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Accessory outlet, charging a cell phone…..fail

LessPaul

LessPaul

Street Cruiser
Okay…I’m a bit confused.  I have a typical acc outlet on my ’86. Runs everything I plug into it just fine…compressor, spotlight, etc. I have a handlebar mount for my cell phone for nav and plug the phone in while traveling.

So I just went on a weekend camping trip and couldn’t hold a charge on my phone.  I had it constantly plugged in to the outlet, but the phone just drained…and pretty quickly. Back at the campsite, I plugged into a 110v outlet and it took foreeeeeeeeever to build the charge back up. Had it plugged in for 4 hours and got a 30% charge. At home, it’d be 100% in a couple hours.  I was using a standard USB cable and a 110v to USB plug converter.  I had several adapters and tried everything I had. Slooooooow charge and rapid discharge.

I turned the phone totally off one night with 17% charge on it.  Next morning I was down to 3%. It was “OFF-off.”

Then when I get home, I use the wall charger that came with the phone and it charged right up to 100% in short order. Today, the phone charge is hanging in there just fine.

I’m really not understanding the forces at work here. A lil’ help?
 
You have to be using 2 different chargers, correct?  One for the ACC plug on the bike, and a different one for the 110VAC on the wall?  If your phone has built-in tech like my Driod with the "turbo charge", I'm wondering if the charger you're attempting to use on the bike might be faulty, or just too low output to keep you charging while you are also discharging.
 
Yep, 2 different chargers, depending on the app.  And a couple of different adapters for each situation. None seemed to do the job. Just not getting why the bike charging system couldn’t keep up, and why the 110v charging system barely moved the needle, even with the phone turned completely off.  Then when I get home, the stock wall charger worked as it usually does (great). I was using aftermarket adapters in both cases.
 
Down load this App "Ampere" and then start testing you are going to be amazed at the difference between chargers and cords.
 
on the wall charger that works - check what the output amps says.  .5/1/2.1 at output volts (typically 5vdc)

if it says 2+ amps then you have a phone that requires higher charge rate to get charged more quickly and more completely.

if the accessory charger is .5 amp then you will have a very slow charge occur - and in my limited experience a more significantly discharged battery may not properly charge.

the lower rated chargers seem to be able to maintain a relatively full charge on a battery - just cannot pull it up out of the gutter.

and unless you can remove the battery from the phone then it is never really completely off (iPhone comes to mind)

Cal
 
I've run into the same thing. I have several chargers for old phones, along with two Motorola dual output chargers, that simply will not charge my Droid Turbo. The pbone displays being charged, but it will not charge. I suspect there is a slight difference I'm the actual output voltage, even though they all may say 5V.
When charging a battery, a very small change in voltage can make a large difference in charge current.
Jorge
 
I think phones adjust their power output depending on how strong their signal is.  Mine seem to run down faster as the cell towers get further apart.
Some chargers output volts may be lower when the input (110-120 VAC) voltage is lower.
I have a 2x12V power outlet splitter in my car and I can't understand why it and the chargers get hot while they are plugged in.  It should be using a half amp of 12V for every amp of 5 volt, so why the heat?
 
Sorry for kinda walking away from this thread...got busy.

Anyway, I tested (with Ampere) all the cables, plugs and chargers I have on various power sources.

The cables (where interchangeable) didn't seem to affect the readings.

The stock AC charger that came with the phone produced the highest values in a 110v wall socket (600-750mA). Tied with that was the onboard USB charger in my new Silverado.

Using the ACC port on the Connie, the USB converters delivered in the 350mA area. None were better or worse than any other. That's about the same reading I get from going USB from my desktop computer.

Now, all that said, I discovered my pos battery connection was loose during the trip. Probably tight enough to run the bike, but the ACC outlet wire was pretty loose....perhaps the reason it couldn't keep up while riding.

But that doesn't explain why the 110v power outlets at the campground couldn't charge the phone at more than a snail's pace.

I think this is only partly solved.....still not sure exactly what's going on.  FYI.....

