Broke my charger, can I use a spare

[Imfallen_Angel]

Then you're good to go.

Well heck.. I've been in electronics all my life.. I've got so many gadgets in my house that I would make a Radio Shack look like a flea market table.



My setup for coil making (or just vaping overall) is fairly extensive at this point... when someone shows a picture of their setup, I will be quite polite about it, but.... the little pompous side of me that I keep inside kinda tiggles and giggles like a little girl.

I use to take VCRs, Stereos, TVs and just about anything that had electricity running threw up apart to repair them (or just fiddle) since when I was able to use a screwdriver... probably around 7 years old.

 

[beckdg]

I mean, I knew that when I wrote it, but I also think you knew I knew that, when you wrote what you wrote. Yeah?

Sometimes I talk just to hear myself talk.

Kinda difficult in text.

So I just try harder.



Tapatyped

 

[Eskie]

Well heck.. I've been in electronics all my life.. I've got so many gadgets in my house that I would make a Radio Shack look like a flea market table.



I use to take VCRs, Stereos, TVs and just about anything that had electricity running threw up apart to repair them (or just fiddle) since when I was able to use a screwdriver... probably around 7 years old.

Then I bet you were a Heathkit fan too back in the day. I built (OK, followed the instructions for) my first ham radio thanks to them. A stereo receiver too. These days with everything surface mounted, about the only thing you can play with is soldering the positive and negative wires to the 510 and sled. Probably a good thing, as my soldering skills are long forgotten and working on little stuff would require lots of fresh practice.

 

[Imfallen_Angel]

Then I bet you were a Heathkit fan too back in the day. I built (OK, followed the instructions for) my first ham radio thanks to them. A stereo receiver too. These days with everything surface mounted, about the only thing you can play with is soldering the positive and negative wires to the 510 and sled. Probably a good thing, as my soldering skills are long forgotten and working on little stuff would require lots of fresh practice.

Sadly, never got into that, no access to such kits in my younger days... I mostly repaired or played with stuff, anything from my grandfather's tube stereo cabinet (old 1950's stuff at least) to the first "electronic" toys from the 70s. I still repair some items like headphones and even replace components which requires some soldering from time to time. I advanced to computer repairs about 20.. (hmm... thinking here.. more like 25 ) years ago, repair, build, etc. way before the "plug and play" stuff. Heck, I once repaired an electrocardiogram machine using a flashlight (that I took apart) as a circuit tester.

 

[bwh79]

that 2A wall wart feeding your poorly regulated charging circuit might not be appreciated by said battery.

Again with the adapter "feeding" 2 whole amps into whatever it's attached to. Have we all just suddenly forgotten about ohm's law? Or do you maintain that the voltage output is not held at a constant (*relatively constant, as much as our batteries provide a "constant 3.7v"; I understand it will vary by a few points to either side) 5v? Because they can't both be right. One or the other of them has to change depending on the attached load, unless you're also claiming that all USB devices also have exactly the same resistance as one another.

V=IR. You can't just go turn one knob while both the others stay in fixed positions. I am saying that I believe USB ports are regulated to 5v output. If that's not true, then it would explain a lot, but I am under the impression that it is true, so if that's wrong, someone please correct me. Further, I am saying that, as we all know, there are two things that determine current: voltage, and resistance. And I am saying, to paraphrase @Ryedan from earlier, that if the voltage is a constant, as I believe it is, then the only other factor that determines current, is the resistance. The wall wart/AC adapter/power supply/whatever you want to call it, cannot modify the resistance of the charging circuit inside the device that's attached to the other end of the cable. Only the device with the charging circuit itself can do that. So, the wall wart, then, has no say in the amount of current that flows through it. Only the device with the charging circuit itself can do that.

If that's not how it works, then please point out to me, where is the leap, the point at which a statement or conclusion does not follow from the previous? Because as far as I can tell, it all makes perfect sense. But then we have people who come in, people who seem to act like they should ought to know what they're talking about, and say no, that isn't how it works, and so I'm genuinely confused. My world view has been turned upside-down, and now people are saying "no, nothing's changed, the sky has always been green." And I am sure that it's blue, but we can't just look up and see who's right, because it's night or something.

 

[Ryedan]

V=IR. You can't just go turn one knob while both the others stay in fixed positions. I am saying that I believe USB ports are regulated to 5v output. If that's not true, then it would explain a lot, but I am under the impression that it is true, so if that's wrong, someone please correct me.

