Whats your USB charging solution?

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#1250426 3-Mar-2015 17:36

This is my DIY setup. Currently charges;

2 x ipad
1 x samsung tablet
1 x micro USB (nexus 7)
1 x USB 3 (Note 3)
2 x xbox controller chargers.

billgates

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#1250434 3-Mar-2015 17:50

ajobbins: If you want a nice integrated solution, I have heard good things about these: http://sockitz.com.au/m/index.php/sockitz-usb-power-points/classic-sockitz-white-usb-powerpoints.html

Another vote for these. I am building a new house this year and will be buying quite a few of their yet to be released upgraded version with USB Type C support sockets and install them around the house. Couple of preview videos below. I emailed the owner of the company and he said that there will be a kickstarter for these in couple of months time so should be best cheap opportunity to buy.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=918978904813385&set=vb.134386379939312&type=2&theater

Another video after the first one on their facebook page which shows bunch of more new features they announced.

Do whatever you want to do man.

richms

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#1250457 3-Mar-2015 18:02

I have a couple of anker 6 port ones beside the bed with the tablets, headphones, and powerbanks, controllers etc all plugged inwhenever they are there.

The anker doesnt work properly with the notes - giving a 450mA charge so I have the stock samsung chargers there for those. Interesting the note tablet manages to get an ok speed off the anker but the phones both dont. Also the quickcharge 2.0 on the note 4 is somthing I have never seen a multiport charger offer. None will charge the PS3 controllers, or the xbox360 play and charge cable, but the PS4 and xb one chargers are fine on the anker.

Computer desk has a couple of cheap ebay 5 port chargers - 2 of the ports are labeled supercharger and they dont work with the note, I assume its one of those stupid chips that deals with ipads and presents itself as an iphone charger to anything else. Thats also what I run my raspberry pi and other stuff I am messing around with on.

Richard rich.ms

sonyxperiageek

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#1250496 3-Mar-2015 18:52

tchart: This is my DIY setup. Currently charges;

2 x ipad
1 x samsung tablet
1 x micro USB (nexus 7)
1 x USB 3 (Note 3)
2 x xbox controller chargers.

You should really get one of these Anker USB chargers that will save you from having so many separate USB chargers underneath. Cable management. :-) - Amazon

Sony

richms

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#1250504 3-Mar-2015 19:07

tchart:

Mmmm, $3 single use warehouse powerstrips.

Richard rich.ms

tchart

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#1250550 3-Mar-2015 20:39

richms: Mmmm, $3 single use warehouse powerstrips.

For sure, I bought them and the USB chargers stay plugged in...

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tchart

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#1250551 3-Mar-2015 20:42

sonyxperiageek: You should really get one of these Anker USB chargers that will save you from having so many separate USB chargers underneath. Cable management. :-) - Amazon

Probably a good idea to consolidate the number of chargers I have!

I think my cable management system isnt bad though. The white circle things unscrew and I can shorten/lengthen/swap any of the cables out very easily.

Bung

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#1250581 3-Mar-2015 21:37

Wade:
I find non apple chargers a bit hit and miss when charging ipads, they never seem to 100% charge them, on the other hand the ipad charger happily charges up any device

Some odd things happen. I have a > 2A Apple charger that works well on the ipad and my Samsung phone but when it is connected to a Nokia 835 the phone comes up with the warning that it is connected to a low power charger. The Nokia happily accepts chargers that are lower powered than the ipad one.

mdf

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#1250595 3-Mar-2015 21:52

tchart: This is my DIY setup. Currently charges;

2 x ipad
1 x samsung tablet
1 x micro USB (nexus 7)
1 x USB 3 (Note 3)
2 x xbox controller chargers.

My current set up is approximately this. Without the box to keep everything neat.

One of the charging stations mentioned in this thread is a *much* nicer solution. What should I be looking for though? I understand that not all USB chargers are the same, and some models of charging station I've seen label the ports differently. I think they're all 5V but different amps?

I've just googled it, and if I understand correctly, you can't "overcharge" something (it won't draw too much current to destroy the battery) but you can "undercharge" something (it will never charge because it can't draw enough current). Is that right? And I know my college physics teacher would be appalled at that description. Anything else to look out for?

If it matters, we charge 2 iphones with 30 pin dock connectors, a Nexus 5 and 7 with micro USB, and a random collection of headphones, keyboards, powerbanks and other stuff with mini or micro USB.

Aredwood

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#1250618 3-Mar-2015 22:28

The main problem is that the USB standards never originally had anything defined to cover the use of USB just for charging or as a power supply. What is meant to happen is your device talks to the USB host (power source). To negotiate how much power it can draw. Which is why Windows often asks for drivers before it will let you charge something. The Chinese came up with the "short the 2 data lines together to indicate a charger" standard. But the downfall of this is the device doesn't know how much current it can safely draw. Apple came up with a system of 2 different voltages on the data lines to indicate the max current that the charger supports. But since this in not an open standard, only some devices support this. So we are still going to be stuck with USB charging problems for awhile yet.

Because it hasn't been said yet - Best 12V USB charger I have found is this. http://www.jaycar.co.nz/productView.asp?ID=MP3666&w=car+charger&form=KEYWORD It has a switchmode regulator so it doesn't get stupidly hot like other car chargers. And it the only thing it hasn't charged so far is a very old Samsung flip phone. (Haven't tested on any game console controllers though).

Geektastic

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#1250620 3-Mar-2015 22:30

macuser: Just picked up a white version of this from K-Mart for $15, it's a total life saver beside the bed.

What's your multiple device charging solution?

I use a Plug Bug.

Replaces the duck head on an Apple charger with another that includes a USB port

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richms

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#1250621 3-Mar-2015 22:32

The chinese standard says you draw up to the current limit of the power supply when you get the 2 pins shorted, so many devices do that and the current limit in the charger becomes where a bulk of the voltage drop happens so the device charges cooler than if it was dropping the 5v down to 3.2 or whatever the flat battery is at internally.

Richard rich.ms

hashbrown

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#1250642 3-Mar-2015 22:51

How do people stack their devices when charging? We use an old mail sorter, but it's not ideal.

Geektastic

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#1250766 4-Mar-2015 09:40

tchart: This is my DIY setup. Currently charges;

2 x ipad
1 x samsung tablet
1 x micro USB (nexus 7)
1 x USB 3 (Note 3)
2 x xbox controller chargers.

Ahem...fire hazard....ahem....

Geektastic

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#1250767 4-Mar-2015 09:41

hashbrown: How do people stack their devices when charging? We use an old mail sorter, but it's not ideal.

I don't own enough to need to stack them! One MBP, one iPhone.

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