Welcome Guest! To access all forums & features, please register an account or sign-in. → Why register?



Is it safe to extend a USB wall-charger?


12 replies to this topic - - - - -

#1 SkyDX

    Anime Computer Enthusiast^^

  • 1,761 posts
  • Joined: 22-March 09
  • Location: Europe^^

Posted 07 January 2013 - 15:55

Hey Neowin^^

As a new owner of a Galaxy Tab 2 which comes with a very short USB-cable I wondered if it's safe to use a regular USB 2.0 extension cable with the wall-charger? I'm not sure because a wall-outlet obviously provides more power than the usual USB 2.0 port so I figured I would ask first before I fry something :pinch:

Thanks for any answers in advance :)


#2 nik louch

    ..:::..:::..:::..

  • 31,391 posts
  • Joined: 14-January 03
  • Location: Leicester, UK
  • OS: Windows 7, OSX, Android, Ubuntu
  • Phone: Galaxy Note II

Posted 07 January 2013 - 16:04

Yes

#3 Hum

    totally wAcKed

  • 54,436 posts
  • Joined: 05-October 03
  • Location: Odder Space
  • OS: Windows XP, 7

Posted 07 January 2013 - 16:06

Just don't use it after midnight.

#4 king_of_hearts

    Neowinian²

  • 170 posts
  • Joined: 04-May 07
  • Location: USA

Posted 07 January 2013 - 16:07

View PostHum, on 07 January 2013 - 16:06, said:

Just don't use it after midnight.

Or get it wet!

#5 Shaun

    Perfidious

  • 4,990 posts
  • Joined: 09-November 04
  • Location: Northants, England
  • OS: Work: Windows 8/Ubuntu Home: Ubuntu

Posted 07 January 2013 - 16:10

View Postnik louch, on 07 January 2013 - 16:04, said:

Yes


#6 SMELTN

    Neowinian UNSTOPPABLE

  • 6,345 posts
  • Joined: 23-July 05
  • Location: Alabama
  • OS: Windows 7 Ultimate, 2012 Macbook Pro, CR-48 Chromebook from Google
  • Phone: iPhone 5

Posted 07 January 2013 - 16:31

I just recently tried to do this on my iPad but it didn't work. It said it wasn't charging, but it was doing a trickle charge as if it was plugged into the PC. I was just using a little 3 foot USB 2.0 extender, but again doesn't work with the iPad

#7 OP SkyDX

    Anime Computer Enthusiast^^

  • 1,761 posts
  • Joined: 22-March 09
  • Location: Europe^^

Posted 07 January 2013 - 16:31

Whoa that was quick, thanks for the fast replies everyone^^

View PostHum, on 07 January 2013 - 16:06, said:

Just don't use it after midnight.

And Hum but but... okay :( I guess wall-chargers need their sleep too :rofl:

View Postking_of_hearts, on 07 January 2013 - 16:07, said:

Or get it wet!

Awww there goes my idea of watching anime underwater while exploring a coral-reef :(

View PostSMELTN, on 07 January 2013 - 16:31, said:

I just recently tried to do this on my iPad but it didn't work. It said it wasn't charging, but it was doing a trickle charge as if it was plugged into the PC. I was just using a little 3 foot USB 2.0 extender, but again doesn't work with the iPad

Oh okay that is interesting, I guess I just have to try and see what happens :/

EDIT: And that reminds me, could I somehow trick my PC's USB 3.0 ports to provide the Galaxy Tab 2 with USB 3.0 power even though it's only a 2.0 device?

#8 nik louch

    ..:::..:::..:::..

  • 31,391 posts
  • Joined: 14-January 03
  • Location: Leicester, UK
  • OS: Windows 7, OSX, Android, Ubuntu
  • Phone: Galaxy Note II

Posted 07 January 2013 - 16:42

To the dude who commented on his iPad not charging - not all pins were connected. That would have been a sync cable not a sync'n'charge cable. On Android, it's usually a more common usb cable so no such worries.

#9 OP SkyDX

    Anime Computer Enthusiast^^

  • 1,761 posts
  • Joined: 22-March 09
  • Location: Europe^^

Posted 07 January 2013 - 17:02

View Postnik louch, on 07 January 2013 - 16:42, said:

To the dude who commented on his iPad not charging - not all pins were connected. That would have been a sync cable not a sync'n'charge cable. On Android, it's usually a more common usb cable so no such worries.

Ah yeah that would also explain why my iPhone 4 would sometimes switch to "Charger not supported" when I used a old, beat-down iPod cable before, I guess due to the nature of the connection-port Apple devices are a bit more sensitive with that :/

#10 Obi-Wan Kenobi

    Neowinian Senior

  • 2,149 posts
  • Joined: 11-November 02
  • Location: West-Central Texas

Posted 07 January 2013 - 17:13

My dog ate my charger cord, and I had some spare 3 or 4 feet (not sure which, it's been a while back) usb 2.0 extension cables laying around....so I ended up soldering together an extension into my factory USB cable, which made it around 6 feet long or so, and works like a charm! Then, I thought...well, this could work...so I plugged in another 3 foot extension into my wall wart, plugged my droid into the "franken-cable", if you will, and now I have about 9~ish feet of cord for when I can't be right beside a plug in, for example. It works without any problems. (Y)

#11 helpifIcan

    Neowinian²

  • 209 posts
  • Joined: 19-September 10
  • Location: Northern Illinois

Posted 07 January 2013 - 21:56

If you have to buy one you might consider a USB 3.0 cable so that it will work with many different devices. As a example the ASUS TF requires a 3.0 cable due to a special charging design.

#12 +remixedcat

    meow!

  • 9,463 posts
  • Joined: 28-December 10
  • Location: Pink and Purple and Black palace in the sky....
  • OS: Windows Server 2012 Standard/Windows 7 x64 SP1
  • Phone: I use telepathy and cat meows to communicate

Posted 08 January 2013 - 10:00

Don't charge it with a RED SHIRT!!!! I WARN YOU!!!

#13 OP SkyDX

    Anime Computer Enthusiast^^

  • 1,761 posts
  • Joined: 22-March 09
  • Location: Europe^^

Posted 09 January 2013 - 02:05

View Postobiwankenobi, on 07 January 2013 - 17:13, said:

My dog ate my charger cord, and I had some spare 3 or 4 feet (not sure which, it's been a while back) usb 2.0 extension cables laying around....so I ended up soldering together an extension into my factory USB cable, which made it around 6 feet long or so, and works like a charm! Then, I thought...well, this could work...so I plugged in another 3 foot extension into my wall wart, plugged my droid into the "franken-cable", if you will, and now I have about 9~ish feet of cord for when I can't be right beside a plug in, for example. It works without any problems. (Y)

Whoa okay if even such a franken-cable works I'm not scared of issues anymore^^ Nice job with this! :D

View PosthelpifIcan, on 07 January 2013 - 21:56, said:

If you have to buy one you might consider a USB 3.0 cable so that it will work with many different devices. As a example the ASUS TF requires a 3.0 cable due to a special charging design.

Well I still have a ton lying around but thanks for the suggestion as that might be a good future-proof advice :)

View Postremixedcat, on 08 January 2013 - 10:00, said:

Don't charge it with a RED SHIRT!!!! I WARN YOU!!!

But but does that even apply when I'm not in Starfleet Captain Remixedcat? D: