car charger proplem

basem · 08-15-05, 06:50 PM

apologies if this has been asked before..I had no problems charging my axim 50 since i bought it 6 months ago and i used it alot for sat. navigation but recently i had a problem...the car charger will charge the unit with no problem until i insert the cf card i use as sat. receiver (rikaline) and then it will stop charging and the power light will flicker...once i was stranded in the middle of no where when my axim ran out of power while i was using the sat.nav and i had to stop for 30 min. to recharge it before i could use the sat. nav on battery power...i tried soft and hard reset and even i had the unit replaced by dell when the BIS disappeared but still having the problem...i know that the charger is fine because it charges the unit without the cf card...can you advise me please

**Frenchy** · 08-15-05, 07:08 PM

This may be an option in your area. I am Canadian and I woulld ratter use this instead of any power cable for the Axim. I will work as long as you car is running.

Look here

darekz · 08-15-05, 10:12 PM

looks to me that charger is not powerful enough to charge axim and supply extra power to gps at the same time

Arthur Pendrag · 08-15-05, 10:44 PM

Does it work to charge the Axim from the wall and use the GPS at the same time? If so then I would say the car charger isn't powerfull enugh to run both. But if it doesn't then something else is askew.

woodbane · 08-16-05, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by basem

apologies if this has been asked before..I had no problems charging my axim 50 since i bought it 6 months ago and i used it alot for sat. navigation but recently i had a problem...the car charger will charge the unit with no problem until i insert the cf card i use as sat. receiver (rikaline) and then it will stop charging and the power light will flicker...once i was stranded in the middle of no where when my axim ran out of power while i was using the sat.nav and i had to stop for 30 min. to recharge it before i could use the sat. nav on battery power...i tried soft and hard reset and even i had the unit replaced by dell when the BIS disappeared but still having the problem...i know that the charger is fine because it charges the unit without the cf card...can you advise me please

One word for you dude...."MILLI-AMPS!!"

Simply put your car charger is not providing enough current to deal with the higher power draw of having your Axim AND a CF GPS card running together.

The x50 is a power gobbling beast and even more so when running a CF GPS card.

Check your mAh rating on the car charger. If it's less than 850mAh then it AIN'T gonna work! If you check the wall charger that comes with the Axim that plugs into your cradle, you'll see it's rated for 2000mAh!!

I got an 850mAh car charger for my Axim and it will recharge the Axim while using GPS software and bluetooth, albeit slowly. That said, I'm using Blutooth GPS and the charger is NOT supplying that with power, I run the GPS receiver off battery. I doubt it could cope with charging both my Axim AND the GPS unit while both are running.

I know BOXWAVE do a higher rated car charger, here

woodbane · 08-16-05, 04:18 PM

I've sent you a PM.

v3rt1g0 · 08-16-05, 05:34 PM

For an inexpensive solution, pick up a PSP (Sony Playstation Portable) car charger at any local RadioShack/Target/Walmart for $9.99. I bought a pelican brand one, and it's rated for 2A (2000ma) at 5v, which is more than enough to charge your x50v while in use (even with the CF card).

It's charging plug is the exact same kind that the x50v uses, so it just plugs right into the AC Adapter dongle or cradle. I've used this Pelican PSP charger during a road trip for hours on end, with screen at full bright, maximum cpu speed, microdrive, and battery at 50%, and it charged my battery to full while watching a movie. good stuff.

As woodbane said, look for a charger with high current output (at LEAST 1500ma or 1.5A). But I would not recommend that linked boxwave charger at all. They claim that it can charge and run an x50v with it's 1Amp output, but that is not true. A couple people on these forums have shown that the x50v draws quite a bit more than 1Amp when in use + charging.

EDIT ------------

CAUTION: It seems there are two "Pelican PSP Car Charger"'s out there. Be sure to get the one that looks identical to this item at Walmart. I've heard there is another (different looking) one that does not supply the needed current.

baldrn · 08-16-05, 08:25 PM

Originally Posted by v3rt1g0

For an inexpensive solution, pick up a PSP (Sony Playstation Portable) car charger at any local RadioShack/Target/Walmart for $9.99. I bought a pelican brand one, and it's rated for 2A (2000ma) at 5v, which is more than enough to charge your x50v while in use (even with the CF card).

It's charging plug is the exact same kind that the x50v uses, so it just plugs right into the AC Adapter dongle or cradle. I've used this Pelican PSP charger during a road trip for hours on end, with screen at full bright, maximum cpu speed, microdrive, and battery at 50%, and it charged my battery to full while watching a movie. good stuff.

As woodbane said, look for a charger with high current output (at LEAST 1500ma or 1.5A). But I would not recommend that linked boxwave charger at all. They claim that it can charge and run an x50v with it's 1Amp output, but that is not true. A couple people on these forums have shown that the x50v draws quite a bit more than 1Amp when in use + charging.

I bought this one today, it fits. Are we SURE it won't harm the Axim?? before I plug it in?

Thanks

cerote · 09-13-05, 03:22 AM

Originally Posted by v3rt1g0

For an inexpensive solution, pick up a PSP (Sony Playstation Portable) car charger at any local RadioShack/Target/Walmart for $9.99. I bought a pelican brand one, and it's rated for 2A (2000ma) at 5v, which is more than enough to charge your x50v while in use (even with the CF card).

