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[MOD] Android Charging Cable ★..:∞ Use Any USB Charger (Even Apple's) ∞:..★
This thread is being created to summarize and condense all the knowledge on the interwebs about charging the Nexus 7 and various other Android Devices.
***I have been told this works for a variety of Nexus/Samsung Galaxy/Blackberry/General Android devices.***
The Google Nexus 7, 10 & 4 (Plus a myriad of other Micro USB devices) will charge from any USB, car or powerbug charger, including those designed for Apple products.
That being said, let's discuss why there are so may issues with chargers/charging with the N7. In order to do that, we need to look at the USB specifications. If you don't care about the technical aspects, feel free to skip ahead to Post #3 (I won't be offended) but please don't ask any questions that are clearly answered here as they tend to clog up a thread.
From Wikipedia:
The USB Battery Charging Specification of 2007 defines new types of USB ports, e.g., charging ports.[48] As compared to standard downstream ports, where a portable device can only draw more than 100 mA current after digital negotiation with the host or hub, charging ports can supply currents above 500 mA without digital negotiation. A charging port supplies up to 500 mA at 5 V, up to the rated current at 3.6 V or more, and drop its output voltage if the portable device attempts to draw more than the rated current. The charger port may shut down if the load is too high.
So basically, The Nexus 7 with a standard micro USB cable with the data (inner) pins not shorted will default to a 500mA charging status using a generic/Apple Charger. You still will NOT CHARGE properly even with a 2.1A generic/Apple USB charger. I discovered that even with the N7 powered off and plugged into a 2.1A car charger not only didn't it charge but I'm pretty sure it drained the battery somewhat too.
So What is the Solution? Create/Modify a standard USB cable to allow the N7 to charge from any USB port! Even one that supplies less than 2.1A.
The only downside is that this cable will be incapable of data transfer.
Some generic chargers will work, however, if it says designed for iPad/Apple, chances are you'll need the modded cable.
I have built some of these cables and will show you how to build one yourself using the wonderful tool that is digital photography... Please excuse my less than wonderful photographic skills. Read on for instructions and Photos!
UPDATE: Android 4.2's Kernel has enabled charging without these cables (&$^#&%*!). They still will be useful for other devices on older versions of Android.
The History
So, I looked forever to find a solution. The Targus Universal USB Car Charger (2.1A) has a small (3") adapter cable that comes with it, ostensibly for the Galaxy Tab. That little cable also allows the N7 to be charged from ANY 2A car charger. I was using the adapter with a Scosche reVOLT c2 - Dual 10 Watt (2.1A) USB Car Charger (low-profile) Model# USBC202M
This is the Targus adapter connected to the charger and a standard USB cable.
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After some research I discovered the information located in the OP and decided to modify some of my USB cables to work as charging only cables for the N7. This cuts down on the clutter on my dashboard and I don’t need to use an adapter to charge.:victory:
The Method
The method is fairly simple assuming you have a basic working knowledge of wire stripping, soldering and such.
The Materials Required::
A Micro USB Cable
A Soldering Iron
Electrical Solder
14 & 28 AWG Stranded Wire (American Wire Gauge) Strippers (A really sharp pocket knife and steady hands can be used instead, but it's harder)
Electrical Tape -OR- Liquid Electrical Tape
Heat Shrink Tubing (1/4" to shrink to 1/8")
A Heat Gun (A lighter will work but this is very tricky and dangerous and NOT recommended, Try a very Hot Hairdryer instead)
ENSURE THE USB CABLE IS COMPLETELY UNPLUGGED PRIOR PERFORMING ANY WORK
• First cut the USB cable in two. I recommend cutting it about 3/4 the way down toward the micro (Device) end.
• Strip about 1 inch of both ends of the USB cable (usually 14 AWG Stranded). If the cable is good quality you may find both bare wire and foil shielding around the 4 wire bundle.
• If present, unwrap and cut off both foil and bare wire.
• On the charger ended cable, Strip a bit off of the Red and Black wires (see photos) and shorten but don’t strip the Green and White wires.
• If you are using Heat-Shrink (Highly Recommended) slide it over the USB cable before making any connections. A 3 inch piece should be more than sufficient. Just remember it needs to cover both the job and a bit of the unbroken cable on each end to ensure a good fit and protection.
