limit for amps of current for charging? increase wear? - General Questions and Answers

I have a 2 fold question. I was looking to get a wall to USB adapter for charging multiple devices such as this item for instance. I saw that the 2 ports (power iq?) charge with (up to) 2.4 amps and the other 3 ports charge with what it calls standard power. I am assuming this is somewhere around 1 to 1.2 amps or something like that. So my 2 questions: Is the 2.4 amps safe to use on my phone? (Nexus 4) And if it is, does the faster rate of charge shorten the lifespan of the battery? If I could just pop a new one in, it would be no big deal. But I'm limited on options with my N4, and opening cell phones in the past has not led to good results for me in the past. So I'm a little apprehensive on the idea of opening another cell phone to replace a battery I abused.

corbmonster said:
I have a 2 fold question. I was looking to get a wall to USB adapter for charging multiple devices such as this item for instance. I saw that the 2 ports (power iq?) charge with (up to) 2.4 amps and the other 3 ports charge with what it calls standard power. I am assuming this is somewhere around 1 to 1.2 amps or something like that. So my 2 questions: Is the 2.4 amps safe to use on my phone? (Nexus 4) And if it is, does the faster rate of charge shorten the lifespan of the battery? If I could just pop a new one in, it would be no big deal. But I'm limited on options with my N4, and opening cell phones in the past has not led to good results for me in the past. So I'm a little apprehensive on the idea of opening another cell phone to replace a battery I abused.
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Replacing the battery on the Nexus 4 is actually pretty dang easy for having a "non-replaceable" battery. You need a T5 TORX driver for the 2 screws at the bottom of the device. Take out the SIM card tray. Then you have to pry the 2 halves apart. They make plastic tools specifically for this, but honestly, you can use a plastic knife if you want. Metal objects will work too, but you might mar up the plastic where the halves meet. Be careful not to flex the back piece too much so you don't break the glass. Once apart, all you need is to remove the 2 screws that hold the battery's connection to the phone and pry the battery out (it's held in with adhesive). A brand new battery OEM off eBay costs $20. This is obviously something you don't want to do on a daily basis, but it's not like you're screwed and forced to buy a new phone if you kill your battery.
https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Nexus+4+Teardown/11781
The faster you charge a battery, the hotter it'll get, and that's what does the real damage. Tablets typically have upwards and including 2 amp chargers. The tech behind the batteries are identical (Li-ion/LiPo, it doesn't matter). Tablets come with more powerful chargers because a) bigger batteries take more time to charge, and b) a bigger battery will have more surface area, meaning it will disperse heat better, so you're less likely to damage it by using a more powerful charger.
Personally, I keep 2 chargers handy. A 1A for normally charging my phone (say, overnight, or during long hours at work), and a 2A for when I need to charge it as much as possible as quickly as possible. I don't really worry about the battery getting too hot with a 2A charger. Just don't leave it sitting in the sun, or on top a hot computer case or something like that.

Related

Touchstone teardown / schematics, anyone?

Being the DIY kind of guy, I'm wondering if anyone tried to disassemble the Touchstone charger and post a schematic so that anyone with some electronics skills can make their own, in whatever shape or colour they desire.
Just wondering.
Ifixit has a pre touchstone tear down. They are similar, maybe you can request that site complete one on the TouchPad version.
I just looked mine over, there are no exposed screws. Any screws must be under the rubber foot, or the back may snap off. I'm not risking breaking mine. But, for $40 you could find out yourself
Sent from my Galaxy S II (i777)
All you need is a USB source with an output of 5.3V and 2A. But on that note, doesn't the higher level of amps charging the TP batteries more quickly kill the overall battery life of the batteries?
I use other brands of usb chargers unless i'm in a hurry, because the TP official charger will get it all juiced up in no time. Lower amperage, slower charging, longer overall battery life (i presume.)
teddyspaghetti said:
All you need is a USB source with an output of 5.3V and 2A. But on that note, doesn't the higher level of amps charging the TP batteries more quickly kill the overall battery life of the batteries?
I use other brands of usb chargers unless i'm in a hurry, because the TP official charger will get it all juiced up in no time. Lower amperage, slower charging, longer overall battery life (i presume.)
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Not sure about the truth of that, because I think it has something to do with the actual cycles. I'm not 100% sure so if I'm wrong someone correct me.
The OP was referring to the wireless induction charging in the Touchstone, not just a generic USB charger.
As to the whole more amps = lower health battery debate, I won't touch that. I've seen "proof" both ways. What I know is the OEM charger is 5.3v at 2 amps. I am going to trust HP that is the proper specs. Plus, any "smart" device doesn't pull more amperage than it needs, so its software controlled.
Sent from my Galaxy S II (i777)
Indeed, I am not talking about the wired charger, I am talking about the wireless Touchstone charger.
50 USD wouldn't be a problem for a Touchstone. However HP hasn't brought Touchpad's or accessories in Romania and offer no support for them, and I don't want to wait for 2 weeks for delivery.
