Anybody come across a car charger that is high current like the HTC wall charger?
Most car chargers are classified as "rapid".
Anything designed to charge an iPad (2.1A versus the typical 1A) will give you plenty of juice. I use the Scosche reVIVE II with Pandora, Bluetooth, and GPS Navigation all on and still have enough power to positively charge my battery.
Fair warning, though, this will cause the phone to get real hot (I've had the overheating warning lights flash twice so far), so make sure you have plenty of ventilation around the phone, keep it out of the sun, etc etc.
Any charger that is at least 1 amp. will do. The phone 'pulls' a max of around 0.85 amps. No need for more then 1 amp.
If it has a replaceable cable, it must be the heaviest gauge, shortest cable, that you can use. I have seen long cheap thin cables that drop over a volt, and the Thunderbolt charges really slowly.
The charger or cable have to state that they for rapid charging. To rapid charge, you need to have the USB D- and D+ lines shorted. If that are not shorted, the Thunderbolt limits the charge current to around 0.35 amps. thinking it is connected to a PC. If they are shorted, letting the Thunderbolt know it can be rapid charged, you get up there around 0.85. You can easily modify the charger for high rate if it is good for at least an amp.
And in the end is heat. Heat and lots of it. It will damage the battery. So put it out of the sun and in cool air like near a vent.
Motorola Rapid Charger on Amazon is the best. I bought two.
http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-Vehi...Q9CA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1309959388&sr=8-1
Review off Amazon
Genuine Motorola charger in retail packaging. 4.75-5.25V 950mA output, works w/ most micro-USB phones like Incredible, etc., June 11, 2010
By
David Pearlman "sound fanatic" (Arlington, MA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER) (VINE VOICE) (REAL NAME)
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
There are so many sketchy sellers selling phone chargers out there, that it can be a bit scary. The problem is that if the charger is poorly made, the output of the charger can be out of spec and can, in some cases, fry the phone you connect to it.
For that reason, when it comes to phone chargers, you should stick to name brands. (They are all made in China, but the name brand ones are usually subject to stricter QA).
When I found this charger on Amazon, SOLD BY AMAZON, I jumped on it. It's a MICRO USB car charger, made for Motorola and sold under the Motorola name, in retail packaging. The rated output is 4.75-5.25V and 950mA.
This charger should work fine with most any phone that uses the MICRO USB connector. The key number to pay attention to is the second one, the rated amperage. This is the MAXIMUM amount of current that the phone can request from the charger. A typical USB port on a PC provides as little as 100mA, and few provide more than 500mA. So this charger should charge your phone faster than when it's connected to a PC. A few phones out now can use up to 1000mA. But that just means they CAN use that amount. If 950mA is provided, they'll still charge, just a bit more slowly.
Note that the amperage (second number) merely tells you how much the charger CAN supply, if requested. The phone itself is responsible for asking for the current. That is to say, if this charger can provide 950mA, but your phone can only use 300mA--no problem. Your phone asks for 300mA and the charger provides all of what is requested. If, on the other hand, your phone can use 1000mA, this charger will provide all it can, which is 950mA--a wee bit less than the max asked for. That's also not a problem; it just means your phone will charge a little bit (not much in this case) more slowly. The rated voltage for this charger is presented in a range of 4.75-5.25V. The "ideal" voltage for a USB charger of any type if 5V. And most chargers for home use are rated right at 5V. But car chargers work in a noisier environment and thus you have the range. This is where a cheapo charger can really do damage, as some of them are poorly regulated and can provide voltages that are WAY out of spec. Again, when you can get a name brand charger from a seller you can trust (Amazon) for such a reasonable price, it's very foolish to consider the cheapo no-names.
This is an excellent quality name brand travel micro USB charger at a price that beats the no-name junk from third party sellers. What's not to like?
BE SURE TO ORDER IT FROM AMAZON AND NOT ONE OF THE THIRD PARTY SELLERS, as some of those have been known to make mistakes with respect to what they ship relative to the listing. I can confirm that Amazon is shipping the P513 /89143N charger, as pictured.
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ddgarcia05 said:
Motorola Rapid Charger on Amazon is the best. I bought two.
http://www.amazon.com/Motorola-Vehi...Q9CA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1309959388&sr=8-1
Review off Amazon
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I've been contemplating buying this one, but I'd like to ask you if it charges your battery with navigation+music going? I have a usb charger in my truck, and with both of those going it just manages to keep my battery level where its at, sometimes losing a % or two.
kr0n1c said:
I've been contemplating buying this one, but I'd like to ask you if it charges your battery with navigation+music going? I have a usb charger in my truck, and with both of those going it just manages to keep my battery level where its at, sometimes losing a % or two.
