of cells inside of external battery which gets converted to 5V usb interface output and then back to your cell phone battery while charging - the efficiency loss during the conversion reduces the actual capacity by approximately 30%, with some batteries close to 40% and others maybe slightly better to 25%. On top of that, a lot of no name ebay HK sellers have batteries with super exaggerated capacity where you will be lucky to get even half of what they advertise on the label. That is why I only trust a few brands, Anker being one of them.
Once I received E5 unit for review to my surprise, the footprint stayed almost unchanged and difference in weight was negligible in comparison to previous E4 gen. But you actually get 2000 mAh more in capacity to bring it up to 15000 mAh. The battery cells are changing and improving, and I'm glad to see that Anker is keeping up with a new technology. E5 external battery is not exactly feather light, but at about 11.1 oz and 5"x3"x0.9" is manageable and actually the same as Note 2 with Zerolemon battery. The exterior is solid plastic, no flex, and comes in either white or black. For this review I chose a white unit and found it to be great to cover up any fingerprints. The top has a large power button with dual functionality to also turn on built-in led light. At full charged battery capacity, the light could last up to 700 hours if you only use it for that purpose. Next to power button you have 4-led capacity/charging indicator in 25% increments. Charging input to the battery is a standard micro-usb and has 1.5A charging speed for a fast charging of this battery. Output is a dual full usb port, rated at 2A and 1A both of which can be used simultaneously to deliver 3A of combined current. Each port current output is regulated where I confirmed charging Note 2 from one gave me max 2A and from the other one only up to 1A.
This extended battery comes with usb cable and interchangeable tips for micro-usb, mini-usb, and apple 30-pin connector. Also, it comes with a convenient storage pouch for a battery, cable, and attachment. It also comes with a detailed manual and 18-month warranty card. But there is also a big surprise. I have been reading other independent test reviews of this module and it turned out to have an actual capacity close to 11,800 mAh. We are talking about 21.5% efficiency loss which is very good considering typical batteries of such capacity have it at 30% or higher. This mean you can charge your Note 2 with a standard battery almost 4 times, or easily charge Zerolemon and have some juice still left - all this at a max 2A speed. Overall, I'm very impressed with this battery and its performance!
Here are the pictures.
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Awesome! Thanks for this! What are you using to measure the charge that is going in to the Note 2? I have an external battery rated at 12,000mah, that has both 1A and 2A ports, and would like to see what it's actually putting out, as well as check some wall adaptors that I have. Thanks for the review! Anker is also one of the few brands that I trust as well!
SwiftKey'ed from my White Sprint Note 2 using XDA Premium

stanglifemike said:
Awesome! Thanks for this! What are you using to measure the charge that is going in to the Note 2? I have an external battery rated at 12,000mah, that has both 1A and 2A ports, and would like to see what it's actually putting out, as well as check some wall adaptors that I have. Thanks for the review! Anker is also one of the few brands that I trust as well!
SwiftKey'ed from my White Sprint Note 2 using XDA Premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it says it in the last screenshot dude, really? LOL
Galaxy Charging Current

Galaxy Charging Current *Lite* (free version): https://play.google.com/store/apps/...hbnRpcy5nYWxheHljaGFyZ2luZ2N1cnJlbnQuZnJlZSJd
I actually found it to be relatively accurate by comparing charging time versus charging percentage. Ignore "Now" value. Just look for Max/Avg as your charging currents. This app comes very handy for those without root, like myself, to measure your charging current.

vectron said:
Galaxy Charging Current *Lite* (free version): https://play.google.com/store/apps/...hbnRpcy5nYWxheHljaGFyZ2luZ2N1cnJlbnQuZnJlZSJd
I actually found it to be relatively accurate by comparing charging time versus charging percentage. Ignore "Now" value. Just look for Max/Avg as your charging currents. This app comes very handy for those without root, like myself, to measure your charging current.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks!! Just tested it out. Like you said, the Now value isn't what the charging rate actually is. Took me reading some reviews on the Play Store to figure that out. The Now value is what the device recommends, while the Average value is what rate you're actually charging at.
I'm not sure how accurate it is though. While using my HTC wall chargers that came with my both my black Evo LTE and white one, the values are Maximum 900, Now 1798, and Average 900. I'm getting the same numbers while using the Samsung wall charger that came with my Note 2. I assume that 900 is correct for the HTC chargers, as they're only 1Amp chargers so I'm getting .9Amp from them. The Samsung charger is 2Amp though, so it should be twice as high as the HTC chargers.
EDIT : Just tested my 12,000mah PowerBank. I got 500 out of the 1Amp port, and 1700 out of the 2Amp port! Very happy with those numbers!! Especially it considering that it appears to be charging at a higher rate than my OEM Samsung wall charger!!!
SwiftKey'ed from my White Sprint Note 2 using XDA Premium

