easiest way to throttle charging on phone
Discussion
Hi all,
My phone (Motorola G8 plus) boasts the ability to charge at 5ah from the mains. This is a wonderful feature when you need to juice in a hurry, however I'm acutely aware that fast charging is a great way to ruin the battery quite quickly if done consistently.
This never used to be a problem as I'd charge my phone from a 1ah cigarette plug on my 2 hour round trip commute in the car. However, now I've moved to near my job I'm stuck with using a mains plug.
I've googled a bit and I'd think there'd be a fairly simple app that tells the phone to throttle its charging rate, but apparently not. The best I could find is a combined app and dongle that site between the charger and phone, which lets you set a maximum level you want to charge to - sort of the inverse of what I'm after.
Am I looking for the impossible, does anyone know? Am I best off buying a mains to cig plug adaptor and wall charging using my existing 1ah charger?
Thanks in advance!
My phone (Motorola G8 plus) boasts the ability to charge at 5ah from the mains. This is a wonderful feature when you need to juice in a hurry, however I'm acutely aware that fast charging is a great way to ruin the battery quite quickly if done consistently.
This never used to be a problem as I'd charge my phone from a 1ah cigarette plug on my 2 hour round trip commute in the car. However, now I've moved to near my job I'm stuck with using a mains plug.
I've googled a bit and I'd think there'd be a fairly simple app that tells the phone to throttle its charging rate, but apparently not. The best I could find is a combined app and dongle that site between the charger and phone, which lets you set a maximum level you want to charge to - sort of the inverse of what I'm after.
Am I looking for the impossible, does anyone know? Am I best off buying a mains to cig plug adaptor and wall charging using my existing 1ah charger?
Thanks in advance!
manracer said:
I would just use an old wall plug. ie iphone plug or similar?
Sorry, should have mentioned - there's a specific warning in the manual for the phone to NOT use anything other than the proper Motorola wall plug, because the phone apparently WILL draw 5 amps when on the mains whether the plug likes it or not, with consequent fire risk 
eltawater said:
Plug it into a USB port on the nearest computer. Pretty much guaranteed to be rubbish charging.
Ta, not a bad idea - that maybe might be a bit *too* slow but it's certainly a good backup plan!Yeah buy a s
t charger that has a lower power output. I am looking at a spare iPhone charger of unknown vintage that I keep in my laptop bag, and it can only do 1 amp @ 5 volts so 5w max output.
At least this is a cheap fix for you!
In comparison I have a 60w charger that can do 60w "power delivery" on one usb-c port or up to 40w / 20w split over two ports usb-c / usb-a. I guess it has some protocol, this qualcomm fast charge standard or similar, that detects what the device wants and adjusts the voltage/current accordingly. Its great, I can fast charge phone and ipad at the same time or alternatively probably run a laptop on it if required.
How about wireless charging... usually slower rate?
t charger that has a lower power output. I am looking at a spare iPhone charger of unknown vintage that I keep in my laptop bag, and it can only do 1 amp @ 5 volts so 5w max output.At least this is a cheap fix for you!
In comparison I have a 60w charger that can do 60w "power delivery" on one usb-c port or up to 40w / 20w split over two ports usb-c / usb-a. I guess it has some protocol, this qualcomm fast charge standard or similar, that detects what the device wants and adjusts the voltage/current accordingly. Its great, I can fast charge phone and ipad at the same time or alternatively probably run a laptop on it if required.
How about wireless charging... usually slower rate?
https://motorola-global-en-roe.custhelp.com/app/an...
This one, reads more like a weak charger won't give enough juice to charge while in use... which is fine.
This one, reads more like a weak charger won't give enough juice to charge while in use... which is fine.
Glade said:
https://motorola-global-en-roe.custhelp.com/app/an...
This one, reads more like a weak charger won't give enough juice to charge while in use... which is fine.
Nice find.This one, reads more like a weak charger won't give enough juice to charge while in use... which is fine.
Based on what Motorola say there I'd agree. A 1A or 2A charger would be the way to go.
ChemicalChaos said:
Hi all,
My phone (Motorola G8 plus) boasts the ability to charge at 5ah from the mains. This is a wonderful feature when you need to juice in a hurry, however I'm acutely aware that fast charging is a great way to ruin the battery quite quickly if done consistently.
It appears to be an older phone that was a budget priced phone when new?My phone (Motorola G8 plus) boasts the ability to charge at 5ah from the mains. This is a wonderful feature when you need to juice in a hurry, however I'm acutely aware that fast charging is a great way to ruin the battery quite quickly if done consistently.
Why bother even thinking about it. carry on as normal, if battery dies, replace it or get a new phone.
Mine charges fine off a normal charger.ChemicalChaos said:
manracer said:
I would just use an old wall plug. ie iphone plug or similar?
