Need help with chargers - trying to find true 2a chargers that actually work!

[dakhath]

Take a moment and read this article about how the S4 varies its pull of electricity dependent on what it needs. I had linked it in an earlier post and it is where I pulled the quote in red from.
There is more information I did not mention.
AnandTech | Samsung Galaxy S 4 Review - Part 1

Another piece of that review:

Samsung uses a voltage divider and signals the presence of their own charger by sending 1.2-1.3 V across the D+ / D- pins, this is similar to what Apple does with 2.0 or 2.8 V across the pins for various USB chargers they've shipped over the years. This signaling is essentially Samsung's proprietary tablet charging signaling which they've employed on the Galaxy Note 2 and now SGS4, in fact the two use the same exact charger, so it's worth tossing out your old ones and getting the appropriate one to take advantage of the faster charging.

 

[adam.bean]

I mentioned in my post, and others have posted (post #15)
The chargers and phones/tablets can vary the current and amps they need, depending on where they are in the charging cycle.

When you're accelerating your car 0 to 60 you use more gas then when you're maintaining 60.

Sorry, that's a really simplistic example, but close to why your amperage is varying.


Sent from my M470BSA

Understood; however why is it that only the OEM charger maintains that constant 1900 and the others do not though?

 

[adam.bean]

Take a moment and read this article about how the S4 varies its pull of electricity dependent on what it needs. I had linked it in an earlier post and it is where I pulled the quote in red from.
There is more information I did not mention.
AnandTech | Samsung Galaxy S 4 Review - Part 1

Another piece of that review:

Samsung uses a voltage divider and signals the presence of their own charger by sending 1.2-1.3 V across the D+ / D- pins, this is similar to what Apple does with 2.0 or 2.8 V across the pins for various USB chargers they've shipped over the years. This signaling is essentially Samsung's proprietary tablet charging signaling which they've employed on the Galaxy Note 2 and now SGS4, in fact the two use the same exact charger, so it's worth tossing out your old ones and getting the appropriate one to take advantage of the faster charging.

Similar to my above reply ... I get that, it makes sense, but unless I'm simply not taking enough polls, the OEM charger is always putting out 1900. It's other chargers that appear to be much more variable. So are you stating that it's intended this way? I would expect that all chargers would have the variability ... or if anything, the other way around in by the OEM varies and others are static.

 

[dakhath]

I think we are all over thinking this issue.

adam.bean, you are trying to find several chargers to keep your phone fully charged, correct?

Why not simplify the problem and just get the Samsung spare battery charging system?

I get a former iPhone user vibe in your need to have multiple chargers everywhere. (Sorry, if this is not correct)
Which is exactly what you need when you can't replace the battery, chargers everywhere.

Please remember that the Galaxy S4 is not an iPhone or a HTC One. The battery can be replaced.

It takes less than a minute to shut down, swap batteries and restart. Now your phone is fully charged back to 100% in just under a minute. Just put the run down battery in the charger and be free to use your phone without being tied down to the charger waiting for it to recharge. Once the spare is recharged in about 2 hours pop it into the travel case and bring it with you. Even using an older charger plugged into the Spare Battery charging system it doesn't take long to fully recharge the spare battery as it is only charging a battery and not powering a phone and charging a battery at the same time. So you can have any type of charger at work, home, or in the car and just plug the spare battery in to charge.
My phone never has to be sitting somewhere stuck to a charger with this setup only the spare battery needs to be plugged in.
What's the point in having a portable supercomputer if it is plugged in always charging? I have a desktop computer for that.

Also, I remember reading that you are pulling your readings from the Galaxy Charging Current app on your phone.
This may be the source of your frustrations, I don't know as that app does not work on my Galaxy S4 as I have the Sprint variant.
If I was trying to test chargers I would be using my mutli-meter and take readings directly from the chargers using that.

I just feel that we are all over analyzing this.
I just hope this alternate viewpoint is at least helpful in some way.

 

[adam.bean]

Hi dakhath,

Yeah, i actually keep two extra batteries in my girlfriends purse as she has an S4 too. That was never a problem, it's just more than on demand throughout the day/night, I'd really prefer to be able to charge my phone as fast as possible. We're on the go quite a bit and I'm just crazy about getting the max performance out of any piece of technology. I like to leave the house with a full charge and then rely on the extra batteries when/if need be.

