How to choose the right phone charger
Does your phone battery take ages to charge completely or does your battery die out too quickly after charging? If your answer is “Yes” then you are probably using the wrong phone charger. A bad phone charger can damage your battery and phone
It is advised that you stick to the original charger from your phone’s manufacturer, but if you need to replace your charger for any reason, then you should choose wisely. Just because a charger fits into your connector doesn’t mean it is suitable for your phone
Different devices have different power requirements. So a charger that works well for a particular device may not work for efficiently for another.
A quick background
The charging capacity of a charger is determined by three things;
Power (measured in watts)
Voltage (measured in volts)
Current (measured in amps(A) or milliamps(mA)).
Charging power is a product of voltage and current
P = IV
So, a charger with this rating; OUTPUT 5V- 2A has a power of 5 * 2 = 10watt
Things you should consider before opting for a charger
1. Voltage
Different devices (smartphones, tablets) have different volt requirements. If your charger’s voltage output is too much for your device then you may end up with a swollen battery, a damaged battery or worse still, you may ruin your device.
Conversely, a phone charger with a low output voltage will cause your device to charge for ages. You can find the voltage your device needs on the device itself, on the battery, or on the manufacturer’s website.
If you need to replace your phone charger, make sure your new charger has the same voltage rating as the original charger that came with your device. However mobile phones chargers typically come with an output voltage of 5volts.
2. Amperage
Since mobile phone chargers usually have a standard output voltage of 5volts, the charging capacity of a charger is chiefly determined by its current ratings. The amperage listed on your charger needs to match or exceed the amperage required by your device to prevent slow charging
If the output rating on your charger is 5V—-1A (5V—-1000mA) or less, then it has a slow phone charging capacity. On the other hand, a charger with an output rating of 5V—2000mA has a high phone charging capacity.
So your phone will take a longer time to charge if you are using an 850mA adapter compared to a 1.5A adapter.
3.Quality
Don’t give in to the temptation of buying one of the cheap phone chargers available everywhere. Quality chargers come with some certifications including CE, RoHS and MFI approvals. These worldwide certifications ensure that chargers meet a particular standard. The circuitry of certified devices are designed to allow optimal performance.
Quality chargers have a circuitry that can detect when your phone is fully charged and stops outputting voltage to it. They also regulate the amount of voltage entering them thereby protecting both charger and device from a power surge
However, with substandard chargers, you may not enjoy any of these benefits so you risk damaging your battery and your phone