• On the device ended cable (micro) Strip a bit of wire off the end of all four of the wires.
• On the device ended cable (micro) Twist and solder the GREEN and WHITE wires together.
• Reconnect the 2 cable halves as follows:
o Twist the Black wires together and solder. I prefer to do it straight as in the photo but side to side works too, it’s just bulkier.
o Twist the Red wires together and solder.
o REMEMBER: Only a small amount of solder is required. The bigger the blob, the worse the job.
• Now you have a choice: You can lightly coat the soldered joints in liquid electrical tape (recommended) or wrap them individually in standard electrical tape. Standard electrical tape is trickier to use since the wires are so small. Since it’s only 5V, not a lot is required. For the liquid (dries in 5 minutes) I did 2 light coats to ensure I coated all exposed wire.
• Now place the wires next to each other and either:
o Slide the Heat-Shrink over the entire break, ensuring you have covered some unbroken cable on each end and apply a heat with a heat gun or a hairdryer on hot. Don’t hold the heat source too close or you can melt either your USB cable or the heat shrink. Use a sweeping back and forth motion for best results. -OR-
o Wrap the entire job in electrical tape, ensuring to have covered at least ½ inch of cable on each end. Wrap with overlapping wraps (spiral like) from one end of the break to the other and then without cutting the tape, reverse and still using the overlapping wraps, wrap back to the starting point.
• That’s it! The completed cable should look like this
The Test
To test this I used a Belkin Surge Suppressor with 2 USB charging outlets. I believe the amperage rating of the charging ports is only 0.5A each.
As you can see, using an unmodified USB cable, The Nexus wouldn’t charge:
Using the Modified USB Cable, Viola!
REMEMBER: Even though the Nexus 7 will draw current from less than 2.1A chargers, They may not provide sufficient current to charge your Nexus while in use. I used the 0.5A charger as an example. I created this cable for use in my car on the 2.1A cigarette lighter plug-in.
I hope this has helped you
<Reserved>
and now the guide to make it for pogo pins!
pogo pins
Flowyk said:
and now the guide to make it for pogo pins!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm working on that one.
I am waiting on delivery of a batch of PCBs for a pogo pin charger based on the N7 dock.
Re: [MOD] Android Charging Cable ★..:∞ Use Any USB Charger (Even Apple's) ∞:..★
Prostheta said:
I am waiting on delivery of a batch of PCBs for a pogo pin charger based on the N7 dock.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oooh... from what source?
Sent from my Nexus 4 or 7
I ordered these at a Forum member suggestion, from Monoprice dot com. They work perfect either with the factory charger or a Nook Color charger:
5457 3ft USB 2.0 A Male to Micro 5pin Male 28/24AWG Cable w/ Ferrite Core (Gold Plated) $1.10. I bought 3 @1.10 each and $3.30 shipping for total of 6.95. They also worked with my Samsung phone.
..
Re: [MOD] Android Charging Cable ★..:∞ Use Any USB Charger (Even Apple's) ∞:..★
2kst said:
I ordered these at a Forum member suggestion, from Monoprice dot com. They work perfect either with the factory charger or a Nook Color charger:
5457 3ft USB 2.0 A Male to Micro 5pin Male 28/24AWG Cable w/ Ferrite Core (Gold Plated) $1.10. I bought 3 @1.10 each and $3.30 shipping for total of 6.95. They also worked with my Samsung phone.
..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not bad!
Sent from my Nexus 4 or 7
TheByteSmasher said:
Oooh... from what source?
Sent from my Nexus 4 or 7
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Custom fab. It's basically an N7 dock circuit but slimmed down so it can be used in thin frames. I have a few designs I want to try out for custom wooden docks.
Re: [MOD] Android Charging Cable ★..:∞ Use Any USB Charger (Even Apple's) ∞:..★
Prostheta said:
Custom fab. It's basically an N7 dock circuit but slimmed down so it can be used in thin frames. I have a few designs I want to try out for custom wooden docks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had a similar idea.
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2
I don't get something. Maybe I'm missing something but wouldn't it be a lot easier to just solder the two pins inside the USB connector head?
ineedaname said:
I don't get something. Maybe I'm missing something but wouldn't it be a lot easier to just solder the two pins inside the USB connector head?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Depends on what you find easy... I think that working with wires is easier and neater when done... It's harder to cut open the USB head and then uglier when done and you need to be MORE careful when you solder and you're working with smaller bits... Your choice though...