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From what I've read in the past here on XDA and on the reviews for the charger (on amazon) you shouldn't have a problem. The second review for the charger on amazon states that the reviewer was looking for a charger which actually charged his phone will using GPS and that he found it. It's a very well built charger and cheap. It's made my Motorola and sold by Amazon so buy with confidence.
kr0n1c said:
I've been contemplating buying this one, but I'd like to ask you if it charges your battery with navigation+music going? I have a usb charger in my truck, and with both of those going it just manages to keep my battery level where its at, sometimes losing a % or two.
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It does indeed charge. I've had it since my original Droid and was concerned when I updated to the TB but it will charge the TB no matter what you're doing (I've had Nav running while on a phone call with BT and searching the internet and it still showed it was charging). Just be prepared for your phone to get HOT!! Great charger.
worwig said:
Any charger that is at least 1 amp. will do. The phone 'pulls' a max of around 0.85 amps. No need for more then 1 amp.
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Actually, the phone will pull more than 850 mA. You're probably basing that on using a battery monitor, which only shows the flow of current into/out of the battery. I've seen 800 mA into the battery at the same time I have display, GPS and a phone call going, which is definitely more than an additional 50 mA. It wouldn't surprise me if the phone can take advantage of something more than 1A, since I see a battery drain of more than 200 mA with all of that going when not on the charger.
kr0n1c said:
I've been contemplating buying this one, but I'd like to ask you if it charges your battery with navigation+music going? I have a usb charger in my truck, and with both of those going it just manages to keep my battery level where its at, sometimes losing a % or two.
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I have that Motorola charger and am a heavy GPS user. It charges the battery as if it were plugged into the wall. You'll be very satisfied.
mike.s said:
Actually, the phone will pull more than 850 mA. You're probably basing that on using a battery monitor, which only shows the flow of current into/out of the battery. I've seen 800 mA into the battery at the same time I have display, GPS and a phone call going, which is definitely more than an additional 50 mA. It wouldn't surprise me if the phone can take advantage of something more than 1A, since I see a battery drain of more than 200 mA with all of that going when not on the charger.
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No, that was measured at the 5 volt power supply, based upon a lab power supply. I did a lot of experimenting when I developed the charger and phone mount for my motorcycle. And to get the 850ma from the power supply, I used a very short, maybe 8 inch, USB cable, and a charge voltage close to 5.3 volts. With 5 volts at the power supply, it would only pull about 650ma from the power supply. That was due to the voltage drop in the USB cable. With the 5.3 volts at the power supply, I was getting close to an actual 5 volts at the Thunderbolt. I never measured the current at the battery, but I could see it being a bit more then the 850ma in, if there were a switch mode supply in there.
Though I like the Battery Monitor widget as a rough guide, I never tested to see if the battery current and the battery monitor are accurate.
Does anyone know if the included HTC ac adapter and cable will charge faster than using your pc with the included USB cable?
happimeal said:
Does anyone know if the included HTC ac adapter and cable will charge faster than using your pc with the included USB cable?
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Absolutely.
A PC USB port is limited to under 500ma. The Thunderbolt appears to to limit PC USB draw to about 350ma. I haven't measured the actual current in the HTC charger, but it is a high current charger, and charges my Thunderbolt very quickly. Battery Monitor widget shows high battery charge rates. I suspect it is getting near the max rate up near 1 amp.
worwig said:
Absolutely.
A PC USB port is limited to under 500ma. The Thunderbolt appears to to limit PC USB draw to about 350ma. I haven't measured the actual current in the HTC charger, but it is a high current charger, and charges my Thunderbolt very quickly. Battery Monitor widget shows high battery charge rates. I suspect it is getting near the max rate up near 1 amp.
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HTC charger states 5V/1A on the charger itself.
You can use the Palm car charger for $3.75+tax, free shipping. it is 5V/1A, same rating as the HTC wall charger.
Go here for 25% off
http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-ph...otion/accessories.jsp?source=EC0A0011600jtl10
Add product here, must add to cart to see 25% discount.
http://www.wireless.att.com/cell-ph...027&q_sku=sku4720234&q_manufacturer=&q_model=
Also, if so inclined, you can lop the top off of the charger so that you can use any usb cable (ipod, iphone, anything)
dpham00 said:
HTC charger states 5V/1A on the charger itself.
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That doesn't mean much. That is the MAX the charger can output. The amount that the Thunderbolt will pull varies. If it thinks it is plugged into a USB, it will be less then 500ma. even if the charger is capable of 10 amps.
worwig said:
That doesn't mean much. That is the MAX the charger can output. The amount that the Thunderbolt will pull varies. If it thinks it is plugged into a USB, it will be less then 500ma. even if the charger is capable of 10 amps.
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i have used the Palm car charger, checking with bmw, it shows around 850ma, same as on my htc charger.
worwig said:
Any charger that is at least 1 amp. will do. The phone 'pulls' a max of around 0.85 amps. No need for more then 1 amp.
