Car charger for Playbook?

**mickrg123** · 04-21-2011, 11:22 AM

Playbook went dead at three pm and when i plugged to my usb car charger it will not work. Anyone found a car charger that works? Best Buy did not have any in stock!

**Innerchild** · 04-21-2011, 11:52 AM

I tried the car charger I bought for my Storm (VZW) and it works on the Playbook. This probably has something to do with your PB being dead when you plugged it in. There has been discussion in other threads of how to wake it up if the battery is completely drained so that it recognizes that it is on a charger.

**engineerman** · 04-21-2011, 11:59 AM

Do remember the output on the charger of the playbook is quite different that the regular one of the blackberry. Thats why people here are complaining that charging through the USB is taking a long time, I am at the office right know so I dont have the exact specs of the playbook charger till I go home, but the output is higher by 25%-50%. So unless RIM or another thrid party company sells a specific car charger we are stuck with the ones we have for the BB.

**mfldmike** · 04-21-2011, 12:04 PM

I use the charger from my Evo Shift...works fine

**mickrg123** · 04-21-2011, 02:05 PM

It is not problem with it being drained, I tried to charge it before it went dead. I will see if I have an old storm charger. Guy at best buy said it would not work either.

**just_luc** · 04-21-2011, 02:19 PM

my torch charger works fine..

**sedalia066** · 04-21-2011, 02:22 PM

A more complicated but workable solution is to buy an inverter which produces AC power from the DC outlet of the car. Then plug in the PB charger. That should work. The PB needs a higher amount of power than the usual phone battery for a full charge.

**looksee** · 04-26-2011, 10:21 PM

I've got multiple charger issues- I cannot charge my PB from the wall charger anymore, only from the USB cable to my computer and, oddly enough, my car charger. The USB is slow but the car charger is fast, but inconvenient; 0-100% in about 3.5 hours. I'm using a Sprint car charger that was made for the Palm Pre series of phones.

**narci** · 04-26-2011, 10:43 PM

I am looking at this...

PowerBolt™ Micro Car Charger - K39224US - Kensington

Althought it says for IPOD, it's a universal USB charger I believe.

outputs at 2.1 AMPS.

I believe the PB charger outputs at 1.8AMPS

**Alzaeem_502** · 04-26-2011, 11:43 PM

Originally Posted by narci

I am looking at this...

PowerBolt™ Micro Car Charger - K39224US - Kensington

Althought it says for IPOD, it's a universal USB charger I believe.

outputs at 2.1 AMPS.

I believe the PB charger outputs at 1.8AMPS

as long as the charger has a usb port, it should work with no problems. if it can be used to charge the ipad, am pretty sure it can charge the PlayBook.

am thinking about purchasing this charger as well. thank you for sharing

**flyersfan76** · 04-27-2011, 09:54 AM

My USB port on my truck charges my playbook. I plugged it in for a few minutes just to bring the % up a little. No problems.

I hope iGo makes a charger or the current tip will work but my current one is broken so I haven't replaced it yet to find out. I might not replace it at this point since I have a USB port. I just need to remember to leave a cable in the car.

**mooda** · 04-27-2011, 10:01 AM

regular chargers for our bb are around 0.7-0.8 amps
the playbook charger os 1.8 amps

i think the usb port of a computer is lower than tje regular bb chargers

that is why some ppl are having issues charging with things other them the bb charger just not enough amps being put out.

**mapsonburt** · 04-27-2011, 11:21 AM

El cheapo car chargers aren't going to output enough juice... expect to need at least 1.8Amps output to be able to bring a dead PlayBook back to life in your lifetime. My car has a 110V outlet and I've mounted a PlayBook rapid charger to my centre console. That ensures I can get a full charge on my commute and it also holds the PlayBook in a position that I can easily read it while on the go. Now if only third party nav apps worked over the bridge!

**SixStringMadness** · 04-27-2011, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by sedalia066

A more complicated but workable solution is to buy an inverter which produces AC power from the DC outlet of the car. Then plug in the PB charger. That should work. The PB needs a higher amount of power than the usual phone battery for a full charge.

that is a novel idea, and in theory it should work, however that is not clean AC and is actually a poor way to charge a battery of any sort.

it will charge the phone/playbook but not completely.

**wms3** · 04-27-2011, 01:40 PM

By the way, the New Trent ifuel IMP500 5000mAh External Battery pack and Charger charges the Playbook just fine! Im testing mine as i type. BTW Im not sure if it has the capacity to charge it and run it, buw it willdefinitley charge while in standby.

**narci** · 04-27-2011, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by mapsonburt

El cheapo car chargers aren't going to output enough juice... expect to need at least 1.8Amps output to be able to bring a dead PlayBook back to life in your lifetime. My car has a 110V outlet and I've mounted a PlayBook rapid charger to my centre console. That ensures I can get a full charge on my commute and it also holds the PlayBook in a position that I can easily read it while on the go. Now if only third party nav apps worked over the bridge!

Probably using the 2.1AMP car charger I posted above would work better.

PowerBolt™ Micro Car Charger - K39224US - Kensington

**E92Vancouver** · 04-27-2011, 06:01 PM

Originally Posted by BBStormOS6

Playbook went dead at three pm and when i plugged to my usb car charger it will not work. Anyone found a car charger that works? Best Buy did not have any in stock!

My Motorola car charger works fine in the PB.