Question.
Would there be any problems with me shorting the two data pin outs on the charger side?
ineedaname said:
Question.
Would there be any problems with me shorting the two data pin outs on the charger side?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Technically, no.
TheByteSmasher said:
Depends on what you find easy... I think that working with wires is easier and neater when done... It's harder to cut open the USB head and then uglier when done and you need to be MORE careful when you solder and you're working with smaller bits... Your choice though...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Anyway I took a pic of a plug to show u what i meant by shorting the plug because I don't think u knew what I meant. Basically soldering where the red line is. I think it would probably easier this way than cutting up the wire.
ineedaname said:
Anyway I took a pic of a plug to show u what i meant by shorting the plug because I don't think u knew what I meant. Basically soldering where the red line is. I think it would probably easier this way than cutting up the wire.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Seems to me you stand the chance of damaging your USB outlet this way...
Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
Not pretty but easy and works great. Thanks for the information.
Hi!
First, I'm sorry for English, I'm not professional.
A few days ago I made a working wireless charger for Motorola Droid 4.
What are the benefits?
People says, the original inductive charging cover is not compatible with most of cases.
Who live away from USA, can't use a wireless charger, becouse it is only available (officially) in the US. It is very hard to find on eBay or any other site. Almost impossible.
Very cheap. The original charging cover at US, Verzion is $29.99. (+ shipping, and need a person who ship it to me) It is only a cover, and we still need a charger as well.
So, I found a charging pad with and without receivers. There was a small problem. The receivers are only for Samsung Galaxy S3, S4 and Note. Their connectors aren't compatible with Droid 4, but the charging voltage is OK.
We need to take it to compatible with Droid 4. I looking for a long time, which one can I choose. Fortunately I made the right decision.
I bought that: Qi Inductive Wireless Charging Upgrade Kit for Samsung Galaxy S3
Link here
That is only for $30.10 with EU plug. The package include charging pad, usb cable, 1500mAh charger and S3 compatible receiver, and worldwide free shipping.
The size of receiver unit is compatible with free space of phone. We need some cutting but it isn't horrible.
First, I recommend you try, how fits the module in your phone.
Then mark with a felt.
The electrical connector pins are big, (and incompatible) we need to remove it carefully. I used a rework station with hot air (360°C) but you can use a medium sized soldering iron. I think, about 50-60W of power is enough. It took for about 30 secs per pin.
It is important, you need to place the receiver in such a manner, if you remove the back cover, the S3 and some other text need to be visible! Otherwise it will not work!
You see backside of the phone, and the camera is on top. Removed cover. In the right side, you can see four copper pins. The top row is irrelevant. We need tha bottom row. In the bottom row, on the left tere is the +5 V pin. On the right, there is a Ground pin.
We need to make contact between +5V pin of the phone and the +5V charging pin of the receiver unit.
Place the receiver unit to the phone, and see what size of copper wire you need. The lower pin of receiver unit is the +5V. We need to connect it.
I used a wire,1 mm in diameter. It is lacquered, I cycled down it from an electrical part (coil).
I think, that half millimeter in diameter is enough, but a found that, and it is recommended due to the relative high current (about 1A).
When you use thinner wire, you can easier take the cover to the phone.
So you need to solder wire to receiver's +5V pin. Please use the minimum quantity of soldering wire, becouse if you make a big knot there, you will have not enough place to take cover back.
When it is done, you can see how can you bend (or cut) the wire for best connectivity with phone's 5V pin.
Now you need to solder a wire to ground, like the previovus one, but not sure, that the two wore have enough space, and we can make easily short corcuit.
For this reason, we will use the iron cover of the SD card slot. This is a very good ground point.
So, one cable will go down, other is go up. They can fit and the soldering is more easy.
PLEASE BE CAREFUL! I recommend, before you make any electrical or hot operating you need to put an aluminium foil or an iron plate to top of the battery. I think to taking out battery and then in, is not easily possible, becouse after soldering there are the receiver. The battery can damage and explosive! The plastic parts of pohone can tolerate the heat for sort time! If you can not solder succesfuly, you need to wait while the parts cooling down! I recommend, use flux and/or high quality of soldering tin. Take out the SD Card! Please don't make short circuit!
