[Jlodon2012]

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

My original PB charger output 5V, 2A.

[kbz1960]

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.

What truck do you have? I haven't tried the port in my Mercury for fear of doing damage.

[cranky_berry]

Honsolowookie above has got the correct answer. The secret is the cable a standard USB cable will only allow 500ma draw. You need to modify the cable or find a charging cable. The difference is the charging cable has pins 2 and 3 shorted on the device connector end. For more information on the specifics go to Universal Serial Bus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Scotter75]

Best Auto charger for small electronics. Handles up to 180 Watts, suitable for up to a laptop. Protected by a fuse. Plugs into cigarette lighter socket. Picked it up at an electronics counter in a grocery store. $23.00. Has one 120 volt AC outlet.

[chrisrobinfollett]

I've tried a few 12VDC mini USB chargers and they all charge very slow. As suggested by others the best thing to do is use the Blackberry magnetic rapid charger and a DC to AC power inverter. Fast charging even with heavy use like wifi movie streaming.

[FF22]

Best Auto charger for small electronics. Handles up to 180 Watts, suitable for up to a laptop. Protected by a fuse. Plugs into cigarette lighter socket. Picked it up at an electronics counter in a grocery store. $23.00. Has one 120 volt AC outlet.

Got a similar one from Radio Shack. I don't know its rating.

[chaddeus]

Careful as not all 2.1A output charger will work. This is what I been frustrated about these few days using those USB chargers but will not work. The Playbook and BB 9900 both have similar issues. They are very picky with chargers

- Charles

[honsoloswookie]

Careful as not all 2.1A output charger will work. This is what I been frustrated about these few days using those USB chargers but will not work. The Playbook and BB 9900 both have similar issues. They are very picky with chargers

- Charles

The reason they are picky per say is that they need a higher amp charger. The older blackberries only needed a .5 to .75 mA charger and the car chargers could easily pump out those amounts of current.
With the 9900 and the playbook you would need 1 A and 1.8 A respectively. A lot of car chargers were only in the .75 mA range and if you used the USB port style chargers with a standard USB cable you would only get .5 mA.

The device will only draw enough amps as it can handle so there should not be any issues if you chargers amp rating is higher than what your device can handle, your device will just go as fast as it can.

[narci]

I have. 2.1 amp Griffen PowerJolt using a charging only usb cable. the combo charges the PB and 9900 pretty fast.

With the device analyzer on the 9900, it charges between 23.03% and 27.00% per hour. Highest was 67.55% per hour.

[Jlodon2012]

The reason they are picky per say is that they need a higher amp charger. The older blackberries only needed a .5 to .75 mA charger and the car chargers could easily pump out those amounts of current.
With the 9900 and the playbook you would need 1 A and 1.8 A respectively. A lot of car chargers were only in the .75 mA range and if you used the USB port style chargers with a standard USB cable you would only get .5 mA.

The device will only draw enough amps as it can handle so there should not be any issues if you chargers amp rating is higher than what your device can handle, your device will just go as fast as it can.

Not only Ampere, there something tricky in PB and 9900. Like chaddeus say.
Read this http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...0/#post7283137
Thanks to chaddeus

[gregorylkelly]

I use Set Your Location which is really good. Using Battery Guru, it says the Charge is about 5w while a regular car charger is at about 2-3w. Also, the supplied PlayBook wall charger is around 4 on average for me.

The only problem is that it is so powerful that it sometimes messes with my radios signal and causes static or a high pitch noise. The basic chargers I have don't cause any interference with my radio. Also note that I have a 2001 Jeep Cherokee and this radio problem doesnt happen in my wifes newer car.

[Chaddface]

I use Set Your Location which is really good. Using Battery Guru, it says the Charge is about 5w while a regular car charger is at about 2-3w. Also, the supplied PlayBook wall charger is around 4 on average for me.

The only problem is that it is so powerful that it sometimes messes with my radios signal and causes static or a high pitch noise. The basic chargers I have don't cause any interference with my radio. Also note that I have a 2001 Jeep Cherokee and this radio problem doesnt happen in my wifes newer car.

