USB Electrical Sockets Support Fast Charging?

Blisterman · 27-09-2019 10:48am #1

I have a Huawei phone, and have never found a USB socket built into an electrical socket which my phone fast charges from. Instead it charges painfully slowly, so I end up having to bring my charger plug around with me.

Is this the case with all USB plug sockets? Or are there better quality ones which do support fast charging?

28-09-2019 5:37pm

Repeatedly rapidly charging a phone will result in a drop off of battery performance. Surly if you allow it to change overnight it will last the day?

The USB sockets that charge quicker have a higher current output. This is what you need to check for.

astrofool · 28-09-2019 8:15pm

Look out for sockets with 3.1+ A output (and not 4.2A split into 2 * 2.1). Phones are pretty good at managing battery charging, and will fast charge to ~80% and trickle charge as they get closer to 100% to maintain battery life as long as possible.

Screwfix have a new range from BG (most on this forum only trust MK, but MK seem to be stuck back in 2010 with their products):
https://www.screwfix.com/c/electrical-lighting/switches-sockets/cat830530?switchessocketsproducttype=usb_socket&usbtype=type_a___c

MK version limited to 2.1A:
https://www.screwfix.com/p/mk-logic-plus-2-gang-dp-13a-switched-socket-2a-2-outlet-usb-charger-white/5541x

30-09-2019 10:44am

astrofool wrote: »

most on this forum only trust MK, but MK seem to be stuck back in 2010 with their products

I think this is only me

:D
Other posters have different (perhaps more up to date views).

It is a long time since I worked on my tools, when I last did MK was a solid option. As stated this view may be outdated.

Risteard81 · 30-09-2019 2:22pm

2011 wrote: »

I think this is only me :D
Other posters have different (perhaps more up to date views).

It is a long time since I worked on my tools, when I last did MK was a solid option. As stated this view may be outdated.

MK quality has deteriorated greatly. My wholesaler stopped stocking them a number of years ago.

30-09-2019 5:45pm

Risteard81 wrote: »

MK quality has deteriorated greatly. My wholesaler stopped stocking them a number of years ago.

I just installed a few MK Logic + sockets as I want to match the existing. They seemed the same really high quality components they always were to me. Large terminals, did not deform when tightened etc.

Can’t say much for the rest of their range as it has been a long time since I have used them.

johnnyfruitcake · 30-09-2019 7:46pm

Risteard81 wrote:

MK quality has deteriorated greatly. My wholesaler stopped stocking them a number of years ago.

What's the go to brand at the moment?

09-10-2019 2:15pm

2011 wrote: »

Repeatedly rapidly charging a phone will result in a drop off of battery performance.

The problem with fast charging, overnight charging etc is not the method but the internal design of the phone charger (the phone has an onboard charger the device most people refer to as a charger is a constant voltage power supply). What phone manufacturers call a charged cell (4.35V) I would consider to be a 125% charged cell.
I would design it with a larger cell and more constrained cut-off voltages.
Hence the same daily usage but 5 times longer usable life taking it from an expected 600 cycles to 3000 cycles.

The problem existing is not the speed of charge it's the manufactured obolescence of an unhealthy (too much heat) charge termination and low voltage disconnect voltage.

If you stay within "20%" to "80%" of your phone charge levels it will last much longer. The only way to automate this is to root the handset or appeal to your phone manufacturer.

09-10-2019 7:16pm

The fact remains, when charging a smartphone from a USB socket with a high current output it can boil the sh!t out of the phone battery resulting in a rapid decline in performance.

09-10-2019 7:18pm

2011 wrote: »

The fact remains, when charging a smartphone from a USB socket with a high current output it can boil the sh!t out of the phone battery resulting in a rapid decline in performance.

That sort of thinking is as out of date as the MK stuff. Depends wholly on the phone in question.

antix80 · 09-10-2019 7:22pm

I was getting my house rewired and saw it as an opportunity to update some sockets to usb. Problem was they all got shocking (pun not intended) reviews on amazon. Poor quality, stopped working within a few years, fast charge not working. In the end i decided not to fit any.

