Aftermarket chargers - Nexus 4 Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I have a question regarding chargers and the amps they put out.
While the stock wall charger is a 1amp charger, will a 2.1A charger damage the battery in my Nexus 4? I know 2.1 is usually for tablets, portable gaming systems, but does it damage our cell phone batteries, or just charge them faster?
thanks

mzeigler1 said:
I have a question regarding chargers and the amps they put out.
While the stock wall charger is a 1amp charger, will a 2.1A charger damage the battery in my Nexus 4? I know 2.1 is usually for tablets, portable gaming systems, but does it damage our cell phone batteries, or just charge them faster?
thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
2.1A just means it _can_ output a maximum of 2.1A
But the Phone itself will "decide" how much current it draws for charging.
So no need to worry, it will not damage the battery. But it will very likely also not charge it faster.
I myself also used different chargers including the higher amp one from the Nexus 7.

so
You saw no difference in charging time compared to the 1 amp charger?

mzeigler1 said:
You saw no difference in charging time compared to the 1 amp charger?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did not specifically think about it...I can test some other time right now my phone is fully charged.
But I guess the charger is adopted to the maximum charge current the phone can use.

I believe the phone can pull more than 1A if the charger is capable of delivering a higher amperage
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

Thanks for the help guys! It worked.

Related

[Q] Charging with a 2.1 amp charger?

Do you think it would be safe to charge the evo with a 2.1 amp car charger? I found one on ebay that says its made for the iPad but I would love a faster charge on my epic.
In general, the slower you charge the battery, the longer it will last. The effect is pretty significant.
I don't know if that much current is safe.
http://www.batteryuniversity.com/parttwo-34.htm
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
It's more complicated than that. Just because the charger is able to provide 2.1A doesn't mean the phone will actually draw that much current.
The charge control circuitry is built into the phone. You are just providing a +5V rail as the charging power source via a standard USB connection. There is no charge control inherent in USB itself.
Sent from Samsung Vibrant
It will only pull as much as it needs. I use higher amp output chargers and it's not a problem. It will charge faster, regardless of what you use, if you turn the phone off.
jnadke said:
In general, the slower you charge the battery, the longer it will last.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bingo.
Being an Aerospace Electrical Engineer I approve of this message.
jnadke said:
In general, the slower you charge the battery, the longer it will last. The effect is pretty significant.
I don't know if that much current is safe.
http://www.batteryuniversity.com/parttwo-34.htm
Sent from my SPH-D700 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this is true, but the effect is not that significant, coming from using lithium packs in rc helicopers and cars, the battery will likely be obsolete before you kill it and the batteries aren't that expensive.
kerms said:
Do you think it would be safe to charge the evo with a 2.1 amp car charger? I found one on ebay that says its made for the iPad but I would love a faster charge on my epic.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
do you have a link and is there a wall charger too? I run a remote desktop app and it destroys the battery, even with the 1 amp charger going the battery just gets lower and lower.
robl45 said:
do you have a link and is there a wall charger too? I run a remote desktop app and it destroys the battery, even with the 1 amp charger going the battery just gets lower and lower.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It could be due to the usb micro charging standards... Many chargers do not adhere to the standard, and this may cause some of the newer phones (droid X, galaxy S phones) not to charge at full power. Most older phones simply did not care, and would use all the amperage they could get their hands on.
Basically, if the D+ and D- pins of the USB cable are not shorted, then the device will draw minimal power from the +5v rail. It is probably drawing <500 mah, and could even be drawing as little as 100 mah from the charger.
Getting a proper 1A charger could fix this, but I'd like to test it out myself when I get the chance..
http://www.griffintechnology.com/products/powerduo-for-ipad
These work good. I use the ac one. Only thing is, like some have stated, even when charging when phone is on and using the phone, the battery will still go down. Maybe 2.2 will fix this or a patch.
I'm not going to debate fast vs slow charging. This isn't like debating what is the best charger for AA rechargeable nimh, fast or slow or charging method.

