USB cable with iPhone charger
 

Hi

I've bought a USB cable for charging / sync my N900 using my PC. Just wondering if it's possible to use the USB cable with my iPhone 3G charger to charge the N900. The iPhone charger goes into the wall socket and allows you to plug a USB cable in there so I could use the N900 compatible USB cable (micro USB?). Would that work or is that dangerous?

Thanks

Re: USB cable with iPhone charger
 

It will work just fine.

Re: USB cable with iPhone charger
 

This does not work. I owned the Apple USB/AC adapter before getting the N900. I used to use it with the CA-100 to charge my N810. This worked fine.

I think the Micro-USB charging feature of the N900 requires that the USB host be a PC. A 'dumb' adapter like the Apple adapter or others that I have tried will not work. I tried my Belkin BZ103050-TVL (http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProdu...duct_Id=400738) as well and it does not work, either. These adapters do not 'emulate' a USB PC connection and the N900 will not charge unless it thinks it is attached to a PC.

I am thinking of getting a CA-146C that works with the old Nokia charger plugs and my old CA-100 USB charging adapter and the DC-8 to do what you are describing. The problem for me is that the CA-146C is not available in the U.S. Apparently, this accessory is in the box in the EU retail package.

I would recommend getting the CA-146C and this 'power pack' from Nokia UK if you can. http://shop.nokia.co.uk/nokia-uk/pro...&culture=en-GB

I called Nokia USA about the CA-146C and they do not have that part number. I may call Nokia UK and see if they will ship to me as a U.S. customer.

Good luck.

Re: USB cable with iPhone charger
 

I purchased a 20 dollar Mytouch3G Car charger/USB power adapter from T-Mobile and it works like a charm in the car. I just tried my Zune adapter with the microusb cable. Works like a charm. These adapters are all basically the same, and put out the same volts/watts of a USB port on your computer. Your Iphone charger will work fine.

Re: USB cable with iPhone charger
 

Yeah I received the CA-146C with my phone. However when using it with an old skinny Nokia charger, the AC3X to be specific, it takes a looong time. Went to bed, and 9 hours later it was still not fully charged, though getting there. If I use the USB cable and connect to PC or use the N900 charger that is provided, it charges in about 3.5hours.

Re: USB cable with iPhone charger
 

Actually while in theory these adapters are the same, 5V out a USB style socket, they are not identical.

A USB port can output a maximum of 500mA. Most wall adapters will output at least twice this amount to decrease charging time.

This is not a problem, if they output too much the N900 will only draw what it needs. But its worth noting, because they will charge the N900 a LOT quicker than you will from a PC.

For example the N900 PSU outputs around 1200mA (from memory, as I can't find mine right now), very useful if you are going to be using the N900 while charging it. That said, I am shocked how quickly the N900 charges from the PC even if I leave the screen on IMing.

Also some people on this forum claim the N900 battery seems to last longer from a slow PC based charging, which may be so as it will be more gentle on the battery.

That makes sense, as the one I saw recently only output something like 300mA at 3.7V. When you then convert that up to 5V you are talking very little mA even compared to a PC USB port, probably not enough to run the N900 and charge it at the same time.

Re: USB cable with iPhone charger
 

How can you say this? I have the USB/AC adapter http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB352LL/B that was referred to and it does NOT work.

Re: USB cable with iPhone charger
 

Can you send a link to this?

Perhaps the Nokia USB cable itself is the problem and does not charge unless connected to the PC. Do other Micro USB cables charge the N900 over USB with adapters like the iPhone or the one that you purchased?

Re: USB cable with iPhone charger
 

will try this when I get home on a different cable and will let you guys know

Re: USB cable with iPhone charger
 

Hi. Were you able to test yet? This will be a big help as I don't own any other micro-usb cables besides Nokia ones.

Re: USB cable with iPhone charger
 

Nokia uses the MicroUSB charging standard, which requires the charger to identify itself as a charger by shrorting the datapins together. The included cable is a datacable, which does not modify the signals at all. If the charger itself does not comply to the usb chargin standard, the n900 wont charge.

There was another thread here about external battery packs, where people had modified usb extension coords to make n900 think the other device is a charger. Might be risky if used improperly.

Re: USB cable with iPhone charger
 

So the solution is to buy a MicroUSB charging cable? How does that differ from any of the data cable I have at home (besides the data pins being shorted together).

Re: USB cable with iPhone charger
 

Today I purchased a Energizer XP2000

Initially I had some trouble getting it to charge the n900, the trick here was the XP2000 has a check/on button, it appears to only activate charging for a brief time if nothing is connected.

If I connect the n900 without pressing this button, I get nothing, if I press the button after connecting, I get nothing.

I have to press the button and connect the microusb to the n900 within a 1-2 second window, but after doing so it seems to charge normally.

Perhaps a similar process is needed to get the n900 to pick up on whatever charger you may be using?

Re: USB cable with iPhone charger
 

I'm just using a DC power plug that has a USB plug. Plugging in the USB cable that comes with the N900 and plugging it onto the DC powerplug charger does nothing.

Re: USB cable with iPhone charger
 

i wich i seen this thread last week, i just ordered couple of usb chargers
can anyone point me to orginal nokia car charger then?

Re: USB cable with iPhone charger
 

It wouldn't differ. Except I'd leave them unsorted towards the charger, and shorted towards the device, if you know what I mean. You can't buy them, nobody makes such a thing. I'd buy something that comes with MicroUSB output out of the box, and return it if it doesn't work.

Re: USB cable with iPhone charger
 

Doesn't work :(

Re: USB cable with iPhone charger
 

Guys

I don't have all the details at my fingertips right now but it is not as simple as you think. When a USB device connects to a computer, it negotiates with the host to set the proper current.

There is a USB standard specification for how to implement a "dumb" charger, I think that it requires the D+ / D- lines to be shorted together or connected by a certain resistance. The N900 expects either to talk to a USB host to set current or it expects to connect to a properly configured "dumb" charger. The problem occurs when the "dumb" charger does not implement its USB interface according to the spec. Most likely the Apple charger does not implement the spec correctly. But I too have a mishmash of USB charging devices and some work, some do not with the N900.

Re: USB cable with iPhone charger
 

i am no electrical engineer but i have an idea of modifying one of the old nokia charger.. i would like to cut away the pin adapter and put a usb port there.. any advice?