It is not too difficult, but you need to be careful and attentive.
When the soldering done, you can try the charger.
Before you can take cover to phone, you need to cut the lower center of receiver. (you can see on the cover, exactly where. There are a claw and on the phone there ara a hole) Important! We need all of holes on phone, so the wires must not hang in to holes.
I cut the piece of receiver unit from lower left side, at the speaker.
Thats all. We are done. I think it longer to read than make :cyclops:
I made some pictures, I will mark these and upload in short time.
I'm going to measure the charging time with:
1,5A USB charger (direct cable)
1,5A USB charger with wireless charging pad
1,5A USB charger with wireless charging pad (phone in a 1 mm thickness of Trident case)
0,5A standard laptop USB (direct cable)
0,5A standard laptop USB with wireless charging pad
0,5A standard laptop USB with wireless charging pad (phone in a 1 mm thickness of Trident case)
I use that from 3 days ago. It works correctly. By the factory, the charging current is 1000mA with the 1,5A charger. About 66% of efficiency.
The USB charger's stand by consumption is 0,4W.
When the charging pad is connected and it is in stand by mode, the consumption is 0,98W
I'm going to bring images, and refresh the post, but here (Hungary, GMT +1) the time is am 2:31.
Good luck guys!
---------------------------------
Uploaded images,
here are the original, better quality images. (11.5MB zip)
That great way to charge the phone. i know that my usb plugin is getting a little wore out.......glad to know that there another way to charge up the phone in case of emergency. Congrats.
Hi,
thanks, it works for me
My IQ receiver was a bit higher, or the battery, so I had troubles to fit it in. My solution was to cut every superfluous piece and pull the uper layer of slide away. Additionally, I put it a bit nearer to the camera, The last thing was to horizontally cut the gold contacts and solder the wire directly on them.
During charging, the usb charger+pad+droid 4 use 7W, without the droid 4 the pad+charger draw 0,4W, both measured at the primary side ot the charger.
Best regards,
mifritscher
Thanks for the info, looks promising I love your using Micro SD casing as GND
BTW the pad + receiver can be found at eBay for as low as US $12 Gonna try out for myself soon.
Did you get to measure the charge times?
LuH said:
Thanks for the info, looks promising I love your using Micro SD casing as GND
BTW the pad + receiver can be found at eBay for as low as US $12 Gonna try out for myself soon.
Did you get to measure the charge times?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Charging times are about equivalent
Different approach, same result
Hi, thanx 4 the great idea.
I took a different approach to install the charging pad. I felt not comfortable to solder directly to the phone, so I used copper-tape, capton-tape and some short wires I took from old headphones to mod the pad directly into the back cover of my phone. it got a little bit bumpier (half a mm), but it charges perfectly.
I applied some solder to the ends which connect to the pins, so the copper wont oxidize and the connection has more pressure.
The pictures in better quality:
View attachment goodquality.zip
zuloo.de said:
Hi, thanx 4 the great idea.
I took a different approach to install the charging pad. I felt not comfortable to solder directly to the phone, so I used copper-tape, capton-tape and some short wires I took from old headphones to mod the pad directly into the back cover of my phone. it got a little bit bumpier (half a mm), but it charges perfectly.
I applied some solder to the ends which connect to the pins, so the copper wont oxidize and the connection has more pressure.
View attachment 2842634
View attachment 2842635
View attachment 2842636
The pictures in better quality:
View attachment 2842637
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's a nice solution, and pretty much how the "real thing" was probably set up. I noticed that the back has an internal indentation where the pins are to accommodate the connector, and I had experimented with how I might fit a charging pad in there (actually, it was the connectors that I saw as the biggest challenge), but didn't manage to get anything that I thought was robust enough (I was using cut down parts of a SIM card for the pins to make contact with - you look to have done a better job with the copper tape.
I'm really surprised that we can't buy a new back with all of this gubbins already installed - perhaps you should manufacture a few?
mugen 3800mAh inductive charging cover required!!!
i'm tempted to try this myself. the droid4 keeps getting better.
i just experimented with cardboard, seems to have plenty of room between the cover and the battery. i definitely need inductive charging.
