Charging power tools - a universal charger?

[ToughButterCup]

I'm trying to rationalise all the various chargers I have accumulated over the years. And find to my horror that I have at least ten different charging systems (well, I stopped bothering to count at ten).

I have taken the Bosch 18 Volt shilling. That means that for most of my power tools I use just one charger. But there are a whole host of other 'little things' to charge; a screwdriver here, a laser level there, a this, a that and the other....

 

How to rationalise? I bet someone here has thought this through and come up with an elegant way of sorting out the mess of charging cords and connection systems.

 

Driving me nuts!

 

[Jeremy Harris]

It's a pain, and I'm not sure there is a way to reduce the number of these things, at least not without a bit of DIY. 

 

I've rationalised all my cordless tools to 18V Makita ones now, so at least only have one type of battery pack, but that still leaves laptops, ebookreaders, tablet, iPad, two phones and several other bits of kit with different chargers.  I have got rid of the power supplies for the VDSL modem, wireless router, switch and network storage, by making a battery-backed power supply that runs the lot (using PoE for a couple of things).  Some things use USB chargers (camera, iPad, tablet, ebook reader and phones) so I tried to rationalise these, but was slightly thwarted because the iPad doesn't seem to work on a standard USB charger, only the special Apple one.  No idea why, as it's not the current rating that's the problem.

[Barney12]

Its normally the cable that causes issues with charging on Apple devices. Is it a generic one? 

Our iPads and iPhones charge fine from generic USB psu's. 

Weve got a couple of these which work well: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anker-Charger-PowerPort-Charging-Multi-Port/dp/B00VTI8K9K/ref=sr_1_6?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1491740345&sr=1-6&keywords=anker+charger

 

Edited April 9, 2017 by Barney12

[Jeremy Harris]

The cable is the white one that came with the iPad, with the unique Apple connector on one end and what looks like a standard USB plug on the other.  The iPad charges fine using the white charger it came with, but won't charge from the other 2.1A USB charger we have or the 2.1A USB socket in the car (which is odd, as the car handbook specifically says that this socket is intended for charging iPhones/iPads).  I've not bothered looking into it further, but just assumed that Apple do something to signal to the iPad when a non-Apple charger is used.

 

Edited to add:

Found the reason for the problem, after a bit of web searching.  It seems that Apple have made the USB connection non-standard, so a charger needs to put a particular voltage on the USB data lines (not normally used on chargers) in order for them to work.  There's a description here: https://learn.adafruit.com/minty-boost/icharging

Edited April 9, 2017 by JSHarris

[Nickfromwales]

The reason the iPad won't charge in the car or other PSU is that the iPad is 'current hungry'. Try an iPhone and I bet it'll charge fine. 

[Jeremy Harris]

Should be OK, Nick, as the car USB socket is rated at 2.1A, and is supposed to work fine with Apple stuff.  The problem seems to be that, as per that link, the USB socket doesn't have the signalling connections that Apple use on later generation devices to determine whether the charger is a genuine Apple one or not.  From that article, it seems that adding four resistors to provide the signalling voltages to the data lines in the USB connector (which aren't normally used in most chargers) should fool the iPad into thinking it's connected to an Apple charger.

[Nickfromwales]

My cheapy Chinese fag lighter ones in my Pajero won't charge the iPad, but charge the iphones nice and quick. 

Rated 2.1a but the iPad just doesn't want to know. It sometimes says charging ( little  ⚡️symbol after the batt % ) but either goes down not up, or says incompatible charger / accessory / other such 'Apple related' bollocks. 

Iphone works fine on any foreign adaptor, but I do always use genuine leads. I get more grief from wankers selling 'genuine apple product' leads which are clearly rip offs. I have Ebay sellers 'followed' now who sell genuine ones cheap enough. 

Our fault for going apple

 

[Jeremy Harris]

You could always try the trick of adding four resistors to the data pins on the charger USB socket.  Having read the info in that link I'm going to see if I can do this to the high power USB socket in the car, as it'd be handy to be able to charge the iPad from it.  The same socket charges my Sony tablet fine, so I'm pretty sure it's just because the iPad isn't seeing the right voltage on the data pins to tell it that it's an Apple charger.

