Last word on the Nexus 7 charging issue

[larrylu]

I couldn't find my old thread for this wrap up report but some may remember my struggles to get my Nexus 7 tablet running Torque to stay charged. I finally got it. Seems the A/C charger that Nexus supplies shorts out the USB data pins to signal to the tablet that fast charge is available when plugged into the wall outlet. My two previous high output 2.1 amp car chargers did not short out those pins so all I got for charge was an anemic .5 amps which would not keep up with the use. I tried unlocking, rooting, and a custom kernel, to get the tablet to fast charge on the D/C device and that did not help. Finally I found a 3.1 amp USB charger ($9.95 Amazon) that offered fast charge for Android devices by shorting the data pins and I tried it. Magic! The tablet is maintaining 99% charge with short hauls. I also found USB cables available that offer the shorted data pins and that would most likely be another way to access the fast charge without changing the charger and probably that might work also....not sure but I'm sure glad I finally got the Nexus to work the way I envisioned.

[SHOdded]

This what you were referring to?

 

http://www.ecoboostownerforums.com/forum/ecoboost-taurus-sho-mks-forum/ecoboost-sho-mks-general-discussion/1901-torque-app-impressions

 

Happy conclusions with technology are always good!

[TractorAK]

Do you have the link to the one you bought?

[larrylu]

Tractor, this is the link to the power supply I bought. Note that it's a 2 outlet charger. One outlet is labeled NA which is "non apple" and that's the one that grounds out the data pins for our Android fast charge. The other output is conventional. This charger at 3.1 amps has enough output to keep two devices charged.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0088U4YAG/ref=pe_175190_21431760_M3T1_ST1_dp_1

 

Never being satisfied, even though I now had it charging I just had to experiment and I ordered the special cable with shorted data pins to test that. I love that the cable is beefy enough that you don't worry about resistance affecting the charge rate, and I love the right angle "left" micro USB connector that put's the cable facing down when the tablet is in the landscape orientation. Much neater looking. I had a hard time finding a cable with that exact connector. Only catch is that when I plugged it into the NA outlet of my new charger, I lost the high charge rate. I guess shorting the pins in two different places does not provide the same results as shorting them in just one. So......I tried the new cable with the old 2.1 charger and I got my charge rate back. I suspect I could use the new 3.1 charger if I plugged the special cable into the "Apple" outlet, but I haven't tried that as yet. I don't want to go back to my old cable if I can help it.

 

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AJCC2TQ/ref=pe_175190_21431760_3p_M3T1_ST1_dp_1

 

I think either of these two products will provide the Nexus fast charge.

 

 

[SHOdded]

3.1 amp charger

 

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0088U4YAG/ref=pe_175190_21431760_M3T1_ST1_dp_1

 

New/special cable

 

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AJCC2TQ/ref=pe_175190_21431760_3p_M3T1_ST1_dp_1

 

VB5's handling of URLs as of this date is messing up. So you have to have all your URLs in place, then PREVIEW, then SAVE the post. That's what's been working for me. Oh yeah, don't try to edit the post afterwards, unless you want to redo the URLs ... again!

[larrylu]

Tractor, this is the link to the power supply I bought. Note that it's a 2 outlet charger. One outlet is labeled NA which is "non apple" and that's the one that grounds out the data pins for our Android fast charge. The other output is conventional. This charger at 3.1 amps has enough output to keep two devices charged.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0088U4YAG/ref=pe_175190_21431760_M3T1_ST1_dp_1

 

Never being satisfied, even though I now had it charging I just had to experiment and I ordered the special cable with shorted data pins to test that. I love that the cable is beefy enough that you don't worry about resistance affecting the charge rate, and I love the right angle "left" micro USB connector that put's the cable facing down when the tablet is in the landscape orientation. Much neater looking. I had a hard time finding a cable with that exact connector. Only catch is that when I plugged it into the NA outlet of my new charger, I lost the high charge rate. I guess shorting the pins in two different places does not provide the same results as shorting them in just one. So......I tried the new cable with the old 2.1 charger and I got my charge rate back. I suspect I could use the new 3.1 charger if I plugged the special cable into the "Apple" outlet, but I haven't tried that as yet. I don't want to go back to my old cable if I can help it.

 

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AJCC2TQ/ref=pe_175190_21431760_3p_M3T1_ST1_dp_1

 

I think either of these two products will provide the Nexus fast charge.

 

 

Testing has proven to me that on my car, the fast charge USB device above really does work.....but only with a generic USB cable .....not with the special fast charge cable. What's more the fast charge cable did not work with anything....not with my generic 2.1 charger or with the 3.1 fast charge device either the NA port or the A port. So I do not advise any one to buy he fast charge cable to keep the Nexus 7 charged. I have no idea why it doesn't work, but I'm sure that on my car it does not.

[larrylu]

One more change. I added an anti glare and fingerprint resistant screen protector to the Nexus 7. I don't usually do screen protectors but in this case with a dedicated car tablet, I think this will be a real benefit. PITA getting the dust speck caused bubbles out of it but they gave me 3 protectors and lucky for me the third one was the charm.