:good:Solid review bro! Something that powerful could almost charge the ZL battery twice, haha.

stanglifemike said:
...
I'm not sure how accurate it is though. While using my HTC wall chargers that came with my both my black Evo LTE and white one, the values are Maximum 900, Now 1798, and Average 900. I'm getting the same numbers while using the Samsung wall charger that came with my Note 2. I assume that 900 is correct for the HTC chargers, as they're only 1Amp chargers so I'm getting .9Amp from them. The Samsung charger is 2Amp though, so it should be twice as high as the HTC chargers.
EDIT : Just tested my 12,000mah PowerBank. I got 500 out of the 1Amp port, and 1700 out of the 2Amp port! Very happy with those numbers!! Especially it considering that it appears to be charging at a higher rate than my OEM Samsung wall charger!!!
...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mike, which 12kmAh charger are you using? I know Anker stuff is universal for Apple/Android, while some other ones will drop your charging current to max 0.5A when connected to "apple" port. Another question, which usb cable are you using? Unless if its original Sammy cable that came with OEM charger or a cable like from monoprice with 24AWG/28AWG rating (thicker power wires to handle up to 3A of current), the cable itself its a bottleneck if its designed for a lower charging current. So for example, if you are using HTC charger/cable and then used their cable to connect to Samsung wall charger - you could be current limiting your phone (thinner wires, more resistance). And even if you are using OEM Samsung wall charger and cable - I noticed that in our house some outlets can't supply enough current depending on what other stuff is connected to the same shared power branch.

vectron said:
Mike, which 12kmAh charger are you using? I know Anker stuff is universal for Apple/Android, while some other ones will drop your charging current to max 0.5A when connected to "apple" port. Another question, which usb cable are you using? Unless if its original Sammy cable that came with OEM charger or a cable like from monoprice with 24AWG/28AWG rating (thicker power wires to handle up to 3A of current), the cable itself its a bottleneck if its designed for a lower charging current. So for example, if you are using HTC charger/cable and then used their cable to connect to Samsung wall charger - you could be current limiting your phone (thinner wires, more resistance). And even if you are using OEM Samsung wall charger and cable - I noticed that in our house some outlets can't supply enough current depending on what other stuff is connected to the same shared power branch.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think PowerBank is the brand, and Long March is the model. There is a long thread in the Evo LTE Accessories subforum (my other phone), and that's how I heard about it. I normally wouldn't buy an off brand accessory, but with many XDA members giving great feedback, and some have had it close to a year, I decided to try it out. Very happy that I did!! I looks a lot like your Anker actually. It has 2 USB ports for charging other devices, a 1 Amp and a 2 Amp, and also has a little LED flashlight as well. It works great and this app you mentioned showed me that the 2 Amp port is charging at 1.7 Amp(while using my HTC micro USB cable, so it may charge at an even higher rate using the Samsung cable), so I'm happy with that.
For the Samsung wall charger, I'm using the Samsung wall charger and Samsung micro USB cable. I do have it plugged in to a power strip though, so I'll have to try it plugged directly in to a wall outlet with nothing else plugged in. Thanks for the info!
EDIT : Update - after trying the Samsung charger in a wall outlet instead of the power strip, I'm still getting 900(.9 Amp). Maybe my charger is just not putting out the Amperage it should anymore, and I should just buy another Samsung wall charger if I want to get the correct Amperage. I rarely use my wall charger though, as I just use my external battery charger to charge my extra Samsung battery. When I do plug in the phone, it's usually in to my PowerBank while I'm sitting outside playing on my phone and drinking/smoking (never smoke in my house!).
SwiftKey'ed from my White Sprint Note 2 using XDA Premium

