Motorola car charger warning

[ntellya]

Hi - everyone has been so helpful to me with my questions, so I thought I'd post a warning for those of us (meaning at least me!) who don't know that leaving SOME car chargers plugged in overnight can drain your car battery. I had been using a USB A to USB micro based charger, which did not affect the car battery, but I bought the Motorola car dock yesterday and started using the Motorola OEM car charger. This is the one that emits a cool blue light near the plug-in. I left it plugged in, and this morning for the first time in over 10 years, my battery is stone cold dead.
So, if you use a car charger (and who doesn't), make sure you unplug it from the car outlet when you turn off your car! I talked to a mechanic and he said that some drain the battery, some don't. Unless you want to risk being stranded - unplug it!!!

 

[Hugh Jass]

Bro if your battery is 10 years old, I think THAT is your problem...5 years is like the max under perfect conditions that you should keep a battery.

Just saying...

 

[Backnblack]

I've had 2 Moto charges plug in my truck 24/7 for over a year...never a problem here.

 

[Beka27]

I asked my husband, he said some cars do cut the power when off, some don't. He leaves his charger connected and never has an issue.

 

[Quicksilver7714]

I think that he is stating that he has not had a dead battery in over 10 years. Although if the battery is between 5 and 7 years old depending on the battery you might need a new one.

Also older cars do not automatically cut the auxiliary power like new ones do.

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1.)http://www.droidforums.net/forum/re...-dummies-guide-android-terminoligy-lingo.html
2.)http://www.droidforums.net/http://w...s/70875-what-you-need-know-about-rooting.html
3.)http://www.droidforums.net/forum/re...08-multiple-phones-root-them-unroot-them.html

 

[K20turbo]

My car cuts power when ignition is off so it doesn't matter if its left plugged in or not just as long as the key is to the off position

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[EastBay580]

your cool blue light should not affect battery. I would say your battery is getting old and time for a new one. Never do unplug my charger from my car. And some times my car can sit for two to three weeks before starting again and I have never had an issue, until the battery got old. But if it makes you feel better and more comfortable by all means unplug the charger.

 

[dezymond]

Hi - everyone has been so helpful to me with my questions, so I thought I'd post a warning for those of us (meaning at least me!) who don't know that leaving SOME car chargers plugged in overnight can drain your car battery. I had been using a USB A to USB micro based charger, which did not affect the car battery, but I bought the Motorola car dock yesterday and started using the Motorola OEM car charger. This is the one that emits a cool blue light near the plug-in. I left it plugged in, and this morning for the first time in over 10 years, my battery is stone cold dead.
So, if you use a car charger (and who doesn't), make sure you unplug it from the car outlet when you turn off your car! I talked to a mechanic and he said that some drain the battery, some don't. Unless you want to risk being stranded - unplug it!!!

i have the exact same charger and it works great. however, this is user error.

ALWAYS unplug external accessories from any outlets in the car.

thank you for sharing your experience and giving some of us a warning though

 

[RETG]

I would assume that cool blue light is an LED and an LED will not drain a battery overnight if the battery is ok.

As for the computer cutting off power....I know on any GM product I have had, the BCM does not cut off the accessory plug (cigar lighter plug) power. It will cut off the interior lights after a twenty minute timeout if no movement is sensed from the door switches (open/close of door). It will not cut off the exterior lights.

As for Chrysler products, my so called official vehicle does not cut off power to the accessory plugs, and I leave a Verzon BB charging cord plugged in all the time and it has a red light built in that is always On, plus a Motorola two-way radio plugged in and charging most of the time.

 

[Gritwater]

Yeah...cig lighters may or may not turn off with the ignition. depends on how its wired. I've had both kinds and currently, in my xterra, I have multiple outlets where one has a constant power and 2 are switched....meaning, turn the key off, no power to it.

I leave mine plugged in with constant power. This is a car battery issue. I have killed a battery in my xterra by charging up double a batteries with a usb charger in the constant power outlet. The battery had a bad cell. I jump started it, drove home. Got home, it cranked. Woke up next day....dead. and I didn't have anything plugged in.

I have a buddy who always unplugs anything.... he's sorta weird though. Real querky about wives tales kinda stuff.

Simply noticing after you do 'a' you see 'b' happened. That doesn't mean a caused b

Sent from my Droid 2 while driving.

 

[REMilk]

Switched vs Non-Switched Power Outlets

The original post is not about the charger drawing power and discharging the battery overnight. This is the symptom of one or two different different problem or a combination of these.

1. One should "understand" their car and know if your power outlets are switched (controlled by the ignition key) or hot (always on).

I some cars, even new ones, the power outlets are always hot. On some, they are switched and some the a both. My Honda Element has originally had one hot and one switched, but now has three switched and two hot.

2. I agree that overnight the power supply should not drain a 'good' battery. However, a battery that is aged, more than 4 years old or is subjected to severe cold, the battery could be drained overnight.

Just my experience, your most likely will vary.

Bob

 

[takeshi]

^ This.

Also older cars do not automatically cut the auxiliary power like new ones do.

Old or new doesn't matter. Some do, some don't. Aftermarket outlets depend on the installer as there are switched and unswitched lines in the car that can be tapped into.

 

[Hugh Jass]

My truck doesn't cut power to the 12v and I've not driven it for a week with my charger plugged in with a 4 year old + battery and not so much as a hard start. Something else has to be the cause I think.