After market charger?

[Scott Hanna]

I'd recommend buying a specific charger that people have mentioned work fine.

-Wil

I totally agree. Just like most products, when anyone can make them, you are going to get some that are very well made and some that are junk. Sounds like someone at Verizon jumped on that fact and twisted it a little to suggest that ALL aftermarket chargers will be bad, which is obviously not true

 

[brianr0131]

thanks for all the feedback. I knew the rep was just tryin' to make a buck. headed on a trip to arkansas friday so I will be picking up an aftermarket charger tomorrow

Actually, your Verizon rep was half right. There ARE issues with chargers out there. The problem is its not easy to figure out which ones.

I had my phone charging with an aftermarket charger and when I was using the screen as it was charging the thing went nuts. When I plug it into a computer, to charge, it charges fine. I think it more has to do with the piece that actually goes into the wall socket than the cord.

Do a search for chargers on this site, you'll see many threads on people having issues with atermarket chargers. Its definately true.

I'd recommend buying a specific charger that people have mentioned work fine. The charger I bought online is now in the trash (which doesn't really matter since I just use the USB portion now and I have no issues).

-Wil

This can be easily confirmed by trying to charge your Droid with a Storm 1 charger. Do this, and try to use the screen, you'll see it go nuts.

I don't know if it actually damages your phone in any way, but better safe then sorry. Right?

 

[baerman]

when I bought my droid my sales rep told me the chargers I have for my env2 would work with the droid... I tried it the other day and it didn't work. As soon as I plugged outlet into wall. My droid went nuts. Dialed *14 and wouldn't let me do anything until I unplugged it. This was not the original lg charger it was one I bought from verizon to replace it. I have yet to try the car charger that I have for the env2. I'm a little nervous about trying it. Don't want to burn up the droid.

 

[Backnblack]

I use my BB car chargers everyday, twice a day....zero issues when using the Droid while charging on them............

 

[Curmudgeon]

In all the years I have using and recharging cell phones, going all the way back to the Motorola Flip, I have used a combination of OEM chargers and after-market, dirt cheap chargers. I have only had 2 chargers fail. One was purchased from Cell One (now Cingular) and the other was purchased from Verizon. Both were OEM.

Just more anecdotal evidence.

Let's cut to the chase. The Motorola Droid charger, made by Motorola and sold by Verizon, outputs 5.1vdc at 850ma. Your typical USB port outputs 5.0vdc and is limited by it's design to 500ma. According to both Verizon and Motorola, a USB cord is a perfectly acceptable means of recharging the Droid.

Check to see if the charger you wish to use has an output of 5.0vdc to 5.1vdc and is rated at 500ma to 850ma. If it does, you're good to go, UNLESS the charger has failed in some way. These specs are supposed to be on every charger, by label or some engraving method. Very small perhaps, but otherwise clearly labeled.

If you feel more comfortable with OEM equipment purchased at full retail from your wireless provider, by all means have at it. For the most part, we have a lot invested in these phones and their accessories, and we often rely on them heavily.

All I am suggesting is that there *are* perfectly reasonable, less expensive alternatives to the statement: "You can't use any other chargers than the Motorola charger purchased from Verizon, you'll ruin your phone." Which is false.

YMMV