[Nickfromwales]

I could post you my one which works in my van ( charges the iPad albeit slowly ) to try ? If it works I'll buy another the same and you can refund me. 

Saves the Frankenstein chop . 

That said, I don't know if your solution may offer a faster charge rate ?

[Jeremy Harris]

Let me try it first, Nick, to see if the resistor trick works.  I have a 2.1A cigarette lighter USB adapter around somewhere, that I know doesn't charge the iPad either, so if I try with that and it works I'll risk taking the built-in USB charging socket in the car out and trying to modify it.  The car has two USB sockets, one for low power charging and connecting a USB stick for playing music or updating the sat nav, the other for high current charging.  The latter is supposed to charge an iPad, but from reading that article it looks like Apple changed the charger design after the car was designed.

[Nickfromwales]

@recoveringacademic

Makita + twin fast charger with USB is the way my friend. ?

2 batteries charged from cold in 30mins plus my phone is on 100% all day thanks to the USB port inbuilt in the makita charger ?

How much Bosch stuff do you have?

[ToughButterCup]

1 hour ago, Nickfromwales said:

[...]

How much [battery operated] Bosch stuff do you have?

 

Drill(s), angle (erm, thumb) grinder, chop saw, multi tool, work lights.

I'd really love Makita stuff, my son uses it, but I'm just not in that class.

 

It doesn't really matter which brand you use, we all have multiple chargers because not everything uses the same physical connection, or demand the same charge input.

I have a complete drawer full of chargers and their associated paraphernalia, and I wondered if anyone had, like me, got fed up of it, but, knowing a whole load more about the ins and outs,  solved the problem. It's a relief really to see that we all seems to have the same issue. Most of us solve it partially by being loyal to one brand. But that still seems to be only a partial answer, I think.

 

I mean wouldn't it be great to be able to chose the exact battery-driven tool you want, and know that recharging the batteries will be simple. Plug, charge and play as it were.

 

 

[Nickfromwales]

The only way would be for the tool to have a built in battery which charged off a standard charger / plug but that would see the tool out of commission until charged again. A bit like our phones etc. 

Makita, and a bunch of batteries for me

[Steptoe]

It's a bit of how manufacturers get you to keep buying their stuff, same batteries,

Even Makita have got like dewalt now tho by having diy versions of their tools, 

anyone using any apple products automatically gives apple the right to take any and all of their information and use it in any way they see fit.

 

Edited April 10, 2017 by Nickfromwales
Edited to remove off topic content

[Onoff]

Baaaaaaa!

 

 

 

Crapple. 

 

'Nuff said.

 

[Nickfromwales]

43 minutes ago, Steptoe said:

Even Makita have got like dewalt now tho by having diy versions of their tools, 

My little 12v Dewalt drill was, without exception, lb for lb, the best tool I ever owned. It just kept going and going, and worked its ass off until I sold it after a few good years of service ( after I'd switched to all makita ). It went in working order, and I'd not be shocked if it's still going well. 

The new 10.8v stuff from both manufacturers are really good bits of kit for occasional use, and my mates own them and abuse the hell out of them but they come back for more. 

Theyre a little overpriced IMO, but if you go for the badge you have to pay for it   

 

[Onoff]

My two little 12V Makita drills did some serious work. First Nicad batteries then NiMH. All dead now sadly. I even changed the drill chucks to 13mm and never managed to kill either.

[Jeremy Harris]

10 hours ago, Onoff said:

Baaaaaaa!

 

 

 

Crapple. 

 

'Nuff said.

 

 

I couldn't agree more!

 

The iPad's not mine, I have a Sony tablet rooted and running Cyanogenmod, as I don't happen to like snooping by anyone.................

Edited April 10, 2017 by JSHarris

[Nickfromwales]

Thread tidied this morning to remove off topic content. Any questions, please feel free to contact the mod team. 

Mods.