It's charging plug is the exact same kind that the x50v uses, so it just plugs right into the AC Adapter dongle or cradle. I've used this Pelican PSP charger during a road trip for hours on end, with screen at full bright, maximum cpu speed, microdrive, and battery at 50%, and it charged my battery to full while watching a movie. good stuff.

As woodbane said, look for a charger with high current output (at LEAST 1500ma or 1.5A). But I would not recommend that linked boxwave charger at all. They claim that it can charge and run an x50v with it's 1Amp output, but that is not true. A couple people on these forums have shown that the x50v draws quite a bit more than 1Amp when in use + charging.

Hi.
After buying the "normal" car charger from Boxwave, I now have to change it as it can't charge my Axim when I'm using it with a CF GPS (that was the whole point...).
I wanted to buy the "high current output" also from Boxwave, but seeing that you don't recommend it I might go to a local store and look for a USB car charger as you suggest.
I have one question though: the one from Boxwave has 1Amp output, but as you said, a couple of people stated that the Axim needs 1.2Amp when charging and in use. You say you use a 2Amp charger, and you suggest to buy one with at least 1.5Amp.
My question is, is it dangerous to charge the Axim with a car cgarger that is too "powerful"? Or does the Axim just take the
charging power it needs?
I'd just like to know before frying my Axim

Thanks!

EDIT: I just saw on the owner's manual the following (for Axim X50v):
-current consumption: 0.4A
-output current: 2.41A
Does someone know the difference between those two figures (apart from 2.01A

)

v3rt1g0 · 09-13-05, 03:57 AM

Originally Posted by cerote

My question is, is it dangerous to charge the Axim with a car cgarger that is too "powerful"? Or does the Axim just take the
charging power it needs?

Yep. It'll just take what it needs. The charger isn't trying to "push" that amperage through the x50v.

Originally Posted by cerote

EDIT: I just saw on the owner's manual the following (for Axim X50v):
-current consumption: 0.4A
-output current: 2.41A
Does someone know the difference between those two figures (apart from 2.01A

)

I just flipped through my owner's manual to find that. Page 102.
Those figures are referring to the AC Adapter's current rating, not the Axim itself's rating. If you look at your AC Adapter, you'll notice it has "2410mA" printed on it, which matches what you typed above. As for "current consumption", it uses 400mA (0.4A) input current (at 120v) to produce the output.

cerote · 09-13-05, 04:02 AM

Originally Posted by v3rt1g0

Yep. It'll just take what it needs. The charger isn't trying to "push" that amperage through the x50v.

I just flipped through my owner's manual to find that. Page 102.
Those figures are referring to the AC Adapter's current rating, not the Axim itself's rating. If you look at your AC Adapter, you'll notice it has "2410mA" printed on it, which matches what you typed above. As for "current consumption", it uses 400mA (0.4A) input current (at 120v) to produce the output.

Thanks a lot for your answers!
I was jut afraid that the charger would "push" the amperage instead of the Axim taking what it needs.

Now that you mention it I see that the figures I wrote concern the charger, not the Axim (sorry about that

).
I'll try to buy a car charger today and see how it goes.
Thanks again.

v3rt1g0 · 09-13-05, 04:06 AM

Originally Posted by baldrn

I bought this one today, it fits. Are we SURE it won't harm the Axim?? before I plug it in?

Thanks

There's no reason it could harm the Axim. 5v is well within the range the Axim can accept. The 2A rating just means more current is "available". There's nothing dangerous about having a higher current rating.

I've been using mine for a good two months with no ill effects.

jimbo32 · 09-13-05, 09:21 AM

Originally Posted by v3rt1g0

For an inexpensive solution, pick up a PSP (Sony Playstation Portable) car charger at any local RadioShack/Target/Walmart for $9.99. I bought a pelican brand one, and it's rated for 2A (2000ma) at 5v, which is more than enough to charge your x50v while in use (even with the CF card).

It's charging plug is the exact same kind that the x50v uses, so it just plugs right into the AC Adapter dongle or cradle. I've used this Pelican PSP charger during a road trip for hours on end, with screen at full bright, maximum cpu speed, microdrive, and battery at 50%, and it charged my battery to full while watching a movie. good stuff.

As woodbane said, look for a charger with high current output (at LEAST 1500ma or 1.5A). But I would not recommend that linked boxwave charger at all. They claim that it can charge and run an x50v with it's 1Amp output, but that is not true. A couple people on these forums have shown that the x50v draws quite a bit more than 1Amp when in use + charging.

EDIT ------------

CAUTION: It seems there are two "Pelican PSP Car Charger"'s out there. Be sure to get the one that looks identical to this item at Walmart. I've heard there is another (different looking) one that does not supply the needed current.

To add to the confusion, the two Pelican PSP Car Chargers have the same model number also. They do look different, I have the one that does NOT work and it looks different from the one pictured in this post. Don't buy the one that is sleek looking with a silver pelican on the side and a silver end opposite of the plug end.

cerote · 09-13-05, 01:36 PM

OK, now I'm confused...
I thought you were talking about a "USB" car charger. Seeing the picture of the Pelican charger I presume it has to be used with the small charger adapter from Dell.
Am I correct?

Edit: one last question (and then I'll stop being such a pain in the ...

). V3rt1g0, in one of your posts you write that the PSP charger might be OK and that "5v is well within the range the Axim can accept". I've understood that the amperage is the current sent to the Axim. What's the meaning of the voltage here? Can that harm the Axim if it is too high?
Thanks again !!

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