And I also am the DIY kind of guy, and in the near future I'll be designing and building a custom desk which I would like to include a nice built-in stand for the Touchpad.
teddyspaghetti said:
All you need is a USB source with an output of 5.3V and 2A. But on that note, doesn't the higher level of amps charging the TP batteries more quickly kill the overall battery life of the batteries?
I use other brands of usb chargers unless i'm in a hurry, because the TP official charger will get it all juiced up in no time. Lower amperage, slower charging, longer overall battery life (i presume.)
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Any old 5.3v/2A source will not give 2A to the TP. The device relies on switch signaling on the data lines which aknowledges that it is connected to the correct (ie HP barrel) charger and this allows the full charge rate to be applied.
In all other cases the charger only gives a low level trickle charge with the resulting longer charge times.
LiPo batteries and their charging profiles are very efficient and are perfectly capable of handling higher charging currents without detriment.
If they become very drained these higher currents are required to start the charge cycle whereas lower power chargers would not.
This thread is not about charge current or cycles, not sure why you haven't gotten a real answer yet, so I decided to register to give you one.
Even if you had the schematics and a source for the components, winding the coil for the inductive charging would be your biggest issue. At best it probably wouldn't be efficient enough to be worth it and it would likely take a long time to charge if it did at all. All the parts and work it would take for a kind of crappy result wouldn't be as good as just spending the $50 or whatever.
That's the negative side though, so don't get me wrong. If I could I'd totally be building one myself as well. I wish more people were into DIY stuff like this. I also really like the idea of building it into a desk and you may be able to do that with an official Touchstone charger.
FjarrKontroll said:
This thread is not about charge current or cycles, not sure why you haven't gotten a real answer yet, so I decided to register to give you one.
Even if you had the schematics and a source for the components, winding the coil for the inductive charging would be your biggest issue. At best it probably wouldn't be efficient enough to be worth it and it would likely take a long time to charge if it did at all. All the parts and work it would take for a kind of crappy result wouldn't be as good as just spending the $50 or whatever.
That's the negative side though, so don't get me wrong. If I could I'd totally be building one myself as well. I wish more people were into DIY stuff like this. I also really like the idea of building it into a desk and you may be able to do that with an official Touchstone charger.
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While the OP was not about charge current or cycles I do sincerely hope that you understand the value of correcting misinformation and wrong assertions about any aspect that may raise it's related head in these threads.
To jump into a thread and the forum with such a comment is perhaps an indication of the levels of accepable politeness at large in the world today.
But I for one don't take too kindly to it.
But then us 'older' members may be a little too sensitive.
Any impropriety and the mods will deal with it!

Need some help with otg + charge mod

Dear XDA, i really need your help,
I am planning to make this (see thubnail)
i want to make a custom case for my htc one s. (I know it will be a little bigger but that's ok)
I want to charge my phone using a usb cable or a micro usb cable, and at the same time doing OTG. I don't know what resistor i will use yet (tips?)
Also add an extra battery. It is an old phone battery. So if i want to charge from the battery i need to stop the solar cell and guide the electricity through the 5v regulator to charge. What ya think?
I am new to modding so please comment cause i need a lot of help to make this one succeed!
Greetings, pro-one1000
sent from htc one s ville
Don't mean to be negative but I see a couple issues right of the bat. First, where are you going to get a 5 volt charger? I would guess most dc chargers are going to be 12, 24, or 36 volts. I don't think they'll run on significantly less. The solar panel is only going to output about one half of one watt. Assuming no friction loss or inefficiencies that would hardly slow your phone's discharge.
If you want to power the phone and hub I would suggest a small sealed lead acid battery. They're available in 12 volts in many sizes. Easily enough power to keep phone totally charged. Will work with cigarette lighter car chargers so you won't need to customize that part. Depending on the size it'll last a week to a month non-stop. Unfortunately, it probably won't fit in your pocket but if you carry a book bag or briefcase you could hide it there... I use a battery like this at work when I'm using a lot of phone battery and moving around too much to plug in.
Good luck with which ever route you choose!
Sent from my HTC One S using xda app-developers app
thanks
lampel said:
Don't mean to be negative but I see a couple issues right of the bat. First, where are you going to get a 5 volt charger? I would guess most dc chargers are going to be 12, 24, or 36 volts. I don't think they'll run on significantly less. The solar panel is only going to output about one half of one watt. Assuming no friction loss or inefficiencies that would hardly slow your phone's discharge.
If you want to power the phone and hub I would suggest a small sealed lead acid battery. They're available in 12 volts in many sizes. Easily enough power to keep phone totally charged. Will work with cigarette lighter car chargers so you won't need to customize that part. Depending on the size it'll last a week to a month non-stop. Unfortunately, it probably won't fit in your pocket but if you carry a book bag or briefcase you could hide it there... I use a battery like this at work when I'm using a lot of phone battery and moving around too much to plug in.
Good luck with which ever route you choose!
Sent from my HTC One S using xda app-developers app
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Thanks for your reply!
First about the charger, i will use my 5v 1amp charger (micro usb) or an usb male to male usb cable from my pc to charge. So i'll be able to get a charger.