If it has a replaceable cable, it must be the heaviest gauge, shortest cable, that you can use. I have seen long cheap thin cables that drop over a volt, and the Thunderbolt charges really slowly.
The charger or cable have to state that they for rapid charging. To rapid charge, you need to have the USB D- and D+ lines shorted. If that are not shorted, the Thunderbolt limits the charge current to around 0.35 amps. thinking it is connected to a PC. If they are shorted, letting the Thunderbolt know it can be rapid charged, you get up there around 0.85. You can easily modify the charger for high rate if it is good for at least an amp.
And in the end is heat. Heat and lots of it. It will damage the battery. So put it out of the sun and in cool air like near a vent.
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um, i am aware that any charger that will do 1A will do. that was my question, what car charger will do 1A. Alot of times, they dont have that info listed on pages that are selling them.
and the whole thing about the D- and D+ shorted together, i do not believe. the HTC cable that came with the phone does rapid charging and i use it for data all the time too. if they D- and D+ was shorted, i would not be able to use it for data transfer. not unless the HTC charger shorts them internally inside the charger.
leoingle said:
unless the HTC charger shorts them internally inside the charger.
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Bingo!!
leoingle said:
um, i am aware that any charger that will do 1A will do. that was my question, what car charger will do 1A. Alot of times, they dont have that info listed on pages that are selling them.
and the whole thing about the D- and D+ shorted together, i do not believe. the HTC cable that came with the phone does rapid charging and i use it for data all the time too. if they D- and D+ was shorted, i would not be able to use it for data transfer. not unless the HTC charger shorts them internally inside the charger.
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Yes, it is hard to find the current info online or even on the package sometimes.
Yes, it is shorted in the charger. I have seen it done in the cable and the cable can't be used for data of course. Not sure why anyone would do that, but they do.
is there any potential damage to my GS2?
the touchpad charger is rated at 2A max output and it charges the phone FAST.
around 5% in 10 minutes. so full charge in 3 hr and 15 minutes.
I have been using this for a few weeks now. No apparent issues, however could i be frying the battery?
I don't know the Amps of the OEM charger cuz my phone didn't come with one 9
(eBay) I'll assume its around 550 mAh-650 mAh.
I was using an Apple iPhone 4 charger (1A) before on my Nexus S as it was faster than the oem as well.
I picked up the HP chargers at Staples on clearance (obviously) for like $8.
I use the same time charger, and I see no negative effects. Your better off using it rather than some ebay knockoff.
Sent from my SGH-T989 using xda premium
3hrs 15 minutes means it is charging the phone at a rate of approximately 600ma/hr (1875mah battery /600 mah charge rate = 3.13 hrs) which is exactly as it should be. Phone will not charge at more than 600-700mah no matter what the charger outputs so you have "power to spare" (but not power to use). So it is perfecly fine. You could use a 100AMP charger if you wanted since the phone will only "take" what it was designed to take. Charge rate is current limited by the chipset in the phone + the kernel for protection. If it were using the full 2amps it would fully charge from ZERO to FULL in around 50 minutes then probably explode.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0M-ZX2DBxY
so how does that explain the OEM chargers being so ridiculously slow?
are they not in the 500-600 mAh range? when i first got my phone the battery was dead drained. too more than 8 hrs to get full. this was with my Nexus S charger.
I'm not saying the phone is drawing a full 2A of current, but im sure the higher rating doesn't hurt. realistically that's the MAX peak this charger can pump out. Real world, usage, it probably barely breaks 1A on any given day.
on a related note, i KNOW USB cable quality and length play a big role in charging speed.
using an extension USB cable, or cheap one, can easily DOUBLE the charging time.
madman604 said:
so how does that explain the OEM chargers being so ridiculously slow?
are they not in the 500-600 mAh range? when i first got my phone the battery was dead drained. too more than 8 hrs to get full. this was with my Nexus S charger.
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Good question. The output rating of a charger is rated when it is NOT UNDER LOAD. When you put it under load output drops. A 2amp (2000mah) charger under load will drop as well but maybe to 1500 or even 1000mills. The 1000mills is still above the max charge rate of the device and will of course charge it faster than the 500mill charger when it drops to maybe 400mills.
If it took 8hrs either the charger was defective (low output) or way over rated or something else was at play. Also manufacturers will want to charge as slow as possible to avoid overheating or even fires or explosions.
I have a 120amp 12vdc power supply that I used to use for a 300 watt ham radio amplifier which is hooked up to a multiple cig lighter adapter socket which I use to charge my various multiple devices (iPad 2, 2 cellphones and a couple BT earpieces). I use 3 Scoche 2.5amp output USB cig adapters and the most the phone draws is around 600mah (again, not accurate but reference).
