Wife bought a pair of J Lab earbuds, they need a USB-C wall charger that provides" 5V with up to 1A ( 5 Watts)" apparently.Ive disappeared down a rabbit hole trying to find something that charges safely ( I thought bike standards were annoying)
Apparently she needs an intelligent charger that will only charge to the required amount? I can find loads of 20W ones , that was what Argos said she needed 🙄
If it is an " intelligent" or " adaptive " she needs U Green ?it's going to cost more than the earbuds 🤬
I wish she'd been a bit more careful opening the box could have sent them back 🙄
Have you got no really old shitty chargers from 10 or so years ago? Some of those were as low as 750mA and take yonks to charge a modern phone.
Having said that, it's usually the device that controls the charge rate, not the charger so your earbuds might still be duff.
Some devices do not like higher power chargers. My Hammerhead Karoo 2 actually melted when I used a too powerful charger.
If you have an existing charger with a USB A port and have an A to C cable then it should be fine charging the headphones.
I have a charger that can with a Kindle that I bought about six years ago that I use to charge the warranty replacement Karoo and it has been fine.
Ignore all of that, any USB charger you have in the house will work.
Nope - nice theory but my melting Karoo 2 says you are wrong. Lots of similar experiences can be confirmed with a quick Google.
I have those earbuds and have charged them with an iPhone plug with no issues so far. They actually last for ages and have only charged them a couple of times since I got them
Plug them into a USB 2 or 3 port on your PC / Laptop?
Don't have a PC or a Laptop 😞
@Cletus you actually charge the case , there's a lead that comes out to plug in to a wall charger
Get a proper brand from a reliable retailer and you should be fine. I use Anker/Belkin and buy from somewhere like Apple or John Lewis. Don't buy 'branded' stuff from Ebay/Amazon
^ Nowt wrong with buying Anker or other branded stuff from Amazon, use the anker store and it’s fine
This is the cheapest option for Anker on amazon but realistically any charger that is not a fast charger will do fine
why are the l8nks ****ing up?
USB Plug, Anker PowerPort mini Dual Port USB Charger, Compact Wall Charger Cube @ £8.99
Nope - nice theory but my melting Karoo 2 says you are wrong.
I disagree. I think you’ve been the victim of faulty kit.
Voltage: All USB chargers start the connection at 5v, and this is only exceeded if both the charger and the device negotiate and agree on a higher voltage.
Watts/amps: The charging device pulls the required power from the charger, it’s not pushed or forced upon the charging device. So it doesn’t matter how much current draw the charger can cope with.
If something melts, it’s either dodgy cheap crap, or faulty.
I see the problem.
It might be worth getting a Type C Female to A Male Charger Cable Converter to allow you to use an old low power charger.
You can get a 3 pack for £3.99 on Amazon.
Nope - nice theory but my melting Karoo 2 says you are wrong.
I disagree. I think you’ve been the victim of faulty kit.
Voltage: All USB chargers start the connection at 5v, and this is only exceeded if both the charger and the device negotiate and agree on a higher voltage.
Watts/amps: The charging device pulls the required power from the charger, it’s not pushed or forced upon the charging device. So it doesn’t matter how much current draw the charger can cope with.
If something melts, it’s either dodgy cheap crap, or faulty.
Nope - nice theory but my melting Karoo 2 says you are wrong.
I disagree. I think you’ve been the victim of faulty kit.
Voltage: All USB chargers start the connection at 5v, and this is only exceeded if both the charger and the device negotiate and agree on a higher voltage.
Watts/amps: The charging device pulls the required power from the charger, it’s not pushed or forced upon the charging device. So it doesn’t matter how much current draw the charger can cope with.
If something melts, it’s either dodgy cheap crap, or faulty.
There are dozens of reports from Karoo 2 users of this issue so maybe it is a design flaw?
Hammerhead are very specific about which chargers and cables can be used
I was very surprised as the Karoo is a premium device but the evidence is out there.
It also failed to charge from a 3 in 1 USB cable and power bank when I was doing a 600km audax. Luckily I had also taken my old Garmin Edge 820 which saved the day.
Thanks @Cletus so then just plug it in the wall socket that's got USB 5V 1A rating ?
If a device needs an intelligent charger, it should be supplied with one. Otherwise, however intelligent the charger is, it won't know what it's charging so can't behave intelligently. Some bigger devices require a minimum power, eg, my laptop will only change over USB-C if the charger can deliver at least 60W, but the spec quoted for the earbuds is "up to 1A (5W)" which doesn't make any sense. Electrical circuits draw whatever current they need, provided it's available. A 13A plug doesn't push 13A into a device that only needs 3A. Over-voltage will melt things, but not the availability of extra current.
Just noticed the earbuds are USB-C. I reckon it will be nigh on impossible to find a USB-C charger that doesn’t support fast charging. That’s like trying to find a 50” telly that only does standard definition.