Using different charger

Hey guys, can I use a htc charger to charge the s2, I understand the output is different between s2 charger and htc charger, will it pose a problem to the battery?
no problem.
Some info:
A charger does not push a certain current either, the phone uses as much as it wants as long as it is same or less than the current rating on the charger.
And if the charger provides less than the phone wants, then the phone adapts to this as well.
Oki, if let's say the htc charger out is 1.0mah, and the samsung charger is 0.7mah, is it still alright to use the htc charger?
bryant_16 said:
Oki, if let's say the htc charger out is 1.0mah, and the samsung charger is 0.7mah, is it still alright to use the htc charger?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes you can just look under your battery once removed on your serial label
Erm.. what to look for?
I only see 3.7V and 1650mAh.
That's all.
bryant_16 said:
Oki, if let's say the htc charger out is 1.0mah, and the samsung charger is 0.7mah, is it still alright to use the htc charger?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No problem.
I'm charging my phone with the following chargers: 1.2A Nokia charger, 1A Nokia charger, 0.7A Samsung charger, 0.55A noname car charger, and some USB cables providing 0.5A.
And I also understand the electrical theory regarding this so this is ok both in practice and theory
tjtj4444 said:
No problem.
I'm charging my phone with the following chargers: 1.2A Nokia charger, 1A Nokia charger, 0.7A Samsung charger, 0.55A noname car charger, and some USB cables providing 0.5A.
And I also understand the electrical theory regarding this so this is ok both in practice and theory
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The higher the A rating, the faster the battery will charge, but this also will heat the battery more, reducing it's lifespan. Slower charges are annoying, but preferred for battery longevity.
Can I check what A rating is iphone charger? I'm planning to plug in microUsb to charge my s2 at work and leave the stock charger at home.
So want to check again, if 1A charger is suitable for S2?
Just to add on. When I'm charging my S2 using stock charger and playing grand prix story, the percentage of the battery actually decreased. Is it due to the 0.7A supplied by the stock charger?
bryant_16 said:
Can I check what A rating is iphone charger? I'm planning to plug in microUsb to charge my s2 at work and leave the stock charger at home.
So want to check again, if 1A charger is suitable for S2?
Just to add on. When I'm charging my S2 using stock charger and playing grand prix story, the percentage of the battery actually decreased. Is it due to the 0.7A supplied by the stock charger?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The phone only allows 650mA? or so into the battery, so anything above that is usually wasted. If you're playing graphically intensive or CPU intensive games most likely the charge rate can't match the drain rate, so slower charging or draining in your case.
S2 only allows 650mA? So even if I have a 1A charger, it won't be able to charge up fast too?
bryant_16 said:
S2 only allows 650mA? So even if I have a 1A charger, it won't be able to charge up fast too?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No it won't charge it faster.
Sent from my SK17i using xda premium
I use my gfs HTC charger, mines fine
You can use any charger but, from what I've heard, if the output is higher than what is recommended for your phone, the battery life will be reduced.
donalgodon said:
The higher the A rating, the faster the battery will charge, but this also will heat the battery more, reducing it's lifespan. Slower charges are annoying, but preferred for battery longevity.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is not quite true.
The voltage of mini USB type chargers should always be 5volts. The current rating (amps) varies depending on the charger. Using a charger to charge a device to with a current rating lower than the current rating of the charger will make no difference. However using a charger to charge a device that requires a higher charging current could result it the device taking a longer time to charge and may not fully charge at all.
So most chargers will be fine to charge your phone. However if the charger current rating (amperes) is too low, you may find that if your using your phone while charging you could find the the battery will charge very slowly or even discharge (more likely when using something like navigation app). Both circumstances will make no difference to the health of the battery.