Correct. Always

Further, I am saying that, as we all know, there are two things that determine current: voltage, and resistance. And I am saying, to paraphrase @Ryedan from earlier, that if the voltage is a constant, as I believe it is, then the only other factor that determines current, is the resistance. The wall wart/AC adapter/power supply/whatever you want to call it, cannot modify the resistance of the charging circuit inside the device that's attached to the other end of the cable. Only the device with the charging circuit itself can do that. So, the wall wart, then, has no say in the amount of current that flows through it. Only the device with the charging circuit itself can do that.

Correct also, but with a caveat. The vast majority of the power supplies we use, be they USB or any of those 'warts' or 'black boxes' that come with a device you use that have a cable attached like this:

or:

are like that. They have a maximum amp rating that should not be exceeded by using too low a load as per ohm's law or they will heat up just like a battery being discharged too fast.

OTOH, I'm pretty sure there are some power supplies that limit the output current electronically, or communicate with the charger to let it know to draw less current if needed, or there would be no scenarios where using a lower rated power supply will make the charge time longer. I don't know anything about these because I don't have any that I know of.

The thing is none of the power supplies our mods come with, and none of the typical power supplies (wall warts, or wired adapters like in the pics above) we typically buy or get with stuff are this intelligent. That's why I said if we assume no intelligence in our power supply/charge circuitry we'll be safe all the time.

 

[bwh79]

[...]

OTOH, I'm pretty sure there are some power supplies that limit the output current electronically, or communicate with the charger to let it know to draw less current if needed, or there would be no scenarios where using a lower rated power supply will make the charge time longer.

So, to summarize (question mark?), using a higher rated power supply is always safe, and using a lower rated power supply is "probably, maybe, sometimes" safe (but we don't, or at least I wouldn't recommend that it should be attempted by amateurs or those without prior electrical experience)?

 

[Ryedan]

So, to summarize (question mark?), using a higher rated power supply is always safe, and using a lower rated power supply is "probably, maybe, sometimes" safe (but we don't, or at least I wouldn't recommend that it should be attempted by amateurs or those without prior electrical experience)?

Agreed bwh79

I would add that "probably, maybe, sometimes" safe is IMO better expressed as "maybe, sometimes" safe, but don't count on it unless you know what you're doing.

One of these days I'm going to figure out when lower rated power supplies are safe. In the meantime, that's all I've got.

Vape on

 

[NU_FTW]

Ive watched this thread for a while. Consider Ohms law consider the Mod to be the "coil" and the AC-DC Wall adapter to be the battery. While in a perfect world things "should" operate properly but i would rather have a 12 amp charger than a .500 amp charger. On a mech mod the coil will not pull more than what ohms law dictates, same with over provisioning amps on a charging unit to charge a mod. You can/will damage the adapter, to what extent is circumstantial, by supplying a device that tries to draw 1 amp with .5 amps. Ideally nothing bad will happen, the adapter will get a bit warm, but with any electronics heat is the enemy, always has been.

End of the day, like insurance, or an ar-15, or spare amps, or even prophylactics, I would rather HAVE it and NOT need it, than NEED it and NOT HAVE it.

*drops the mic*

 

[Imfallen_Angel]

Well, it's official, some of you have absolutely no understanding about charging modern devices, and I really hate the fact that some of you INSIST of providing so much bad and senseless information and I would hate to see newbies or the like end up being so badly misinformed and end up puzzled by your rants and lack of knowledge and understanding.

Regardless that you are charging a cell phone, a tablet, a regulated mod, an mp3 player, power packs, or any sort of portable device that uses a USB port (or similar), they ALL have a charging units built-into them that regulates the power going in.

The adapter only provides the power that it's meant to do, it does NOT care about how much power the device can able, or anything, it's got ONE job, and that's to output the power that it's been built to output, nothing else. All of these adapters are putting out 5V, and they all put out different levels of Amperes (for what they were built for)... the standard USB 2.0 ports output 0.5 A, same as many small adapters. You can get other adapters that outputs more, the usual being 1A for cell phone types, to 2.1A for tablets.

So I repeat what I've already said.

If device = 1A / If adapter = 1A
The device will charge at 1A
(example: full charge from 0% would be 6 hours)

If device = 1A / If adapter = 2A
The device will still charge at 1A
(example: full charge from 0% would be 6 hours)

If device = 1A / If adapter = 0.5A
The device will charge at 0.5A
(example: full charge from 0% would be 12 hours)


If device = 1A / If adapter = 0.5A
IF device is charging at over 0.5A Get the fire extinguisher or marshmallows, that adapter is going to light up soon! because if it's output is larger than what it's built for, it is defective and hazardous.

There is absolutely no ranting about ohms required as it is completely irrelevant, we are NOT talking about power to the coils to vape, there is absolutely nothing that concerns resistance here...this is about CHARGING. It is unbelievable that some of you just cannot understand this.