stanglifemike said:
I think PowerBank is the brand, and Long March is the model. There is a long thread in the Evo LTE Accessories subforum (my other phone), and that's how I heard about it. I normally wouldn't buy an off brand accessory, but with many XDA members giving great feedback, and some have had it close to a year, I decided to try it out. Very happy that I did!! I looks a lot like your Anker actually. It has 2 USB ports for charging other devices, a 1 Amp and a 2 Amp, and also has a little LED flashlight as well. It works great and this app you mentioned showed me that the 2 Amp port is charging at 1.7 Amp(while using my HTC micro USB cable, so it may charge at an even higher rate using the Samsung cable), so I'm happy with that.
For the Samsung wall charger, I'm using the Samsung wall charger and Samsung micro USB cable. I do have it plugged in to a power strip though, so I'll have to try it plugged directly in to a wall outlet with nothing else plugged in. Thanks for the info!
EDIT : Update - after trying the Samsung charger in a wall outlet instead of the power strip, I'm still getting 900(.9 Amp). Maybe my charger is just not putting out the Amperage it should anymore, and I should just buy another Samsung wall charger if I want to get the correct Amperage. I rarely use my wall charger though, as I just use my external battery charger to charge my extra Samsung battery. When I do plug in the phone, it's usually in to my PowerBank while I'm sitting outside playing on my phone and drinking/smoking (never smoke in my house!).
SwiftKey'ed from my White Sprint Note 2 using XDA Premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What you refer to is Yoobao brand power bank model "Long March". Unfortunately, there is only one official reseller of Yoobao brand in US and its KeviKev (I reviewed Yoobao Thunder 13000 mAh from them before - http://kevikev.com/Samsung-Galaxy-NOTE-II-2-N7100-Cases-and-Accessories_c47.htm). Long March is 11,200 mAh model. Did you get it from Amazon or eBay? It's a Chinese knock off of Yoobao, but it doesn't matter since it works for you. They all use the same battery cells anyway, and original Yoobao stuff might be a bit more robust and have more durable plastic shell. But listen, if the one you have works - its all good and don't worry about it!!!
Strange about Samsung wall charger. Sounds like something is gone south. Btw, don't even bother buying anything labeled as "original OEM Samsung wall charger" from Amazon or eBay - it's all fake knock offs as well. For the fun I just look on Amazon reviews, and everybody complaining about Samsung OEM wall charger not even being able to supply 1A. That's a problem with Amazon, anybody can create a merchant account and list their product under original manufacturer listing. And the rest is history because you will never be able to find original Samsung part since everything else will be a fake copy But I assume you are using your original wall charger and cable which came from Samsung when you bought N2?

flynnchen said:
Yoobao brand is quite good. I had one before. Is anker battery stable now ? I just found out this post on xda
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1361749
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That explosion has nothing to do with Anker batteries. That was highly/almost 100% due to the black cheap/low amp charger. I had a random cheap black USB charger similar to that for charging low amp Emerson bluetooth headphones, which was 400 mAH output, and we charged my brother's IPAD 2 with it, and it started to smoke. Same issue happened when charging his S3 with that cheap charger. I think it was their mistake for providing such a terrible charger, which is why it seemed the white one was probably better. The lesson is: don't charge anything that has a higher capacity/requirement with something far below it's capacity - otherwise, you're just asking for a dangerous situation to occur. That's just my two cents and observation from what I have seen, read, and personally experienced

how to charge
Excellent and informative review! 2 questions (I am a novice...). How do I charge the charger...can I use either my iphone 5 plug (output 5V/1A) or ipad2 plug? And, when charging my devices, is it the 1A socket for iphone 5, and 2A socket for ipad 2? Thank you!
---------- Post added at 10:18 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:07 AM ----------
Excellent and informative review! 2 questions (I am a novice...). How do I charge the charger...can I use either my iphone 5 plug (output 5V/1A) or ipad2 plug? And, when charging my devices, is it the 1A socket for iphone 5, and 2A socket for ipad 2? Thank you!

maestrojohn said:
Excellent and informative review! 2 questions (I am a novice...). How do I charge the charger...can I use either my iphone 5 plug (output 5V/1A) or ipad2 plug? And, when charging my devices, is it the 1A socket for iphone 5, and 2A socket for ipad 2? Thank you!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
To charge the charger you can use any wall charger with micro-usb output. Since this is Android forum and Note 2 section, I assume you have one of those. Otherwise as you aware the charging cable for iPhone 5 is not micro-usb. But to charge your device, you can do that with any phone or tablet since charging/data cables have usb on one side (that will go into a charger) and whatever connector you are using on your device on the other side of the cable. In theory you can use either outputs.