 
LessPaul said:
But that doesn't explain why the 110v power outlets at the campground couldn't charge the phone at more than a snail's pace.

I think this is only partly solved.....still not sure exactly what's going on.  FYI.....
Click to expand...

My guess would be suspect wiring at that campground putting out low voltage.
 
'Cept I got the same results when I tried charging at a couple restaurants, the campground restroom, and on the ferry over Lake Michigan.....
 
Let me tell you about my recent cell charging failure on my trip to Death Valley.  I have an accessory 12v socket in the fairing panel that wires up to the accessory leads.  Evidently the last time I was working on the bike I hooked up the wires backwards to the socket.  I was stopped and waiting so I decided to charge my phone.  I plugged the charger in hooked to my smartphone and heard a loud pop and burnt smell.  Now that was a real failure, luckily it didn't hurt the phone.  Mark
 
A phone with GPS on will still slowly drain with a 0.5a charger. If you're in a weak signal area and have gps on, a 1a charger will barely maintain a battery at or below 50%. All USB chargers are 5v except for one, and I forget which brand it was that used modulated voltage input to fast charge instead of running a higher amp rating. I'm willing to bet that neither your 12v or travel travel charger were putting out over 1a, and that's why your phone wasn't charging properly. I use a Nektek 20,000 mah power bank that charges when the bike is running. I would recommend using a power bank to 'condition' the electricity that goes into your mobile devices because a motorcycle generator fluctuates a lot during operation, and can damage sensitive electronics. Send me a pm if setting something like this up interests you, I can help with the electrical voodoo if you want it hidden under the seat or behind a fairing so you can still keep your 12v plug.
 
I travel a lot in my work in rental cars and use my phone with apps for navigation constantly. Some cords work better than others. The low amp chargers can't keep up. I have found too, that good quality chargers that I have found at truck stops tend to be stronger in output and actually DO keep up if they are the 2.1 amp level. Not the only place to find them, but it IS a place to find them. Ask the people who work there which one(s) sell best.
 
This one

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00M6QODH2

Two high power 2.4A USB charging ports in a single small device

Code AUK2SCAR knocks off a buck

I have several gadgets that won't charge with average/most AC or DC chargers as their output is too low (like Garmin non-motorcycle GPS's that only work with their gigantic cigarette lighter cable) - this powers/charges them all, fast.


This is the 110 AC version
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Q873I3K/


Both highly rated. I don't leave home without them ;D

 
Cool. Thanks. Where'd you get the Garmin/USB cable? You're right, it's fatter than the microUSB.
 
ron203 said:
Cool. Thanks. Where'd you get the Garmin/USB cable? You're right, it's fatter than the microUSB.
Click to expand...
Pretty sure most Garmins use any USB-A to USB-Mini cable. The difference in getting my Garmin to work was a powerful enough charger. (the Garmin is the only device I now have that doesn't use USB-Micro)

My Garmin nuvi 2597 LMT came with a monster cigarette to Mini USB cable. I use it in the cage and on the motorcycle. Tried some underpowered DC to USB adapters with a USB-A to Mini USB cable with no joy. When I went to the Aukey charger mentioned above - the nuvi 2597 works like it's using the Garmin provided giant adapter cable. And I can use any length/size/style of USB-A to USB-Mini.

Don't know about powering motorcycle specific Zumo's as I don't have one - but I think the 660 uses a USB-Mini connector too. I looked up some "genuine" Garmin cables, Zumo and not - they all appear to be USB-A to USB-Mini.
 
WANDRNG said:
ron203 said:
Cool. Thanks. Where'd you get the Garmin/USB cable? You're right, it's fatter than the microUSB.
Click to expand...
Pretty sure most Garmins use any USB-A to USB-Mini cable. The difference in getting my Garmin to work was a powerful enough charger. (the Garmin is the only device I now have that doesn't use USB-Micro)

My Garmin nuvi 2597 LMT came with a monster cigarette to Mini USB cable. I use it in the cage and on the motorcycle. Tried some underpowered DC to USB adapters with a USB-A to Mini USB cable with no joy. When I went to the Aukey charger mentioned above - the nuvi 2597 works like it's using the Garmin provided giant adapter cable. And I can use any length/size/style of USB-A to USB-Mini.

