12 ms·

Chargie. A USB device to control charging of phones

13 points by n1000 5y ago

purjolok 5y ago
There is an equivalent software solution for rooted Android phones: https://f-droid.org/en/packages/mattecarra.accapp/ https://f-droid.org/en/packages/mattecarra.accapp/ The Chargie will certainly be useful for the many people who don't want to/can't root their phones. But it's also sad that one needs an extra piece of hardware for something that the phone can technically already accomplish on its own.
- n1000 5y ago
  I created a shortcut in iOS that will remind me to unplug.
  - detaro 5y ago
    I thought current iOS versions already have the ability to limit charge by default.
    - marcellus23 5y ago
      Yes, they do. For a couple years now: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210512 https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210512
      - detaro 5y ago
        Ah, interesting that it's only available as "smart" feature and not as something you can intentionally configure. Neat feature otherwise.
        deleted 5y ago
        [deleted]
        n1000 5y ago
        The latest shortcuts app is able to monitor the charge level and one can configure it as a trigger.
    - kruger81 5y ago
      no they don't. That function is a joke. Only works maybe 2 out of 10 nights, the rest are spent at 100%. I have a Chargie (older version) and it really does the trick, every single night. I don't know how the Android app does it, but the iOS one is really transparent and just works as it should. Big thumbs up for the developer!
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
petre 5y ago
Nice, but mechanically it's far from an ideal design, a dongle in a dongle. I'd buy the USB-C version anyway. It would have been better if it was built insude a wall or 12V socket adapter. A safe way to use it is with an USB extender.
m4rc3lv 5y ago
My phone (stock Android) has this built in. https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/6090612?hl=en#zippy=%2Ccharge-steadily-overnight-pixel-later https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/6090612?hl=en#z...
Saris 5y ago
Looks like a pretty decent solution for the average person, I like it. My OnePlus 7 Pro has a feature that's supposed to limit charging based on your usage habits, but in reality it never works and always charges to 100%, and you can't configure it manually for some reason. I ended up using a wifi plug with home assistant to turn off the charger when my phone hits 80%. The biggest downside is android is not smart enough to realize this is a full charge, and the battery stats never reset until I do a charge to 100%.
SkyPuncher 5y ago
I've adopted a different solution - use an old charger. I have a seemingly endless supply of them sitting around. They were never powerful enough to begin with, so they charge many times slower than modern chargers. This is ideal for over night charging for me. From a nearly empty battery, it charger my phone to about 95% during a normal night. If I need to top off, I throw it on the quick charger while I get ready for the day.
- smartbit 5y ago
  That was what I was doing too. From one of the articles referenced on chargie.io [0] I learned battery lifetime is mostly about - heat, which indeed potentially is lower with the small chargers, see Table 2 - keep between 35-75% charge level, see Figure 3. With the astonishing battery life of the iPhone 13 under most daily use, even the _mini_, I will never go outside 35-75%. IOW I'm planning to buy a few Chargies, also leaving 1 or 2 in the car. That way I can use the iPhone 13 for another 6 years, like I did with the iPhone 6. [0] https://batteryuniversity.com/article/bu-808-how-to-prolong-lithium-based-batteries https://batteryuniversity.com/article/bu-808-how-to-prolong-...
_zfxr 5y ago
this type of thing is built into a newer Lenovo tablet I have.

13 points by n1000 5y ago

There is an equivalent software solution for rooted Android phones: https://f-droid.org/en/packages/mattecarra.accapp/ https://f-droid.org/en/packages/mattecarra.accapp/ The Chargie will certainly be useful for the many people who don't want to/can't root their phones. But it's also sad that one needs an extra piece of hardware for something that the phone can technically already accomplish on its own.

n1000 5y ago
I created a shortcut in iOS that will remind me to unplug.
- detaro 5y ago
  I thought current iOS versions already have the ability to limit charge by default.
  - marcellus23 5y ago
    Yes, they do. For a couple years now: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210512 https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT210512
    - detaro 5y ago
      Ah, interesting that it's only available as "smart" feature and not as something you can intentionally configure. Neat feature otherwise.
      - deleted 5y ago
        [deleted]
      - n1000 5y ago
        The latest shortcuts app is able to monitor the charge level and one can configure it as a trigger.
  - kruger81 5y ago
    no they don't. That function is a joke. Only works maybe 2 out of 10 nights, the rest are spent at 100%. I have a Chargie (older version) and it really does the trick, every single night. I don't know how the Android app does it, but the iOS one is really transparent and just works as it should. Big thumbs up for the developer!
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]

petre 5y ago

Nice, but mechanically it's far from an ideal design, a dongle in a dongle. I'd buy the USB-C version anyway. It would have been better if it was built insude a wall or 12V socket adapter. A safe way to use it is with an USB extender.

m4rc3lv 5y ago

My phone (stock Android) has this built in. https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/6090612?hl=en#zippy=%2Ccharge-steadily-overnight-pixel-later https://support.google.com/pixelphone/answer/6090612?hl=en#z...

Saris 5y ago

Looks like a pretty decent solution for the average person, I like it. My OnePlus 7 Pro has a feature that's supposed to limit charging based on your usage habits, but in reality it never works and always charges to 100%, and you can't configure it manually for some reason. I ended up using a wifi plug with home assistant to turn off the charger when my phone hits 80%. The biggest downside is android is not smart enough to realize this is a full charge, and the battery stats never reset until I do a charge to 100%.

SkyPuncher 5y ago

I've adopted a different solution - use an old charger. I have a seemingly endless supply of them sitting around. They were never powerful enough to begin with, so they charge many times slower than modern chargers. This is ideal for over night charging for me. From a nearly empty battery, it charger my phone to about 95% during a normal night. If I need to top off, I throw it on the quick charger while I get ready for the day.

smartbit 5y ago
That was what I was doing too. From one of the articles referenced on chargie.io [0] I learned battery lifetime is mostly about - heat, which indeed potentially is lower with the small chargers, see Table 2 - keep between 35-75% charge level, see Figure 3. With the astonishing battery life of the iPhone 13 under most daily use, even the _mini_, I will never go outside 35-75%. IOW I'm planning to buy a few Chargies, also leaving 1 or 2 in the car. That way I can use the iPhone 13 for another 6 years, like I did with the iPhone 6. [0] https://batteryuniversity.com/article/bu-808-how-to-prolong-lithium-based-batteries https://batteryuniversity.com/article/bu-808-how-to-prolong-...

_zfxr 5y ago

this type of thing is built into a newer Lenovo tablet I have.