Successfull charging the Vox?

jeather · 11-16-2011, 02:39 PM

So, the Vox charger is terrible -- way too short to be usable. And it won't charge over USB, and my other chargers won't do 5V2A. So I bought one 5V2A, but it had a USB port, it wasn't a dedicated cable, and it refused to charge the Vox (charged my phone fine). I bought a dedicated 5V2A charger, and it also won't charge the Vox. (I've checked out battery status, it says discharging. I've left it in for an hour, still no change in charge level.)

Does anyone have a *specific charger* which they have *successfully used* to charge the Vox? Not an "any charger should work" comment, because maybe it should, but they don't. You cannot buy a spare charger from Kobo, and in any case unless they gave a useful one, with a long cable, I would not purchase one from them.

I am in Canada, so a link to a product available here would be useful. I very much like the device on other fronts, but the pickiness about chargers might be a death knoll.

PeterT · 11-16-2011, 02:50 PM

I don;t think there have been any chargers mentioned by anyone

I was wondering if a USB extension cable might work, but don't see any micro-usb sized ones.

PeterT · 11-16-2011, 02:51 PM

Also, I think from what we were told by a Kobo rep, any SHOULD work; just the indication on the Vox that it IS charging might not show.

TonyToews · 11-16-2011, 03:00 PM

Check out the thread with travel in the title. One person did successfully use a third party charger.

jeather · 11-16-2011, 03:30 PM

The travel thread says, and I quote, "Any 2Amp USB charger should work. I've used several". This is not the case for me. I want the brand of a specific charger which has successfully worked. (I have tried DigiPower and Rocketfish, the only 5V2A chargers that I could find near my office at lunch.)

I know the light will not change, and that's fine. One thread said that checking battery status (in settings) would show that it was charging -- it showed that it was discharging when plugged into my charger. Even if I assumed that was incorrect, the actual charge never increased. So we have two chargers which do not charge the Vox, even though both have the output that Kobo says is necessary. Maybe I have a bad Vox, but it charges just fine using their cable.

taming · 11-16-2011, 04:33 PM

I am using a Samsung "travel adapter" I bought at Staples.I don't see it on the Staples website, but here it is on the Samsung site: http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/cel...ETA0U60JBEGSTA

It works fine. I think I paid $26 CAD for it.

pulsar · 11-16-2011, 04:39 PM

I am still waiting for the super-cheap power adaptor I've ordered on ebay from China - only 3.25$ shipped, claims to charge Ipad:

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/270729905404?...84.m1439.l2649

I'll let you know if it works for Kobo Vox when I get it.

KoboJW · 11-16-2011, 05:16 PM

Can you confirm that the charge level % reading changes even using the provided Kobo charger? There is a known issue where the battery controller stops reporting the correct level until a hard reset.

The Vox will charge on a 2A charger, it just won't show it that is charging.

jeather · 11-16-2011, 06:12 PM

My Vox has always shown an updated charge level while charging without a hard reset. (It does only show in increments of 10%, which is odd.) I mean, it might be working for one charger and not the other, but that seems beyond odd.

What does "won't show that it's charging" mean? It means that the light will not go on, yes, but if I go into settings and battery status, should it still say discharging? I was charging from about 50% charged, so there wasn't a problem with battery level hitting zero.

profbisson · 11-16-2011, 06:49 PM

I am pretty sure that the Kobo Vox's mini USB charger's jack will have a different pin-out. If someone has a Vox charger cable and is able to trace the cable to the pin-outs, any 5V2A charger should work provided that the pin-out is matched on the Vox's cable. This will require some modifications on the generic cable to enable this function - Will KoboJW confirm? This will confirm the Vox's demise now that the new Nook & Fire are nibbling on the heels of the Vox if Kobo doesn't make extra chargers available real soon!

KoboJW · 11-17-2011, 04:18 PM

"Won't show it's charging' means that the lock screen won't report that it is connected to a charger or show battery level, the battery icon in the notification bar won't show that it is charging and battery status will show 'Discharging'. But, if left connected, the Battery level reported should rise.

Profbisson: your suspicion is correct.

profbisson · 11-17-2011, 04:24 PM

KoboJW - do you have access to the pinout? Kindly share with us!

11-16-2011, 02:39 PM	#1
jeather Enthusiast Posts: 41 Karma: 23418 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Montreal Device: Kobo Glo	Successfull charging the Vox? So, the Vox charger is terrible -- way too short to be usable. And it won't charge over USB, and my other chargers won't do 5V2A. So I bought one 5V2A, but it had a USB port, it wasn't a dedicated cable, and it refused to charge the Vox (charged my phone fine). I bought a dedicated 5V2A charger, and it also won't charge the Vox. (I've checked out battery status, it says discharging. I've left it in for an hour, still no change in charge level.) Does anyone have a specific charger which they have successfully used to charge the Vox? Not an "any charger should work" comment, because maybe it should, but they don't. You cannot buy a spare charger from Kobo, and in any case unless they gave a useful one, with a long cable, I would not purchase one from them. I am in Canada, so a link to a product available here would be useful. I very much like the device on other fronts, but the pickiness about chargers might be a death knoll.

