Using another cable/plug to charge the S4

[beowulf7]

In one of the instruction manuals that comes with the SGS4, it says to only use the USB cable and plug that comes with the phone. I dismissed that (mostly b/c I don't like the white cable/plug when I have a black phone) and am using generic micro USB cables and the OEM plug that came w/ my Droid 3. Am I doing any long-term harm? It seems to charge just fine, both via computer and wall outlet.

 

[lotus49]

It's total rubbish.

Any decent quality cable or charger will be fine. You may find that your phone will charge more slowly with some thin cables so you are probably best avoiding a cheapo

 

[beowulf7]

It's total rubbish.

Any decent quality cable or charger will be fine. You may find that your phone will charge more slowly with some thin cables so you are probably best avoiding a cheapo

 

[lotus49]

The only difference between chargers is the current they can supply. The stock S4 charger can supply 2A and comes with a thick, low resistance cable.

None of my other means of charging (eg USB socket on a laptop, old S2 charger etc) can supply a current > 1A so naturally, they are much slower.

I have never timed how long recharging takes but I would guess it takes about 2 hours. Using the S2 charger takes at least twice as long. What's the maximum current for the Motorola D3 cable/plug?

 

[beowulf7]

The only difference between chargers is the current they can supply. The stock S4 charger can supply 2A and comes with a thick, low resistance cable.

None of my other means of charging (eg USB socket on a laptop, old S2 charger etc) can supply a current > 1A so naturally, they are much slower.

I have never timed how long recharging takes but I would guess it takes about 2 hours. Using the S2 charger takes at least twice as long. What's the maximum current for the Motorola D3 cable/plug?

Good question. In ever looked into the specs for the D3 cable and plug. But in terms of look and feel of the cable, you can't tell them apart, other than one is white (S4) and the other is black (D3).

I'm looking at the white plug of the S4 and it says output 5V and 2A. I went to go check the black plug of my D3. It says 5.1V and 850 mA. So it looks like you're onto something!

 

[marine one]

Download the Galaxy Charging Current Lite app from the app store.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.abmantis.galaxychargingcurrent.free
This interesting app shows the level of charging to your battery from the charger you are using. The Sammy supplied charger pushes 1200 ma to your battery. The chargers from my previous phone [Droid Bionic] charge at 900 ma.

 

[speedlever]

Before the latest update (AMF3), I was seeing 1900 mAh charging. Now it starts out around 1200 mAh, using the OEM charger and cable. Is this something others have noticed too? I'm guessing so since the post above mentions 1200 mAh. I tried my iPad charger with the same results.

 

[jayjay1122]

I generally like to keep one charging option in my office and one in my home so I can run the wires neatly and not carry them back and fourth. When I first switched from the Razr HD, I tried that plug/cable combo as my "home option"...it took forever to charge.

I went and grabbed my iPad charger (similar specs @ 5.1V - 2.1A) but kept the USB cable from my Razr and it worked like a charm.

Bottom line, in a pinch, the charger from an iPad matches up great with our stock charger.

 

[truenolady]

I have a couple of different chargers, I have an old samsung charger for the car and that seems to take forever to charge even by an increase of 1%... Desperately slow... The best one for me is the one that came in the box... The wire was just super short, so I swapped it for the same one in work only much longer...

 

[SebaKL]

I was just watching video about that, no further than 4 days ago.
I was recycling one charger across multiple devices. and while the phones charge just fine, my Nexus 7 was taking far too long. The video pretty much discuss exactly what you all said above:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=v-lnhaCtodE

 

[beowulf7]

I was just watching video about that, no further than 4 days ago.
I was recycling one charger across multiple devices. and while the phones charge just find, my Nexus 7 was taking far too long. The video pretty much discuss exactly what you all said above:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=v-lnhaCtodE

That video makes sense. Super charging also reminds me at what I've seen at some airports where you pay something and it quickly recharges your phone.

 

[DanDroide]

Before the latest update (AMF3), I was seeing 1900 mAh charging. Now it starts out around 1200 mAh, using the OEM charger and cable. Is this something others have noticed too? I'm guessing so since the post above mentions 1200 mAh. I tried my iPad charger with the same results.

Yes...I noticed the exact same thing. I was getting 1900 mAh and now it's down to 1200 mAh.

 

[Nick The Great]

I had my office, bedroom, car already outfitted with cables. So when I got the S4, I didn't even use the supplied stuff.

But I tried it a few weeks ago and it cut my charge time in half. On my bedside overnight isn't a big deal, but if I need a quick charge in the middle of the day, that is significant

 

[RazorvoirHOGS]

That's interesting that there's a difference in the speed of recharging the phone with the OEM cable/plug than aftermarket ones. How long does it take to fully charge the phone (from 0% to 100%) with the Samsung white cable/plug? I'm curious to compare that time to the 3 hours it took w/ my Motorola D3 cable/plug I used this morning.

I've noticed it does take way longer to charge with an old charger I have from a Galaxy S than it does with the white charger that came with my S4. It only takes about 1.5 hours to charge with the white charger that came with my S4 (if the battery is nearly completely dead). It takes my old charger twice as long, at least.

I haven't noticed any real differences post-charge, although I've been more focused on post-update battery life issues. I doubt it does any damage.

I know that when I've contact both ATT and Samsung about my recent post-update battery life issues, they've made a point to encourage me to charge with the charger that came with the battery. Maybe it doesn't make a huge difference, but I've started doing that.

 

[beowulf7]

I've noticed it does take way longer to charge with an old charger I have from a Galaxy S than it does with the white charger that came with my S4. It only takes about 1.5 hours to charge with the white charger that came with my S4 (if the battery is nearly completely dead). It takes my old charger twice as long, at least.

I haven't noticed any real differences post-charge, although I've been more focused on post-update battery life issues. I doubt it does any damage.

I know that when I've contact both ATT and Samsung about my recent post-update battery life issues, they've made a point to encourage me to charge with the charger that came with the battery. Maybe it doesn't make a huge difference, but I've started doing that.

If you do start consistently using the white OEM cable and plug to recharge your phone and if you notice the battery life being better, I'd be curious to hear that.

When I had my D3, someone said that slow charging it via the computer USB port would make the battery charge hold longer during the day than charging it via the plug. But I ever noticed that, so I dismissed it. In other words, I have a hard time believe that the speed of charging the phone affects how long the battery lasts during the day. I have an easier time believing that the speed of charging the phone affects the life of the battery (i.e., super charging it) might decrease overall battery life as SebaKL's video link mentions.

 

[RazorvoirHOGS]

If you do start consistently using the white OEM cable and plug to recharge your phone and if you notice the battery life being better, I'd be curious to hear that.

When I had my D3, someone said that slow charging it via the computer USB port would make the battery charge hold longer during the day than charging it via the plug. But I ever noticed that, so I dismissed it. In other words, I have a hard time believe that the speed of charging the phone affects how long the battery lasts during the day. I have an easier time believing that the speed of charging the phone affects the life of the battery (i.e., super charging it) might decrease overall battery life as SebaKL's video link mentions.

Oh I've been using the white charger only for a couple weeks now. I move it from room to room if I have to. I've noticed no difference. I am going to continue doing it though in case it affects the overall health/life of the battery over the long term.

As I mentioned, I'm dealing with other battery drain issues. But I can say after a couple weeks I'm pretty certain it has made no significant difference in daily battery life.

I'm trying something else right now to try to figure out my post-update battery drain issue (not to derail the thread, but wanted to mention this within the scope of my overall battery problems). This is a shot in the dark and I don't see how it would matter, but I charged my phone yesterday evening without the Otterbox on (happened to be already off so I could remove the back to provide battery info to ATT). Right now I have 14 hours off the battery, 3.5 hours of screen time, and my battery is still at 58%. So I'm on pace for the 22-26 hours with 6 hours of screen time I was getting before the update (around the time of my last update my battery life decreased dramatically, to where I was only getting 12-15 hours and 3 hours screen time).

I'm wondering if there is any chance that the Otterbox could impact charging? Or maybe using the white cable over time has gotten the charge/battery back on track?

I assumed there was a problem with the update. Then again, the last 58% of this battery may drain quickly and I won't wind up getting 24+ hours and 6 hours of screen time.

Either way, I'm confused about what is causing this, like I said, I assumed it was the update, but if I wind up getting 24+ hours on this charge like I was before, maybe it is related to the Otterbox or charger?

Whatever the case, I hope it keeps giving me 6 hours of screen time. That is what I expect out of the phone now because for the first few weeks, that is what I got consistently.

 

[beowulf7]

Oh I've been using the white charger only for a couple weeks now. I move it from room to room if I have to. I've noticed no difference. I am going to continue doing it though in case it affects the overall health/life of the battery over the long term.

As I mentioned, I'm dealing with other battery drain issues. But I can say after a couple weeks I'm pretty certain it has made no significant difference in daily battery life.

I'm trying something else right now to try to figure out my post-update battery drain issue (not to derail the thread, but wanted to mention this within the scope of my overall battery problems). This is a shot in the dark and I don't see how it would matter, but I charged my phone yesterday evening without the Otterbox on (happened to be already off so I could remove the back to provide battery info to ATT). Right now I have 14 hours off the battery, 3.5 hours of screen time, and my battery is still at 58%. So I'm on pace for the 22-26 hours with 6 hours of screen time I was getting before the update (around the time of my last update my battery life decreased dramatically, to where I was only getting 12-15 hours and 3 hours screen time).

I'm wondering if there is any chance that the Otterbox could impact charging? Or maybe using the white cable over time has gotten the charge/battery back on track?

I assumed there was a problem with the update. Then again, the last 58% of this battery may drain quickly and I won't wind up getting 24+ hours and 6 hours of screen time.

Either way, I'm confused about what is causing this, like I said, I assumed it was the update, but if I wind up getting 24+ hours on this charge like I was before, maybe it is related to the Otterbox or charger?

Whatever the case, I hope it keeps giving me 6 hours of screen time. That is what I expect out of the phone now because for the first few weeks, that is what I got consistently.

Now that it's been another 5 days, have you noticed anymore trends re: OEM white cable/plug charging vs. non-OEM and in vs. out of the case?

 

[Midiman]

Not all cables are equal. Any of them should work adequately for charging but some are marketed specifically as "charge only" cables. This means they won't work for data transfers via USB.

 

[ineffable]

My original cable for the S4 cracked with the wires being exposed, so I purchased this cable as a replacement: http://www.dx.com/p/usb-2-0-sync-da...tch-for-google-nexus-7-ii-black-100-cm-241042. when I try to charge my S4 using this cable in charging mode with the original charger, the cable becomes very hot on both ends and the charger becomes hot too. My regular cable does not do this. However, the new cable does charge very fast, even faster than the original cable. I'm not sure if this is because my original cable is cracked with some wires visible. Any thoughts as to what's going on? Is it safe to use this new cable or can it not handle the high current?