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Charging issues

thaKing

thaKing

Android Enthusiast
Just recently I've had issues where my phone doesn't charge. I was traveling last week and in the hotel I plugged in my phone to the provided charger/cable. The same setup I use daily. However, it didn't charge. Switched around cables, outlets, etc. Here's what I'm experiencing now - I plug the phone in to the cable, and brick into the outlet. Nothing. I take the cable out of the phone and rotate it 180 degrees. I get "Cable Charging" (not fast charging). I then can take the cable out of the brick and rotate it 180 degrees and no charge. I repeat the process by switching which end is plugged into the phone and brick. Again, one side I get a charge, rotating it removes the charge.

What is happening here? Is it the cable? The brick? Both? Something else?
 
thaKing said:
Just recently I've had issues where my phone doesn't charge. I was traveling last week and in the hotel I plugged in my phone to the provided charger/cable. The same setup I use daily. However, it didn't charge. Switched around cables, outlets, etc. Here's what I'm experiencing now - I plug the phone in to the cable, and brick into the outlet. Nothing. I take the cable out of the phone and rotate it 180 degrees. I get "Cable Charging" (not fast charging). I then can take the cable out of the brick and rotate it 180 degrees and no charge. I repeat the process by switching which end is plugged into the phone and brick. Again, one side I get a charge, rotating it removes the charge.

What is happening here? Is it the cable? The brick? Both? Something else?
Click to expand...
when you say "etc" does that mean you also tried replacing the power brick as well? if different bricks, cables, and outlets do not work, then your charging port might be bad. have you tried wireless charging the phone?
 
Well if you have indeed tried using completely different USB cables and different power adapters with those same results, have you tried just restarting your phone? Perhaps there's just a one-off glitch that popped up that's interfering with the charging process.
 
@puppykickr ok, that was the obvious answer to me and was hoping others thought the same.

@ocnbrze - I tried a different cable/brick combo and it worked. It happened to be a non-rapid charging combo so not sure if that totally answered whether it's a cable/brick issue, or an issue with the phone and rapid charging.

@svim - coincidentally, I had to reboot today. I just tried the cable/brick combo in question. I got rapid charging and even tried flipping the cable around. Made me feel better. However, while typing this response, it switched from rapid to cable charging (slower). I unplugged and plugged it in again, back to rapid charging.
 
Another update. After rebooting, I tried again, per @svim. It would start rapid charging, drop to cable charging, then stop charging altogether. I grabbed my other cable/brick combo. It is NOT a rapid charging combo. However, it charges consistently and doesn't drop. Starting to think it may be the cable or brick.
 
Are these Samsung bricks and cables or aftermarket? I wonder if something is getting hot and doing a safety shutdown. That's seems to be the sequence as you state it starts out fast, then regular, then nothing.
 
@Unforgiven the set causing issues are Samsung issued cable and brick. I have another Samsung brick and a Lenovo cable. It's this set that is charging but not rapid charging (not having any issues with this pair).
 
I remember when I got my S20 I had to mix and match chargers and cables (both OEM and aftermarket) to find combinations that worked with fast and ultrafast charging. Ditto for wireless and fast wireless charging.
 
thaKing said:
@Unforgiven - mind sharing a combo that worked best for you? I will look to replace both to see if it makes a difference.
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Some of the wireless chargers and cables were Cheotech (from Amazon) but I think they are out of business now. Others were Anker cables and blocks, Samsungs. I had some luck with QC3 chargers, but only for quick charge, not super fast charging. It was really trial and error with what I got with the phone, accessories I purchased alongside the phone, and what I had in the house.
 
These are what I use for cable charging and have not had any issues. The brick is 45w for superfast charging, the cables are rated for 60w.

Limited-time deal: Anker USB C Charger, 713 Charger (Nano II 45W), GaN II PPS Fast Compact Foldable Charger for MacBook Pro 13, Galaxy S22/S22+/S22 Ultra/S21, Note 20/10, iPhone 13/Pro/Pro Max, Steam Deck, and More https://a.co/d/dyMVIuM

Limited-time deal: USB C Cable, Anker 2 Pack New Nylon USB C to USB C Cable (3.3ft 60W), USB 2.0 Type C Charging Cable for MacBook Pro 2020, iPad Pro 2020, iPad Air 4, Galaxy S20, Switch, Pixel, LG and More(Black) https://a.co/d/7kszIMF

I use this wireless charger at home.
Anker Wireless Charger with Power Adapter, PowerWave II Pad, Qi-Certified 15W Max Fast Wireless Charging Pad for iPhone 12, 12 Mini, 12 Pro Max, 11, 11 Pro, Galaxy S10 S9 S8, Note 10 Note 9 & More https://a.co/d/f0kUTeL
 
Be sure to pay attention to just what kind of power adapter you're using with fast charging on your S22 Ultra. They are not all the same. There are different, competing, and proprietary fast charging protocols. The fall back is just standard power transfer so it's not a complete loss but fast charging isn't a universally compatible practice.
https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/how-does-fast-charging-work/
 
@svim that's a lot of information. I knew I had to be careful, read that previously. Outside of a Samsung brick, which ones are safe to use for the 22 Ultra? I've had success in the past with Anker that @Unforgiven mentioned but not sure if any are compatible with the Ultra.
 
A brand name charger and cable that can supply enough power will in most cases be adequate. (... as referred to in previous posts made by others in their recommendations.) Your S22 Ultra has a sizable 5000mAh battery, along with that proprietary Samsung 'Super Fast Charging' so in order to take advantage of that fast charging you do need to feed it enough power. Don't forget the basic formula is volts x amperage = wattage so use a charger/cable rated accordingly -- i.e. a charger that can supply at least 10 volts and 4.5 amps = 45 watts.
 
