Can You Use Any Charger With Any Cell Phone, Laptop, Camera, or Tablet?

Every cell phone, laptop, and tablet seem to come with their own charger. If you’re like me, you’ve probably compiled quite a few chargers over the years. So the question becomes: is it safe to use a charger with your phone, laptop, camera, or tablet that isn’t the original manufacturer’s charger that came with the device?

Types of Chargers

In this article, we will focus on three types of chargers: laptop chargers, micro USB chargers (these are used with phones, tablets, and cameras), and Apple Lightning Connectors. While some devices have chargers with a slightly different head or charging cable, these are the most common.

Laptop chargers are fairly specific to the device they come with. However, there may be some generic chargers that boast the ability to be interchanged between laptops. This always requires changing of the charger “head” and may not be the optimal charging amperage or voltage for your device.

Micro USBs are theoretically designed to be interchangeable, and are standard in most smartphones, Android devices, and tablets. Micro USB chargers typically have the same voltage, but may draw different amps. I’ll explain this further later and how to know if the charger is safe to use (depending on its listed amps and voltage).

Apple Lightning Connectors are standard on all new Apple devices, including iPads and iPods. For older devices with a 30-pin charge port, a connector can be used to charge with the Lightning Connector.

The Plugs Must Be The Same

In order for a charger to be used on a different device, it’s important that the plug  of the charger (the “head”) fit securely into the charging port of the device. Micro USBs are the same across the board as far as charging heads, while laptop chargers are often specific to both make and model. However, the plug fitting securely is only one part of the equation.

How Voltage and Amperage Matter

Somewhere on the power brick of the charger you will find a label with the charger’s voltage (V) and amperage (A). For laptop chargers, this charging brick is often halfway down the charger and typically looks exactly like it sounds – a brick. For other types of chargers, like a smartphone charger, this information is usually found at the base of the charger, where it would meet the wall. For the device you are trying to charge, the voltage and amperage required will be found on the battery that came with the device or on the manufacturer’s website.

Voltage is how much power the charger will draw into the device, or how much is being “pushed” into the device by the charger. A phone will usually pull up to around 5V, while a laptop can pull up to 25V. A charger must equal the voltage required by the device. This is important: drawing too high a voltage could short out the device and potentially even start a fire, while too low a voltage will fail to charge the battery.

Amperage is how quickly power is “pulled” into the device, or how much power is used by the device. The amount of volts will never change, but the amount of amps that the device pulls may change depending on how hard the device is working. The number that you find on the battery that came with your device will be the max amount of amps that can be pulled by the device. The number found on the charger is how many amps can be pulled at once. In order to exchange chargers, the amp number on the charger must equal or exceed the amp number listed on the device’s battery. If a device is paired with a charger that cannot support the amp requirement, it can burn out the power supply and kill the device.

So if you have a modern USB device (smart phone, tablet, or camera) you can plug into a high-amperage USB port and enjoy faster charging (as long as the voltage is equal). *Site Note: if you have an older device, it may not work with USB ports that employ the new Battery Charging Specification.

If The Micro USB  Charger’s Voltage Is Not 5v…

Some devices may have their voltage listed with a plus/minus on it like this: 5v +- 5%. If this is the case, you can use a charger rated at 4.75 to 5.25v because that rating is telling you is that the device can take 5v minus 5% of 5v = 4.75 volts  OR  5v plus 5% of 5v = 5.25 volts. So this means anything between 4.75 t0 5.25v is safe to use (as long as the amperage of the charger is equal to or higher than the device’s listed amperage).

An interesting thing to note is all chargers supply a higher voltage than the batteries they charge. That is pretty much how they work. There has to be a voltage differential to produce the necessary current flow in the correct direction to charge the battery. If you look at your car, it has a 12V battery, but typical alternators provide 13.8 to 14.4V charging voltage to the battery.

Stay Away From Cheap Knockoff Chargers

The problem with knockoffs, particularly cheap knockoffs, is that they often don’t support the power requirements of the device, or are not built to maintain a steady flow safely. This can cause damage to the device but can also pose a safety/fire hazard. Overall, it’s best to stick with the charger designed for the device you are using.

Now You Know How To Safely & Effectively Swap Chargers

I hope this article was able to help you. Now you know how to safely and effectively use a charger that did not come with your smart phone, laptop, camera, tablet, or other device. Make sure you follow what we said and you should be good to go!

But what happens if you battery ages and isn’t performing well anymore? Well, you have to use other methods and actually recondition it! And that’s what we show you how to do in the EZ Battery Reconditioning program. So if your phone, laptop, car, truck …or any other type of battery is aging or dead, check out this video to learn how you can easily reconditioning your batteries yourself… at home!

