Low Cost Car Charger

[jgumphress]

I was trying to buy a car charger for my cell phone on eBay and accidentally clicked on the wrong one. When I got it I was at first upset at what a boob I was. Then I noticed the plug looked like the Nexus 7 USB plug so I went out out my car to try it and it works great!! Original Motorola Car Vehicle Charger for Atrix HD 4G 2 & Droid 2 , 3 , 4 | eBay They are new are only a little over $5 US with free shipping.

 

[Natey2]

We need to be careful about what charger we use to charge the batteries in our devices. Just because a connector fits doesn't mean the charger is ok to use.
Good chargers are designed to properly charge the battery in our device. Safest bet is to use a device, associated battery and charger from the same manufacturer. If the manufacturer charges (no pun intended) too much for their charger, get the model number and check prices on Amazon.
There are monkeys out there building chargers and selling them for devices/batteries they should not be used with. If they do work, they could reduce your battery lifespan.

 

[genterminl]

While I agree that a charger may not work correctly just because the connector fits, why can't it be simply specified what the correct criteria really are, instead of saying "only use the official one" ? At minimum, voltage and maximum current have to be specified, and I'll assume the type of battery, since charging a NiCd is different from charging a LiPo. However, what else do you need to judge whether a charger is safe and appropriate to use? While I admit there are chargers out there that will reduce battery life if not actually damage the battery, I don't believe that only the original, manufacturer's charger will work well.

 

[Natey2]

Charging circuitry: how does the charger deal with source voltage fluctuations (spikes, etc.). Especially car chargers. That cigarette lighter socket may not be as clean as a home power outlet, especially when you flash high-beam, turn on the air conditioner, etc.
Not all similarly rated chargers (based on Voltage and Current rating alone) were created equal in charging and protecting the device.

 

[frnkws]

I have 4 different cigarette plug adaptors that have a usb plugin.
Never had a problem with any of them with other devices. However, you can buy cheap ones that are less than 1 amp and better ones that are up to 3 amp.
If you look at the plug that came with the Nexus you will notice it is 2 amp 5v. A 1 amp will take longer to charge. The important thing is that it is 5V.