The charge rate will vary based on PB battery voltage. As you get closer to a full charge it will slow down.
Check to see if your cigarette lighter is on the same circuit as your radio. When I had an older car with that issue I wired up a dedicated socket. You can get them from radio Shack. Or just pull out the factory socket and run a new fused line from a switched power source.

[honsoloswookie]

Not only Ampere, there something tricky in PB and 9900. Like chaddeus say.
Read this http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...0/#post7283137
Thanks to chaddeus

I'm just curious are you using a normal USB cable off of the Apple charger or a USB charging cable?

Just reading the other thread now.

I have a ipad 2 wall charger, I'll go home and try it with a USB charging cable and confirm what happens. I know they don't work with some BB's with a normal USB cable

[honsoloswookie]

Not only Ampere, there something tricky in PB and 9900. Like chaddeus say.
Read this http://forums.crackberry.com/blackbe...0/#post7283137
Thanks to chaddeus

ummmm the article you posed says the same thing to what I posted before.... use a USB charging cable.

Its not a Apple thing per say, its a USB standard thing as if you put more power through a USB cord it will start interfering with the data signal and make data transfer flaky and not work.

The charging cables short out 2 of the pins and that indicated to the device being charged that it it not a standard USB cord and to basically have at er in terms of power.
If the pins are not shorted the device thinks its just a standard USBcord and it will only draw .5 mA and that's not enough to charge the 9900 or Playbook

[narci]

USB pinout and wiring @ pinouts.ru

Bus-powered hubs: Draw Max 100 mA at power up and 500 mA normally.
Self-powered hubs: Draw Max 100 mA, must supply 500 mA to each port.
Low power, bus-powered functions: Draw Max 100 mA.
High power, bus-powered functions: Self-powered hubs: Draw Max 100 mA, must supply 500 mA to each port.
Self-powered functions: Draw Max 100 mA.
Suspended device: Max 0.5 mA

Dedicated charger mode:

A simple USB charger should short the 2 data lines together. The device will then not attempt to transmit or receive data, but can draw up to 1.8A, if the supply can provide it.

[Umm Yeah]

There has been a LONG discussion about car chargers for the Torch 9850/60 and there was an interesting post just yesterday. It doesn't seem to be a matter of amps, as the 2.1 amp charger doesn't work on my BB 9850. This is what one CBer found:

I have the charging problem with non-BB chargers on my 9850. I contacted Scosche to ask them why their charger (which has 2.1 and 1.0 amp usb outlets on it) would not charge my 9850. After a few back-and-forths here is the reply I finally got:

"I double checked with one of the members of our R&D team and the symptom you are describing is due to a change in Blackberry’s circuitry. Our charger lacks a specific diode that some older models and some newer models of Blackberry need when being charged in order for the device to see it as an “authorized item” or “authorized charger”. Unfortunately, this would render the charger incompatible with your particular Blackberry. I apologize for this inconvenience."

So, if true (and I think it is) we've been taken by BB back to the dark-ages of OEMs trying to force you to buy their chargers by making the phone only charge using an "authorized" charger purchased from the OEM. Shameful. This is the last straw - this will be my last Blackberry.

As I said, this is for the Torch 9850/60, so it may be something different for the PB. All I know is that the adapter and cable worked on my old Pearl 8130, my old Pearl Flip 8230, Tour 9630, my wife's old Android HTC Incredible, and her new Windows Phone HTC Trophy. It's a RIM issue, either baked into the circuitry or a software defect. Either is unacceptable.

[rob c]

To the two who suggest the powerboat microcharger by kensington, note that the connector to the tablet is ipad specific and will not connect to the PlayBook. I know this to be the case as I bought one. So when it says ipad specific that is correct.

I have an a.c. Outlet in my car and the charger that comes with the playbook works fine.. Also as noted, according converter works well also for those who do not have an a.c. outlet.