Hell, you can charge a freaking car battery with 2A (at 12V) for a slow overnight charge, or switch it with a 6A for quick charge (many car battery chargers come with the dual option)... the difference?
1) The 2A will top the battery slowly and the battery will remain cool. The charger will hum and stay cool, it is NOT going to overheat.
2) The 6A will charge faster and the battery will be warmer. The charger will still hum but will get a bit warmer, and still, it's not going to overheat.

So unless you have either a defective device or adapter, there is absolutely nothing that will change these facts. Any adapter will charge your device... the Amp. output only affect how fast this charging will be.. Absolutely NOTHING ELSE.

I can plug my mods into my computer, into my adapters, regardless if it's a 0.5, a 0.7, 0.9, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.1 Amp. adapter... my mod has a charging circuit that regulates the power and will always take what the adapter is providing up to 1A and "not use" any extra power, should I put it on any adapter that's over 1A.

It is actually safer to use a 1A and UNDER than to put a OVER 1A on any device that is made to charge at 1A, should the charging circuit fail. And if you are to put a 2A device on a 0.5 or 1A adapter, the ONLY thing this will do is charge it slower.

If you STILL DON'T GET IT, just go buy one of these flowing light USB charging cables:

 

[beckdg]

Well, it's official, some of you have absolutely no understanding about charging modern devices, and I really hate the fact that some of you INSIST of providing so much bad and senseless information and I would hate to see newbies or the like end up being so badly misinformed and end up puzzled by your rants and lack of knowledge and understanding.

Regardless that you are charging a cell phone, a tablet, a regulated mod, an mp3 player, power packs, or any sort of portable device that uses a USB port (or similar), they ALL have a charging units built-into them that regulates the power going in.

The adapter only provides the power that it's meant to do, it does NOT care about how much power the device can able, or anything, it's got ONE job, and that's to output the power that it's been built to output, nothing else. All of these adapters are putting out 5V, and they all put out different levels of Amperes (for what they were built for)... the standard USB 2.0 ports output 0.5 A, same as many small adapters. You can get other adapters that outputs more, the usual being 1A for cell phone types, to 2.1A for tablets.

So I repeat what I've already said.

If device = 1A / If adapter = 1A
The device will charge at 1A
(example: full charge from 0% would be 6 hours)

If device = 1A / If adapter = 2A
The device will still charge at 1A
(example: full charge from 0% would be 6 hours)

If device = 1A / If adapter = 0.5A
The device will charge at 0.5A
(example: full charge from 0% would be 12 hours)


If device = 1A / If adapter = 0.5A
IF device is charging at over 0.5A Get the fire extinguisher or marshmallows, that adapter is going to light up soon! because if it's output is larger than what it's built for, it is defective and hazardous.

There is absolutely no ranting about ohms required as it is completely irrelevant, we are NOT talking about power to the coils to vape, there is absolutely nothing that concerns resistance here...this is about CHARGING. It is unbelievable that some of you just cannot understand this.

Hell, you can charge a freaking car battery with 2A (at 12V) for a slow overnight charge, or switch it with a 6A for quick charge (many car battery chargers come with the dual option)... the difference?
1) The 2A will top the battery slowly and the battery will remain cool. The charger will hum and stay cool, it is NOT going to overheat.
2) The 6A will charge faster and the battery will be warmer. The charger will still hum but will get a bit warmer, and still, it's not going to overheat.

So unless you have either a defective device or adapter, there is absolutely nothing that will change these facts. Any adapter will charge your device... the Amp. output only affect how fast this charging will be.. Absolutely NOTHING ELSE.

I can plug my mods into my computer, into my adapters, regardless if it's a 0.5, a 0.7, 0.9, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.1 Amp. adapter... my mod has a charging circuit that regulates the power and will always take what the adapter is providing up to 1A and "not use" any extra power, should I put it on any adapter that's over 1A.

It is actually safer to use a 1A and UNDER than to put a OVER 1A on any device that is made to charge at 1A, should the charging circuit fail. And if you are to put a 2A device on a 0.5 or 1A adapter, the ONLY thing this will do is charge it slower.

I've replaced motherboards for people because what you insist doesn't always work.

Fried the usb bus lines usually.

Tapatyped

 

[NU_FTW]

I've replaced motherboards for people because what you insist doesn't always work.

Fried the usb bus lines usually.

Tapatyped

Exactly! not to 1-up ya but ive had to replace whole PSUs because of overdrawing power, granted it was on an overclocked CPU with an overclocked GPU doing high res media work

 

[Eskie]

Exactly! not to 1-up ya but ive had to replace whole PSUs because of overdrawing power, granted it was on an overclocked CPU with an overclocked GPU doing high res media work

Yup, I blew two PSUs that way. Then again, they were Dell PSUs so it wasn't all that much of a challenge.