About AC adapter and its amperage

Hi all,
Ok, so I finally managed to order a 16Gb Nexus 4 and hopefully it will be with me in 1 week or so.
And I was wondering one thing regarding the AC adapter: I believe (pls correct me if I am wrong) that the original AC adapter’s output voltage is DC 5V, 1.2A.
I will need an extra AC adapter to keep it at work and I was planning to use one of those:
- The Sony Xperia P AC adapter will output 5V, 1,5A
- The Samsung Galaxy S AC adapter will output 5V, 0,7A
It is clear that neither of those 2 chargers will match exactly the specifications of the original Nexus charger (same voltage, but different amperage).
So, here goes the questions:
1) Is there any problem if I use a charger that will output the same voltage but with different amperage?... if not, which one would you use and why?.
2) how the amperage affect to the charging process?.
Thanks all in advance
PS: sorry for terrible English
You can use any charger up to 2 amps.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Evergreen74 said:
Hi all,
Ok, so I finally managed to order a 16Gb Nexus 4 and hopefully it will be with me in 1 week or so.
And I was wondering one thing regarding the AC adapter: I believe (pls correct me if I am wrong) that the original AC adapter’s output voltage is DC 5V, 1.2A.
I will need an extra AC adapter to keep it at work and I was planning to use one of those:
- The Sony Xperia P AC adapter will output 5V, 1,5A
- The Samsung Galaxy S AC adapter will output 5V, 0,7A
It is clear that neither of those 2 chargers will match exactly the specifications of the original Nexus charger (same voltage, but different amperage).
So, here goes the questions:
1) Is there any problem if I use a charger that will output the same voltage but with different amperage?... if not, which one would you use and why?.
2) how the amperage affect to the charging process?.
Thanks all in advance
PS: sorry for terrible English
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You must use a 5V AC USB Adapter and better no LESS than 1A
for Fast Charge.
AC Adapter I Use:
iPad AC Adapter 5V 2.1A at Work
PlayBook AC Adapter 5V 1.8A at Home 1
Original Nexus 4 AC 5V 1.2A at Home 2.
Our Nexus 4 will Draw around 0.8A when Batt lever at 0% - 80%,
then around 0.5A at 80%-95%, Final State 95%-100% will draw 0.2A roughly.
When 100%, Nexus 4 will use the AC power & the Current "A" show on phone
will like 2mA (0.002A) when idling.
** 1A = 1000mA
As previous poster said, do not go under 1.2amp.
I run the OEM charger in my bed room, a USB charger to my computer, and a 2.1amp charger in the car.
Sfkn2 said:
As previous poster said, do not go under 1.2amp.
I run the OEM charger in my bed room, a USB charger to my computer, and a 2.1amp charger in the car.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why do you say not to go under 1.2A? Charging from a laptop is at .5A. I've been using a 1A charger since day one. Haven't experienced any issues with it.
Charging at a lower amperage shouldn't hurt anything, just charge slower. All you have to do is make sure it's a 5V charger. Amperage shouldn't matter but a lower amp charger will charge slower. As for a higher amp charger, the phone will only draw the amount of power it needs to charge so using 2A charger won't hurt anything either.
Also 2mA is 0.002A not 0.02 A
wilsonlam97 said:
You can use any charger up to 2 amps.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Since the charger doesn't actually regulate the charging itself (the phone does this) it doesn't matter how many amps it can supply, could be 100 amps, no worries. As long as it is 5V, the phone will draw as many amps as it needs.
Since the supplied charger is 1.2A rated, it's fair to assume that the phone will never actually try to draw any more than that, so there will be no benefit in going higher.
Going for a lower current charger will likely extend the charge time.
I use a 2.1 amp daily without any issues.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
Wow guys!!... thanks all for your answers!!
So, if I understood correctly, the amperage will only affect to the charging time, meaning that by using the Xperia P AC adapter (1,5A) the battery will be charged faster that using the Galaxy S one (0,7A)... right?
