Do you ever wonder why your phone or tablet isn’t charging, even when it’s plugged into a usb power adapter? Sometimes your device may show that it is charging, but it’s taking forever. The most common problem that causes this is an incorrect power adapter. Over the years it isn’t hard to accumulate many kinds of them. We typically will get a new one each time do a device upgrade, although that has changed in recent years.
What Do All of Those Numbers Mean on the USB Power Adapter?
If you are an Apple person, you may have an iPad and\or an iPhone. Each of them has a different sized charger, in both physical size and electrical output. If you purchase an aftermarket charger, sometimes their big selling point is the wattage. Wattage is a measure of power (Watts Law), and it is calculated by the following method:
Power (P) = Amps (I) x Volts (E) or just remember P=IE
So, if you want to figure out the wattage of the two chargers above, just multiply the volts and amps for each one.
An iPhone charger is physically smaller, and has the following electrical specifications:
- Output – 5 volts, 1 amp = 5 volts x 1 amp = 5 watts
An iPad charger is physically larger, and has the following electrical specifications:
- Output – 5.1 volts, 2.1 amps = 5.1 volts x 2.1 amps = 10.2 watts
Of course, you can plug your phone into your iPad charger, and it will charge a little faster. Likewise, if you plug your iPad into your iPhone charger, it will not charge as fast. The iPad may also indicate that it isn’t charging at all.
USB Power Adapter Types
One thing I would like to do is to get rid of all these chargers altogether in my house. I intend on replacing them with receptacles with built-in USB charging ports. If this is something that is interesting to you, please read the specifications on the receptacle you purchase.
There are multiple varieties of these types of receptacles. Some of the receptacles are a duplex receptacle and have two USB type-A ports. Then there a some that are a duplex receptacle and then a USB type-C port. Additionally, there are some that have 4 USB type-A ports. These are some you really need to pay attention to. I think this one is a good option to look at.
Those 4 USB type-A port charging stations will completely replace a receptacle. Some of them can provide 2.5 amps per port. This should be plenty of power to charge most devices. The only drawback to this is the lack of receptacle ports to plug something else in. These types of charging stations would be ideal for an are like beside your bed, or on your home office area.
Portable USB Chargers
There are USB type-A wall chargers that you simply plug into an existing receptacle. These devices are probably the most portable and easiest ones to use. If you are not comfortable changing out a receptacle, you should seriously consider this type of charger. You can easily carry it with you when traveling as well.
Additionally, there are larger charging stations that hold up to 10 devices and support up to 2.4 amps for each device. This is a very attractive feature if you and other people in your household have multiple devices that needs to be charged.
Lastly, there are charging stations that are said to be “smart” charging stations. They contain electronics that detects the type of device plugged in and supply the necessary charging amps to it. The selling point for this feature is that the charging station can deliver a quick and safe charging session as possible.
In summary, you have many available options when it comes to charging your tablets and smart phones. You can stay with the ones supplied with the device, or purchase aftermarket ones. Some of the aftermarket ones can be reasonably priced, but please shop around to get the best one that suits your needs.
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