Charging 101
All you need to know to
sell the right charger
© 2014 PureGear rev072514
Volts, Amps, Watts:
What do they mean?
Transformer
Volts x Amps = Watts
You need to understand some basic
concepts about electricity flow to grasp the
relationship between Voltage, Amps and
Watts. The movement of electrons between
two points is the flow of electricity - Here
is an analogy - picture a water hose, the
pressure difference between two points in
the hose is what causes the water to flow,
that pressure can be created by a pump,
gravity and turning open a valve. In an
electrical circuit the pressure is created
at the generating station; hence, the high
voltage lines we see all around. In electrical
terms, the number of electrons in motion
in a circuit is called the current, and it’s
measured in Amps (A). The "pressure" pushing
the electrons along is called the voltage and
is measured in Volts (V). Power (W) is Voltage
(V) x Current (A) measured in Watts (W).
00080PG
353
ITE Power
® Supply
C
188594
US
AC ADAPTER
INPUT:100-240-0.2A 50-60Hz
OUTPUT: 5.0V~1A
MADE IN CHINA
Using the above label as an example, you
can see output of 5.0V~1A, which translates
into a 5W charger. Notice the higher input
voltage, all chargers have a transformer to
regulate the required power at the output.
The transformer is a key component inside
© 2014 PureGear rev072514
Controls stability of
power flow required
by devices.
USB Port
Controller
Chip
a charger with the remaining components
playing vital roles in controlling the flow
and stability of the power required by the
device. Image above shows the transformer,
controller chip and other components.
Let’s not forget about the input side voltage
which is the 120V that comes out of the
wall plugs in the US. Most charging labels
show the range for input all the way to 240V.
In Europe and many other countries, the
actual wall socket voltage is 220V. This is
an added benefit for both business and
leisure travelers, having a dual-voltage
charger. In markets like DC, NYC, Chicago,
LA, Miami, Seattle etc. this is a useful
selling point for those planning overseas
trips (note that an adapter maybe required
to plug in the charger overseas but the
customer need not worry about the voltage
coming out of the wall socket).
What to offer
a customer
when it comes
to charging
devices
2) C
ertification & Compliance
There are three (3)
key points to remember:
1) Device
2) Certification & Compliance
3)The Customer’s Needs
Chargers manufactured by well-known brands
and those branded by the major wireless carriers
adhere to these strict design, engineering and
quality standards:
Underwriters
Laboratories
(UL)
CSA Group
(CSA)
American National
Standards Institute
(ANSI)
Apple has its own
certification in addition
to the aforementioned,
Made for iPhone, iPad
& iPod program
(MFi)
Apple’s MFi Program encompasses third-party
hardware accessories such as chargers which
use Apple’s licensed technology to connect
electronically to an iPhone, iPad or iPod.
The certification marks shown here demonstrate
to your customers that a sample of the product
has been certified to applicable standards,
providing them with a safe and reliable product.
Some low cost charging solutions do not adhere
to these standard and/or use counterfeit
packaging to show compliance. Is your safety
worth the savings?
This excerpt is from a recent news story:
1) D
evice
For some time now the standard for
charging most cell phones and other
mobile devices has been 5V~1A, 5W.
From the iPhone to Samsung’s popular
Galaxy line. But that’s changing,
as screen sizes become larger,
resolutions increase, cameras get
better and have more functions. Newer
cell phones need more than 1A (see
table at the end). Tablets have required
more than 5W for some time. An iPad
Air requires 12W or 5V~2.4A to charge.
© 2014 PureGear rev072514
"We have had more than just a few stories about
an Apple iPhone or Apple iPad that shocked the
user of the device. In one unfortunate case, a
23 year old flight attendant, less than a month
away from getting married, was killed by a shock
she received when answering a call on her Apple
iPhone 5 while it was recharging. In another
harrowing tale, an eight-year old’s Apple iPad sent
a severe shock through her dad’s body, allegedly
sending him flying across the room. Had it been
the daughter that had touched the slate, the shock
might have done her in. As it turns out, in most of
these situations, it was a fake or knock-off charger
that was responsible for the shock."
Posted: May 22, 2014, http://www.phonearena.com/news/
3) W
hat are your Customer’s Needs?
This is THE most important step in selling a charging solution.
Always ask customers if they own tablets or multiple devices.
Charge one device or two? Charge at home, in car or both? Charge at the same time?
Apple Devices
iPhone
2 iPhones
(Simultaneous)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
5W Single Output (5V~1A)
10.5W Single Output (5V~2.1A)
10W Dual Outputs (5V~2A)
12W Single Output (5V~2.4A)
15.5W Dual Outputs (5~V3.1A)
17W Dual Outputs (5V~3.4A)
24W Dual Outputs (5V~4.8A)
iPad
iPhone + iPad
(Simultaneous)
2 iPads
(Simultaneous)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Non Apple Devices
Phone
5W Single Output (5V~1A)
10W Single Output (5V~2A)
10W Dual Outputs (5V~2A)
12W Single Output (5V~2.4A)
15W Dual Outputs (5V~3.1A)
17W Dual Outputs (5V~3.4A)
24W Dual Outputs (5V~4.8A)
2 Phones
(Simultaneous)
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Tablet
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Tablet + Phone
(Simultaneous)
2 Tablets
(Simultaneous)
•
•
•
•
•
•
Device Specific Examples
OS
Output
Power
(Watts)
Required
Input Voltage
(Volt)
Recommended
Charging Current
(Amp)
Required
Input Current
(Amps)
HTC One M8
Android
5.0
5
–
1.0
LG G Flex; G Pro 2; G2; (Google) Nexus 5
Android
8.5
5
2.0
1.7
Motorola Droid Maxx; Droid Ultra
Android
4.0
5
1.0
0.8
Motorola Moto G
Android
2.8
5
1.0
0.6
Motorola Moto X
Android
5.8
5
–
1.2
Nokia Lumia Icon
Windows
7.0
5
2.0
1.4
Samsung Galaxy S4; Galaxy S5; Galaxy Tab 3 – 7";
Galaxy Tab 4 - 10.1"; Galaxy Note 3
Android
8.5
5
2.0
1.7
© 2014 PureGear rev072514