Charging Speed

**dwhidden** · 08-11-2012, 02:41 PM

My n7 charges at a rate of about 25% per hour when powered down. Here's the interesting part. When I leave it in standby, it charges roughly twice that rate. Can anybody explain this phenomenon?

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**MantisToboggan** · 08-13-2012, 02:05 PM

Because in standby the unit is consuming less energy.

If you refill your gas tank in your car and you hold the gas pedal down to the floor revving your engine, it will take longer to fill the tank because as you are filling it you are also using some of the gas.

**pete_lockwood** · 08-13-2012, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by MantisToboggan

Because in standby the unit is consuming less energy.

If you refill your gas tank in your car and you hold the gas pedal down to the floor revving your engine, it will take longer to fill the tank because as you are filling it you are also using some of the gas.

orly? Standby consumes less energy than being powered down?

**AustinML** · 08-13-2012, 03:29 PM

I believe Mantis misunderstood your question. What you are describing is definitely counter intuitive. Honestly I'd assume they'd be about the same as this thing appears to use so little juice on standby if you configure it to do so. I generally charge overnight but I'll try some sort of test over the next few days.

**F34R** · 08-13-2012, 04:01 PM

I never turn things off, lol. I'll join Austin in this one.

**MantisToboggan** · 08-13-2012, 05:25 PM

Originally Posted by AustinML

I believe Mantis misunderstood your question.

Yup, I read it as "Powered On" instead of "Powered down". My mistake.

**F34R** · 08-13-2012, 07:11 PM

Originally Posted by MantisToboggan

Yup, I read it as "Powered On" instead of "Powered down". My mistake.

I did the same thing initially lol.

**dralezero** · 08-13-2012, 07:16 PM

Maybe it charges smarter while on or standby? Or charges slower while off to maintain battery health? Faster charging for being active cus it expects you need charge in a rush but not as good for its health? Not that I know anything.

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**dwhidden** · 08-13-2012, 08:40 PM

As I continue to do testing, I am finding results consistent with my original results. Charged today from 10% to 100% in under 3 hours, while watching a 2 hour movie. Other peoples' results would be helpful. Thanks for the replies.

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**ieyanynwa** · 08-14-2012, 04:56 AM

i just got the nexus 7 but i have no plug that fit in with the n7 charger..so can i charge the n7 on the pc using the usb cable?

**Cigar-Junkie** · 08-14-2012, 06:06 AM

Originally Posted by ieyanynwa

i just got the nexus 7 but i have no plug that fit in with the n7 charger..so can i charge the n7 on the pc using the usb cable?

You can charge with any charger but charging from PC is probably going to be the slowest.

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**ieyanynwa** · 08-14-2012, 06:11 AM

Originally Posted by Cigar_Junkie

You can charge with any charger but charging from PC is probably going to be the slowest.

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so i can use the sg3 charger?

**F34R** · 08-14-2012, 07:17 AM

Originally Posted by ieyanynwa

so i can use the sg3 charger?

Yep. Its what I use.

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**adamfrayne182** · 08-14-2012, 02:24 PM

Charging is generally slow for me as well.

**uxaar** · 08-20-2012, 07:12 AM

is 5 hours of charging from 8% to 100% slow?

after about 3 hours of charging i've checked to see where the charging level was-it was arround 70%- and noticed that the wifi was on .
Would this affect the overall charging speed?

**dwhidden** · 08-20-2012, 08:56 PM

I don't think wifi being on should affect charging speed that much, but a 5-hour charging speed is a little slow. I am starting to believe that charging while powered off is the best charging scenario for the n7.

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**steddora** · 08-20-2012, 09:06 PM

I noticed the same thing on mine. I think this goes back to the basics of the android kernel. Even when these devices are powered down, they are "awake" during charging. Perhaps the kernel within this tablet is just better at managing the battery then the stock charging utility. When this tablet is "off", it seems charging takes nearly twice as long as it does when laying around in standby. So it leaves me to believe my theory is true rue with the kernel managing the battery better. I hope someone chimes in with a proven answer as this is rather mind boggling. Lol

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**Ho12nyGuy** · 08-21-2012, 12:47 AM

Something might be wrong with mine then. I left mine over night and had the tablet powered off, and it wouldn't charge at all. I plugged it in and the lightning bolt came on and everything and then the battery button appeared. I was using the stock charger that it came with.

**walcolm** · 08-21-2012, 01:13 AM

I think it has to do with the os helping the charging process when In standby but that charging assistance Is not avaliable when powered down. It was a bit of an issue when the BlackBerry playbook was first released. You couldn't charge it powered down because the software process for charging would not be active.

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**phoenix623** · 08-21-2012, 12:29 PM

I have an Archos 80 it only charges when it's ON or in stand by. It even gives you a message when you power it down saying it wont charge if it's powered down...

**rootbrain** · 08-21-2012, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by ieyanynwa

so i can use the sg3 charger?

ALMOST any microUSB charger will work, but you should check the output. It should be 5V 500maH at MINIMUM, otherwise even if it charges it will take forever and may never get a full charge.

I use my old Blackberry Storm2 charger, rated at 5V - 700maH and it works fine. It will charge the Nexus 7 from 25% to 100% in about 3 hours.

I also purchases the Aluratek 8000maH portable charger and it will do a quick charge from under 50% to 100% in about 55 mins.

**MantisToboggan** · 08-21-2012, 05:06 PM

What's the charger that came with the N7 put out, 500maH?

**Chappie** · 08-21-2012, 10:40 PM

My stock cable charges pretty fast. I usually put it on charge in standby from between 19 to ~30% and it usually is finished in around 2hrs, maybe less.

**dlcramer** · 08-21-2012, 11:21 PM

Originally Posted by MantisToboggan

What's the charger that came with the N7 put out, 500maH?

The stock charger is 2000maH. Thats right, 2 full amps on the output. So any smaller charger is going to be slower. I read somewhere else that the wire gage can also have an affect in charge time. Most micro usb cables are 28 gage. 24 would carry the current better. Possible to even find 20 gage but not common.

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