Pls allow one last question: a few yeard ago, I think I read in some forums that a slower charging process could help to keep the batteries in the best conditions for a longer time... is this still true with modern batteries??
Again, THANKS all for your help!!
Evergreen74 said:
Wow guys!!... thanks all for your answers!!
So, if I understood correctly, the amperage will only affect to the charging time, meaning that by using the Xperia P AC adapter (1,5A) the battery will be charged faster that using the Galaxy S one (0,7A)... right?
Pls allow one last question: a few yeard ago, I think I read in some forums that a slower charging process could help to keep the batteries in the best conditions for a longer time... is this still true with modern batteries??
Again, THANKS all for your help!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, the .7A charger will take a little longer to charge you phone.
On the other answer, I think NO but I'm not as familiar with LiPo batteries. I would venture to say that .7A vs 1.2A (max the phone will draw but I think someone above mentioned it's even less than that when the battery is very low) is not going to make a bit of difference in your battery life.
One thing I do know about LiPo's is you do not trickle charge them. So while plugged in it will charge at the rates mentioned above until full and then it QUITS charging all together. Once the phone discharges the battery to a certain level, it will charge it back up again. Probably at 98-99%.
There may be one other thing to consider when selecting a third party charger. In the Nexus 7, the device looks for pins 2 & 3 (data) of the USB plug to be shorted in order for it to draw full current. If this pins are open (or have a load across them as is the case with iPhone/iPad chargers), the Nexus 7 will assume it is plugged into a computer and limit its draw to 500MA.
Not certain the Nexus 4 behaves the same way but would assume so.
setzer715 said:
Yes, the .7A charger will take a little longer to charge you phone.
On the other answer, I think NO but I'm not as familiar with LiPo batteries. I would venture to say that .7A vs 1.2A (max the phone will draw but I think someone above mentioned it's even less than that when the battery is very low) is not going to make a bit of difference in your battery life.
One thing I do know about LiPo's is you do not trickle charge them. So while plugged in it will charge at the rates mentioned above until full and then it QUITS charging all together. Once the phone discharges the battery to a certain level, it will charge it back up again. Probably at 98-99%.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
setzer715, thanks for the answer... I think I will be using the Xperia P charger at work...
Thanks all for your help!!
I want to make this case clear. According to my Charging log,
Here is some key point.
Nexus 4 Max Draw Rate at Fast Charge Mode is around 800-900mA,
even you use a Charger that rated at 1A (iPhone Tofu), 1.2A (Original),
1.8A (Playbook), 2.1A (iPad).
Fast Charge Mode must be with Charging Cable with 2&3 pin Shorted,
or the charger itself have the 2&3 pin already shorted.
Therefore, 1A is a Sweet spot for getting Charger & Charging Time for
Li-Po/Li-Ion/Ni-MH Batt charging.
If you use under 1A Charger, eg 700mA or 500mA, it will take much longer
to charge the batt but no harm as well. Just too slow only.
The stock charger that came with my phone sucks, I use one from my epic 4g touch (gs2)and it charges much better
DEVICE: Nexus 4
KERNEL: Franco r95
ROM: PROJECT Extinct Life Event
jlear3 said:
The stock charger that came with my phone sucks,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Why you say so...? What's wrong with it...?
Talon88 said:
Why you say so...? What's wrong with it...?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Left a phone on a charger all night with a long (10ft) cable and it couldn't even charge the phone over night. I know a 10ft cable will slow things down but my gs2 plug has no problem charging my phone. Search around and you'll find a few fail stories about the stock LG charger.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2

