Calling all electric heads

[BARENETTED]

Can anyone help me?. I purchased usb chargers on amazon.com. A house charger and usb charger were included. The car charger is 1000ma. the house charger is 1 amp. OK - yes they were cheap. However, using the cigarette charger in my car with my usb passthru works like a dream. When I plugged the house charger in and attached the usb passthru, the led blinked a couple of times, but no vapor. I thought it was broke. So, yesterday, I went to big lots and found a car to ac adapter. I plugged it in to the house outlet, attached the usb cigarette charger (which works fine in the car)to it and then plugged the usb passthru into the car charger. Led blinked a couple of times, but no vapor?????

Why am I having a problem with the usb passthru being plugged into a house charger? I have tried different outlets, all with the same results.
The outlets work with higher drawing appliances and my house is rather new.

Any suggestions or explainations would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[yvilla]

What a frustrating situation!

I cannot be sure of the answer, but I do recall a thread a while ago in which it came up that certain USB adapters, sold as "chargers" only, will begin to deliver a charge only when they sense that a battery has been connected to them. Other adapters are meant to both charge and "power" USB devices. They actually say something like "power adapter/charger" in their marketing.

Perhaps the one you bought is the "charger" only type, and is waiting to sense a battery and thus will not power your batteryless passthrough?

Edit: It was Trog who posted about the difference, in case you want to search for that thread.

 

[BARENETTED]

Thanks Yvilla.

I guess I am really confused because they were purchased as a set. Car charger works, but not the wall charger??? The picture of the set is in my original post.

 

[Jim Davis]

Just out of curiosity, check the output voltage. I had a house adapter that only put out 2volts. Need a 5volt.

 

[yvilla]

HILWAYB, how about a link to the product - it's technical specs could help provide a clue, because I sure can't think of any other reason than what I already posted for why it may not work. For after Trog's post about that, I did look at a few items online, and there are some sold as chargers only, and some that say they deliver power too.

 

[BARENETTED]

Amazon.com: Combo of Retractable USB Data Cable + Home Charger Adapter & Car Charger Adapter for Apple iPod Video 60GB, 30GB, 80GB, 120GB U2 Special Edition: Cell Phones & Service


but again - why does the car charger work and not the wall charger????

 

[yvilla]

Darn, it's one of those kinds of listings that doesn't list technical specs! I hate that, and have gotten to the point of never buying anything that won't give me tech specs!

But, it does say under product features that it has a chip that senses a fully charged battery (to protect from overcharging). So, if it does provide 5V as Jim asked you to check, then maybe it is the problem I referred to - it maybe looking to sense a battery before it even begins.

Compare what your product listing says - it's a charger - with this one, that says "Dual USB AC adapter, power or charge two USB devices".

Amazon.com: Coby CA81 Dual USB Power Adapter/Charger (White): Everything Else

It could be that the car adapter doesn't have the sensor thing.

 

[BARENETTED]

Yvilla - do you know if the one you listed will work for me?

 

[yvilla]

I don't have it, but it sure looks like like wv2win does:

http://www.e-cigarette-forum.com/fo...sign-requests/13437-wall-plug.html#post204839

You could pm him to be 100% sure. It does have the correct specs, that I know.

 

[BARENETTED]

Yvilla - I cant thank you enough!

 

[BullGawd]

The car charger is a much simpler circuit, thats why it works. It has to take 12-13.8 volts and step it down to 5 usually and thats it. The AC adapter is converting from AC to DC current and probably has a load sensing circuit built in for battery charging instead of just straight through power like the car charger has.

 

[BARENETTED]

Thanks Bull.

 

[yvilla]

The car charger is a much simpler circuit, thats why it works. It has to take 12-13.8 volts and step it down to 5 usually and thats it. The AC adapter is converting from AC to DC current and probably has a load sensing circuit built in for battery charging instead of just straight through power like the car charger has.

What I said - but not so technically.

 

[ISAWHIM]

You don't have enough voltage/amps in the device. You purchased a charger which is trying to charge a device without an initial voltage. (It will only raise the voltage of a device with a charge, when it detects the charge-level.)

Like it was stated... USB is 5v, (The actual USB), the charger output is 2v, to detect the volt-resistance, for a charge. You are better-off getting four AA recharge batteries, and hooking them up to deliver the 5v you require. (1.25v * 4 = 5.00v) Rechargeable batteries are not the same voltage as normal batteries. (1.50v)

There are many USB mods, which show you how to build a true USB power supply. Note: those can also be used as a charge device, for any USB charge connector.