My galaxy s3 wont charge.

[AC Question]

ok so i've tried cleaning it, changing docks and changing cables. i've even tried resetting it to factory settings but still nothing. on off doesn't matter took the battery out for a while nothing. my problem isn't the speed but it just won't charge at all. before complete failure it would only charge with a gold contact charger from my computer. my phone is a galaxy s 3 not a mini. if anybody knows what to do please let me know.

 

[SpookDroid]

If you connect it to a PC, does the USB port recognize the connection? If so, it might be that your battery is dead. I'd suggest trying to get a battery from a friend or a store just to test it out, especially if your charger and cable is still able to charge other devices.

 

[Golfdriver97]

I am tempted to say the charging port on the phone is going bad. As for the cost of fixing it, I am not sure.

 

[Rukbat]

There are 6 possibilities:

1) Bad charging source (charger or USB port on a computer or other device).

Try a different charger

2) Bad cable.

Try using a different Samsung S3 cable (even if you have to borrow a known-good one)

3) Bad charging port on the phone.

They're very cheap, but unless you've worked on the inside of a cellphone before I wouldn't recommend trying to change it yourself. You'll pay more to repair the damage you cause than paying someone to replace the port would have cost.

4) Bad charging circuit in the phone (on the motherboard usually).

Normally needs a new motherboard. See the caution in #3.

5) Almost totally dead battery.

Plug the phone into the charger. Ignore any error messages. Leave it on charge for a minimum of 24 hours.

6) Totally bad battery. (If you discharged the battery too far, it can't be used gain without a trip to a battery laboratory.)

Replace the battery.

Charging a totally discharged Lithium Ion battery usually results in a very hot fire, but it can also result in an explosion. So LiIon batteries have a protection circuit in them - if you discharge them past a certain point [a fraction of a percent of charge], the battery inside the pack disconnects from the terminals on the outside. This requires special equipment to reset, and a new battery is MUCH cheaper.

As far as which one is your problem, that can only be determined by trying various things (like a known good Samsung S3 charger, an known-good Samsung S3 cable, etc. (They have to be OEM for the S3, because Samsung has different charging arrangements for different phones. Normally any USB source and any USB cable will work, but if there's a problem, you eliminate possibilities, and if some internal connection comes loose, a non-Samsung cable might not work in that phone.)