Using different amperage chargers -- hurt battery?

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lordsegan

Gawd
Joined
Jun 16, 2004
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624
Does it hurt a cell phone battery to use different chargers?

I have noticed there are all sorts of generic USB chargers now. Some are of different amperages. Some charger faster and some charger slower.

Does anyone know if this can impact total charge amount or overall life? Is it better to always use OEM?
 
If your owners manual doesn't say anything about needing to use the charger it came with you should be okay with any USB compliant charger.
 
Most charging circuits in modern phones have built in current (amperage) control. Basically, the phone isn't take more current than it is designed to.
 
gwu168 said:
Most charging circuits in modern phones have built in current (amperage) control. Basically, the phone isn't take more current than it is designed to.
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This. I've used all sorts of chargers rated from 500 mA to 2A on my phones and none of them have issues. You'll just get a slower charge off of the < 1A chargers. I still have the charger that came with my OG Droid that's rated at 850 mA and I'm pretty sure the phone forces a full Amp out of it because it charges like any other 1A charger.

FYI though, newer Samsung (Note 2 and GS4 at least) phones come with and support 2A chargers, most other phones only use ~1A.
 
Most phones wont go above 1amp,but number one killer of batteries is heat, so if you really cared about your phone lasting dont leave it in places like the car.
 
T4rd said:
This. I've used all sorts of chargers rated from 500 mA to 2A on my phones and none of them have issues. You'll just get a slower charge off of the < 1A chargers. I still have the charger that came with my OG Droid that's rated at 850 mA and I'm pretty sure the phone forces a full Amp out of it because it charges like any other 1A charger.

FYI though, newer Samsung (Note 2 and GS4 at least) phones come with and support 2A chargers, most other phones only use ~1A.
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I think the htc one does as well, for their "super charge thingy" but after the battery hits 70% it should go to around 1amp again.
 
Trimlock said:
I think the htc one does as well, for their "super charge thingy" but after the battery hits 70% it should go to around 1amp again.
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I remember seeing the One's charge time like 2-3x longer than the GS4's on Anantech, so I would be surprised if that was the case.

Also, here's a protip; if you use a windshield dock for your phone and keep it charging while you have it doing 3-4 other things in the background, it will get pretty damn hot. But I keep my phone cool by routing the AC through the defroster so it hits the back of the phone and keeps it nice and cool. The difference in temps is from 105+F to around 85F in my car on my Note 2 while the hot summer sun beats down on it in my windshield.
 
T4rd said:
I remember seeing the One's charge time like 2-3x longer than the GS4's on Anantech, so I would be surprised if that was the case.

Also, here's a protip; if you use a windshield dock for your phone and keep it charging while you have it doing 3-4 other things in the background, it will get pretty damn hot. But I keep my phone cool by routing the AC through the defroster so it hits the back of the phone and keeps it nice and cool. The difference in temps is from 105+F to around 85F in my car on my Note 2 while the hot summer sun beats down on it in my windshield.
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Good suggestion and you are right the One doesnt have it.
 
The number of amps listed on a phone charger is it's current capacity. As long as the phone doesn't try to draw more than the adaptor is capable of providing you're fine. Doesn't matter if the adaptor is 0.5 amps or 30 amps the device will only draw what it needs. The voltage is the critical rating (even then, modern charging circuits can have a supprising amount of leeway in voltage variation, but not something you want to push your luck with)

That's not to say that some terribly engineered POS couldn't concevibly draw too much current and fry itself, but they'd never get any kind of certification.
 
Yes as mentioned above a charger is rated to max capacity. Your devices will draw as much as they want up to that maximum. What matters in a charger is the quality - the current just has to be equal to or higher than that which your device(s) demand(s).
 
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