S4 comes with 2A charger while S3 with 1A charger, can I interchange?

Hello,
Just noticed that S4 comes with 2A charger while S3 come with 1A charger. I have place where I charge a bunch of different devices in the house which has micro-USB port and all of them are using 1A. I'm wondering what repricussions I can have if I add 2A charger to the mix and will charge old devices with 2A charger and vice a versa charge S4 with 1A?
artisticcheese said:
Hello,
Just noticed that S4 comes with 2A charger while S3 come with 1A charger. I have place where I charge a bunch of different devices in the house which has micro-USB port and all of them are using 1A. I'm wondering what repricussions I can have if I add 2A charger to the mix and will charge old devices with 2A charger and vice a versa charge S4 with 1A?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It will be fine, I charge all my devices from my ipad 3 10W/2A @5V wall charger. Bringing one charger while travelling reduces the clutter I have to pack.
Basically if your devices are working properly, they will only pull the power they need to charge. The S4's 2A charger is capable of supplying up to 2A's but is fine supplying less if the device your charging uses less.
The actuall charging circuitry that controls the battery charging is in the phone or device, not the wall unit. The wall unit is simply the power supply.
As acruxksa mentioned, you'll be fine since the device is in control of how much power it pulls from the charger (as long as it is working properly, that is). The only thing that you may notice is when you are charging the Galaxy S4 with the older 1.0A charger it may charge slower.
Have a great day.
krsskenn said:
As acruxksa mentioned, you'll be fine since the device is in control of how much power it pulls from the charger (as long as it is working properly, that is). The only thing that you may notice is when you are charging the Galaxy S4 with the older 1.0A charger it may charge slower.
Have a great day.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
And if in doubt, look at it this way; the phones will charge off a USB port on a computer - this is 500ma (0.5A) - so as long as your device will charge off a usb port, it will charge off a wall charger that supplies at least that much amperage. New iPads will not charge off USB ports, but it doesn't hurt them to plug them in.
Charging time
artisticcheese said:
Hello,
Just noticed that S4 comes with 2A charger while S3 come with 1A charger. I have place where I charge a bunch of different devices in the house which has micro-USB port and all of them are using 1A. I'm wondering what repricussions I can have if I add 2A charger to the mix and will charge old devices with 2A charger and vice a versa charge S4 with 1A?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes it does but as the previous reply said it takes longer.
I used the old s3 cable at the office charging s4 but it takes long time to get the battery % up. It usually takes my s4 from 1% to 100% within an hour and half time but with the s3 cable it takes good 3 -4 hour or so.
I wouldn't take the s3 cable for travelling though. it will take too long for me to charge in coffee shops and what not when I am moving around the destinations.
So far, I am very impressed with the charging time of S4.. Love the device.
acruxksa said:
It will be fine, I charge all my devices from my ipad 3 10W/2A @5V wall charger. Bringing one charger while travelling reduces the clutter I have to pack.
Basically if your devices are working properly, they will only pull the power they need to charge. The S4's 2A charger is capable of supplying up to 2A's but is fine supplying less if the device your charging uses less.
The actuall charging circuitry that controls the battery charging is in the phone or device, not the wall unit. The wall unit is simply the power supply.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't understand why all current control is on device itself why not manufacturers just suppl 3A chargers for all the phones since it can be used for any device out there.
alphadog00 said:
And if in doubt, look at it this way; the phones will charge off a USB port on a computer - this is 500ma (0.5A) - so as long as your device will charge off a usb port, it will charge off a wall charger that supplies at least that much amperage. New iPads will not charge off USB ports, but it doesn't hurt them to plug them in.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's how I rationalized using my One S chargers
---------- Post added at 08:52 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:43 PM ----------
artisticcheese said:
I don't understand why all current control is on device itself why not manufacturers just suppl 3A chargers for all the phones since it can be used for any device out there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good question. Maybe because the higher amp batteries have not been out that long compared to all the years smartphones have been sold. They may start making 3A only. Also, companies may sell less chargers if one size fits all. No need to buy a new one when you change phones.
I do know when I charge the S4 with my One S charger it does take longer, as mentioned, and very slow off USB. The One S charger end also gets somewhat warm charging the S4. The S4 charger does not. That would lead me to believe it is pulling a little more current than charger was designed for. But, probably not an issue. USB does not get warm. But, is a good quality one and heavily shielded.
artisticcheese said:
I don't understand why all current control is on device itself why not manufacturers just suppl 3A chargers for all the phones since it can be used for any device out there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In case someone buys a 10amp cheap charger and ends up frying the phone. Thus Samsung protects it self from dummy users and from million dead phones warranty swaps.
I'm using a USB car charger that puts out 2.1amps and its super fast. USB 2.0 on my laptop takes a while to charge it. Some times I use iPhone charger with Nokia cable or with WD hard drive USB wire. They all work just fine but charge at different rate.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using xda app-developers app
artisticcheese said:
I don't understand why all current control is on device itself why not manufacturers just suppl 3A chargers for all the phones since it can be used for any device out there.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The bigger the charger, more expensive it is. Manufacturers want to save money.
Wow. Way to necro this thread...
Necro--
Damn, thank goodness for Urban Dictionaries for OLD farts--
Had to look that one up
so if i will charge my S3 with a 2A charger i wont see any major change from the 1A, correct? I have the Boeffala kernel and at the AC charge is set to 1,1A so if i have a 2A charger i guess it should charge faster.
The phone will only draw the maximum it can. The 2A charger will charge it at the same speed as the 1A charger.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Red_81 said:
The phone will only draw the maximum it can. The 2A charger will charge it at the same speed as the 1A charger.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Maybe it is a placebo effect, but when I charge my S3 with my S4's charger it does seem faster. Quite a few of my coworkers that have used my S4 charger at work also thought it charged faster.
Either way I have charged my S3 with it very often with no I'll effects, so OP you should be safe to do so.
Sent From My Spiderman,Ironman,Red,Dark Blue,Green, GreyedOut BadAss Themed I337
Install battery monitor widget and you will be able to see how much it's pulling on each charger
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

