[SOLUTION] Slow Charging!

[jujuburi]

★★★This topic is for them who are having problems with stock charger and cable. If you don't have any problems, ignore this ★★★

Well, since I purchased my Note 2, I kept facing this slow charging problem. Now what is slow charging some of you will ask? Well, it's simple. The device is taking more than normal time for charging. Now how do you know the default/should be rate for charging? Simple again. The AC adapter clearly says output rate as 2000 mA or 2.0 A. So with that calculation Note 2's monstrous 3100 mAh should be fully charged with 2 hours. But as we've seen steady 2.0A is not the output case in some/many scenario, so add another 30 mins to it. So whatever it is, from 0-100%, the device shouldn't take more than 2 hours 30 minutes.
And for me, it was taking around 5 hours! Sometimes 4 hours 30 minutes, and if it's very fast then 4 hours. Well I was never gonna wait 4 damn hours before going to my office and irritate myself, and I don't have the habit of charging overnight, unless I absolutely need it.
So I kept calling my retailer, asked for replacement, and they did, well, you won't believe, they replaced three times actually, so I had three different Note 2, with three different charger. Well, each of them acted absolutely fine at first 3-4 charge, then the problem was back again and again. I in fact turned off the device and put it into trash once.
Then I thought let's try some different USB cables, I tried my friend's Galaxy Ace cable. Charging current kept fluctuating between 1000-1200 mA. Which was better than those faulty stock cables, which provided steady 900 mA. Sometimes it even was detecting the AC current as USB, which would provide a mere 460 mA and would take God knows how long! Then I found my piece. I went to my retailer, frustrated and angry, asked them to give me the thickest and shortest possible cable, and they provide me one from a Samsung phone's box, but I can't recall which device was that! And then I sat there for half an hour, kept plugging and unplugging, and the current rate was rock steady at 1800 mA. I took it, paid just 10$ and came back.
Since then I have charged my phone almost 10 times and the current rate never went below 1800 mA / 1.8 A.
This is the cable I am using, do notice that it has 5 pin set up against stock cable's 4 pi, if that matters in any way, and it's about 10% thicker than the stock cable and also about 9" shorter.

And how will you monitor the charging current, three ways are there,
1- Battery Monitor (yet I don't know how to exactly use it)
2- If you are rooted (which is a must anyway), then just go to, /sys/class/power_supply/battery/current_avg
3- Use the app from the link below. It basically reads the current value just exactly as above but it saves the time to go into that file every time. A big thanks to Deadvirus.

Galaxy Charging Current application's apk can be found here:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=36124435)?

Play Store link: (Paid)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...S5hYm1hbnRpcy5nYWxheHljaGFyZ2luZ2N1cnJlbnQiXQ..

Thanks to this post and it's poster for informing us about the current output reading path,
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=33585646&postcount=31

 

[kebabs]

The included cable charger that mine came with charges fast like that, I let it charge slow with standard USB port overnight, but the included charger nd included cable should achieve this. The cable is important.

 

[Steffe2]

The included cable charger that mine came with charges fast like that, I let it charge slow with standard USB port overnight, but the included charger nd included cable should achieve this. The cable is important.

Same here, it's done within about 2 hours every time, from ~1%. Something definitely must have gone wrong with yours :s

 

[debernardis]

R: [SOLUTION] Slow Charging!

You are amazingly right. Every charger/cable combo I test seems to deliver different currents, according to the app you posted, ranging from 600 to 1300 (mA?).
Didn't know that could happen. Now I am looking for the Holy Grail of chargers, too.

After some tests: original chargers of Note 2 and Tab provide 1800 mA; no-brand Chinese labeled 1500 gives 1400; one Nokia labeled 1200 gives 1300, another, labeled 1200, gives 1200. Puro brand, labeled 2100, gives 1100. Another Chinese, no-brand, labeled 2000, double usb, gives 1100 per socket. Other no-brand samples give 600 or 300 mA.
Enormous variability.

Think I'll use the 1800 mA Samsung for when I'm out, and the good Nokia's for overnight charging when home.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda premium

 

[koalauk]

And I ve been wondering why the heck original cable is too short. I thought samsung were just tight gits. Cable is mot even long enough to reach feom the wall to bed side table

Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda app-developers app

 

[yahyoh]

no problem whatsoever with mine , charging from 1 to 100 % in about 2 - 2:10 hours

 

[Ajio]

Thank you for nice explanation! Now it's much clearer.
For me...
Stock charger + stock short cable (0,9 m) = ~2+ hours
Stock charger + some other cable (1,8 m) = ~4+ hours
,don't know about thicknes. Mb stock cable is thicker, or at least harder to bend.
Sent from my GT-N7100

 

[SenK9]

Thanks for the APK, I found a huge variance in charging rates based on a combination of chargers and cables. Goes to show that the cable makes a huge difference. Here's my findings:

** Stock Charger (2A):
w/Stock Cable (4-pin) - 1698
w/Cable from another phone (5-pin) - 1698
w/Cable from battery pack (5-pin)- 1698
w/generic eBay cable (4-pin)- 100! - It didn't charge at all, even with screen off.

** iPhone Charger (1A):
w/Stock Cable (4-pin) - 1300
w/Cable from another phone (5-pin) - 1100
w/Cable from battery pack (5-pin) - 1300
w/generic eBay cable (4-pin) - 100!

** Car Charger (1A):
w/another generic eBay cable - 490

(Was running Redpill kernel, not sure if that has fast charging built in which might affect results).

 

[prinzhernan]

The app is really helpful. Been wondering what the charging current was on different chargers.

I measured it using the app based on current AVG and not current NOW. This is because I used a 800ma blackberry charger and yet current now shows 1698 which is impossible.

The app will tell you which cables and chargers are good. I was shocked that out of my 8 cables only 3 gave an average of more than 1000, the rest give around 800 or less.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[lucier]

Hi!

So, the AC adaptater mentionne 2A but it doesn't mean that your devuce consume 2A... It means that the AC adaptater can provide 2A under 5V.
If a load need to consume 500mA the adaptater can provide enough power. But if it needs more than 2A, the ouput current will be at the 2A max but your voltage will decrease (it means that you have a device problem!).
The only thing to do is to refer to the user manual of device.

One thing more, the USB protocole fix the maximun current to 1A!

An other thing, if you want to have a better battery life it recommended to charge your battery slowly. Just have the habit to charge it during the night.

See ya.

Sent from my GT-N7105 using xda app-developers app

 

[sumeshd]

I also got an lg very thick cable..which is also 5 pin and let me tell it charges REEEEAAAALLLLYYYY FAST..when seen in application posted in op(thanx) it shows 1800..but the problem is if I detach charging before battery full notification then the battery is consumed at very high rate..I.e battery life decreased or maybe shows fake battery percentage. .and if I go for full charge it takes half hour more after 100% to show battery full in notification. .

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[jujuburi]

Hi!

So, the AC adaptater mentionne 2A but it doesn't mean that your devuce consume 2A... It means that the AC adaptater can provide 2A under 5V.
If a load need to consume 500mA the adaptater can provide enough power. But if it needs more than 2A, the ouput current will be at the 2A max but your voltage will decrease (it means that you have a device problem!).
The only thing to do is to refer to the user manual of device.

One thing more, the USB protocole fix the maximun current to 1A!

An other thing, if you want to have a better battery life it recommended to charge your battery slowly. Just have the habit to charge it during the night.

See ya.

Sent from my GT-N7105 using xda app-developers app

Yes, the stock charger doesn't provide full 2A current.
And is it true that if the device is charged slowly the battery backup will be better? I mean that would be good then. I'll try that, thanks for informing.

I also got an lg very thick cable..which is also 5 pin and let me tell it charges REEEEAAAALLLLYYYY FAST..when seen in application posted in op(thanx) it shows 1800..but the problem is if I detach charging before battery full notification then the battery is consumed at very high rate..I.e battery life decreased or maybe shows fake battery percentage. .and if I go for full charge it takes half hour more after 100% to show battery full in notification. .

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk 2

On my old cable, the damaged stock one, it'd take half an hour to reach 100% from 99. With this one it takes 5-6 mins.
This whole charging process is complicated that much I can say.


'Swyped' from my GT-N7100

 

[hxc_pokecore]

Unfortunately I got a grey import so my stock charger was for a different country.
I'm having to use a 1.0A charger instead.
It still only takes a few hours to charge though. I sleep for 4-5 hours and it's always fully charged when I wake up.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using xda app-developers app

 

[Vinnoo]

Hmm is this a accurate way of measuring amp?

I was using same cord and the apk provided above, using the default 2amp charger says 1697 and using a bellkin in charger rated at 1amp,says the same thing?

Hmm

 

[SacGuru]

I am a bit confused, which of the following is my actual charging rate? The charge is really slow, around 15% per hour or so.



Sent from my GT-N7100.

Those who help noobs go to heaven. True story.

 

[jujuburi]

As I stated in the screenshot, you shouldn't look at current_now, it'll always be same, 1698, you should look at current_avg.

'Swyped' from my GT-N7100

 

[SacGuru]

Damn. That means it's time for me to get a new charger, isn't it?


Just switched to a very old 0.7 A output charger my father uses on his primitive samsung device. It gives better results than my stock charger/USB cable, provided by samsung. 800 mA on a 700 mA charger. How is that even possible?



Sent from my GT-N7100.

Those who help noobs go to heaven. True story.

 

[yahyoh]

I am a bit confused, which of the following is my actual charging rate? The charge is really slow, around 15% per hour or so.



Sent from my GT-N7100.

Those who help noobs go to heaven. True story.

are using stock cable ?

 

[SacGuru]

are using stock cable ?

Yeah I am. The stock charger says 2A, 5V. When used with the stock cable it charges at a mere 200-400 mA. I used the wall charger of an old samsung phone (doesn't have a usb cable, just a wall charger) and current rises to 800mA. Where can I buy a good USB cable at in the UK?


Sent from my GT-N7100.

Those who help noobs go to heaven. True story.

 

[rhum 1]

I have buy a new stock charger because I was thinking my stock one was dead (slow charging / usb mode)...
But in fact it's not my stock charger who is defected but it's just the cable!!!
Just try with another cable and it's OK (AC mode).

Thanks for the apk!