Sorry, should have mentioned - there's a specific warning in the manual for the phone to NOT use anything other than the proper Motorola wall plug, because the phone apparently WILL draw 5 amps when on the mains whether the plug likes it or not, with consequent fire risk eltawater said:
Plug it into a USB port on the nearest computer. Pretty much guaranteed to be rubbish charging.
Ta, not a bad idea - that maybe might be a bit *too* slow but it's certainly a good backup plan!There is no way on earth you can plug your phone into a 1 amp charger and cause it to catch fire / overheat. All it will do is churn out charge at 1 Amp, until the battery is full.
Also , be aware that fast charging lithium batteries is not actually bad for them at all, not as long as you don't surpass their max C rating (charge current). Old Nicads and NiMH? sure - it doesn't fill them completely and it does shorten their lives. Lipo - not so.
Steven_RW said:
Donbot said:
Modern phones limit charge rate to protect the battery. I really wouldn't worry about it.
This.Unless you plan on keeping the phone and not smashing or losing or upgrading it in the next 5 years I wouldn't worry.
Just my view.
I am sure the fast charge on my Oppo, charges at different rates depending on the battery charge. So at very low charge or greater than 80% charge it drops the amps to protect the battery. All from memory!!
mike9009 said:
Agreed.
I am sure the fast charge on my Oppo, charges at different rates depending on the battery charge. So at very low charge or greater than 80% charge it drops the amps to protect the battery. All from memory!!
It's how all lithium chargers work. They charge at full current until the voltage per cell approaches 4.2v (varies depending in battery technology) . As it approaches full voltage it reduces charging current, slowly dropping down to a very low current and then cutting off at full voltage. If they did not reduce current (amps) then they'd drive the batteries to full voltage when they are not actually full, the the batteries would sag back down to their real voltage when the charging stopped, which would be far from full. You have to reduce current to be able to accurately read the cell voltage. They would also risk overcharging if they didnt slow down and that's a fire risk.I am sure the fast charge on my Oppo, charges at different rates depending on the battery charge. So at very low charge or greater than 80% charge it drops the amps to protect the battery. All from memory!!
It's very simple and standard technology. You can buy small PCB lithium /lifpo4 chargers on eBay for £2 that function the same way.
Well, I stand completely corrected in that case over the abillity to over-draw from the mains.
However, I will say that when mains charging I have to take the case off the phone as it gets red hot, which surely can't be doing the battery any good.
Unless you plan on keeping the phone and not smashing or losing or upgrading it in the next 5 years I wouldn't worry.
Just my view.Thing is, I DO plan on keeping the phone. Why would I want the cost of hassle of buying a new one every 2 years or so and transferring all my stuff, when this one still works fine? A tough case and sympathetic charging means I'm going to eke out as much longevity as possible - people who think they MUST wastefully upgrade every year for no particular reason do my tits in.....
However, I will say that when mains charging I have to take the case off the phone as it gets red hot, which surely can't be doing the battery any good.
Steven_RW said:
Donbot said:
Modern phones limit charge rate to protect the battery. I really wouldn't worry about it.
This.Unless you plan on keeping the phone and not smashing or losing or upgrading it in the next 5 years I wouldn't worry.
Just my view.
You are right in worrying about a red hot phone when charging. I had a wireless charging phone that did that but I broke it well before it became an issue.
It may just be the phone design is not good enough and dissipating the battery warmth as it charges.saying that, a lithium battery getting hot is NEVER a good sign, under use, or charge, with regards to longevity.
It may just be the phone design is not good enough and dissipating the battery warmth as it charges.saying that, a lithium battery getting hot is NEVER a good sign, under use, or charge, with regards to longevity.
ChemicalChaos said:
Well, I stand completely corrected in that case over the abillity to over-draw from the mains.
However, I will say that when mains charging I have to take the case off the phone as it gets red hot, which surely can't be doing the battery any good.
Unless you plan on keeping the phone and not smashing or losing or upgrading it in the next 5 years I wouldn't worry.
Just my view.Thing is, I DO plan on keeping the phone. Why would I want the cost of hassle of buying a new one every 2 years or so and transferring all my stuff, when this one still works fine? A tough case and sympathetic charging means I'm going to eke out as much longevity as possible - people who think they MUST wastefully upgrade every year for no particular reason do my tits in.....
Is it still getting red hot with the case off? Covering the phone in insulation isn't the best thing to be doing while it charges.However, I will say that when mains charging I have to take the case off the phone as it gets red hot, which surely can't be doing the battery any good.
Steven_RW said:
Donbot said:
Modern phones limit charge rate to protect the battery. I really wouldn't worry about it.
This.Unless you plan on keeping the phone and not smashing or losing or upgrading it in the next 5 years I wouldn't worry.
Just my view.
Assuming you aren't doing anything intensive on the phone and it still gets really hot I'd be concerned.
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