The instructions or box are probably just way out of date with incorrect specifications. (Edit, I just checked the website and I reckon it’s just badly written) Plug them in and let the things charge 🙂 )
+1 for the "current is drawn, not pushed". It becomes an issue when the device is trying to draw more current than the power supply can provide, not the other way round. The current rating on a power supply means it can deliver up-to that, not only that.
If a device needs an intelligent charger, it should be supplied with one. Otherwise, however intelligent the charger is, it won't know what it's charging so can't behave intelligently. S
Nah, that's not correct, Intelligent chargers communicate with the battery circuitry of the item being charged to deem the correct charge rate - there is a constant back/forth communication between the connected items
I have usb stick on lights in the kitchen that will not allow a charge unless I use an old 3w usb-a charger plug, same with other old items that I have such as mp3 players etc.
Nope - nice theory but my melting Karoo 2 says you are wrong.
I actually have a fair amount of experience here and your Karoo 2 melted because it had a fault, not because the charger fired electricity into it under high pressure.
There's a reason Hammerhead started supplying little protective covers to go over the USB port and it's not out of the goodness of their heart...
OP - honestly, you're fine plugging it into any USB charger. It may not charge from a USB-C to USB-C cable because they don't implement all the pins, but it will definitely charge from a USB-A cable from *any* charger.
USB power is a hot mess of "standards" but ultimately it is a negotiated protocol. A device will initially connect as a low power device and then communicate with the host to ask for more.
What Cletus is describing is unfortunate but it sounds like a design flaw in their headphones. You can't - typically - fry a device using too powerful a USB supply. Though I have seen cases where devices are too stupid to work with modern chargers and I've had to dig out old ones.
For the OP's case I'd suggest that pretty much any USB-C charger should work and you're overthinking it. You only need something fancy if it's high power delivery (like a laptop) or you want rapid charging.
As I said though, it's a mess, sometimes shit just doesn't work because Reasons 🤷♂️ and you need to try a different one.
... ie, what Flaperon just said. 😁
I just got the biggest beefiest GaN charger i could and charge everything from it. Laptop, phone (x2), tablet, couple of sets of earbuds, Garmin, bike lights, power bank...
Thanks @Cletus so then just plug it in the wall socket that's got USB 5V 1A rating ?
That's what I would do. Flaperon and Cougar are correct that in theory devices that properly implement USB standards should play friendly together but there are lots of examples where they do not.
Having said that I have some Anker ear buds with a USB C charging case and they charge ok from my Anker 100W charger. There is no way I would risk using it with my Karoo 2.
To be honest for a £20 pair of buds I would not overthink things. Just get a charger from a decent brand such as Anker.
Watts/amps: The charging device pulls the required power from the charger, it’s not pushed or forced upon the charging device. So it doesn’t matter how much current draw the charger can cope with.
If something melts, it’s either dodgy cheap crap, or faulty.
^ this. As said the charger doesnt ‘pump’ more electric in because it’s bigger, the device pulls in the charge, and takes what it can.
Thanks everyone, it wasn't a question of overthinking more that I kept getting told " that's too powerful you can't use that"
I've got a U Green adapter on the way , going to try that thanks @Cletus
Thought I'd drop in with the sarcasm; as they are ear buds it doesn't matter, she'll have lost one by the time they need charging, so replacements will be needed anyway!
This week I bought some new over ear noise cancelling phones and someone (my wife) left a pair on the ski train 🙄
Mrs Kayak23 has the J-Lab Go Air Pop ones.
To be honest I don't think we even gave the charging a second thought. Plug them into any of our usb plugs without issue.
Did it come with a USB-C ↔ USB-C cable and no adapter? That's unusual.
You don't need to use the supplied cable anyway, a plain old USB-A ↔ USB-C cable charger would be fine. How do you charge your phone currently? (No pun intended)
I kept getting told " that's too powerful you can't use that"
Unless they know something I don't, I think you've been misinformed.
I meant, A-C without a plug has been common for ages, but I've not seen C-C without one. This is, of course, anecdotal and I'm not buying new devices every day.
Your house gets between 60 and 100A incoming (age dependent). That'll cook any domestic appliance, yet it doesn't because the appliance only takes what it needs.
Return them and buy something else
Don't think i've bought anything in the last ~5 years that's come with an adaptor. Certainly one of the sets of ear buds, both new powerbanks, new phone, couple of USB powered sensors. Kids new phones and one tablet, couple of their over ear headphones... don't think it's particularly common anymore. Though my work headphones came with a USB A to micro USB cable. But i reckon they bought about 5000 sets and are waiting for them to run out (i can still order the same model on our IT kit page, the manufacturer stopped making them a couple of years ago and no longer supports them...)Did it come with a USB-C ↔ USB-C cable and no adapter? That's unusual.
I bought something semi-recently which came with a USB-C wall wart. I couldn't for the life of me tell you what, though.
Just get something like this and charge numerous devices when the need arises:
Been using similar for years for charging phone, iPad, headphones, earbuds and watch without any issues.
Been using similar for years for charging phone, iPad, headphones, earbuds and watch without any issues.