09-10-2019 9:13pm

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

That sort of thinking is as out of date as the MK stuff.

You are entitled to your opinion but it is still widely used and considered high quality by many in the industry. It is specified in many public buildings such as hospitals and schools because it is so robust.

I would be interested in knowing what issues you have had with MK.

Depends wholly on the phone in question.

Nope, that is inaccurate. Although the phone can be a factor the wrong charger with any phone can be detrimental to the battery.
I have seen have seen iPhones and Android get very hot when some chargers are used. This is not good for the battery. Lower quality units result in poor voltage regulation and over voltage conditions.

10-10-2019 12:11am

2011 wrote: »

The fact remains, when charging a smartphone from a USB socket with a high current output it can boil the sh!t out of the phone battery resulting in a rapid decline in performance.

The fact remains a manufactured problem.
If the cell was charged to 4.05V it would not get (as) hot because it's receptiveness to free electrons is higher (lower internal resistance).

The problem is not how fast or long you charge your phone cell but how long it is held above 4.15V.
There is nothing wrong with fast charging. The deterioration is due to overcharge and over-discharge induced high cell temperatures.

I offer no practical solution other than use a handset with a battery to charger ratio that reaches 80% charge overnight* and a large capacity cell.

*change ratio for faster charging {stop at 80%}

One could look at it another way, handset cells have inflated ratings and aggressive charge and discharge profiles.
Is 6000mAh the same as 6Ah?
Why waste time writing unnecessary "000m" s on things?

10-10-2019 12:15am

2011 wrote: »

Although the phone can be a factor the wrong charger with any phone can be detrimental to the battery.

The charger is a surface mount semi-conductor vaguely intelligent chip built into the phone. The plug-in wall device is a constant voltage power supply.
5VDC is 5VDC we can measure this amongst other traits (ripple, noise, etc)

10-10-2019 7:00am

Sir Liamalot wrote: »

There is nothing wrong with fast charging.

There is if it results in generating a lot of heat, which is what often happens with some of the lower quality chargers.

The deterioration is due to overcharge and over-discharge induced high cell temperatures.

Agreed.
Also applying too high a voltage to the phone wouldn’t be great for it nor would 5VDC with a high amplitude high frequency ripple all of which is more likely from low quality USB socket outlets.

The plug-in wall device is a constant voltage power supply.
5VDC is 5VDC we can measure this amongst other traits (ripple, noise, etc)

.........within a tolerance which varies considerably depending on the quality of the unit. As we all know some phones get hot when plugged into some USB sockets yet not in others.

10-10-2019 1:19pm

2011 wrote: »

There is if it results in generating a lot of heat, which is what often happens with some of the lower quality chargers.
.

Agreed.
Also applying too high a voltage to the phone wouldn’t be great for it

Overvoltage (aggressive cycling) is intrinsic to the software across platforms.
The chargers are built into the device. If your device is getting a hot cell as opposed to hot MOSFETs this is the problem and most likely culprit. It is not a changeable or serviceable part but is intelligent enough to be software edited on a rooted handset.
The power supply is less likely to cause issue than the devices own charge algorithm.

....until you start heating the internal inductor by wirelessly charging it with air core transformers.

10-10-2019 1:30pm

Sir Liamalot wrote: »

Overvoltage (aggressive cycling) is intrinsic to the software across platforms.

It is also what comes from the supply as is the ripple.

If your device is getting a hot cell as opposed to hot MOSFETs this is the problem and most likely culprit.

Meaning it is not the culprit in every case.

The power supply is less likely to cause issue

......yet still possible which is my point. Mitigate the risk by using a quality unit.

10-10-2019 1:38pm

2011 wrote: »

Mitigate the risk by using a quality unit.

With a low self consumption & sleep feature.
A single 2A and 1A is ideal.
2A for zapping, 1A for overnighting.

Varilite make fancy oak wans... they're right posh! No 1A unfortunately.....radionics for that.

USB Electrical Sockets Support Fast Charging?

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