You're i think right about the solar panel, i need to find a better one indeed, trying to get one cheap on ebay! If i try to search for a "smal sealed lead acid battery" i get 40 dollar + big cases of batteries, could you please give a example in the form of an ebay-link?
Anyway thanks a lot and when i have ordered the parts i will try to upload the stuff!
Greetings
I'm assuming the 5v charger you're talking about it a car charger; which means it would have an input voltage of 12 - 14 and won't run on 3.7 (and even if it could run on the lower voltage the amperage would go up dramatically draining the usable power in the battery in minutes. And I wouldn't connect anything to a USB port for two reasons: first, if you connect two batteries in parallel (red to red and black to black) and they're not identical one will usually drain the other as they try and equalize (unless you isolate them from each other). Second, I don't think most USB ports (USB 3.0 i believe has provisions to receive power) are designed to receive power on a computer and your schematic doesn't include anything to prevent back feeding power to the computer.
There are many solar chargers I've seen that would give you the output you need - I've seen them designed to trickle charge RVs, boats, cars, and motorcycles - but I think they would be way to larger for what your looking for.
And I guess I should clarify what I meant by small... Was a bad choice of words for a cell phone forum, I guess. I meant small relative to other lead acid batteries; i.e. car or boat batteries. This is similiar to what I use:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/12VOLT-5AMP...US_Rechargeable_Batteries&hash=item589ef11aed
Attached is a pic of my batteries and the adapter that gives me a cigarette lighter type receptacle. And I use a spare motorcycle float charger to keep them charged. And because they're 12 volt batteries they'll power and accessory that is designed to run in a car.
I guess I should probably have asked what is your ultimate goal? And do you carry anything where you could stash the battery?
giesse1996 said:
Thanks for your reply!
First about the charger, i will use my 5v 1amp charger (micro usb) or an usb male to male usb cable from my pc to charge. So i'll be able to get a charger.
You're i think right about the solar panel, i need to find a better one indeed, trying to get one cheap on ebay! If i try to search for a "smal sealed lead acid battery" i get 40 dollar + big cases of batteries, could you please give a example in the form of an ebay-link?
Anyway thanks a lot and when i have ordered the parts i will try to upload the stuff!
Greetings
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Thanks for your reply,
After thinking I want to use a second1-5 volt boost regulator attached a small high capicity battery of 3.7 volt. (like a galaxy sIII battery or something. So if i put the switch to on the extra battery should charge with 5v my phone battery. Or i could charge my phone directly from a high efficient solar cell with 5v.
I indeed have no idea how to prevent backfleeding. Do I need diodes / light emmitting diodes for this? And indeed the batteries you mentioned are way to big. I am planning to use an old battery from an other phone with the 5v boost regulator mentioned above. Further i don't understand where you see a computer in my scheme?
Your mod ( i think i it deserves that wonderfull name) with the 12v battery is a good idea. Very handy when going out without a charge point. I usually go to school and am probably able to put the large battery in there, but as i mentioned i want to keep it a "phone case".
My ultimate goal is to make the tiniest possible case for the htc one s ville with,
- a very small usb hub 4 port for 3 female ports and inside a micro sdhc memory for more storage.
- Add the charge ability, so i don't need to take the phone out of the case to charge
- be in otg mode and charging mode at the same time (i guess the hardest challenge)
optionary:
- Add a battery so when i get the actual phone out of the case the solar cell can keep providing power to the battery
- Add a solar cell
- make it actual work with multiple switches
Really appreciate your help!
Greetings,
I misunderstood "First about the charger, i will use my 5v 1amp charger (micro usb) or an usb male to male usb cable from my pc to charge" to mean you might have a computer available to charge. I guess you just meant the cable itself. Understood.
I'm not an electronics expert by any means but yes I believe diodes will prevent the current from flowing in an undesirable direction but they won't prevent one battery from draining another. Two batteries connected in parallel can drain each other and the diode will slow that but I don't think it will eliminate it. Might be able to mitigate the affect by opening one of your switches when the auxiliary battery is not in use. When two batteries are wired in parallel they are frequently connected to an isolator that has three terminals (for a two battery setup). Terminals one and two go to batteries one and two and terminal three goes to the system it's connected to. Batteries one and two never 'see' each other and therefore cannot affect or drain each other.
Not sure I have anything else that can really help... GOOD LUCK! And post pics and details if you build a working prototype.
Thanks again!
I'll try to order a couple extra diodes with low consuption, that plus the switches will hopefully do the job. I ordered yesterday the parts out of China, so it'll take a month to get it in my hands. Now I have more time to consider how it can be assembled all together, but if i get anything i will post it directly!! If it works i may try to make a tutorial for other people so they could also enjoy more ports on their phone!
Greetings

Review: Note 4 Wireless charging cover Samsung EP-CN910IBU

A quick overview for those who might be thinking about the OEM Samsung wireless charging replacement back cover for the Note 4. I also get into a bit of risk vs cost analysis towards the end.
I have compared both the Qi version and the Powermat version. This information applies to both. They are physically identical. The only difference is which charging standard they support.