Perhaps so in your specific case but small rechargeable batteries sub 500 mAh often need low w output chargers as modern high wattage chargers will not acknowledge the minuscule initial current draw demanded from such batteries to begin the charging protocol
I have a specific .5W usb a charger (15yrs old) for such rechargeable devices
My biggest bugbear is with the manufacturers who complied with the EU rules by replacing a micro usb port with a usb C port but without any of the negotiation hardware. So the devices will ONLY charge with an A-C cable (and even seem fussy about which of those they'll work with).
Yeah that is annoying, I’ve got a few USBC items like head torches and bluetooth speakers that will only charge from a USB A socket.
send it, why u worry?
If a device needs an intelligent charger, it should be supplied with one. Otherwise, however intelligent the charger is, it won't know what it's charging so can't behave intelligently.
I was going to raise this point - why didn’t it come with an appropriate charger? I know this whole situation has happened because of cables being referred to as Chargers, as well as the wall-warts that actually plug into a mains socket, thus confusing everyone, but a basic charger plug with a USB-A as well as a USB-C port from someone like Belkin surely would work ok? I’ve got loads of the damn things, along with a range of cables with a whole ecosystem of USB A/C and mini/microplugs, that I still need because of various lights and other devices that require them, including a CatEye flashing front light that I bought late last year and that has a Micro-USB socket, when practically everything on eBay uses USB-C now! 🤬
Has this actually been tried an not worked?
Assuming not, just buy a charger, or plug it into an existing one (possibly with a usb a to c adapter) and it will almost certainly work. If buying anything new, buy a decent brand - I tend to go Anker.
I have a big charging hub like the Anker linked above x2. It can fast charge a laptop at 65W whilst charging a load of old bike lights. I have never had anything not work with it, including a 10 year old micro usb cateye rear light. It has never melted my karoo.
Well I paid a fiver for a pair ( I only needed one 🙄) of U Green A to C adaptors and they worked fine 👍
Wish I knew that before being bamboozled by incorrect/ misleading/ unhelpful " You can't do that " " That won't work" advice , not from here I might add 👍
Also it might have helped if J Lab et al didn't reply by email via bots 🙄
That's a whole new level of we don't care about the customer that I was unaware of just as I was getting used to not being able to speak to a human on the phone 🙄🙄🙄🙄
Just reading back through this thread, and regarding having loads of cables accumulated from years of buying devices with rechargeable batteries, I’ve actually still got a USB-A - 32-Pin cable got an iPod and my old iPhone 3/4/5 kicking around! I’ve still got the iPod Classic and iPod Nano, but I haven’t used either for ages, since I got an iPhone with more storage capacity.
I’m considering getting my iPod Classic updated with a new battery, 2Tb flash memory card and USB-C, but I’m not sure when I’d use it, because my phones always with me anyway. At least I wouldn’t need the cable on a just-in-case basis… 🤷🏼♂️
I’m considering getting my iPod Classic updated with a new battery, 2Tb flash memory card and USB-C, but I’m not sure when I’d use it, because my phones always with me anyway. At least I wouldn’t need the cable on a just-in-case basis…
Weirdly enough I’ve been considering doing the same with one of my iPod classics as Ikm pretty sure I still have at least 3 of them kicking around , got quite a few other styles of iPod and these are what’s sitting in my desk drawer at the minute
They all still work/hold a charge, still connect to iTunes and are full of my music from 20 years ago
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Here’s a refurbishment vid that dropped into my YouTube electronics feed a few days ago that prompted me to dig out my old iPods and iriver mp3 players
Just get a decent cable or cables, such as anker.. think I paid a fiver for 2x 1.5m cables (other sizes and lengths are available, such as USB-c to USB-c or USB-A to USB-c etc..
or as above, a cheeky little A to C passive adaptor, or two, are handy things to have.
Another vote for 'anything USB C will work'. I've no idea what's going on with melting headphones, that's a serious design flaw / fault, shouldn't happen at all.
If you want a rabbit hole, read up on what USB C actually means and the myriad of different leads and what they're possible of from a single socket / plug design.
Nope - nice theory but my melting Karoo 2 says you are wrong. Lots of similar experiences can be confirmed with a quick Google.
Appreciate you are just trying to warn the OP, and I'm not criticising you at all here, but the device you are talking about is not working/designed properly. The USB spec mandates device side control for power levels. It is a core requirement of the spec for at least 25 years.
I am pretty certain that Hammerhead made some mistakes that varied from correct spec when designing the Karoo 2 given the number of people reporting issues. It was one of the first bike GPS units with USB C on the market and that was a major factor in me choosing it. It could be down to moisture or dirt in the charging ports but well designed units can deal with that. I had an iPhone XR with a Lightning connector that would warn about water in the charging port and refuse to charge.
Anyway happy to hear that the OP is now sorted out and, for all those saying try a USB A to C cable, look at the picture I posted of the phone case. It has an integrated cable for "hassle free" charging so that was not an option.