Glo Wall charger for the Kobo Glo

[Ken Maltby]

First the ratings on the chargers are supposed to be what it is designed to be able to supply at its rated voltage. Most of these "chargers", are simple Class 2 transformers. The charging circuits of most modern devices can test a USB power source and establish if there is too much voltage drop at the device's higher/faster charging rate and will limit the current draw to charge the battery at a lower/slower rate. Most also can adjust the charging rate based on the battery's internal temperature. The electro-chemical charging process itself will change the amount and rate of current draw, as the battery charges.

That said, what kills/wears down these batteries is HEAT. The internal heat that the charging process generates. The amount of internal heat generated during the charging process is directly related to the amount and rate of current drawn. These, and most other batteries, last significantly longer if they are charged at a lower/slower rate.

I charge all my USB charged devices using a .5A/500mA charger, and for my ereaders, including my Kobo AuraHDs, it still only takes a few hours to return them to full power.
(For my main AuraHD, it gets enough charging from the amount of time I have it connected to my PC fiddling with it, that I seldom use the charger on it.)

Luck;
Ken

[speakingtohe]

I use my Sony charger for my Aura HD and my Mini

Helen

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Wicked

MINE SAYS 50-60 hz 110-240v, so still okay?

That is the AC input voltage and basically, says you can use that charger in most countries with the appropriate adapter. As long as the output is between 4.75 and 5.25V (5V plus/minus 5%) at 500mA or higher, you should be safe to use it.

Kobo readers have internal battery charging circuits that will restrict the current used if the adapter is rated higher than the Kobo rating. For example, a Kobo WiFi is rated as 5V, 1A while the Aura HD is rated at 5V, 0.8A and I have charged both units from a Google adapter rated at 5V 1.4A, an iPad adapter rated at 5.1V, 2.1A and using my computer. The only difference is that using the computer, it takes longer to charge and the iPad adapter does not get as warm charging a Kobo as when I charge my iPad.

Regards,
David

[robko]

Originally Posted by Wicked

MINE SAYS 50-60 hz 110-240v, so still okay?

Yes, I was going from memory (too lazy to dig the charger up and look at it ;-)) - 110-240 is what they typically say. I would agree with Ken that heat is the battery killer and faster charge = more heat, but with an e-reader the charge frequency is low enough (i.e. a long time between charges) that I don't worry about it.