Model EP-CN910IBU
Output 5.0v 800mA
S/N RCIFA
MSIP-REM-SEC-EP-EP-CN910IWK
Made in Vietnam
MSRP $39
Be aware these replacement covers add thickness to the handset.
Stock handset (non charging cover) plus glass screen protector: 0.360"
Handset plus EP-CN910IBU wireless charging cover plus glass screen protector, 0.425"
The charging cover adds a net thickness of 0.065." While this doesn't sound like much, it is enough to prevent most cases / enclosures from fitting over the charging cover.
These measurements are taken with a precision micrometer (certified to an accuracy of +/- 0.002")
As a common reference, an average US $0.25 quarter measures 0.065."
Imagine wedging a layer of quarters in between your phone and your case. Chances are it won't fit. Do you really want to use an $800 device with no case? The only case option would be a dimensionally forgiving non rigid rubber bumper.
When used with a Duracell powermat, the charging works as expected, albeit at the slow 800mA charging speed. The sensitivity of proper placement of the phone, centered on the powermat is still an issue. Even a small 0.25" movement out of center will stop charging.
Here are some simple calculations that allow us to directly compare *maximum* charging speeds using the basic electrical formula of Volts x Amps = Watts
Standard Wall charger 5V x 2A = 10W
Samsung adaptive fast charger 9V x 1.67A = 15.03W
Samsung wireless charging cover 5V x 0.8A = 4W
This comparison shows the wireless back covers charge at a rate of that is 60% slower than a standard wall charger and 74% slower than the adaptive fast charger that shipped with our Note 4 devices. In my opinion, this wireless setup is only practical for overnight use and possibly as a trickle charger in an office / desktop environment. It is not practical for use as a primary daytime charging system during frequent and heavy use of the handset.
The cover was $39, the powermat was $50 for a combined cost of $90. Car charging cradles are presumably another $50-$70. As a completely wireless charging solution, this costs about $200 and takes 3-4 times longer to charge.
I purchased this setup as a safeguard against damage to the usb port form a lifetime of plugging in charging cords. I have experienced usb port damage / degradation on previous devices.
Conclusion:
Consider that most of us carry an insurance policy through our provider for about $7 / month ($168 spread out over 2 years.) If you ever use the insurance due to damage, theft or loss, we pay a $200 deductible. Consider that most of us will upgrade to a newer handset within 2 years. This gives us a combined contractual insurance cost of roughly $370 across the 2 year lifespan of the device, and only if you end up replacing the device for *any* reason, not just usb port damage. Otherwise you pay only the ~$170 over 2 years.
The cost of "physical" insurance by way of wireless charging and a rubber bumper case is well over $200 all at the time of equipment purchase.
In my opinion, this high cost and slow speed of wireless charging is not sensible. I will be returning the equipment and returning to corded charging and my favorite case. I will keep the contractual insurance thought At&t. This risk vs cost analysis with corded charging is acceptable to me.
Thank you for your thorough review. I just purchased the official case yesterday from Samsung with a 50% discount coupon, after which, I started researching reviews and cases for it and found that many of the cases I was contemplating on purchasing were no longer fitting. I previously owned the Note 2 with a stick-on qi wireless coil and it worked great so I was leaning towards the same solution for the Note 4 but reading reviews about them seemed to point that the fact that it interferes with the NFC module. I use SoftCard (formerly ISIS) on a daily basis so this leads me to use the OEM back.
el_chiefo said:
Thank you for your thorough review. I just purchased the official case yesterday from Samsung with a 50% discount coupon, after which, I started researching reviews and cases for it and found that many of the cases I was contemplating on purchasing were no longer fitting. I previously owned the Note 2 with a stick-on qi wireless coil and it worked great so I was leaning towards the same solution for the Note 4 but reading reviews about them seemed to point that the fact that it interferes with the NFC module. I use SoftCard (formerly ISIS) on a daily basis so this leads me to use the OEM back.
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What's the 50off coupon?
h3ck said:
What's the 50off coupon?
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When you register your note 4 with Samsung (and the samsung account), you should be emailed a coupon for 50% of of items $50 or less from their website
this is a silly "review" and an even sillier analysis.
It completely ignores the fact that all your data is on the device and if you ever have to replace it its a huge pain to back it up and restore it.
It also completely ignores how fragile the device is without a case on it.
It ignores the problem of fumbling around trying to find the correct way to insert the usb cable into the microusb slot (and if you insert the wrong way the tab can snap off) in the dark and trying to mount it on a car charger when you want to just get in the car and drive. it ignores the fact that wires running everywhere make a mess.
I have an iblason armorbox case and the samsung wireless back. Case fits perfectly, when i want to charge i just throw it on the charger. phone doesnt get below 90% throughout the day. I have an ebay 6000mah wireless charger in my bag, a wireless pad in my bedroom in a box and a wireless car charger. When i get home i literally throw the phone into the box and its charging instantly. i put the phone on my car cradle and it charges instantly. I put the phone with a rubberband in my bag attached to the wireless charger and it keeps charging while in my bag. no wires required. once a week i connect the usb cable from the 6000mah portable charger to a computer and leave it. overnight it gets topped up and ready to use for the next week. ive dropped the phone twice already (bumped it off a table and it fell from a placement on top of the car to concrete) with no issues. i dont have any silly insurance and the phone is zero hassle. i can use it in the rain, snow, dust, mud etc without worrying. the phone is always at 100% (never gets below 90%) and i dont need to worry about running out of battery.
zurkx said:
this is a silly "review" and an even sillier analysis.
It completely ignores the fact that all your data is on the device and if you ever have to replace it its a huge pain to back it up and restore it.
It also completely ignores how fragile the device is without a case on it.
It ignores the problem of fumbling around trying to find the correct way to insert the usb cable into the microusb slot (and if you insert the wrong way the tab can snap off) in the dark and trying to mount it on a car charger when you want to just get in the car and drive. it ignores the fact that wires running everywhere make a mess.
I have an iblason armorbox case and the samsung wireless back. Case fits perfectly, when i want to charge i just throw it on the charger. phone doesnt get below 90% throughout the day. I have an ebay 6000mah wireless charger in my bag, a wireless pad in my bedroom in a box and a wireless car charger. When i get home i literally throw the phone into the box and its charging instantly. i put the phone on my car cradle and it charges instantly. I put the phone with a rubberband in my bag attached to the wireless charger and it keeps charging while in my bag. no wires required. once a week i connect the usb cable from the 6000mah portable charger to a computer and leave it. overnight it gets topped up and ready to use for the next week. ive dropped the phone twice already (bumped it off a table and it fell from a placement on top of the car to concrete) with no issues. i dont have any silly insurance and the phone is zero hassle. i can use it in the rain, snow, dust, mud etc without worrying. the phone is always at 100% (never gets below 90%) and i dont need to worry about running out of battery.
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Thank you for your opinion. I will keep mine.
I backup on a regular basis and restoring is easy.
I agree the device is fragile without a case.
I don't want the armorbox or otterbox or any other case that significantly increases the dimensions and bulk of the handset.
I don't charge in the car because I have short drive times.
I don't care for having to box or bag my phone throughout the day.
My job is not at a desk so I can't let the phone sit on a charging pad while at work.
I didn't want to spend hundreds of dollars on three or four wireless chargers to be distributed throughout my daily locations.
Wireless charging isn't mainstream enough yet to go completely wireless across all devices within reasonable costs. Other devices still require the cord mess. I am an "all in" or nothing sort of person.
The main reason for keeping the insurance is replacement in case of theft. Any new electronics are theft targets. I have had 2 phones stolen in the past. In one instance, I located the thief, removed a few teeth and repossessed my phone. The other went offline as soon as it was stolen and was untraceable. The insurance saved me from buying a new $600 handset out of cash.
Regardless of either of our subjective opinions, I mainly wrote the review to post the facts and figures of physical size and power output limitations. I will wait for resonant charging technology to be released and re-evaluate the cost benefit at that time. My analysis and opinions are there simply to get people to think about the pros and cons.
Wireless charging is way overrated imo. It charges much slower and you still need to have a cord for the charger itself (obviously). It literally takes almost the same amount of time to plug in the USB cord as it does to find the sweet spot of a wireless charger. At this point it's simply a novelty imo. Nothing more.
Each to their own. Any good 3 coil charge base has an enormous sweet spot, so hunting for position is not an issue at all.
If you get calls at night a lot (for work or other), the wireless charging is a god send. Trying to plug it in multiple times in the dark is ridiculous.
Now, when we have reversible connectors, my opinion might change.
JasonJoel said:
Each to their own. Any good 3 coil charge base has an enormous sweet spot, so hunting for position is not an issue at all.
If you get calls at night a lot (for work or other), the wireless charging is a god send. Trying to plug it in multiple times in the dark is ridiculous.
Now, when we have reversible connectors, my opinion might change.
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I hear you man, I'm not saying it's totally worthless, but it's a very niche product imo. Like you have pointed out, it serves its purpose for some people. But I think for the average Joe, plugging in is just fine.
I do see where you are coming from however.
I have been reading about wireless charging for a couple years and never really pursued it on my Note 2 because I was with Verizon and they naturally removed it as they typically screw up phones somehow. I saw so many people that loved it and would go to great lengths to enable it. I decided after switching to T Mobile a couple weeks ago that I would give it a shot. I bought the OEM back and a cheap qi charger off of eBay and was disappointed with having to adjust my phone on the charger to hit the sweet spot. I decided to buy a Tylt charger and wow what a difference! I can literally place the phone on the charger in my case with no concern of finding a sweet spot because the whole charger is the sweet spot. It even works great through my wifes thick leather case. I love it and I find the rate of charge to be at least equal to a standard charger ( not fast charge) and that's great. I watched some netflix last night with my phone on the tylt (45 degrees)and it actually charged while streaming. I haven't personally plugged a phone in for more than 2 years since I just swap batteries out of my Samsung spare battery charger but now when I'm working or surfing at night my phone is always charging wirelessly and I never wake up with a phone that's less than 100%.
Even though it subjectively feels like wireless is as fast as a standard wall charger, it is not possible.
Manufacturers specification for wireless chargering is universally 800mA, or 0.8A.