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11-16-2011, 02:50 PM	#2
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 12,155 Karma: 73448616 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Nexus 7, Clara, Touch, Tolino EPOS	I don;t think there have been any chargers mentioned by anyone I was wondering if a USB extension cable might work, but don't see any micro-usb sized ones.

11-16-2011, 02:51 PM	#3
PeterT Grand Sorcerer Posts: 12,155 Karma: 73448616 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto Device: Nexus 7, Clara, Touch, Tolino EPOS	Also, I think from what we were told by a Kobo rep, any SHOULD work; just the indication on the Vox that it IS charging might not show.

11-16-2011, 03:00 PM	#4
TonyToews Evangelist Posts: 490 Karma: 351398 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: Kobo Vox and Glo	Check out the thread with travel in the title. One person did successfully use a third party charger.

11-16-2011, 03:30 PM	#5
jeather Enthusiast Posts: 41 Karma: 23418 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Montreal Device: Kobo Glo	The travel thread says, and I quote, "Any 2Amp USB charger should work. I've used several". This is not the case for me. I want the brand of a specific charger which has successfully worked. (I have tried DigiPower and Rocketfish, the only 5V2A chargers that I could find near my office at lunch.) I know the light will not change, and that's fine. One thread said that checking battery status (in settings) would show that it was charging -- it showed that it was discharging when plugged into my charger. Even if I assumed that was incorrect, the actual charge never increased. So we have two chargers which do not charge the Vox, even though both have the output that Kobo says is necessary. Maybe I have a bad Vox, but it charges just fine using their cable.

11-16-2011, 04:33 PM	#6
taming Trying for calm & polite Posts: 4,012 Karma: 9455193 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mostly in Canada Device: kobo original, WiFI, Touch, Glo, and Aura	I am using a Samsung "travel adapter" I bought at Staples.I don't see it on the Staples website, but here it is on the Samsung site: http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/cel...ETA0U60JBEGSTA It works fine. I think I paid $26 CAD for it.

11-16-2011, 04:39 PM	#7
pulsar Connoisseur Posts: 54 Karma: 52416 Join Date: Nov 2011 Device: kindle 3, kobo vox	I am still waiting for the super-cheap power adaptor I've ordered on ebay from China - only 3.25$ shipped, claims to charge Ipad: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/270729905404?...84.m1439.l2649 I'll let you know if it works for Kobo Vox when I get it.

11-16-2011, 05:16 PM	#8
KoboJW UX Lead, Kobo Vox Posts: 113 Karma: 199002 Join Date: Oct 2011 Device: Boxes of Voxes	Can you confirm that the charge level % reading changes even using the provided Kobo charger? There is a known issue where the battery controller stops reporting the correct level until a hard reset. The Vox will charge on a 2A charger, it just won't show it that is charging.

11-16-2011, 06:12 PM	#9
jeather Enthusiast Posts: 41 Karma: 23418 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Montreal Device: Kobo Glo	My Vox has always shown an updated charge level while charging without a hard reset. (It does only show in increments of 10%, which is odd.) I mean, it might be working for one charger and not the other, but that seems beyond odd. What does "won't show that it's charging" mean? It means that the light will not go on, yes, but if I go into settings and battery status, should it still say discharging? I was charging from about 50% charged, so there wasn't a problem with battery level hitting zero.

11-16-2011, 06:49 PM	#10
profbisson Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2011 Device: Kobo Vox	I am pretty sure that the Kobo Vox's mini USB charger's jack will have a different pin-out. If someone has a Vox charger cable and is able to trace the cable to the pin-outs, any 5V2A charger should work provided that the pin-out is matched on the Vox's cable. This will require some modifications on the generic cable to enable this function - Will KoboJW confirm? This will confirm the Vox's demise now that the new Nook & Fire are nibbling on the heels of the Vox if Kobo doesn't make extra chargers available real soon!

11-17-2011, 04:18 PM	#11
KoboJW UX Lead, Kobo Vox Posts: 113 Karma: 199002 Join Date: Oct 2011 Device: Boxes of Voxes	"Won't show it's charging' means that the lock screen won't report that it is connected to a charger or show battery level, the battery icon in the notification bar won't show that it is charging and battery status will show 'Discharging'. But, if left connected, the Battery level reported should rise. Profbisson: your suspicion is correct.

11-17-2011, 04:24 PM	#12
profbisson Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2011 Device: Kobo Vox	KoboJW - do you have access to the pinout? Kindly share with us!