Don't know about powering motorcycle specific Zumo's as I don't have one - but I think the 660 uses a USB-Mini connector too. I looked up some "genuine" Garmin cables, Zumo and not - they all appear to be USB-A to USB-Mini.
Click to expand...
Part of that ridiculously sized Garmin cable is for the "T" part of your nuvi 2597LMT.  The traffic receiver antenna is built into the cable.  Without it, you won't get current traffic info.
 
Outback Jon said:
Part of that ridiculously sized Garmin cable is for the "T" part of your nuvi 2597LMT.  The traffic receiver antenna is built into the cable.  Without it, you won't get current traffic info.
Click to expand...
Very true. Thanks for pointing that out as I forgot and wouldn't want to lead anyone down a bad road  :great:
(pun intended only by switching to road after I wrote path).

For me, I have little use for the traffic feature. When I did use it the accuracy was very suspect. Losing the monster cable for a simple small, reasonably lengthed USB cable is worth the trade off.

I was just giving an example of the Aukey powering a device that many other chargers can't operate effectively.
 
What McPenfold said here: http://forum.cog-online.org/index.php?topic=68086.msg567505#msg567505

For Android, in my experience, less than a FULL 1.5A charge rate won't charge a phone that's using GPS, or screen is on, or is hunting for towers. It may hold charge at whatever level you currently have, but it won't increase.

We don't bother with chargers that are less than 1A, and if we buy new ones they have to be 2A. We both have Droids, but they're a couple generations back (Galaxy 4 ad Galaxy 4 mini).

USB cables can DEFINITELY make a difference. I've done a lot of testing and thrown out a few cables - some cables, on a 3A charger, will only output .75A.

Can't really say why your 12v-to-USB wasn't working up to snuff - those are pretty basic, not really much reason to not charge a phone - they either work or don't work. That said, 0.35A charge rate is pretty anemic - I'd just throw that away.

I would like to refute the "unless the battery is removed a phone isn't off". When you FULLY turn off an Android (or iPhone actually), it's OFF. When you press and hold power, then choose "Power Off", the phone completely powers off. If you just press the power button once, you're just turning the screen off and letting Power Management handle things (which works differently on Android and iPhone). In this mode, it will continue to use some battery.
 
"I would like to refute the "unless the battery is removed a phone isn't off"."

well can we agree to just disagree?

:)

Cal
 
Cal said:
"I would like to refute the "unless the battery is removed a phone isn't off"."

well can we agree to just disagree?

:)

Cal
Click to expand...


In my best Red Green voice: I disagree that we can agree, but do you disagree that we disagree to agree to agree to disagree? All Agreed say "aye"!


:)) :beerchug:
 
a quintuple negative?  RG was one of the better exports we had from Canada to the south.  Sort of makes up for The Tool Man (now Last Man Standing?) Taylor?

agree to disagree.

Cal
 
Cal said:
a quintuple negative?  RG was one of the better exports we had from Canada to the south.  Sort of makes up for The Tool Man (now Last Man Standing?) Taylor?

agree to disagree.

Cal
Click to expand...


Yep, and if you can do the math on all dem deer negatives well...I'd sure like to know what I said!


RG was fun...essentially Dad Jokes made into a show. Toolman was a different kind of humor...still Dad Joke though, just different. Is Last Man Standing still on? I've only recently discovered it...it's alright, not something I'd look for. But as a someone with fairly "middle America"  values I can appreciate the show - it's not just teen drama, who's-screwing-who, emotionally-stunted-superhero, love-saved-the-attack-helicopter-gendered-vampire crap.


Oops, sorry, was I ranting just now?






Back to the topic at hand - Any updates on the charging problem? Solution? Discovery of a failure w/wall/12v adapters? Curios (and bored) lurkers wanna know!
 
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