Here's 7 Signs Your Car Battery Is About To Die And Needs To Be Replaced (or reconditioned)

Without a battery, your car simply isn’t functional. One of the most inconvenient things in life is when your car battery suddenly dies unexpectedly! This can delay you to work or make you miss an important appointment!

But the good news is… there are several ways to know if your car battery is on the verge of dying and needs to be replaced. And in this article we will go over 7 signs your car battery is about to die and needs to be replaced or reconditioned.

Something to note before we begin...

Before we discuss these 7 critical signs, it's important to note that when experiencing problems with your car battery, be sure to check the battery connections and cables first because sometimes a faulty connection can appear to be a larger problem.

1) Slow Cranking

When turning the key, if your car turns over for longer than normal or takes a while to “catch,” it often is because the battery charge is low. While the starter can be the culprit, most of the time the battery is to blame. If this is happening regularly, it’s a good sign your car battery is going bad and it may be time to replace your battery or recondition it.

2) Check Engine Light/Battery Warning Light

The check engine light is always a good indication of something off with your vehicle. The battery power being weak will trip the check engine light. If your check engine light is on, be sure to check the battery power level.

Additionally, newer cars have a battery light, similar to the check engine light. This will only light up if there’s an issue with the battery.

3) Age

A car battery lifespan, in perfect conditions, is about five years (but can be much longer if you use our battery reconditioning course). If your battery is coming up on the five to six year mark it’s time to start looking for a replacement or recondition it to give the battery a new life.

4) Electrical Component Issues

One sure sign that your battery is beginning to fade is if electrical components are struggling to operate (such as lights, windshield wipers, power locks, and windows).

5) Swollen Battery Case

If you look under the hood and your battery case looks swollen, bloated, or malformed; it is a sign that temperature has affected the chemical components of the battery, shortening the lifespan.

6) Smell

If you smell sulfur or rotten eggs under your hood, this is often a symptom of leaking battery acid. This can damage other engine components if not addressed quickly. If you notice this, you can either bring your battery into a shop and have them look at it or you can use our reconditioning steps and do it yourself.

7) Multiple Jump starts Needed

If you’re having to jump your battery to get your car started more than three times a week, it’s time to replace the battery or recondition it. Excessive jumping can also damage other systems, so it’s best to get the battery replaced or to fix the battery yourself.

Regular maintenance is important to extend the life of your car battery (and also your vehicle). And if your car battery is showing any of these 7 signs, you know that your battery should be replaced or reconditioned before your car no longer runs.

And if you want to take it a step further… you can learn how to double or even triple the life of your car battery by watching this presentation now.

What Is An Equalizing Charge, Why Is It Needed, And How to Apply One To a Lead Acid Battery

Applying an equalizing charge to your lead-acid batteries will help them charge better and last longer.

So whether you are a battery reconditioning expert or a rookie, it is essential that you know what an equalizing charge is and how to apply one to a lead-acid battery, so you can get the most out of your battery.

This simple technique is something that needs to be done on a somewhat regular schedule, and is basically the controlled overcharging of the battery.

So in this article I will tell you:

• Why an equalizing charge is needed
• What problems an equalizing charge fixes in your lead-acid batteries
• Two different ways to apply an equalizing charge
• Which types of lead-acid batteries you should not apply an equalizing charge to
• And how often you should apply an equalizing charge to your lead-acid batteries

Why Is An Equalizing Charge Needed?

An equalizing charge is needed because lead-acid batteries have sulfation issues that prevent proper charging.

Sulfation takes place because small sulfate crystals form when a lead acid battery is in use. This is normal and not harmful; however, when the battery is only partially charged for a prolonged period, these sulfate crystals turn into stable crystalline and buildup on the battery’s negative plates.

When this takes place, it prevents the battery from taking on a full charge.

Additionally, an equalizing charge is needed for a second reason. Over time, cells in a lead-acid battery will become more and more unbalanced, with some cells overcharged and some undercharged.

But an equalizing charge will correct these sulfation and unbalanced cell issues.

Things that cause Sulfation in Lead-Acid Batteries:

• When batteries are undercharged, they develop sulfation as a result.
• Normal recharging of a deep cycle battery with a constant charge can also cause sulfation.

So some degree of sulfation is inevitable in lead-acid batteries.

Why Does An Equalizing Charge Help?

When you perform an equalizing charge you will break up the crystalline on the battery’s plates and allow the sulfate to re-mix with the sulfuric acid.

