Cheapest place to buy a 2a mains and car micro usb charger?

khampsonkhampson Posts: 272
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Hi I am wanting to buy a fast charger for my samsung galaxy note phone, the standard charger is 1a so I am looking to get a 1.5a to 2a both mains and car charger. Where is the cheapest place to buy them from? Ebay has loads of chargers but most dont state the output. I did order a car charger but the output is only 0.7a meaning when using sat nav it loses charge or at best stsys the same. Thank you for you help.

Keith
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  • Mark in EssexMark in Essex Posts: 3,836
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    I bought a genuine Samsung 2a mains charger for my S3 a little while back as I saw it on on offer site (think it was less than £6 all in).

    Also recently bought a Belkin 2a USB car charger and that works a treat even charging the phone fairly fast even when using sat navigation and listening to a podcast over Bluetooth with the screen at full brightness.

    I'll have a look and see if I can find the place I bought it from.

    Mark.
  • Mark in EssexMark in Essex Posts: 3,836
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    This is where I got the USB car charger

    And this is where I got the genuine Samsung 2a mains charger

    I'd recommend to anybody upgrading to chargers with higher amps (I know the phone only takes what it needs but the 1a standard mains one and the .6a Nokia car charger just did not seem to charge the phone when I was using it (especially for sat nav etc).

    Mark.
  • John_PatrickJohn_Patrick Posts: 924
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    Saw a thing on TV a few nights ago about cheap mobile chargers. Dont do it.

    I just bought a 2a galaxy s4 charger, genuine for £8.

    Regarding car chargers, the TomTom High Speed charger has a Aux pass through and 2 x USB outputs, 1 of which is 2A and I use that to power my S4 (note2 before it) and has no trouble powering it with screen on, GPS running etc
  • khampsonkhampson Posts: 272
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    This is where I got the USB car charger

    And this is where I got the genuine Samsung 2a mains charger

    I'd recommend to anybody upgrading to chargers with higher amps (I know the phone only takes what it needs but the 1a standard mains one and the .6a Nokia car charger just did not seem to charge the phone when I was using it (especially for sat nav etc).

    Mark.

    Thank you for that. Hope this does not sound silly but can you use any cable with this because its for the plug only. So will I need a 2a usb cable?

    Also did you find where you bought the car charger from?

    Thank you for taking the time out to reply and help me.

    Keith
  • Mark in EssexMark in Essex Posts: 3,836
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    khampson wrote: »
    Thank you for that. Hope this does not sound silly but can you use any cable with this because its for the plug only. So will I need a 2a usb cable?

    Also did you find where you bought the car charger from?

    Thank you for taking the time out to reply and help me.

    Keith

    Any USB lead should be ok, but I prefer to go for a known manufacturer just in case they are flimsy and break and I have also heard people having problems charging (being slow to charge) with some of the cheaper leads). I also find my 2 meter USB lead not to charge as quickly when I had the 1a plug, but not sure if that was to do with the length of the lead (does not seem to matter now I've got the 2a plug.

    Sorry I posted a link to the car charger above, but here it is again in case it does not work (I just bought that with the short Blackberry USB lead); http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00436GBSC/ref=pe_217191_31005151_M3T1_dp_1
  • flagpoleflagpole Posts: 44,641
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    a standard usb cable may only be rated for 500mA. the specified power of USB.
  • khampsonkhampson Posts: 272
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    flagpole wrote: »
    a standard usb cable may only be rated for 500mA. the specified power of USB.

    Is there anyway of telling this so I avoid buying a 0.5a cable from ebay? Also is there many fake usb cables on the market.?

    Keith
  • Mark in EssexMark in Essex Posts: 3,836
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    flagpole wrote: »
    a standard usb cable may only be rated for 500mA. the specified power of USB.

    Sorry - I did not realize that there was a standard amps to USB leads, but I'm guessing if you buy a decent manufacturer one then it should be ok as they should not use very thin copper wires?

    Also is USB 2 and USB 3 specs higher for the amps than standard USB?
  • flagpoleflagpole Posts: 44,641
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    Sorry - I did not realize that there was a standard amps to USB leads, but I'm guessing if you buy a decent manufacturer one then it should be ok as they should not use very thin copper wires?

    Also is USB 2 and USB 3 specs higher for the amps than standard USB?

