Safe to charge DX using any mini-usb charge source? (worried about current ratings)

[trale]

This has been an issue that's been bugging me the last few days now. The stock wall charger that came with my Droid X is the 5PN5504A, which has an output rating of 5.1V, 850mA.

My understanding is that the mini-USB interface is an industry standard for power delivery to portable devices, which I take to mean that any charge source should work (wall charger, desktop PC, laptop) as long it has uses an USB interface. So any USB-->miniUSB cable can be used to charge any mini-usb device, regardless of power source, right?

I already have several other mini-usb devices, such as bluetooth headsets, which all came with their own wall chargers. However, I checked these chargers, and they all have different outputs: 5V @ 200mA, 5V @ 150mA, 5V @ 550mA.

Becuase the default Droid X cable was so short, I was tempted to use these other chargers. I plugged in the 5V@150mA charger to my Droid X, and found that the phone does not show it's charging (the lighting bolt isn't there, there's no animation on the battery indicator). So then I switched to the 5V@550mA charger, and it DOES charge.

I guess this means is that certain devices have a minimum charge current at which they will charge. So my worry is, is there a MAX charge current as well? I understand that using a higher current will charge the battery faster, but if I use a charge source the provides more than this safe max amount, will it fry the battery or shorten it's lifespan?

And if there is a safe range of charge currents, then what exactly is the output voltage when I'm charging the Droid X using laptop or PC USB ports? Or does the output current from PC USB ports vary depending on the draw of the device?

Any advice or illumination would be highly appreciated, whether specific to the Droid X or mini-usb devices in general.

 

[Izord]

My DroidX was running low today while I was driving, but I still had some business to do. So I stopped in the verizon store and asked for a motorola car charger, but all they had was the Verizon branded charger. So I bought it and hooked it up to my Droid X in my car. 10 minutes later my Droid X was very hot! It never got hot like that on the regular wall charger. So I unplugged it.

It hadn't charged at all, 10% before and 10% after. But it was almost 120 degrees according to system panel battery temperature.

So I took it back to the Verizon store, and they wouldn't give me cash back, even though I paid cash for it, they gave me an account credit.

I hope that POS Verizon charger didn't hurt my Droid X.

 

[Backnblack]

I use my VZW charge I got last year for a BB....Worked on the Droid and charges the X just fine.

 

[Izord]

When I got home my phone was dead so I plugged it into the wall charger, it's been plugged in for about 30 minutes.

Temp of battery is now 86 degrees, and charge went from dead to 20%.

Warning about the verizon car charger, It heated up my phone to almost 120 degrees in about 10 minutes, and didn't seem to charge it at all.

I'm glad back n black's is working. But I wouldn't touch one again myself after that. Perhaps the design has changed since he bought his.

 

[VegaLA]

I had a spare Blackberry charger from my BB Storm which states output as 5Volts 700ma. Plugged it in this mornign and it charged the phone without heating it up so I think I may well be able to use it here in the office.

At least the old Storm's accessory was of use!

 

[doomsday]

I had a spare Blackberry charger from my BB Storm which states output as 5Volts 700ma. Plugged it in this mornign and it charged the phone without heating it up so I think I may well be able to use it here in the office.

At least the old Storm's accessory was of use!

I did the exact same thing yesterday. Used my Storm 2 charger. Worked perfectly.

 

[arabstar1982]

quick question, when the phone is off (or completely dead haha) and you plug it in, does the green light indicate that it is charging? Also, is it normal for the phone NOT to boot up right after being connected to the charger when I push the power button. it's been plugged in for about 15 min and I still cannot get the phone to turn on... hoping this is normal for a super dead battery.

 

[Immolate]

I read somewhere yesterday that it may take up to thirty minutes for a completely drained battery to get enough charge to allow the phone to turn on. I think it was on the Motorola site, but I'm old enough that all I know for sure is that my memory isn't as good as it once was.

 

[arabstar1982]

I read somewhere yesterday that it may take up to thirty minutes for a completely drained battery to get enough charge to allow the phone to turn on. I think it was on the Motorola site, but I'm old enough that all I know for sure is that my memory isn't as good as it once was.

Hey, if you read it, then that gives me comfort LOL thats more than I have been able to find, so I will give it more time and then try to turn it on again. Thanks for the reply!

 

[arabstar1982]

ok, had it originally plugged into my computer, plugged it into the wall. now the green light isn't on, and there's a battery showing the percentage on the screen.... wonder what the green light was.....

 

[ninjabox]

I think the green light is for a notification. I could be wrong though

 

[msheppard]

I think the green light means "I'm plugged in but I'm not charging."

In another thread I read that when you plug into a computer the device needs to send some signal indicating it's okay to charge. When the droid is 100% dead/off it can't send this signal and doesn't charge.

I left mine plugged into a computer with the green light on for about 40min and it didn't charge at all. Later I plugged it into a wall charger (which I guess doesn't need the "okay to charge" thing) and it turned on right away and began charging as well. No green light.

M@