Hello! Great review, I purchased it for 50 bucks on amazon 5 minutes ago because of the review. I am a noob, sorry in advance, I made this account to ask these two questions: 1: I just wanna use it for my iPhone 5, do i plug it in on the 1A or 2A? If both is ok, which one is better for the battery in the phone? 2: I will need an adapter, which one is better? Micro Usb to Lightning or 30pin to Lightning? I dont like the size of the 30 pin to lighting, so is it ok to purchase a micro usb to lighting instead? Does this affect anything like charging time?
Thanks for answering, have a nice day

flotschi13 said:
Hello! Great review, I purchased it for 50 bucks on amazon 5 minutes ago because of the review. I am a noob, sorry in advance, I made this account to ask these two questions: 1: I just wanna use it for my iPhone 5, do i plug it in on the 1A or 2A? If both is ok, which one is better for the battery in the phone? 2: I will need an adapter, which one is better? Micro Usb to Lightning or 30pin to Lightning? I dont like the size of the 30 pin to lighting, so is it ok to purchase a micro usb to lighting instead? Does this affect anything like charging time?
Thanks for answering, have a nice day
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can use either 1A or 2A outputs. Your phone has a fixed charging speed and will not draw more current that it's limited to. So for example if iPhone can charger at a speed of 1A per hour and you connect it to an output that can supply 2A per hour - it will only draw at 1A per hour speed. BUT, if you have Note 2 which takes advantage of 2A per hour charging and you plug it into 1A port, it will be charging at half the speed.
Regarding cable, try to minimize number of connecting adapters. For example, you get a cable with 30pin connector and you can add 30pin to Lighting adapter to it, but with every connection you add resistance which going to affect total amount of current and can slow down the charging, etc. You want to have point-to-point cable. So I would recommend using USB to Lighting connector cable. Not micro-usb, but usb because charing ports on this external power supply are full size usb. Only the port to charge this battery is micro-usb because of a common connection with other charging cables.

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I wonder if you could try something for me.
Could you find out if the Anker will supply a phone/device while it is itself being charged? Also, whether it will keep supplying the phone/device without interruption when its own charging supply is connected and disconnected?
I want to use it like a mini-UPS for my phone while charging it from my bicycle dynamo, but for this, it needs to cope with a charging supply which stops and starts, while continuing to supply any connected devices.

I think I tried it before, and it didn't work. These external battery devices are not intended to work in pass-through mode. I think there are some other ones (I'm 100% sure if that was NewTrent), but the vendor will not guarantee the device under warranty because of an additional overheating and cut of the efficiency. This will really complicate the controller of such ext battery where it has to keep balance between charging and discharging of the same battery at the same time. I'm pretty sure Anker stuff will not allow that because they have smart current monitoring functionality built-in in order not to overcharge or over-drain the device.
But it would be an interesting experiment where you connect ext battery to the outlet and to the phone. I wonder if it starts charging battery first until it's full, and then switch to charging the phone

vectron said:
I think I tried it before, and it didn't work. These external battery devices are not intended to work in pass-through mode. I think there are some other ones (I'm 100% sure if that was NewTrent), but the vendor will not guarantee the device under warranty because of an additional overheating and cut of the efficiency. This will really complicate the controller of such ext battery where it has to keep balance between charging and discharging of the same battery at the same time. I'm pretty sure Anker stuff will not allow that because they have smart current monitoring functionality built-in in order not to overcharge or over-drain the device.
But it would be an interesting experiment where you connect ext battery to the outlet and to the phone. I wonder if it starts charging battery first until it's full, and then switch to charging the phone
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did just that yesterday, and it worked fine. Now, the anker would not actually increase its charge due to simpe physics: it charges with 1.5A from the wall, and my nexus 10 used 1.2A of those, and adding some inefficiencies on that it would likely mean that it would just hold a charge level in the anker battery, not increase it. But as soon as the tablet ramps its current draw down the anker would suck up any left over juice. This becomes even worse of course if you charge a phone at the same time.
One little note: The battery in this is not the most awesome (also the capacity measurement is a simple voltage-based instead of counting coulumbs). While charging with ~1A from the 1A port, when I added my nexus 10 to the 2A port the charge indicator actually went from 50% to 25%. When removing the tablet the LEDs indicated 50% charge again. This is due to voltage sag which is itself due to internal resistance of the batteries. Meaning: The faster you charge the more heat will be wasted in the batteries. So to really prolong the battery life you should actually charge slowly, at least as far as the Anker is concerned.

Thanks for the review, I will probably be getting one now.