Using the right charger

[Silver]

To all the electronics wizards

If you get a device that ships will an AC wall adapter that, for example, has an output of 5V and 0.5A, is it safe to use a 1A or 2A charger adapter on that device?

I have heard that if the device is intelligent it will only draw what it needs from the charger adaptor. Ie, in the example above only 0.5A. But some reports Ive heard say that you shouldn't use a 1A charger on a device that needs a 0.5A charge current. I.e. that charger adaptor just pushes whatever it can into the device. And potentially can harm it.

I suppose this can also be extended to any electronic device. I have been told before at the Apple shop not to use my iPad charger (which has a 2A output) on my iPhone because its too strong and the iPhone only takes a 1A charge.

What is the correct situation here?

Tagging @johan as well across the pond. I think I have asked you this before Johan but if you get a moment can you let us know as well...

 

[Christos]

To all the electronics wizards

If you get a device that ships will an AC wall adapter that, for example, has an output of 5V and 0.5A, is it safe to use a 1A or 2A charger adapter on that device?

I have heard that if the device is intelligent it will only draw what it needs from the charger adaptor. Ie, in the example above only 0.5A. But some reports Ive heard say that you shouldn't use a 1A charger on a device that needs a 0.5A charge current. I.e. that charger adaptor just pushes whatever it can into the device. And potentially can harm it.

I suppose this can also be extended to any electronic device. I have been told before at the Apple shop not to use my iPad charger (which has a 2A output) on my iPhone because its too strong and the iPhone only takes a 1A charge.

What is the correct situation here?

Tagging @johan as well across the pond. I think I have asked you this before Johan but if you get a moment can you let us know as well...

The Amps are for this situation not too important. E.G. I have a 30 AMP DC transformer that I use for charging Lipos and when i use it for other uses I can see the AMP draw on its digital meter e.g. i see some applications draw 0.5AMPS.

What is important is that the voltage is the same and the polarity is the same. If its a USB plug then polarity is irrelevant and voltage is irrelevant and the destination should auto regulate what it needs based on the source capabilities.

Please let me know if this makes sense.

 

[Silver]

The Amps are for this situation not too important. E.G. I have a 30 AMP DC transformer that I use for charging Lipos and when i use it for other uses I can see the AMP draw on its digital meter e.g. i see some applications draw 0.5AMPS.

What is important is that the voltage is the same and the polarity is the same. If its a USB plug then polarity is irrelevant and voltage is irrelevant and the destination should auto regulate what it needs based on the source capabilities.

Please let me know if this makes sense.

Many thanks @Christos

On the wall adaptors I am talking about - they dont have any polarity settings or reference. They are just like the little ones you get with your cell phone and occaionally with some vape devices.

Ok so you saying that I can charge a device that ships with a 5V 0.5A charger unit using a 5V 1A unit - ie that the device will only draw what is necessary? But when you read the output spec on the wall adaptor, is the 1A the Max it can do or the amps it always pushes out?

Wish I had an amp meter gadget to check this all out...

 

[Christos]

Many thanks @Christos

On the wall adaptors I am talking about - they dont have any polarity settings or reference. They are just like the little ones you get with your cell phone and occaionally with some vape devices.

Ok so you saying that I can charge a device that ships with a 5V 0.5A charger unit using a 5V 1A unit - ie that the device will only draw what is necessary? But when you read the output spec on the wall adaptor, is the 1A the Max it can do or the amps it always pushes out?

Wish I had an amp meter gadget to check this all out...

I have done this test with DNA chips and the following has happened.
On a DNA board that charges at 1A a 2.7A usb cell charger the mod only charges at 1A.
On a DNA board that charges at 2A a 2.7 usb cell charger the mod charges at 2A.

The cell chargers should only provide the amp limit that is being drawn from the destination as a cell phone will stop charging or use less Amps towards the end of a charge. e.g. from say 50% to 90% full 2.7A will be drawn but from 90 to 100% the phone will start to charge under 1A.

Edit: the 1 or 2.7 A rated on the charger is the max it can push out.

 

[Silver]

Thanks @Christos

Your tests were done on a DNA board device

But what about other devices - for example the iStick 20 and iStick 50. I wonder if they have the built-in intelligence to just draw what they need or whether their circuitry will just give in to the avalanche of amps being thrown in..... lol

 

[Christos]

Thanks @Christos

Your tests were done on a DNA board device

But what about other devices - for example the iStick 20 and iStick 50. I wonder if they have the built-in intelligence to just draw what they need or whether their circuitry will just give in to the avalanche of amps being thrown in..... lol

Those I dont have a clue but there are some pointers that may help us.
1. Did the mod come with its own wall plug?
2. Age of Mod (reason for this is these new fast charge wall adaptors do not fast charge unless they detect the qualcom chip in the cellular device that handles the fast charging so a 3.4A fast charger generally only outputs the standard 2.7A i think if its not "Communicating".

 

[Bulldog]

The load will only draw the current that it needs, so as long as the supply amps is greater than required by the device it will be fine. The only time a problem would occur is if the device had no overload protection and short circuited then it would draw the full current from the supply. Volts on the other hand must not be exceeded.

 

[Humbolt]

What @Bulldog said. The 2A on the charger is the maximum load the charger is capable of supplying, not what it charges at. The current draw is load dependant.

 

[daniel craig]

I charge any/all devices which support on board charging with my Samsung fast charger with no issues. I've been charging my Aspire Breeze 2, SMOK infinix and every other device with my fast charger and didn't experience any issues at all. I don't think I've ever used any other adapter besides the fast charger which is over 2A I think.

From my understanding, the device will only take the amount of power it needs and not more than it can handle so therefore if a device needs 1A it wouldn't take any more than 1A of power.

 

[BubiSparks]

Any device requiring a power supply will only draw as much current as it "needs" as stated by some posts above. Problems can arise when the power supply cannot supply sufficient current, not the other way around.

It's always better to have excess capacity on your power supply. If your device needs 1A to charge it's better to have a 2A power supply (or 100A for that matter) because it won't have to "work" as hard.

If your device requires 1A and you use a wall wart that can only deliver 0.5A, it will be overloaded and overheat and probably blow up if it doesn't have proper current limiting on board.

 

[Silver]

Thanks @Christos

Im mainly talking about the istick50 and istick20. They came out about 3/4 years ago so definitely not of the fast charge variety. i am not 100% sure but i think they didnt come with a wall plug. If they did (i have two eleaf plugs) it was a 1A output wall adaptor, because i have two of those.

Thanks @Bulldog, @Humbolt, @daniel craig and @BubiSparks - i appreciate your feedback!

Amazing to get resposes like this on a question. Helps a lot

 

[johan]

@Silver, @Christos, @Bulldog, @Humbolt, @daniel craig and @BubiSparks are all 100% correct.