 

[NU_FTW]

Yup, I blew two PSUs that way. Then again, they were Dell PSUs so it wasn't all that much of a challenge.

Ha well i was trying to save budget, was a 750 watt psu, but AMD cpus are power hungry and so are their GPU's it was also a Corsair (wont be buying from them again)

 

[Joergl100]

If device = 1A / If adapter = 0.5A
The device will charge at 0.5A
(example: full charge from 0% would be 12 hours)

Nope. Adapter will be overloaded, nothing else. As written several times: The device pulls, not the adapter pushes.

 

[Alien Traveler]

Nope. Adapter will be overloaded, nothing else. As written several times: The device pulls, not the adapter pushes.

Nope. Adapter will not be overloaded. It will charge slower.
Note: I hope we are talking about more or less recent devices, not about 10 years old computers.

 

[Joergl100]

If there are no features that avoid the adapter from getting overloaded...it will be overloaded. If there is protection in that adapter...not. A cheap wall wart without any protection...could get pretty hot and die.

 

[KenD]

No no no and no... I just explained this and don't want to be rude here, but where are you guys getting this really horribly wrong info....

Again: the adapter is putting out the amount the amount that it's been built for, the device, cell phone, mod, etc. has a computerized charging circuit that detects the incoming power and balances things out, using the power to the max that it is capable of using.

It does NOT "pull" power.. argh... electricity doesn't work that way!

Here's some reading material for you guys...
The Basics of USB Battery Charging: A Survival Guide - Tutorial - Maxim

Why would I buy a 1-amp USB charger instead of a 2.1-amp charger? - Quora

The ONLY thing that can and will happen if you use a lower Amp adapter with your device is that it will take longer to charge, absolutely nothing else.

Your links literally support none of your claims. In fact, they do in several cases suggest the opposite. Also, the first link discusses Maxim chargers specifically, with advanced circuitry in most cases. That's different from most basic adapters. Finally, how do you suppose a device would communicate with an adapter when using a cable with only the power wires connected?

Sent from my K6000 Pro using Tapatalk

 

[KenD]

Well heck.. I've been in electronics all my life.. I've got so many gadgets in my house that I would make a Radio Shack look like a flea market table.

[emoji14]

My setup for coil making (or just vaping overall) is fairly extensive at this point... when someone shows a picture of their setup, I will be quite polite about it, but.... the little pompous side of me that I keep inside kinda tiggles and giggles like a little girl.

I use to take VCRs, Stereos, TVs and just about anything that had electricity running threw up apart to repair them (or just fiddle) since when I was able to use a screwdriver... probably around 7 years old.

It worries me that someone who's supposedly worked with electronics all his life can't understand the information in the sources on electronics he links. I'm not an expert on electronics by any means, far from it, but even I can see that you're misinterpreting your sources.

Sent from my K6000 Pro using Tapatalk

 

[Imfallen_Angel]

Your links literally support none of your claims. In fact, they do in several cases suggest the opposite. Also, the first link discusses Maxim chargers specifically, with advanced circuitry in most cases. That's different from most basic adapters. Finally, how do you suppose a device would communicate with an adapter when using a cable with only the power wires connected?

Sent from my K6000 Pro using Tapatalk

I don't suggest it unless it's a "smart"charger that actually does have circuitry that allows it to communicate with the device.. these are usually proprietary, where the device will not charge unless you use such an adapter.

Your links literally support none of your claims. In fact, they do in several cases suggest the opposite. Also, the first link discusses Maxim chargers specifically, with advanced circuitry in most cases. That's different from most basic adapters. Finally, how do you suppose a device would communicate with an adapter when using a cable with only the power wires connected?

Sent from my K6000 Pro using Tapatalk

I guess your reading skills are below average... I provided those links as I know many aren't able to look stuff that they don't have a clue about, but yet rant in forums about them... this thread seems to bring such people out.

Most device don't communicate with the charger, hell, it's nothing more than a small "transformer" (in layman's terms), there's nothing in there but a few resistors and possibly a capacitor, depending on the model... adapters output power, nothing else unless, as stated before, it's a "smart" one that actually has circuitry.

And comparing this with computers with fried power supplies and USB ports due to failures is a different ball game completely. You guys lost any semblance of respect you might have had.

Anyways, this has turned into a truly sad thread where so many of you absolutely don't get it, so rant away and show your lack of knowledge while trying to sound smart... I'm so done. Sadly, anyone that might believe your crappy take on it will be dumber for it, and I just hope it doesn't result in things blowing up on them (or burning their house down).