    Computer USB ports are 500mA. USB 3 is higher but I don't remember what they settled on.

    Realistically I wouldn't expect a problem, and I've never known of one, but who knows.

    It's interesting really because the idea of the charger, with it's own wire seems to have disappeared in favour of plugs with USB slots...

    ... the manual always says to only use the cable supplied. But who does that. They're never long enough for a start.
  • khampsonkhampson Posts: 272
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    Also does length play a part? Longer it is more power is delivered? Just a thought.

    Keith
  • flagpoleflagpole Posts: 44,641
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    khampson wrote: »
    Also does length play a part? Longer it is more power is delivered? Just a thought.

    Keith

    If it's longer more power will be consumed on the wire.
  • Mark in EssexMark in Essex Posts: 3,836
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    flagpole wrote: »
    Computer USB ports are 500mA. USB 3 is higher but I don't remember what they settled on.

    Realistically I wouldn't expect a problem, and I've never known of one, but who knows.

    It's interesting really because the idea of the charger, with it's own wire seems to have disappeared in favour of plugs with USB slots...

    ... the manual always says to only use the cable supplied. But who does that. They're never long enough for a start.

    Is that just the amps the port puts out though (the specs for a cable will prob be higher as people using them to charge things)?
  • flagpoleflagpole Posts: 44,641
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    Is that just the amps the port puts out though (the specs for a cable will prob be higher as people using them to charge things)?

    Well yes and no.

    People are using them to charge things. But in order to be a USB cable, regular, certified, as described, fit for purpose, etc. it only needs to be able to handle 500mA @5V
  • khampsonkhampson Posts: 272
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    flagpole wrote: »
    If it's longer more power will be consumed on the wire.

    So shorter will give me more amps to the device.

    Keith
  • Mark in EssexMark in Essex Posts: 3,836
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    khampson wrote: »
    So shorter will give me more amps to the device.

    Keith

    I don't think it makes much difference (unless you are going well over 1 meter) - especially if you get the 2a mains plus/2a car plug.
  • khampsonkhampson Posts: 272
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    Can anyone point out some decent cables on ebay or amazon as I am not sure what to buy.

    Keith
  • neo_walesneo_wales Posts: 13,625
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    khampson wrote: »
    So shorter will give me more amps to the device.

    Keith

    On ebay type in 2a usb charger and you'll see all the leads and chargers you need. A typical lead won't slow things down enough to cause concern so don't worry and make a mountain out of a mole hill.
  • khampsonkhampson Posts: 272
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    flagpole wrote: »
    If it's longer more power will be consumed on the wire.
    neo_wales wrote: »
    On ebay type in 2a usb charger and you'll see all the leads and chargers you need. A typical lead won't slow things down enough to cause concern so don't worry and make a mountain out of a mole hill.

    Thanks
  • chenkschenks Posts: 13,231
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    neo_wales wrote: »
    On ebay type in 2a usb charger and you'll see all the leads and chargers you need. A typical lead won't slow things down enough to cause concern so don't worry and make a mountain out of a mole hill.

    you'll also see lots of fakes as well.
    be careful what you buy.
  • khampsonkhampson Posts: 272
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    chenks wrote: »
    you'll also see lots of fakes as well.
    be careful what you buy.

    Trouble is I cant tell
  • flagpoleflagpole Posts: 44,641
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    chenks wrote: »
    you'll also see lots of fakes as well.
    be careful what you buy.

    what is a fake mobile phone charger?
  • khampsonkhampson Posts: 272
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    flagpole wrote: »
    what is a fake mobile phone charger?

    I think they mean a product that is stamped branded say samsung but its not made by them and is much lower quality but criminals lead us to believe it is and charge more for it
  • chenkschenks Posts: 13,231
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    flagpole wrote: »
    what is a fake mobile phone charger?

    you really have to ask ? :rolleyes:

    plenty of fake belkin adapters on ebay.
    they say they are 2a, but in fact they are not.

    belkin has bit on their website telling you what to look for.
  • chrisjrchrisjr Posts: 33,282
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    khampson wrote: »
    So shorter will give me more amps to the device.

    Keith
    No.

    The current (amps) will not vary greatly. What will vary is the voltage you get out of the end of the lead.

    An extreme example but you could stuff 5V @ 2A into one end of the lead and get 4V @ 2A out of the far end.
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