[Chinookman]

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

Does not look like a micro usb connector but cannot tell from picture. Maybe a iPad user can confirm. If it is then looks like a good buy thanks for the info

[narci]

Does not look like a micro usb connector but cannot tell from picture. Maybe a iPad user can confirm. If it is then looks like a good buy thanks for the info

Read a few posts up. I ended up with a Griffen 2.1amp usb charger. I got a usb charging only cable (no data) and works like a charm.

[honsoloswookie]

Read a few posts up. I ended up with a Griffen 2.1amp usb charger. I got a usb charging only cable (no data) and works like a charm.

That's what I found also, I'm not sure if the issue is a RIM problem but I wonder if the makers of the chargers that do not work have shorted the data lines as some devices need that indicator to allow for the higher draw on the power lines.

I could see a scenario where the charger makers didn't short out the cables where the data lines were suppose to be and just left the headers (has the data pins on the connector but no lines actually attached behind them) This would make the charging device see the data lines as open and not shorted, so it would only see the plugged in cable as an normal USB cable and not allow a charge due to the low amps.

I have seen this discussion not just here but on Android, Tom Tom (GPS makers) and even some apple forums, so I'm pretty sure this is not just a RIM thing.

The other problem is there is not much info on USB charging cables and how they actually work so it add even more confusion to the matter.

What I do know is I got a 1A and a 2.1 amp USB port type car charger to charge a 9900 and a Playbook with a USB charging cable so I'm pretty sure the charging your higher amp devices in a car is possible with a non RIM charger

[olblueyez]

You probably want a single or double USB port plugin that is 1 to 2 Amps for your Tablet. Phone Chargers are usually .5 to .75 Amps.

If your gonna use it for your phone too than I would stay closer to 1 Amp.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003SE...bUvbUpU7292524

If its strictly for the PlayBook than the 2 Amp units will charge it faster.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004X7...bUvbUpU7292524

[robsteve]

That's what I found also, I'm not sure if the issue is a RIM problem but I wonder if the makers of the chargers that do not work have shorted the data lines as some devices need that indicator to allow for the higher draw on the power lines.

I think I have read that the Apple devices do not need this shorted data cable because all their cables have a resistor across the data lines to force a charge mode. In other words, it is not a RIM problem, but the majority of these usb port charges are designed for Apple products and omit this connection on the data lines.

I have managed to find a lighter plug that works, but when I ordered more one came wired for all Apple devices. The original had a port of iPad and a second for a Galaxy tablet or phone. A regular usb cord worked in the Android port, but not in the iPad port when using it with a 9900 or PlayBook.

eBay - New & used electronics, cars, apparel, collectibles, sporting goods & more at low prices

[robchow]

Best Auto charger for small electronics. Handles up to 180 Watts, suitable for up to a laptop. Protected by a fuse. Plugs into cigarette lighter socket. Picked it up at an electronics counter in a grocery store. $23.00. Has one 120 volt AC outlet.

What is the make/model of that unit?

[FF22]

Here's a link to Radio Shack's various offerings:

http://www.radioshack.com/search/ind...rodsPerPage=60

I've got a somewhat earlier model I guess of the very simple one of a socket at the end of the small plug in adapter.

[honsoloswookie]

I think I have read that the Apple devices do not need this shorted data cable because all their cables have a resistor across the data lines to force a charge mode. In other words, it is not a RIM problem, but the majority of these usb port charges are designed for Apple products and omit this connection on the data lines.

I have managed to find a lighter plug that works, but when I ordered more one came wired for all Apple devices. The original had a port of iPad and a second for a Galaxy tablet or phone. A regular usb cord worked in the Android port, but not in the iPad port when using it with a 9900 or PlayBook.

eBay - New & used electronics, cars, apparel, collectibles, sporting goods & more at low prices

There is one other thing about apple that you have a realize. If a person is using a Apple charger to charge a BB device then they are using a non hardwired cable (ie a normal USB cable). So the person has to supply their own correct USB charging cable in order to charge higher amp draw devices.

I'm sure Apple will short out their own cables with their proprietary connector to draw the correct power to their own device but for the rest of us non Apple device users, we have to be aware of it.

It's not Apple's job to ensure other makers can charge on their chargers... well not yet anyways