Check my math in the first post. At 4W wireless chargers are less than half the speed of of a standard 10W wall charger.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using XDA Free mobile app
Hey guys, so I'm looking for a case that fits the added bulk of the OEM QI back. Any recommendations? I'm looking at the i-blason case but open to any other suggestions.
Thanks
syngiun said:
The cost of "physical" insurance by way of wireless charging and a rubber bumper case is well over $200 all at the time of equipment purchase.
In my opinion, this high cost and slow speed of wireless charging is not sensible. I will be returning the equipment and returning to corded charging and my favorite case. I will keep the contractual insurance thought At&t. This risk vs cost analysis with corded charging is acceptable to me.
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"well over $200"? The qi charging back is $40. I got a 3 pack of Qi chargers for $60 (nokia, they come in a bunch of colors) so I could have one by my bed, desk at home, and desk at work. Numerous others are available for $10-$25 on ebay and other retailers. I'll happily pay $100 (qi back + 3 docks) or so to never touch the USB cable, fumble with a cable end in the dark, or try the cable backwards. When charging is easy you don't care about charging speed as much. 0.5 seconds to dock or undock (without even looking) will spoil you.
While I have multiple devices, I end up keeping my devices for 3-4 years with secondary uses. So even if I do get something new within 2 years I don't want the secondary device to die just becuase of a horribly designed charging cable that makes my first nokia dumb phone from the 90s look awesome. Imagine that after almost 20 years of USB might someday actually be reversible, maybe in 2015.
Never understood why the audio jack on today's phones is robust, easy to use, and impossible to get backwards. You could use it 10 times a day for a decade, yet most rarely use it. Nokia used to use a similar connector for charging, I could manage to plug it in with my eyes closed an one hand behind my back. To charge a phone daily you end up with a tiny fragile usb connectors that's easy to get backwards and difficult to get in correctly on the first try without careful examination. Already lost one phone to usb, I'm trying to avoid losing a second.
Both the microusb connector and expoxied in batteries reak of planned obsolence to me. Thankfully the note 4 can minimize both problems.
Oh, one last thing. The Qi Chargers do lose some efficiency. So if you get a charger that's USB powered you end up with a poor charging speeds. So I'd get one of the ones that come with their own wall wart. I use the nokia DT-900 (which comes with it's own wall wart) with my nexus 5 and it charges pretty quickly.
el_chiefo said:
Hey guys, so I'm looking for a case that fits the added bulk of the OEM QI back. Any recommendations? I'm looking at the i-blason case but open to any other suggestions.
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I purchased the Caseology Carbon Fiber case to see if I'd have any luck with the OEM charging back....and it worked! I posted pictures here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=57275699#post57275699
Product here:
http://www.amazon.com/Caseology-Samsung-Absorbent-T-mobile-Unlocked/dp/B00N4DIM0A
I have the wireless charging S view cover in combination with the S5 charging dock. I agree with what you are saying. The charging is really slow. Especially for such a high capacity battery used in the Note 4. I would not buy this setup again.
Does the qi back protect the camera?
Yes the qi back protects the camera lens in terms of keeping the lens from scratching on surfaces when you set the phone down. The added thickness casues the back cover to extend just past the lens.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using XDA Free mobile app
syngiun said:
Yes the qi back protects the camera lens in terms of keeping the lens from scratching on surfaces when you set the phone down. The added thickness casues the back cover to extend just past the lens.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using XDA Free mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Actually, Ive found that it does not extend past the camera lens, it makes the camera lens functionally flush with the back. Im a little disappointed in this and sort of wish it was "slightly" thicker. If it was, i think i would end up going caseless. I may end up doing what the OP described and going with the regular plugin. The batter last so long, i dont really plug it in except right before bed, and even then, i dont even need to charge it overnight anymore....

Nexus 9 keyboard folio faulty

Hi I bought 2 keyboard folio from eBay brand new but it is like it haves a faulty battery. When I try to pair it with the tablet through NFC I press yes on the "do you want to pair the Nexus keyboard" but after some seconds it fails. But when I put the keyboard to charge it works. After I pair the devices and use the keyboard when I unplug it it stops working straight away. So I was wondering if this happened to anyone else and if it is any key combinations to hard reset the keyboard or something like that?
More people having the same issue!!!!!!!!
https://productforums.google.com/fo...ce=footer#!msg/nexus/miyKVULMUWo/7vH_5T0OGwAJ
Sent from my Nexus 9 using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Has anyone found a way to replace the battery or fix the charging issue, battery not charging?
Has anyone tried using a portable external battery charger to power the keyboard, how long does it last?
Until you unplug the external battery.
Sent from my HTC 10 using XDA-Developers Legacy app
I opened the keyboard and the battery seems to be dead because I tried to charge it with another charger and nothing was happening. On the keyboard I put another battery 400mah but still wasn't charging so I thing the board is faulty too. I will take a picture of the battery and upload it because I tried to find one but I couldn't.