The only way to test is to put a meter across it while charging and see how much current is being pulled. The ATT Galaxy S2 was tested that way and was pulling less than 650mills with a high output rated charger.
Just wondering because I don't want to mess up my battery but would rather not have to buy another car charger if I don't have to.
fatmando2 said:
Just wondering because I don't want to mess up my battery but would rather not have to buy another car charger if I don't have to.
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I would use it personally, but hopefully someone in the know can give a better answer.
I would compare the amp against the charger.
if it's less which most car chargers are, than you are ok..
only prob. you'd have is if a charger was putting out too much amp and toast the battery.
my 2 cents
take with grain of salt.
I believe it's actually the other way around. You can use a more powerful charger on a device that requires less, because the device will only draw the power it needs.
However don't use a charger that doesn't have enough power to charge the device, as the device could draw more power than the charger can provide and you risk catching the charger on fire.
This is how MacBook chargers work anyway. For example you can use an 85 watt charger to charge a 45 watt MacBook but you should not use a 45 watt charger to charge an 85 watt MacBook. (I have a few MacBooks that's why I used that reference).
I would assume cell phone chargers are the same concept.
Sent from my HTC One.
josh995 said:
I believe it's actually the other way around. You can use a more powerful charger on a device that requires less, because the device will only draw the power it needs.
However don't use a charger that doesn't have enough power to charge the device, as the device could draw more power than the charger can provide and you risk catching the charger on fire.
This is how MacBook chargers work anyway. For example you can use an 85 watt charger to charge a 45 watt MacBook but you should not use a 45 watt charger to charge an 85 watt MacBook. (I have a few MacBooks that's why I used that reference).
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Yep. A device will only pull the current that it needs, so high-powered PSUs on low-current devices is fine and dandy. The only difference in electrical output that would fry the phone would be voltage, but since all USB chargers "are supposed to" put out 5VDC, you're safe.
As for using chargers with less than sufficient current, I can only speak to my experience. Personally, I've never had an issue charging any of my more beefy devices (Nexus 7, Galaxy Nexus, or HTC One) off of an old 500ma charger that came with my Galaxy S (or a car charger with that same output, for that matter). The devices just charge slower. The PSU gets noticeably warm, but I'd never say it got hot to the point where the threat of combustion was even remotely possible. And as for the comparison to the MacBook charger, you're talking a difference of 40 watts, whereas these little USB chargers have a difference of maybe 2.5 watts (from the 500ma to 1A models). Not a lot of power there, really.
That said, if I were to buy a new one, I'd definitely get a charger that has the output spec to match or exceed the device's OEM charger.
I have been using the Moto charger (both USB and car, borrowed from previous Razr Maxx) and they both work great. No issues.
Your phone will regulate the power so you will have nothing to worry about with almost any charger. I plug my phone into my tablets charger all the time which is 2.1a and have never had a problem. My HTC DNA was the only one that had an issue, it would say it's not the proper charger and it's enabling slow charging. Long story short, you should have no issues
hi. the battery charger that i got with my LG optimu G Pro is ****. its just now that i checked that i have been deceived
its chinese copy and its only 0.2A charger...
now i know the reason why my phone charges soooo slow...
anyways. i think Note 3 and iPad air charger are 2A and 2.4A. so can i use iPad or Note 3 charger to charge my phone? will that be ok?
any one here using that?
thanks
Use OEM LG charger with 1.2 output. I am using LG G2 OEM charger and it charges very fast! But not sure it's compatible completely
Sent from my LG E988
If youre tech savy you can make your own,you just need a switchmode 5v regulator (they usually put out up to 3 amps) and you put a resistor across the data pins (i think 100 ohm) and itll charge the phone as fast as it can safely charge. I made my own charger for the car and the phone gets fully charged in about an hour and a half. (With screen on and playing Bluetooth music). Other wise if you buy a charger, get as many amps as you can. Atleast 1.5+ . and to make the phone charge in AC mode if it only says USB you need a resistor across the data pins.
Thats funny... my G Pro came with a 1.8a LG charger, my G2 came with a 1.2a.
Yeah you'll be fine. The "extra" amperage in the charger is available capacity that your phone can draw from, it will regulate itself but that can also depend on the charger and how they pin the USB. Its different than if you have extra volts (like a 10vdc charger which would provide too high of a voltage and damage electronics). I usually charge all my phones at when I get home with my wife's iPad charger super fast. Likewise you can use your LG charger to charge the iPad but will be slower since it has less amp capacity to supply. Part of the reason they provide the bigger charger is to sustain battery level while using the device (It should be large enough that the battery doesn't drain while your using the device while plugged into the charger).
Most computer USB ports typically provide .5a of power and will be your slowest charging option, at best you get a newer laptop with "high capacity" ports and it provides only 1.0a.
I've been using an iPad 1st gen charger with GPro since day one, been working flawlessly for 4 months now. Charges fast.