Using the charging unit. Can it be used to charge other items?

[glasgowjohn]

I'm sure this is a dumb question but I want to safe and not sorry!
I have just purchased a Nexus 7 tablet and am soon to take it with me on my travels so i need to take the charger.
The quick start guide states that you should "use only the USB charging unit that comes with the Nexus. Using a different charging unit may damage your tablet".
When away I will need to charge using the adapter and not a PC .My question is then, is this warning given relating to the USB cable part of the charger only or the adapter too?
I would like to be able to use the interchangeable/removable adapter to charge my mobile/cell phone etc too rather than take a selection of adapters along with me.
Is there anything "different" or special about the adapter supplied that might damage other items?
Thanks for your help

 

[B. Diddy]

The charging block is the more important part, not the cable itself (although cables can be faulty as well). Different chargers may have different voltage and amperage outputs, so it's theoretically possible to damage a device if you're using a charger that is delivering too much juice. You might also find that a different charger isn't delivering enough juice, and therefore not adequately charging up your device's battery.

The N7 charger delivers 5V at 2 amps, while my Razr Maxx's charger delivers 5.1V at 750 mA. So if I used my phone's charger for my N7, it would probably take a significantly longer time to charge. Conversely, if I used my N7 charger for my Maxx, I might damage something, since the phone is expecting a flow of 750 mA but instead getting it at 2.0 A (although it would probably just charge faster). I'm not entirely sure what kind of safeguards devices have regarding amperage.

 

[wunderbar]

The short answer is yes.

Every. single. modern. device. has the intelligence to deal with what chargers you would usually use. if the device can handle the hire amperage, it will charge faster. if it can't, it'll charge at whatever speed it can handle. I pretty much only use tablet chargers to charge everything I have because phones charge significantly faster on 2 or 2.1A chargers.

The long and short is that you wouldn't want to charge a tablet off of a 1A phone charger, but only because it would take forever to charge. But charging a phone, etc off of a 2A charger is fine 99.999% of the time.

 

[mr_nobody]

Conversely, if I used my N7 charger for my Maxx, I might damage something, since the phone is expecting a flow of 750 mA but instead getting it at 2.0 A (although it would probably just charge faster). I'm not entirely sure what kind of safeguards devices have regarding amperage.

Yeah, first off I don't think it will charge faster. Also, it should not damage anything unless the charging software is severely defective.

 

[B. Diddy]

Yeah, first off I don't think it will charge faster.

Really? I thought that was the basis of rapid chargers, compared with the conventional charger that usually comes with a device.

I'm sure 99.9% of the time, a charger won't damage a device. I guess I'd be mostly worried about some no-name charger direct from some manufacturer that maybe didn't meet high quality standards, and could potentially deliver way too much juice.

 

[mr_nobody]

My understanding is the device is governing the charging so if the device will only accept 750mA, that is what it will charge at...ie it will not charge at 2 amps from a 2 amp charger, so thus not faster.

 

[ohmslaw]

My understanding is the device is governing the charging so if the device will only accept 750mA, that is what it will charge at...ie it will not charge at 2 amps from a 2 amp charger, so thus not faster.

Agree here. You have to understand that the load, nexus, determines the current. If you have a 5 volt charger that can provide 10 amps the nexus will not be damaged. It will only take what it was designed for. I would not exceed the voltage.

 

[jpash549]

In another thread where OP said he had gotten 50% charge in 7 minutes which I calculate is something like 14+ Amperes. Something does not jive. My N7 charger only will give me 0.8 to 1 amp charge rate.

From my N7 or BBPB or HPTP or HP Laptop