Very cheap USB car chargers

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richms

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#1000407 6-Mar-2014 22:35

hamish225:
thats silly, why on earth do they need them for?

Because apple use them to ID the chargers max output rather than doing as everyone else does and ramping up the current till the voltage drops as the current limit kicks in.

That is also why an android/other phone may toast an apple targeted car charger as they try to pull 2 amps from something only good for 1 but doesn't have a current limiting design in them. Most chargers now use the apple resistors but also limit the current with a proper design that won't cook up when you try to pull 2 amps from them.

Richard rich.ms

jonathan18

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#1000408 6-Mar-2014 22:40

hamish225: ive got a $2 one, it wouldn't charge my ipod, so i dont think it'd charge my phone. not really fit for purpose, it should say on the box that it wont charge smart devices.

but for $2 i hardly think its worth waiving the CGA at the poor asian people who run the store i got it from.

Uncle Bill's stores stock car USB chargers with twin outputs, one of them apparently 2.1 amps. Under $10 for sure. I found them after I'd already bought some from eBay so can't confirm their quality.

richms

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#1000411 6-Mar-2014 22:42

Dunnersfella: I was driving a car a few weeks ago, iPod connected via 3.5mm cable, charging my iPhone via the cigarette lighter. When I accelerated I'd get a high pitched whine in the car.
The car charger was from the petrol station, picked up on a whim so I could listen to my almost flat phone on the drive home. It was interesting at the time that it only whined when I accelerated...
The car, at the time was a 6.2l V8.
I've never had the issue in my much cheaper vehicle, a 1.6l Mitsi...
Same adaptor and cable.

Ground loop. You will find it does it even with the ciggy plug not in far enough to get power, only the shield touching.

Richard rich.ms

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