Need help with chargers - trying to find true 2a chargers that actually work!

[abean]

Hey all,I have tried several charger/cable combinations to no avail (with the exception of the $30 Amazon Kindle Fire charger + cable - but this isn't the proper rating). I can not seem to recreate a constant 1900mAh rate that the OEM Samsung charger outputs. All of the below have been tested on two Galaxy S4's, multiple adapters/cables and different outlets. I keep buying and returning multiple cables/chargers to Amazon and I grow tired of it ... I really could use some help. All my tests were done with Galaxy Charging Current app.

Have tried the following to no avail:
- The "OEM S4" (Amazon.com: Samsung OEM 2.0 Amp Travel Charger with Detachable Micro USB Cable for Samsung Galaxy Note, Galaxy Note 2 II, Galaxy S3 S III, Galaxy S3 Mini & Other Smartphones (Bulk Packaging): Cell Phones & Accessories) ... that charged at 460mAh.

- Another "OEM S4" (Amazon.com: Samsung OEM 2.0 Amp Travel Charger with Detachable Micro USB Cable for Samsung Galaxy Note, Galaxy Note 2 II, Galaxy S3 S III, Galaxy S3 Mini & Other Smartphones: Cell Phones & Accessories) that charged at 780mAh.

- Pwr+ 2A Rapid Charger (Amazon.com: Pwr+® 2A Rapid Charger Ac Adapter for Use with the New Kindle Fire or Kindle Fire Hd Models: Kindle Store), this does charge at 1900mAh; however if you unplug, you have to wait several minutes before you can use it again. During that time the green charge light blinks and it won't output anything.

- The official Nexus 7 charger (Amazon.com: ASUS Nexus 7 Official Power Adapter: Computers & Accessories) was charging at 1900; however several days later now it won't go past 1480.

- The "Amazon basics 2.1a" charger (Amazon.com: AmazonBasics Wall Charger with USB Outlet (2.1 Amp Output): MP3 Players & Accessories). Charged at 700 something with a standard USB cable. I then paired with a true charge only cable (Amazon.com: Amazon Kindle Fire 5ft USB to Micro-USB Cable (works with most Micro-USB Tablets): Kindle Store) and it did sustain a 1900 charge. Yet after several days, two of the four chargers I ordered begin to omit an annoying humming noise.

- (UPDATE) The "Amazon Kindle PowerFast" (Amazon.com: Amazon Kindle PowerFast for Accelerated Charging: Kindle Store) + "Amazon Kindle Fire" cable (Amazon.com: Amazon Kindle Fire 5ft USB to Micro-USB Cable (works with most Micro-USB Tablets): Kindle Store) actually appears to be holding a 1900 charge; however it's only been one night. If history has proven itself, this won't last. That and this is only a 9v charger rated up to 1.8a vs. the OEM 2.1a @ 10v.

Then, in regards to car charging ... I found that the official VZW charger actually charges at 1900; however it makes the phone HOT, very very hot. I was able to use this (Amazon.com: New Trent Arcadia Rapiduo (1 pc), 10W 5V/2A Dual Port high-speed USB car charger w/ Free Full Speed Micro-USB Charging Cable (IMP80C/NT80C): Cell Phones & Accessories) combined with a data cable (Amazon.com : Mediabridge USB Charging Cable - (Coiled) - USB-A Male to Micro-B Charging Cable : Charging Only Micro Usb : Computers & Accessories) and it's doing the same thing as the Amazon charger ... was pulling 1900 at first, now at 1200.I am so confused here. Why is it so difficult to get a true 2a/1900mAh charge? I can't be the only one with this problem? I want to say it's the app that is lying to me in regards to the charge; however as soon as I use OEM, right back to 1900.

As far as pure charging cables go, here have been my experiences:
- Amazon Kindle Fire @ 1900: Amazon.com: Amazon Kindle Fire 5ft USB to Micro-USB Cable (works with most Micro-USB Tablets): Kindle Store
- PortaPow @ 1100 - 1900: Amazon.com : PortaPow Specialised 5ft 24AWG Charge Only Micro USB Cable for Blackberry, Xperia, HTC One, Google Nexus, Other Fast Charging Devices : Puregear Charge : Electronics
- Amazon Basics @ 700: Amazon.com : AmazonBasics USB Cable - 2.0 A Male to Micro B (6 Feet / 1.8 Meters) : Computer Usb Cables : Electronics
- Media Bridge @ 1100 - 1900: Amazon.com: Mediabridge USB Charging Cable - (6 Feet) - USB-A Male to Micro-B Charging Cable: Computers & Accessories

This is driving me insane!I would truly appreciate any help here.

 

[leeshor]

Because of the battery in the S4 the charger needs to say it is specifically for the S4 but the cable appears to be just as important as the charger. If it says it works on the D4 Mini, that's not good enough as it has a much smaller mA battery than the regular S4. Sorry but that's the best I have.

 

[abean]

Because of the battery in the S4 the charger needs to say it is specifically for the S4 but the cable appears to be just as important as the charger. If it says it works on the D4 Mini, that's not good enough as it has a much smaller mA battery than the regular S4. Sorry but that's the best I have.

Agreed; however in theory a 2.1a charger + a charge only cable should be able to draw a proper charge. What's really odd though is that why am I seeing some of these chargers pull 1900mAh at first and then a day or so later drop off? Seems incredibly odd to me.Regardless, I'm amazed that I'm not finding too many other threads on this topic. I can't be the only one trying to figure this out ...

 

[leeshor]

You're not the only one. I have seen posts where people have had charging issues with the S4 and some were simply not using the cable it came with. I think there may be a difference in the grounds and neutrals on the cable pinouts.

 

[FoxKat]

It may not be grounds/neutrals, but could also be resistors placed between one or another pair of contacts in the plug itself, done to tell the phone it's the proper cable. Motorola does this with their cables to have the phone identify them, and also to tell the phone what type of device it's connected to. This is how the phone knows if it's in a car Navigation Dock or the desktop Dock for instance, and like the Samsung issue, using "standard" cables can be unfruitful in most cases.

 

[abean]

Added several updates ... still struggling.

 

[abean]

As a follow up, the $20 Kindle Fire charger now no longer is pulling 1900, similar to the other chargers that after a few days or so, changed. Now I seem to vary between 1200 and 1500. Crazy.

 

[abean]

So now both the Nexus 7 and Kindle Powerfast chargers are coming in at 1200mAh.


I don't get it! Why are these chargers starting at 1900 then days/weeks later then drop down? I'm at such a loss on this and super frustrated. I also went to VZW today to try their chargers ... They have a 2.1a charger that's coming in at 1200 as well.


The only thing that I just now actually saw is that the OEM charger is 2.0a; whereas all these others are 2.1a. Could this be why? I have now tried basically every charger and cable combo on Amazon and have ended up returning them all.