Car cigarette lighter

[lowell]

Sorry this isn't about audio electronics.

I have a Nissan Pathfinder, neither of the 2 cig lighters charge a phone well. They DO show that it's charging...but it isn't. If anything it's draining it more.

Ive tried the standard 2a usb device and also a converter newly purchased with 3 120 sockets and one usb.

Any ideas? I read that a car lighter can supply 10a of current and that most likely this is a compatibility issue between the chargers and the lighter port.

[Jazz P Bass]

Have you attempted to measure the voltage on the socket?

Mine had a small bit of coffee spill in it.

Crudded it up good.

[g1]

Does the lighter work properly in it?

[nosaj]

Does the lighter work properly in it?

We have a 2008 Nissan Pathfinder. One thing to note. There are 2 in ours one on top and one on bottom. The one on top turns off when ignition is off. The bottom one is always on. Also cell phones have changed. The phone we had in 2009 would charge just fine. A few months ago I got a newer one G'Zone and it will only charge with one of the newer Verizon car chargers. will not charge with any of the usb slot cigarrette chargers.

nosaj

[Chuck H]

What nosaj said... That was going to be my suggestion. Perhaps the plug in charger has to be specialized for the phone. larger LI batteries have a small board inside to manage their finicky recharge needs. I don't think cell phone batteries, for their small size, do. So I would think the charge control circuit would be in the phone itself. And perhaps that's how it was, but not how it is. So the charge control circuit may be in the plug in unit specifically made for that phone?

[mozz]

Stupid Dell used to do this with the laptop chargers. There is a chip in there that lets the device know if it is a factory charger, if not, it won't let it charge.

[lowell]

I should've mentioned that the chargers work FINE in other vehicles. (same phone/cable) I am in fact getting 12v from the lighter port too.

[nosaj]

I should've mentioned that the chargers work FINE in other vehicles. (same phone/cable) I am in fact getting 12v from the lighter port too.

Top port or bottom port?
See if the one in the cargo area or in the center console charge the phone(they're in the 2008 model not sure the year on yours)

I will have to mention we have the premium package on our pathfinder with the bose system and video display. One day half the center console stopped working real weird. I was about to pull the dash and start looking but someone told me go clean the battery terminals problem fixed. Can't hurt to try it.

nosaj

[lowell]

It's a 2001. There's one port by shifter and one in console. Both suck. I'll try cleaning both and the battery terminals too.

[g1]

I am in fact getting 12v from the lighter port too.

This is unloaded? That's why I was wondering if it will fire up the lighter.

[lowell]

Sorry yeah I forgot to add that I dont have the actual lighter to try it. May need to bug a neighbor. I guess I could make a probe with a 6ohm 25watt resistor and see if 12v sags. I have an 8ohm 300watt dummy load I could try.

Though now that I really ....really think about it, I highly doubt any charger is pulling 2A. That is what they are capable (supposedly) of providing at 5v. So 10watts.

10watts/12v = 833ma From the lighter port. But not sure a SMPS converts like a linear supply in terms of wattage. Not a huge difference with a 14ohm. 12/.833

[nosaj]

Sorry yeah I forgot to add that I dont have the actual lighter to try it. May need to bug a neighbor. I guess I could make a probe with a 6ohm 25watt resistor and see if 12v sags. I have an 8ohm 300watt dummy load I could try.

Though now that I really ....really think about it, I highly doubt any charger is pulling 2A. That is what they are capable (supposedly) of providing at 5v. So 10watts.

10watts/12v = 833ma From the lighter port. But not sure a SMPS converts like a linear supply in terms of wattage. Not a huge difference with a 14ohm. 12/.833

You should be getting 13.7 to 14 volts with truck running if your alternator is putting out correct voltage. Use your headlights as a load check voltage with truck running then check voltage with lights on.

nosaj

[tedmich]

Apple used the trick of adding voltage divider resistors to the USB +5V, so the data pins have to have distinct voltages on them (<5V) to not allow non-Apple chargers. The values are available online and known by every 3rd party PS maker.

The data pins actually do a coded "handshake" between the device and the PS to allow it to do high current charging, as it needs to know the PS is capable of moving a couple amps; default is 1A usually.

[lowell]

Interesting. Well this is a Samsung Galaxy Edge phone...so Android OS. And like I said it works in other ports in my van. I'm very perplexed. Gonna keep trying different things to try and narrow down.