[Q] Charger.

Hello.
I lost my Nexus 4's charger, Is it okay for the battery to charge it (for a whole night) with iPhone 6's adapter?
Wassupdog said:
Hello.
I lost my Nexus 4's charger, Is it okay for the battery to charge it (for a whole night) with iPhone 6's adapter?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If the voltage difference is not high u can charge
slogger001 said:
If the voltage difference is not high u can charge
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nexus 4's (from Google):
The input voltage range between the wall outlet and this travel adapter is AC 100V– 240V, and the travel adapter’s output voltage is DC 5V, 1.2A.
And I have another charger that says 5V2A, is it too much or can I charge with it?
How can I know what is the voltage of the iPhone's charger?
Thanks .
Wassupdog said:
Nexus 4's (from Google):
The input voltage range between the wall outlet and this travel adapter is AC 100V– 240V, and the travel adapter’s output voltage is DC 5V, 1.2A.
And I have another charger that says 5V2A, is it too much or can I charge with it?
How can I know what is the voltage of the iPhone's charger?
Thanks .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's 5V. Anything USB will be 5V. Don't worry about too much amperage. The phone's internal circuitry will limit/regulate how much juice actually reaches the battery. I use a 2A charger on my Nexus 4 all the time.
Planterz said:
It's 5V. Anything USB will be 5V. Don't worry about too much amperage. The phone's internal circuitry will limit/regulate how much juice actually reaches the battery. I use a 2A charger on my Nexus 4 all the time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks .
So if I will charger my Nexus with the iPhone charger and it is 2A it won't charger my phone faster?
The phone will allow only 1.2A?
Wassupdog said:
Thanks .
So if I will charger my Nexus with the iPhone charger and it is 2A it won't charger my phone faster?
The phone will allow only 1.2A?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It might charge faster. I honestly don't know, nor do I know what the max amperage/speed the Nexus 4 charges with. Heck, I don't even know what the stock Nexus 4 charger was, since I got my N4 second-hand. Come to think of it, I should do some tests, just for future reference. I think I only have .7A, 1.8A, and 2A chargers though (the latter 2 being for tablets).

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