Yeah, the software may be a culprit, but I fall back to the simple fact that why does the OEM maintain a constant 1900 and all other charges vary?

At the end of the day, I think I'm just going to settle on the Amazon basics charger and be content with the 1200mAh charge.

 

[kirkhere]

At the end of the day, I think I'm just going to settle on the Amazon basics charger and be content with the 1200mAh charge.

Nothing wrong with that. Personally I'm often not in a hurry to charge, so I'll intentionally use a 1A charger for slower charging. Slow charging is typically easier on a battery than fast charging.

 

[adam.bean]

Nothing wrong with that. Personally I'm often not in a hurry to charge, so I'll intentionally use a 1A charger for slower charging. Slow charging is typically easier on a battery than fast charging.

Ya know, I've heard that, but then I've also heard others saying that's no longer true. It's so hard to know what to believe anymore. I emailed Samsung asking for assistance and they replied basically stating to stick with the OEM charger, wonderful.

In the end, I feel like this is a Samsung specific issue with these chargers ... unfortunately I don't have any means in which to test this though.

 

[fishepa]

I bought the Anker battery charging system off amazon that comes with 2 spare batteries. I don't even charge my phone anymore I just switch out the batteries.

Sent from my SCH-I545

 

[monsieurms]

I bought the Anker battery charging system off amazon that comes with 2 spare batteries. I don't even charge my phone anymore I just switch out the batteries.

Sent from my SCH-I545

Yes, but that charges very, very slowly compared to the wall charger. It's fine in a pinch, but it's a poor substitute for actual routine charging when you need to top off.

Topping off a lot is a good solution. If you're on the road constantly, it's difficult, but otherwise, there's the wall charger, often staring me in the face. Running the batteries all the way down all the time isn't good for their health.

 

[Almeuit]

Yes, but that charges very, very slowly compared to the wall charger. It's fine in a pinch, but it's a poor substitute for actual routine charging when you need to top off.

Topping off a lot is a good solution. If you're on the road constantly, it's difficult, but otherwise, there's the wall charger, often staring me in the face. Running the batteries all the way down all the time isn't good for their health.

True but I think fish is going on the fact he can replace the battery anytime.. Plus they are cheap.

Sent from my T-Mobile HTC One using AC Forums.

 

[ccdiane]

I can swap my Kindle Keyboard charger and my Samsung Galaxy S4 with no problems whatsoever. As for charging them in the car, both of them have the AC and the USB options; I just pop the USB end into whatever charger happens to be in the vehicle I'm driving (I've got a lot of adult kids). I can charge it with the USB port in my laptop, and any hotel that has a USB charger (a growing number of them do).

I charged both devices with the other's power cord a couple of days after I got the phone (I was tired and didn't notice until morning), and I've had no problems swapping them for the last six months. It's handy to keep one charger in the room I work in--or travel to--and the other in the bedroom. And, like I've said, no issues. I've never tried anything like what is on your list, though, because I don't need a long cord.

 

[RLZerr]

If the charger is truly capable of supplying 2A and the device being charged can take that much power try a shorter charging cable with larger wires. 24AWG is too small. I've even seen 26AWG fragile wimpy wires! 22 and even 20AWG USB cables are available. Get the shortest you can work with. 5 volts simply does not conduct well through long small wires at higher current. The micro USB connector doesn't help either. Out of over 8 different cables I've tested only 1, a 6 incher seems to handle 2 amps.

 

[extraclass]

How do you know how much charging current you are drawing? If you are using the Samsung Charging current APP I have found it very inaccurate! I use a small USB Volt and Current meter nound on Ebay and Amazon for under $10. It will give a much more accurate current draw reading! The Samsung OEM Chargers are available for about $10 with a Samsung charging cable. I have found these to be more reliable and trouble free!

 

[extraclass]

How do you know how much charging current you are drawing? If you are using the Samsung Charging current APP I have found it very inaccurate! I use a small USB Volt and Current meter found on Ebay and Amazon for under $10. It will give a much more accurate current draw reading! The Samsung OEM Chargers are available for about $10 with a Samsung charging cable. I have found these to be more reliable and trouble free!