F2 · 05-11-2011, 04:51 PM

Originally Posted by narci

Probably using the 2.1AMP car charger I posted above would work better.

PowerBolt™ Micro Car Charger - K39224US - Kensington

As I wrote in another thread - that unit does not work, at least, not in the two ways I tried, including my Subaru. Here's my reply in another thread:

Got that Kensington unit at Fry's yesterday - does NOT work. I tried it two ways. At home, plugged it into an ac-car-charger wall unit to see if this would work in a motel using the car charger part. No sign of any charging and after half hour, the pb lost power. I then tried it in my Subaru - both the cig lighter socket and the one in the rear hatch area - neither of those powered the pb.

But while experimenting, I pulled out my Verizon charger from my BB 8830 days (now used with the 9650/bold) with a small micro adapter - that worked in the car and at home, now plugged into that wall adapter for cig lighter adapters.

So back to Fry's goes the powerbolt."

Now, I don't know how fast the cig charger will charge the pb.

I am getting a bit concerned about how to charge ALL of my various devices while on car camping trips. With limited sockets in the car and phones, camera batteries, pb and kindle - yikes!!!!! If they take hours to charge and I only drive a few miles, this might get very awkward. Forgot my Tomtom!

**jhimmel** · 05-11-2011, 06:59 PM

Yes , F2, I have been saying for a while now that it is time for a new standard charging port in vehicles. something smaller, and able to accommodate several devices. The huge socket that was designed to ignite cigarettes just makes no sense as a charging port in todays world.

**redk** · 05-11-2011, 07:19 PM

Originally Posted by sedalia066

A more complicated but workable solution is to buy an inverter which produces AC power from the DC outlet of the car. Then plug in the PB charger. That should work. The PB needs a higher amount of power than the usual phone battery for a full charge.

I actually have one of those. It did charge the playbook ok but it also caused it to go haywire on me. It would not respond to any swipe and the keyboard would just start typing by itself with random characters. When I took it off the charger it went back to normal. If I plug it back in then it starts acting crazy again.

F2 · 05-11-2011, 08:40 PM

Originally Posted by redk

I actually have one of those. It did charge the playbook ok but it also caused it to go haywire on me. It would not respond to any swipe and the keyboard would just start typing by itself with random characters. When I took it off the charger it went back to normal. If I plug it back in then it starts acting crazy again.

I've got one of those - a small inverter - not much larger than the charger plug with a two prong socket on the end. I may have to give that a shot just to see.

But, again, for now, the Verizon car charger I got for my 8830WE appears to work both in the car in in the house (using a plug adapter that accepts car chargers.

I have not looked - does Rim even make a car charger for the pb?

**Bobcat665** · 03-28-2012, 11:24 PM

There are three things that I don't quite understand about all this:

1. Why is it that the only m-USB charger that actually works with the PlayBook anymore is the OEM Travel charger?

2. Why is it that aftermarket lighter-socket-to-USB adapters made for the iPad, that can output over 2 amps, *DO NOT* work with the PlayBook at all? Isn't the "U" in USB supposed to mean "universal"?

3. If it's a technical problem baked into the physical hardware of the PlayBook and not just a software bug, then why doesn't RIM make a suitable (1.8 amp) USB car charger?

**CDM76** · 03-28-2012, 11:28 PM

Buy a 2nd playbook charger and a decent power inverter. Works great for me.

**chaddeus** · 03-28-2012, 11:33 PM

I think as long the charger can output 2A or 2000mA, then it should be ok.

- Charles

**honsoloswookie** · 03-31-2012, 11:53 PM

Originally Posted by Bobcat665

There are three things that I don't quite understand about all this:

1. Why is it that the only m-USB charger that actually works with the PlayBook anymore is the OEM Travel charger?

2. Why is it that aftermarket lighter-socket-to-USB adapters made for the iPad, that can output over 2 amps, *DO NOT* work with the PlayBook at all? Isn't the "U" in USB supposed to mean "universal"?

3. If it's a technical problem baked into the physical hardware of the PlayBook and not just a software bug, then why doesn't RIM make a suitable (1.8 amp) USB car charger?

I think I may have figured this out.
I bought these little DC USB thingies from china that had 2 USB ports, one 500mA port and one 2.1A port.
I could not get my playbook or wife’s 9900 to charge but I could get my 8530 to charge on a normal micro usb cable.

Found the answer on Wikipedia buried in the USB article.
Basically it comes down to the standard USB cable.
USB spec is only .5 mA for a normal cable unless you get a USB charging cable, which has 2 of the pins shorted (pins 4 and 5 to be exact)
When these 2 pins are shorted it tells the device "Hey its ok to pull a crap load of power through the wire because im not going to jam any data transfer with my huge power draw"
When I got one of these "power only" cables my playbook and wife’s 9900 started to charge.
I think you must have connected your BB to a normal USB cable on that ipad car charger.
The equipped cable for the ipad probably had modification to allow for the higher draw.

Give it a shot if you have a chance. There is lots of info on the net on how to mod/hack a normal USB cable to allow for the higher amp draw.

DC USB thingies from china
Genuine Griffin Car Cigarette Powered Dual USB Adapter/Charger for iPad/iPhone - Black (DC 12~24V) - Free Shipping - DealExtreme

Wikipedia Universal Serial Bus article: Charging ports and accessory charging adapters section

Universal Serial Bus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia