Chargers for 350/650

frquixote · 10-20-2010, 06:25 AM

I'm very disappointed to find that neither my Gomadic 1 amp charger (combination AC and auto 12v version) nor my Socket battery pack (1.8 amp output) can be used to charge my Sony PRS-650. I also have a portable power strip with a 1 amp USB port and it also does not work. Yet I am able to charge through the PCs USB port.

Gomadic advertises their 1 amp charger for use with both of the new Sonys and the Socket certainly outputs sufficient power given that the official Sony charger only outputs 1.5 amps. I am using the cable that came with the PRS-650 with both devices and still no success. After about 30 seconds the PRS-650 reports:

"Charging Stopped

The Reader is unable to charge as no power supply is being detected. Please check that the charger is plugged in and switched on or that the USB cable is correctly connected."

Any ideas? I just hate the idea of not being able to use the accessories I already have ... especially since it will mean carrying yet one more thing while traveling and having less flexibility.

Thanks in advance for any help.

frquixote · 10-20-2010, 06:37 AM

Never mind! Just saw the other thread on chargers. Neither the Gomadic charger nor the Socket battery pack have the fifth wire. Guess I'll have to go buy a new charger! Very annoying. I wonder if those new ones will work with older cables or if I will need to switch out those, too.

ebooker · 10-20-2010, 12:03 PM

my palm pre usb/a-c adapter works fine for charging the 650. The specs on it were 5v/1000ma

dordale · 10-20-2010, 03:58 PM

Also, my Droidx and my nook charger both work perfectly to charge my 650. So, maybe you have other devices with chargers you can use to charge your reader with.

dordale

dkb · 10-20-2010, 06:09 PM

I use my Kindle charger to charge my new PRS-350. It seems to work. Is the any reason I shouldn't use it?

astra · 10-21-2010, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dkb

I use my Kindle charger to charge my new PRS-350. It seems to work. Is the any reason I shouldn't use it?

Does it look like iTALKonline Quality 3 Pin Mains UK Mains Charger for Amazon Kindle, Kindle DX, Kindle2, Kindle US, Kindle International, Kindle 3G, Kindle Wireless?

wild one · 10-21-2010, 10:43 AM

There is two sorts of USB chargers, active and passive ones. The readers need an active one with a micro connector, 5 !!!! Volts (that is important, 5.15 V will work too, but thats it), and between 500 - 1500 mA of DC output.

Don't know if you could use a quickcharger, do you?

The current should be higher than 500 mA, otherwise the charging will possibly not start. The Sony PRSA-AC1 gives it 1500 mA.

I use the charger that came with my SE Xperia X1 smartphone. Its output is 5V and 700 mA DC. It works perfectly well.

imno007 · 11-08-2010, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dordale

Also, my Droidx and my nook charger both work perfectly to charge my 650. So, maybe you have other devices with chargers you can use to charge your reader with.

dordale

Yep, I can confirm the Nook charger works fine with the Sony 650, it's what I use.

elemenoP · 11-08-2010, 12:58 PM

I get very stressed out about these threads that talk about the volts and the mA etc. If I plug it into the charger, and it's charging, then all is good, right? What else could happen, could it overload the device, shorten the life of the battery, turn my hair grey, what?

eP

SeaBookGuy · 11-08-2010, 01:03 PM

I think folks are concerned about overloading/overcharging/"frying" their readers.

elcreative · 11-08-2010, 02:16 PM

You'd think in the 21st century people would understand the basics of something so fundamental to nearly everything... electricity. New readers use a micro-USB connector, USB, of whatever size, is a 5 volt standard... if you are using a PSU with a USB connector then you have the right voltage.

Current (amperage) used is determined by the device and the PSU... the device tries to take what it needs and the PSU supplies up to that amount. The basic USB standard is 500mA and the PSU should supply that but for power it can be higher. The readers are happy to daw up to 1500-2,000mA if available (and will correspondingly charge more quickly) but only if it is available... it won't take 1500mA from a PSU rated at 1000mA, it'll try initially and recognise that it isn't available and settle down at 1000mA.
PSU should also be active as far as USB is concerned.

ANy USB active PSU rated at 500-2000mA with a micro-USB connector is fine and your 350-950 will thank you...

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeaBookGuy

I think folks are concerned about overloading/overcharging/"frying" their readers.

elemenoP · 11-08-2010, 02:47 PM

elcreative, you're right, I have no understanding of this magical thing called electricity. I read the rest of your post in the tone of the Peanuts parents: wah wah wah wah wah. So tell me, will the wrong charger fry my reader, or not?

eP

boxcorner · 11-08-2010, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elcreative

You'd think in the 21st century ...

A world where around 14% are unable to read and only 7% are educated at secondary level, or are you just referring to the USA?

hpjrt · 11-08-2010, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elcreative

You'd think in the 21st century people would understand the basics of something so fundamental to nearly everything... electricity.

Given that just about every new electronic "toy" on the market seems to have it's own chargers ... knowing the differences between them is just a waste of my time. I think most people understand the concept of electricity ... but that doesn't mean that everyone knows why the Sony PRS 650 takes a micro-usb connector ... when others don't. Nor do I think that even the owners of said Sony PRS 650s need or want to know. They just want to know which charger will work. That's it. It's not rocket science ... it's just a question. Which one works?

And ... in the spirit of sharing ... I use a Blackberry AC charger to charge my Sony PRS 650. [No one has had more Blackberries than my son and daughter-in-law ... and they had an extra AC charger kicking around. Simple and free solution!]

Mary

elemenoP · 11-08-2010, 03:57 PM

I was being a bit of a smartass, and in truth I could follow elcreative's post just fine, and thank you for taking the time to write it. (but it is also true that I know nothing about how electricity works, despite the fact that I am literate, have a secondary degree, and indeed work with computers for a living, including some programming).

But it is also true that no one on this post has commented on what happens if the charger is rated *too high.* For example, elcreative, you say that 500-2000mA should work fine. What if the charger is rated 3000mA? Does such a charger exist? Would it fry the device, or would the device "take what it needs?"

As it turns out, the question is academic *for me* because my husband's micro-USB charger says 500mA on it. The battery on my reader is at 4 bars at the moment, so I'm not going to try it just yet.

eP

10-20-2010, 06:25 AM	#1
frquixote Addict Posts: 230 Karma: 2448688 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Kapolei, Oahu, HI Device: KOBO Libra 2, Kindle PW3, Samsung 8A Tablet, Samsung S10e Phone	Chargers for 350/650 I'm very disappointed to find that neither my Gomadic 1 amp charger (combination AC and auto 12v version) nor my Socket battery pack (1.8 amp output) can be used to charge my Sony PRS-650. I also have a portable power strip with a 1 amp USB port and it also does not work. Yet I am able to charge through the PCs USB port. Gomadic advertises their 1 amp charger for use with both of the new Sonys and the Socket certainly outputs sufficient power given that the official Sony charger only outputs 1.5 amps. I am using the cable that came with the PRS-650 with both devices and still no success. After about 30 seconds the PRS-650 reports: "Charging Stopped The Reader is unable to charge as no power supply is being detected. Please check that the charger is plugged in and switched on or that the USB cable is correctly connected." Any ideas? I just hate the idea of not being able to use the accessories I already have ... especially since it will mean carrying yet one more thing while traveling and having less flexibility. Thanks in advance for any help.

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10-20-2010, 06:37 AM	#2
frquixote Addict Posts: 230 Karma: 2448688 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Kapolei, Oahu, HI Device: KOBO Libra 2, Kindle PW3, Samsung 8A Tablet, Samsung S10e Phone	Never mind! Just saw the other thread on chargers. Neither the Gomadic charger nor the Socket battery pack have the fifth wire. Guess I'll have to go buy a new charger! Very annoying. I wonder if those new ones will work with older cables or if I will need to switch out those, too.

10-20-2010, 12:03 PM	#3
ebooker Banned Posts: 140 Karma: 16076 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: NYC Device: sony prs-650!	my palm pre usb/a-c adapter works fine for charging the 650. The specs on it were 5v/1000ma

10-20-2010, 03:58 PM	#4
dordale Wizard Posts: 1,731 Karma: 3472866 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: Sony PRS-650 & 350; Kindle Voyage; Kobo Aura HD, Aura One, and Forma	Also, my Droidx and my nook charger both work perfectly to charge my 650. So, maybe you have other devices with chargers you can use to charge your reader with. dordale

10-20-2010, 06:09 PM	#5
dkb ebook enthusiast Posts: 85 Karma: 40466 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Midlothian, VA Device: Kindle 2, iPhone, Sony PRS-350, Kindle Fire, Kindle Touch	I use my Kindle charger to charge my new PRS-350. It seems to work. Is the any reason I shouldn't use it?

10-21-2010, 10:43 AM	#7
wild one Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Up on the roof. Device: Sony PRS-650	There is two sorts of USB chargers, active and passive ones. The readers need an active one with a micro connector, 5 !!!! Volts (that is important, 5.15 V will work too, but thats it), and between 500 - 1500 mA of DC output. Don't know if you could use a quickcharger, do you? The current should be higher than 500 mA, otherwise the charging will possibly not start. The Sony PRSA-AC1 gives it 1500 mA. I use the charger that came with my SE Xperia X1 smartphone. Its output is 5V and 700 mA DC. It works perfectly well.

11-08-2010, 12:58 PM	#9
elemenoP Wizard Posts: 1,717 Karma: 3790058 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: NYC Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Sony 650	I get very stressed out about these threads that talk about the volts and the mA etc. If I plug it into the charger, and it's charging, then all is good, right? What else could happen, could it overload the device, shorten the life of the battery, turn my hair grey, what? eP

11-08-2010, 01:03 PM	#10
SeaBookGuy Can one read too much? Posts: 2,025 Karma: 2487799 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Naples, FL Device: Kindle PW 3, Sony 350 and 650	I think folks are concerned about overloading/overcharging/"frying" their readers.

11-08-2010, 02:47 PM	#12
elemenoP Wizard Posts: 1,717 Karma: 3790058 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: NYC Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Sony 650	elcreative, you're right, I have no understanding of this magical thing called electricity. I read the rest of your post in the tone of the Peanuts parents: wah wah wah wah wah. So tell me, will the wrong charger fry my reader, or not? eP

11-08-2010, 03:57 PM	#15
elemenoP Wizard Posts: 1,717 Karma: 3790058 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: NYC Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Sony 650	I was being a bit of a smartass, and in truth I could follow elcreative's post just fine, and thank you for taking the time to write it. (but it is also true that I know nothing about how electricity works, despite the fact that I am literate, have a secondary degree, and indeed work with computers for a living, including some programming). But it is also true that no one on this post has commented on what happens if the charger is rated too high. For example, elcreative, you say that 500-2000mA should work fine. What if the charger is rated 3000mA? Does such a charger exist? Would it fry the device, or would the device "take what it needs?" As it turns out, the question is academic for me because my husband's micro-USB charger says 500mA on it. The battery on my reader is at 4 bars at the moment, so I'm not going to try it just yet. eP

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