Help with Chargers

[mgoblueno1]

Ive read a bunch of threads on this, but Im still confused. I own an LG Nitro (around 1800 mAh battery). The stock ac charger is 1.2 amps. I want to buy a car charger but am unsure about how many amps the phone will use (Ive seen 2.1 and 1 amp chargers). So, what is the max number of amps that the phone will charge with, and is there any danger with charging the phone with a high-amp charger?

 

[Harry2]

An important fact about charging is: Only the phone decides how much current it'll use for charging.
The charger's spec just tells how much output current amperes the charger is able to provide to a phone.
So a phone won't get any harm with a high amperes charger

Harry

 

[mgoblueno1]

An important fact about charging is: Only the phone decides how much current it'll use for charging.
The charger's spec just tells how much output current amperes the charger is able to provide to a phone.
So a phone won't get any harm with a high amperes charger

Harry

Ok, how would I find out the max power that my phone would take?

 

[EarlyMon]

Phones follow the USB power specs.

1 A is standard and will do fine in the car.

When you charge from your PC, that's only able to typically supply 0.5 A, and everything still works out OK.

Check the LG web, owners manual, or look for stickers inside the phone to look for rated charging.

So far the only phone I know of rated to charge above 1 A is the new Nexus, capable of going to the USB 2.0 spec.

 

[lunatic59]

Ok, how would I find out the max power that my phone would take?

Usually the a/c power adapter included with the phone represents the optimum amperage.

There is one (minimal) risk with a higher amp car charger and that would be heat. If you are charging your phone in the summer while using the GPS navigation as well as bluetooth, 3G and the phone radio, it will draw considerable power and get rather warm. The battery will be simultaneously charging and delivering power to all the power hungry subsystems and your phone will get very warm. Heat can cause serious problems for electronics so you'll want to consider that when you use it in the car.

My old car used a vent mount car dock, so in the summer, the air conditioner blew on the phone and kept it cool. My new car uses a windshield mount and I've noticed the phone gets rather warm after a long trip.

The risk is minimized by using a lower amperage charger, which can't deliver enough juice to generate too much heat, but you run the risk of having the phone continue to drain , or charge extremely slowly even when plugged in. I would say, for normal day to day use, a 1 amp should be fine.

 

[Harry2]

Just to round up
Most phones will detect if they can rapid charging with high current at the instant when they are put to the charger.
They'll detect this when the charger's connector has an indication.
And most phone manufacturers do code the microUSB connector of their wall chargers and car chargers with that indication.

But most manufacturer of generic chargers don't code their charger's microUSB connector in this way because they want to be compatible with all kind of USB devices.

So to be 100% sure you might buy an original LG car charger

Harry