Update 2016
@zuloo.de
Hi! I copied your method for wireless charging but I was too lazy for soldering. That is why I used only copper tape. I ordered under 5$ charging pad and receiver for Galaxy S3 (cheap from China) and it is working good. My receiver says that it can output only 0.8A so I guess it is little bit slow. Can you tell your feelings about the heat? I think that my Droid 4 is pretty hot but I never used wireless charging on other phones so I don't know if it is normal. But thanks anyway posting your method :good:
Here is pictures. I tried to take picture about the bump. It is not bad but you can feel it.
Do you guys think they'll make a Qi charging adapter? The contacts would connect to the pins on the underside of the witch and the charging coils could just be covered by a black sticker. It could be like the S4 inserts for Qi charging. Wouldn't add bulk either. What do you guys think?
Daistaar said:
Do you guys think they'll make a Qi charging adapter? The contacts would connect to the pins on the underside of the witch and the charging coils could just be covered by a black sticker. It could be like the S4 inserts for Qi charging. Wouldn't add bulk either. What do you guys think?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm surprised a Chinese company hasn't done this yet. Qi receivers are easily thin enough and making a charging dock like a normal watch base with a Qi coil on top would be simple enough I think. There must be a reason this hasn't happened. I'd buy it for sure. I can't stand the stock charging cradle and I'm not spending $35 for a spare one either. That's highway robbery. I'd like to see this happen.
The hardware needs to support it, but I am willing to modify hardware given to tools and instructions.
I'd buy one for sure. I'm an avid QI user with a charger bedside, couchside, in home office, work office, and the QI car charger for my Note 3.
Please make this!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00U27VZC8
EC Technology® 50W 10A 5-Port Smart USB Charger with Qi-Enabled Wireless Charging Pad [Family-sized Desktop USB Charger]
So I bought one of these with the $10 off coupon that was posted on Slikdeals, missed the one a few weeks earlier that was $20 off.
But either way I am happy. It is a big blocky device. Looks more like a USB HUB.
I tested all ports, but the best part is that it also has Qi wireless charging on top. I really like the fact that it has a rubber ring that grips what ever I put on it. Usually I find my Sony Xperia Z3 on the floor (glass on both sides..).
Hi,
I love the idea of wireless charging, especially with a waterproof phone so you don't need flaps or something like that for the charging port.
Ok, well the charging port of the xperia phones is very nice and I was using a dock quite a long time.
But hey, lets try charging the phone via qi.
This is the case thei the receiver mounted:
Since I decided modding the phone itself is not possible until larger modifications are made I decided modding a case to become a charging case.
The dock-ports are ideal for this.
So I bought a QI reciever. The reciever for the Samsung galaxy note II would do the job because the polarity matches with the polarity of the dock port (the upper one on the phone is the positive terminal).
The first receiver I bought was mechanically perfect because it is very small and thin. I taped it to a QI charger and connected the pins via lab wires to the phone. Unfortunately the receiver starts pulsing its output. I think the phone draws more current than the receiver could handle. Watching the receivers output with a scope showd that the receiver has much ripple and the voltage is around 7 V. This is to much, luckily the phone took no damage.
Here is a photo of the bad one:
So I bought a second receiver.
I'm from germany so, this is a link to german amazon.
You have to remove the 2 gold pins and replace them with 2 spring contacts.
I was using these contacts:
Put the receiver in the case, put in the phone and align it, so the spring contacts can touch the dock connector.
The remove the phone, fix the receiver with some tape and use a 2 component epoxy the fix the part with the spring contacts at its correct position.
Oh, and cut a hole for the flashlight led of the phone.
I used J-B-Kwik.
I uses the glue also at the outside to provice stability:
the case is just a bit to small for phone and receiver but it holds the phone nicely.
I forgot my qi charge at the office so I cannot provice a image with the phone charging, I can take a picture tomorrow.
Yes, the performance would be better if the receiver is mounted below the plastic case between plastic and leather. But is is to big for that. Even cutten the edged is not enough.
Here is a comparison with the old, non working receiver, it is smaller and I cut the edged.
I works well enough.
Hopefully this would be usefull for somebody.
I you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.
because I am a new user I am not allowed to post links