Sent from my HTC 10 using XDA-Developers Legacy app
vincenzo697 said:
I opened the keyboard and the battery seems to be dead because I tried to charge it with another charger and nothing was happening. On the keyboard I put another battery 400mah but still wasn't charging so I thing the board is faulty too. I will take a picture of the battery and upload it because I tried to find one but I couldn't.
Sent from my HTC 10 using XDA-Developers Legacy app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Please upload any pictures you can, would be really helpful.
I was considering buying a simple small portable battery charger 1500-2200-4000~ and using it, but it would discharge too quickly, attempting to charge the faulty one in the folio. Also considered taking the folio battery/charging component and splicing in portable battery charger..
Another option I thought of, is using a male to male micro usb cable from the Nexus 9 to the folio.
I am using a generic micro usb charger works fine. I also bought a male to male micro usb cable attached to the Nexus 9 and folio, also works great. The keyboard hardly registers drawing any power.
Sorry for the late reply. That's the original battery of the keyboard which i tried to find but couldn't. The hard part is that it needs to be 1.5mm to 2mm of thickness Max so the keyboard top part can close normally. The other pictures is the modification I made replacing the battery but with a thicker one. It wasn't charging so that's why I came to the conclusion that it must be the board too that it is faulty. I connect the - and + cables from the charger to the exposed cables to charge the battery and that's it.
Sent from my HTC 10 using XDA-Developers Legacy app
That's a lot of hardware. So the battery may be good and its the charger that's faulty. Thanks for the images!
clockcycle said:
That's a lot of hardware. So the battery may be good and its the charger that's faulty. Thanks for the images!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
NO. The battery too is faulty. Because I connect it straight to the charger and it doesn't charge.
Maybe?
vincenzo697 said:
NO. The battery too is faulty. Because I connect it straight to the charger and it doesn't charge.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey... Just bought a brand new one with the same issue straight out of the box.
Have you tried measuring the original battery with a multimeter?
The battery protection circuits will sometimes protect the battery from undervoltage by not letting them charge any more as it potentially damages them...
One way to attempt to recover the batteries is to remove the protection PCB and charge them with a LiPo charger at super low amps till they get up to like 3.3v then letting the original charger and battery protection finish charging it... (Kinda dangerous if battery really is damaged)
These things sat on shelves for years.... I can't imagine the batteries didn't drain.
Edit: did you take the keyboard apart??? Lol... Is it glued together??
I took mine apart... This is not a reversible process lol... Checked battery voltage and sure enough... 0 volts.... There's no Li-Ion charger that will ever try to charge that battery as there is a risk of fire.
Looks like HTC cheaped out on the battery protection circuit and it didn't cut off the battery below 3.3v and let it get to 0v... Gonna have to try to recover the battery using my lab power supply to trickle charge it... My lipo charger complains and won't charge it at all.
I'm having the same problem. Just bought one of these on Amazon for $30 and was excited to use it. How did they charge $130 for this when it came out?? This is useless. I'm going to have to return this junk. Any solutions before I do?
The solution is easy.
I have effected this repair on multiples of the nexus 9 folio keyboard.
Someone said earlier that the charging circuit is bad in addition to the cell being at 0v. This is simply not true. For the charging circuit and the cell to both be bad you will have likely hit the lottery in a bad way, or shorted and caused damage yourself.
Truth is that as mentioned before their protection circuit on their $130 keyboard was not up to the task. I make the assumption also that they overpriced these so heavily they sat until their hardware choices became apparent by making them DOA after the cell's voltage fell too low.
Someone stated that opening the keyboard is irreversible, this is also untrue, it only requires a bit of skill and patience.
Take it for what it is, because I would never recommend someone to revive a cell that had been sitting below 3.2v, it's just unsafe, but this is what worked for me as I didn't feel like digging through china stock to find a matching cell.
The cell is at 0v, so the fix is simple, connect another similar chemistry (3.2v-4.2v) cell in parallel (between the protection circuit and the cell.) I just used and 18650 from a laptop battery. Let's call this a "jump start." Start the charging and disconnect the second cell. Red charge LED should remain solid and charge cell 1 to 4.2v and you are good to go.
As far as the details, we know that the cell is on the left side, so only heat and slice adhesive from just beyond the corner to the center, slide your tool under the cell to remove the adhesion from the main body and carefully slip the cell out far enough to get at the contacts in order to get between the protection circuit and the cell.
main points
1 DO NOT PUNCTURE THE CELL (ALUMINUM TEARS EASILY)
2 DO NOT DAMAGE THE RED AND BLACK LEADS FROM THE PROTECTION CIRCUIT TO THE MAIN BOARD
3 DO NOT PRY OPEN THE OUTSIDE CORNER NEXT TO THE CELL AS THIS CORNER IS MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO DEFORMATION THAN OTHER AREAS
Probably best left to a skilled tech, but it can certainly be done.
The adhesive htc uses is much like hot glue, so after scraping the old glue out reseal and press with a hot glue gun (precision tip recommended,) easy peasy.
On a final note, shame on you htc (and google.)
k2thec said:
The solution is easy.
I have effected this repair on multiples of the nexus 9 folio keyboard.
