Keeping a full battery on phones and other electronics can be a hassle when you are on-the-go. Busy schedules do not always keep a wall outlet or computer port nearby for easy recharging. When you spend as much time in a vehicle as anywhere else, a car charger is the best way to keep those battery bars green. While car chargers may look simple at a glance, there are some differences between different models. Knowing which charger to pick helps ensure that your device(s) get their batteries back to 100% as quickly as possible.

 

What Kind of Car Charger Do I Need?

 

To find the best USB car charger out there, look for a unit with a variety of amperage options. Each USB port on a car charger will be rated for a different number of amps (abbreviated as “A” on chargers). This number determines the maximum amount of electricity that can be used while a device is recharging. The next obvious question here is “how many amps does my car charger need?” That answer will depend on what kind of electronics you plan on recharging.

The rule of thumb here is that larger batteries will need more amps. Bigger devices use bigger batteries, so the number of amps you need will go up as your electronics get larger. For example, cell phones only need 1.0 amps while something larger like a tablet uses 2.1 amps. Any car charger should have the ports labeled so users can tell which is which.

 

 

A two-port charger with 2.1A on the top port and 1A on the bottom.

 

How Do I Charge My Phone Faster?

 

The amperage on the port you select will determine the maximum amount of electricity used for recharging. While there is no danger of using too much power (phones are built with safeguards to prevent damage from that), it is possible to use too little. Larger electronics with bigger batteries can be recharged with a 1A port, but it will take much longer than using a 2.1A port.

You may be concerned that overcharging can shorten battery life or even kill your battery. That is an old urban legend and not true. While older batteries did have this issue, modern batteries are much more efficient. Batteries used in phones today are lithium-ion, which are built with circuits that cut off the flow of electricity when they hit 100% to prevent overcharging.

 

 

Another way to charge faster is to leave your device inactive or turn it device off completely while recharging. Using apps causes power consumption at the same time the device is trying to recharge. The amount of electricity a car charger puts into the device will outpace the amount being spent, but recharging will be much slower than normal.

 

USB Car Charger Cables

 

The type of device you are recharging will also determine what kind of cables you need. Most Android phones use USB Micro 2.0 cables. Micro 2.0 is also seen on most other modern electronics but some, such as GPS navigators and a few digital cameras, may still use the older USB Mini instead. A few rare devices may use the 3.0 version of Micro, but these are fairly uncommon. Many electronics manufacturers skipped USB 3.0 a and upgraded straight to USB-C, which is likely what you will need if you own newer devices. And by using a USB-C right angle cable the phone is able to fit into tight spaces on the dashboard or holder. Each of these connectors has a different size and shape from the rest, so a quick look can determine which type your device uses.

If you are using an Apple device such as an iPhone or iPad, you will need a lightning cable instead. Lightning cables are functionally the same as Micro USB but are used exclusively with Apple products.

 

 

From left to right: Micro 2.0, Mini, Micro 3.0, USB-C, and Lightning

 

Get Your Car Charger Today

 

ShowMeCables offers a variety of car chargers with up to 4 ports for on-the-go recharging. Whether you are juggling multiple devices for work or need to keep the whole family’s phones charged while running weekend errands, these chargers can keep those batteries full. We carry chargers as well as cables for every kind of electronic device on the market today.

Every product sold at ShowMeCables is tested to federally regulated standards to ensure quality. Have questions about car chargers or any of our other products? You can reach our Sales team at 888-519-9505 or Sales@ShowMeCables.com