@svim I was hoping you had brands/models as an example.

@ocnbrze I do use wireless, we share them in the house. That's why I don't take it while traveling. That, plus it's fast and not rapid charging.
 
@jhtalisman posted some good examples.

Just buy a power adapter and a cable that a) can supply an adequate amount of power for that 5000mAh battery in your phone and b) are specific about being compatible with your S22 Ultra. The former is more about the power adapter, the latter about the cable. Don't forget that 1000 milliamps = 1 amp so you're dealing with a battery that can store up to 5 amps of power, a relatively sizable amount given its physical size. Just theoretically, that 5000mAh battery will be able to pull in 5 amps or so of power when charging (typically it'll actually be a lot less) so a newer 45 watt charger is adequate while those older 10 watt (5 volt/2 amp) chargers that used to come with a new phone for several years will barely suffice (no fast charging at all, more of a 'trickle charger'). You might be able to eliminate a lot of the mystery to your original posting if you look at the label on the power adapter you were using when traveling. It will list its capacity stats on the label (they need to be there legally) -- could be in front, in back, or one of the sides, part of the brand logo label or its own separate label, and will most likely be really tiny type but it has to be there -- the standard info will include input/output voltage and amperage. If it is one of those older 10 or 15 watt chargers that will be part of your initial problem, but don't discount that whole proprietary mess involving 'fast charging' protocols. As long as you're using a charger that can provide adequate voltage/amperage, it's then becomes an issue with how your phone receives it when charging (the USB cable and the charging circuitry inside your S22 Ultra). Were you using the same USB cable you use at home when fast charging is working out? If yes you can eliminate that as the culprit. If no, a quality, brand-name USB cable will consist of thicker gauge wiring inside, better insulation (inner and outer), and higher quality plug ends, important aspects with data transfer, not as much with power transfer but still relevant as far as power capacity and with those proprietary protocols.
 
Another thing to note: If debris such as pocket lint gets inside the charging port it will cause similar problems with sporadic and slow charging. It is good practice to use a can of compressed air on occasion to blow out any loose particles. I also use a usb-c port cover when I am not cable charging.
 
@svim thanks for the follow up. The cable used is the one supplied with the Ultra. The brick is a Samsung Super Fast charger that came with the S20+ (model EP-TA800). Same setup used at home and on the road. I've used this setup since I first got the Ultra (March or April?) with no issues. Started last week while traveling.

I purchased and received the Anker Nano II 45W brick. Same issues. Also have a brand new Ultra USB cable. Starting to think it might be an issue with the phone.

I've turned off super fast charging, rebooted the phone (held down volume and power button), turned on super fast charging again. Optimized battery. No change.

@jhtalisman I will give that a try today.
 
Another update....when I plug in a USB-c to USB-c cable to the Samsung fast brick or the Anker Nano brick, it says super fast charging for a few minutes then the screen flashes on and it will go back and forth between super fast and fast charging....but, the battery percentage never changes.

I then switch out to a USB-c to USB cable and a Samsung brick from an older phone. It doesn't do super fast but it does charge fast with no interruption.

So, I'm confused as to why a USB-c to USB-c cable won't keep charging (super fast or not) but the older cable and brick works fine with fast charging.
 
Super Fast Charging is a closed, proprietary standard developed by Samsung only for a select few of its devices. It also requires a USB cable that can handle 5 amps (not all do), and the a power adapter that's rated at 45 watts (most are well below that). Fast Charging however is becoming more and prevalent to it's not surprising if that's what your S22 Ultra is using most of the time. Also, and this applies to smartphone battery charging is a typical, common occurrence, but if you were to use an app like AccuBattery to monitor the charging process in real time as it's happening, the peak amount of voltage and amperage will be early on and that it tapers off the longer your phone is connected to the charger. So in your case when you first connect it that may involve 40 watts or so the first few minutes but that will continue dropping off to the point where you may only see single digit wattage as the battery reaches a full charge. (note that a smartphone battery charged to 80% or so will have a longer lifespan than if always charged to 100%)
 
svim said:
Super Fast Charging is a closed, proprietary standard developed by Samsung only for a select few of its devices. It also requires a USB cable that can handle 5 amps (not all do), and the a power adapter that's rated at 45 watts (most are well below that). Fast Charging however is becoming more and prevalent to it's not surprising if that's what your S22 Ultra is using most of the time. Also, and this applies to smartphone battery charging is a typical, common occurrence, but if you were to use an app like AccuBattery to monitor the charging process in real time as it's happening, the peak amount of voltage and amperage will be early on and that it tapers off the longer your phone is connected to the charger. So in your case when you first connect it that may involve 40 watts or so the first few minutes but that will continue dropping off to the point where you may only see single digit wattage as the battery reaches a full charge. (note that a smartphone battery charged to 80% or so will have a longer lifespan than if always charged to 100%)
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OK, I understand all that. The pieces I'm using are Samsung issued, drops super fast charging, and stops charging altogether. I also understand that using parts that aren't capable of super fast charging won't charge as such.

What I don't understand is why Samsung issued super fast charging parts aren't charging, while Samsung issued parts NOT for super fast charging actually do charge my phone.
 
If you know anyone else that has the same device, or else go to a store that has one, and see if your charger(s) function correctly with another of the same devices.
 
Final update. Went to a Samsung repair shop and they ran diagnostics, tried different chargers, etc. Saw what I saw. From what we could tell, something is wrong with the phone. Going to contact Samsung about warranty.
 
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