Someone said earlier that the charging circuit is bad in addition to the cell being at 0v. This is simply not true. For the charging circuit and the cell to both be bad you will have likely hit the lottery in a bad way, or shorted and caused damage yourself.
Truth is that as mentioned before their protection circuit on their $130 keyboard was not up to the task. I make the assumption also that they overpriced these so heavily they sat until their hardware choices became apparent by making them DOA after the cell's voltage fell too low.
Someone stated that opening the keyboard is irreversible, this is also untrue, it only requires a bit of skill and patience.
Take it for what it is, because I would never recommend someone to revive a cell that had been sitting below 3.2v, it's just unsafe, but this is what worked for me as I didn't feel like digging through china stock to find a matching cell.
The cell is at 0v, so the fix is simple, connect another similar chemistry (3.2v-4.2v) cell in parallel (between the protection circuit and the cell.) I just used and 18650 from a laptop battery. Let's call this a "jump start." Start the charging and disconnect the second cell. Red charge LED should remain solid and charge cell 1 to 4.2v and you are good to go.
As far as the details, we know that the cell is on the left side, so only heat and slice adhesive from just beyond the corner to the center, slide your tool under the cell to remove the adhesion from the main body and carefully slip the cell out far enough to get at the contacts in order to get between the protection circuit and the cell.
main points
1 DO NOT PUNCTURE THE CELL (ALUMINUM TEARS EASILY)
2 DO NOT DAMAGE THE RED AND BLACK LEADS FROM THE PROTECTION CIRCUIT TO THE MAIN BOARD
3 DO NOT PRY OPEN THE OUTSIDE CORNER NEXT TO THE CELL AS THIS CORNER IS MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO DEFORMATION THAN OTHER AREAS
Probably best left to a skilled tech, but it can certainly be done.
The adhesive htc uses is much like hot glue, so after scraping the old glue out reseal and press with a hot glue gun (precision tip recommended,) easy peasy.
On a final note, shame on you htc (and google.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I want to try this repair on my keyboard. do you have pictures where to connect the wires.
I have a laptop battery
i have the case pulled apart
Just want to make sure that the wires are in the correct place.
The folio battery has a USB jack at one end and a switch (on/off perhaps) and a blue light at the other. What's happening when the blue light blinks?
Lindommer said:
The folio battery has a USB jack at one end and a switch (on/off perhaps) and a blue light at the other. What's happening when the blue light blinks?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i meant if i take the keyboard apart.
I ordered another on off ebay, but i used the suggestion i thiunk i saw on here. I have a microusb OTG plugged into the nexus 9 and running a usb to the keyboard. it is supplying enough power to run he keyboard. also it does not seem top drain much power at all.
I'm typing this message on the folio keyboard. if the other keyboard folio has the same issue then i can at lease use this solution to use the folio.
now i need to order a shorter usb to microusb cord so i dont have to rubber band the cord and look sloppy when carrying it around
Thanks for that. But what about the blinking blue light?
Lindommer said:
Thanks for that. But what about the blinking blue light?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is paring mode if in not mistaken.
Nah, it's definitely a charging light. Doesn't blink when pairing but does when a USB charging lead is plugged in. Goes off after a couple of minutes, which confirms what we all know: the keyboard doesn't/won't charge.
Picked up one of these new from Ebay. It doesn't seem to want to charge and will only work when plugged in with charger. Anyway to get it working? Guess it's a return

Power banks - charging and using phone at the same time

About to pull the trigger on a OP7 (not Pro) and thinking in terms of charging.
I'm aware that OP phones have a proprietary fast charging standard that isn't really available on power banks (unless you trust Aliexpress gear) and that it falls back to about 1.5A, maybe 2, possibly 3 if the one post about it is correct and the non-pro model supports PD.
Use case is Pokemon Go - I like to do the community days which is 4 hours of screen and GPS with a notoriously thirsty game (3 for the event itself plus up to an hour sorting through the resulting mons and evolving them etc to get the time limited exclusive moves). I know the OP7 battery is said to be pretty good, but there are no miracles, nothing can handle PoGo for that long without a power bank.
Anyone used the OP7 like this, couple of thoughts/questions
1) If it drops down to 1.5A is that enough to charge it or will the power drain from the GPS, SOC etc outweigh the power bank? I remember on some phones if you had GPS running, low speed charging wasn't enough.
2) Dash Charge protects the battery by keeping the charge circuit in the plug rather than the phone, so that heat isn't generated. Obviously normal charging doesn't have this benefit. Would I therefore be killing the battery (charge heat + heat of GPS / SOC / display / etc) or is the lower current cap enough of a protection?
3) Worst case scenario I wear out the battery before its time, are they fairly easy to replace or stuck down under a mountain of parts and glue?
I've seen 2.5a from a non dash charger. Add the 500ma idle draw and you are at about 3a. That's about what's safe at 5v without dash or warp communication.
"Nothing can handle Pokemon Go that long without a power bank"
Turns out OP7 can! I have not needed a power bank for this beastie yet. It lasts forever. In comparison with anything I've had before, anyway! Only time I can envisage needing it is a very long, full day out or weekend camping trips, and I'd be happy enough to just top it up with the screen off in most cases.

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