Electronics 2000

Can anyone please tell me if I'm ok to do the following:

I have a set of Motorcycle BT comms... they come from china... surprise suprise...

Great units... work brilliantly... however they cut back cost by supplying el cheapo usb chargers and one has given up already.

I note that they are 5 volt 500 milliamp chargers.

So my question is can I safely use my sony smartphone charger in place of the busted one...? The only difference is the output is 850 milliamp.

It's been a while since physics at school but as I recall the slight increase in ma output will only mean it charges a little faster cos amps is the measure of flow rate if I'm not mistaken...?

The BT units have a red led light that comes on when charging and goes out when the battery is full.

I've already tried using it and it worked... but obviously I don't want to corrupt the battery by using it again before making sure that charging it at the faster 850ma rate aint gonna burn out the battery.

I've tried searching everywhere to find the spec of the battery in the unit but without any luck so we can only guess as to what it's made of... it holds charge well and gives me a good 6 hours of talk time.

Nick

Hi... off the top of my head...
There are lots of chargers about...
I should think yyyyyyeeeeeeeeh ... it will be OK.
How ever ... it is the sensative circuits in the BT thingi that make me think ooooooow er so to speak.

The batt should be OK... its not much of a difference... as long as it does not get too hot.

At first glance the BT unit has an LED, this circuit may switch off charging... may be not. The LED circuits sense voltage... as voltage increases the LED dims or switches off suddenly ... If it switches charging off, no probs ... if it keeps on charging, switch it off or you got a prob. At this point voltage is max... if you keep charging... it will be more than max... pop.

Tar&stuff... open the throtle!

Hey Paul...

Yep... the unit has a red LED light than illuminates when charging and goes out when it's full so like you I'm guessing it cuts out the charge flow at that point.

I've spoken to several people over the past few days and all agree that the increase in milliamps just means it charges slightly faster.

BTW.... my car usb charger is a double... one is 1 amp and the other is 2.1 amp and described as being for 'faster charging'.

So indeed... 'amping' up increases the flow rate of electrons... not the quantity.

Nick

USB chargers just supply a 5v supply, using one with a bigger mA just means it can put out 5v at a higher current, not necessarily going to charge it faster.

If the light switches off it prob cuts out the current... stops charging. If it slowly dims, it keeps on charging the voltage keeps going up.
When the batt is total flat it will draw more current.
A USB charger is voltage regulated... I do not know what this device is for sure.

Tar&stuff.

piratepaul wrote:If the led light switches off it prob cuts out the current... stops charging. If it slowly dims, it keeps on charging the voltage keeps going up.
When the batt is total flat it will draw more current.
A USB charger is voltage regulated... I do not know what this device is for sure.

Tar&stuff.

I am using the charger and it is safe for the device.. There is no such problem..