[ViperRT10Matt]

Did a search but didn't see anything on this.

I have my iPhone plugged into the USB port in the center console. The iPhone is receiving power, as the "charging" indicator is displayed. However, even after a long drive, the phone's charge amount is only increased by maybe a percentage point or two. The USB port appears to give just enough power to keep the phone at its current level, but not really charge it.

Anyone else notice this?

 

[SXBB]

I've had similar problems in the past in my former Avalanche using an iPhone 3gs and playing music while using a nav program called GPS Drive. Between playing music and downloading maps it was draining enough power that it wouldn't charge. It also got pretty hot. I was told that was really hard on the battery life so I switched to Navigon and never had that problem again. Do you have anything running in the background?

 

[ViperRT10Matt]

Just music. Was never a problem in my prior car.

 

[dwl]

USB isn't always the same for charging capabilities. I suspect that the Volt's USB port just doesn't supply a lot of extra power. I've noticed that some computers/laptops can charge my phone faster than others. And that charging from the wall adapter is almost always the fastest.


Edit: If charging speed is your only concern, you could try one of those USB adapters that go into your power port. I am willing to bet that'll charge faster for you.

 

[BAZINGA]

USB isn't always the same for charging capabilities. I suspect that the Volt's USB port just doesn't supply a lot of extra power. I've noticed that some computers/laptops can charge my phone faster than others. And that charging from the wall adapter is almost always the fastest.


Edit: If charging speed is your only concern, you could try one of those USB adapters that go into your power port. I am willing to bet that'll charge faster for you.

That's what I had to do with my iPAD seems the USB port for whatever reason just don't out put enough juice to provide a charge. I bought the car adapter and it charges like mad.

 

[Roadburner440]

Mine charges my iPod just fine.. I don't imagine the iPhone takes much more power? I have an Android so I really cannot test it out. The caveat to this for me is if I leave my iPod plugged in and shut the car off the iPod does not shut off. If I leave it for a day or so the iPod battery is then drained dead. So my solution is to take it out if I am going to be driving the Leaf for a couple days. Oddly enough the Leaf's USB port does not suffer this same problem. Also the Leaf's USB interface does not cause the skipping that it does occassionally on music tracks in the Volt. I would be curious to get a solution. As the skipping music tracks bother me.

 

[SXBB]

My iphone 4 charges pretty fast in my Volt. Have you tried rebooting your iphone?

 

[Luvthevolt]

Do a hard reboot on the iPhone. Hold down the top button and home button till you see the Apple logo. That worked for me.

 

[Cord]

I played around years ago with solar powered USB charging and I will connect my testing devices to the Volt and my Iphone and give you some numbers.

One thing to keep in mind is we use blue-tooth linking with cell phones in the car and that uses extra power and add in cell use will be more power.

Getting step rate of charge information from Apple even for hardware developers is not easy.
To get any charge on some older USB-2 ports the phone/pad has to be in sleep mode.

USB power available from the sockets is all over the map as well.

 

[bjhorton2005]

It doesn't charge too fast. Actually once in the past using a Verizon phone, I can't remember I think it was a Droid X, and plugged in to THEIR car charger it still lost charge. I was running music on it, and utilizing the GPS while driving. The phone was quite hot and just barely able to maintain the charge, and honestly like I said I think it lost charge. That phone's GPS really seemed to work on it. I find that my Samsung Galaxy SII skyrocket doesn't charge very fast. In fact it seems to make a difference to disable the screen, wifi, and even kill the programs with the task manager.

 

[Cord]

Ok here are some NUMBERS:

The std Apple Iphone wall charger is max of 5 Watts ( 5 Volts -1 amp) for ref the Ipad wall charger is 10 watts ( max of 2 amps)

The Chevy Volt is outputting 4.57 Volt at 0.48 amps which is 2.1 watts at the USB port
As you can see you are getting less then 1/2 the charging of the normal 120v wall charger.

Using a common 2 inch long Belkin power port USB charger I got 5.01 Volt at 0.92 amps or 4.6 watts.

I have seen some power port chargers that go to 2 amps ( 10 watts)

-----------------------------------------
I think we can now say that 2.1 watts charging may not keep up with a smart phone doing too many functions.
Blue-tooth and cell calls and GPS and I guess the normal music function.
-------------------------------------------

I can run some more test on I-Phone 4s doing these function after it completely charges.

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Testing using the watts-up inline meter:
http://www.powerwerx.com/digital-meters/watts-up-meter-dc-inline.html
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