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Cold Turkey

SiHa

SiHa

Android Enthusiast
Just been camping for an impromptu Easter holiday in the glorious weather we're having in old blighty.

Forgot to take me charger (left it sitting on the bottom stair). Phone dead by end of day two.

Sob.

Didn't know what to do with myself.

Really, really, must sort out the car charger, and get one that does 1A.
 
SiHa said:
Thanks,

I've already got a car > USB jobbie, just need a spare cable that I can bodge to allow the full 1000mA charging. There's a gazillion available on eBay for ~99p
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Why do you need 1A charging? Is it just for faster charging? I ask because I just checked the one I got yesterday and it's 800mA.
 
Sak01 said:
Why do you need 1A charging? Is it just for faster charging?
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Essentially, yes. It also means that I can use the Desire for Sat Nav for more than ~45 minutes without killing the battery.

Do you actually get the 800mA? Does the phone say 'Charging (AC)' or 'Charging (USB)'?
If it's USB then the phone will be regulating its input current to 500mA -the max that a USB should support, (although most will do more).

Bodging the USB cable by shorting Data+ and Data- together will trick the phone into thinking it's plugged into a mains charger and take the full 1A (or the max the charger can supply if that is less).
 
SiHa said:
Essentially, yes. It also means that I can use the Desire for Sat Nav for more than ~45 minutes without killing the battery.
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Am I being dense and misunderstanding or are you saying that with a sub-1A car charger, the battery will drain whilst using Sat Nav despite being plugged in?

I haven't checked to see if it's AC or USB yet.
 
Sak01 said:
Am I being dense and misunderstanding or are you saying that with a sub-1A car charger, the battery will drain whilst using Sat Nav despite being plugged in?

I haven't checked to see if it's AC or USB yet.
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Well your avatar looks fairly dense to me ;)

I don't know about sub-1A in general. 800mA is probably enough, if the phone is taking it (thinks it's on AC). I've seen reports of phones going from 50% to 75% whilst on Sat Nav when charging at 1A. 800mA might be just enough to keep it from discharging, or very slightly top it up.

The crucial bit it what the phone thinks it is plugged into. If it thinks it is plugged into as USB port, then it will only take 500mA regardless of what the charger can supply and it definitely will drain whilst using Sat Nav.
 
I use a standard HTC car charger so I assume it is the reduced power you describe however I often use navigation with maps and my phone always ends the journey with a full charge Zor certainly more than it was depending upon journey length
 
alackman said:
I use a standard HTC car charger so I assume it is the reduced power you describe however I often use navigation with maps and my phone always ends the journey with a full charge Zor certainly more than it was depending upon journey length
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If it's the official charger you use then I know for a fact that it charges at 1a as I have one myself.
 
Casual Pete said:
If it's the official charger you use then I know for a fact that it charges at 1a as I have one myself.
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I agree, it's worth the extra few quid for the genuine htc car charger.

I've used the navigation in car and it definately still charges while driving with navigation no problem....
 
Update for the benefit of anyone else after a charger.

I tried the new car charger on a 2 hour 30 min round trip.

An 800mA charger, as SiHa foretold, is just enough to stop the phone discharging or very slightly top it up when the Sat Nav on.

I'm probably going to get the 1000mA hTC branded one as I'd prefer to be fully charged up after a journey.
 
Sak01 said:
Update for the benefit of anyone else after a charger.

I tried the new car charger on a 2 hour 30 min round trip.

An 800mA charger, as SiHa foretold, is just enough to stop the phone discharging or very slightly top it up when the Sat Nav on.

I'm probably going to get the 1000mA hTC branded one as I'd prefer to be fully charged up after a journey.
Click to expand...


Nice to know, thanks for the update.
Will probably get the HTC one as well.
Cheers,
Simon
 
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