Additionally, an equalizing charge will ensure the cells operate with the same level of charge rather than having some cells that are overcharged and some that are undercharged.

Both of these factors will help the battery charge and perform better, as well as last longer.

How Is An Equalizing Charge Applied To The Battery?

The Easy Way (Use Automatic Equalizing Mode On A Battery Charger):

The easiest way to apply an equalizing charge to a lead-acid battery is to use a high-quality battery charger that has an automatic equalizing mode. Many new battery chargers have this setting so finding a quality charger that can equalize your battery shouldn’t be a problem.

If you do use a charger that has an equalizing mode, just make sure you leave your battery connected and powered up long enough to complete the equalization.

The Manual Way To Apply An Equalizing Charge To A Lead-Acid Battery:

If you do not want to buy a charger that does an equalizing charge automatically or if you just want to manually apply an equalizing charge yourself, you can follow these steps:

Step 1) Get out your battery charger (i.e. one does not have an equalizing mode).

Step 2) Get out your lead-acid battery and ensure that the battery is a FLA (flooded lead-acid) battery.

*IMPORTANT: Applying an equalizing charge to other kinds of batteries may cause damage and is not recommended. This includes SLA (sealed lead-acid) batteries like AGM (absorbed glass mat) and Gel batteries.

Step 3) Remove all electrical connections to the battery.

Step 4) Connect the battery to the charger.

Step 5) Charge the battery until it has reached a normal full charge.

Step 6) At this stage the charge is usually automatically terminated by the charger.

Step 7) If your charger does not have an equalizing mode, you should now restart the charger once the initial full charge has been reached. Restarting the charger can be done by disconnecting AC power and reconnecting it. This process will extend the charge time for the battery by 1-3 hours.

Step 8) Gassing and bubbling of the electrolytes and other side effects will occur as a result of correct equalizing.

Step 9) Make sure you take specific gravity readings and the true state of the battery’s charge every hour during this process using a temperature compensating hydrometer.

*note: we show how to do this in our Battery Reconditioning course

Step 10) Make sure you also replace any water that is lost in the equalizing process.

*note: we show how to do this in our Battery Reconditioning course

Step 11) Check to see if the equalizing process has been completed. You will know if this has happened when the specific gravity values are no longer increasing during the gassing stage.

*note: If the charger ends the process automatically, before the equalizing charge has been completed and before the gravity readings are constant, then restart the charger and continue the equalizing until the gravity readings are constant.

How Often Should You Apply An Equalizing Charge To The Battery?

Different battery manufacturers recommend different intervals for when to apply an equalizing charge.

The most common interval is monthly. But other manufacturers recommend once every 6 months, while others recommend every 10 or 12 cycles.

So check with the battery manufacturer to see what they recommend and then follow that interval.

Additionally, make sure you are adding water to the battery every month and every time you perform an equalizing charge.

Is There More That Can Be Done To Maximize A Lead-Acid Battery’s Life?

Performing these equalizing charges and adding water regularly to a flooded lead-acid battery will extend the life of the battery and help it perform optimally.

But there’s a way you can extend the life of the battery even more and even bring a dead lead-acid battery back to life again…

Our EZ Battery Reconditioning course shows you exactly how to do this step-by-step.

The simple method we show you how to do in our program is quick, easy to do, and doesn’t require advanced tools or equipment.

So if you want to take it to the next level and bring any lead-acid battery back to life again …as well as  many other kinds of batteries, check out the new presentation I just put up to learn more.

8 Simple Tips & Tricks To Extend The Life Of Your Car Battery

Your car battery should last about 3 to 5 years…

But many people find that they have to change their car battery every 1 to 2 years.

Why is this?

And what can you do to prolong your car’s battery life?

Well… That’s what we’ll discuss in this article.

We’ll show you why car batteries die early …and what you can do to prevent this from happening.

We’ll also give you 8 simple tips and tricks to maximize the lifespan of your car’s 12 volt battery.

The tips we’ll teach you in this article will be simple to do …and anybody will be able to do these (even if you know nothing about cars or car batteries).

So let’s get started!…

First, You Should Know That Every Car Battery’s Lifespan Has A Limit (but most people kill their battery well before it’s time)

First, every car battery has a limit to its lifespan.

Even if you take care of your car battery perfectly …it will still die one day.

This set lifespan is called the battery’s “Calendar Life” and it’s completely independent of how many times the battery has been charged or discharged.

Once a battery reaches the end of its “Calendar Life” it will become unusable.

But most car batteries never make it their full “Calendar Life”…

Instead, they die early because of poor maintenance and care …which you can do something about.

A Little Background About Lead Acid Batteries Before Our 8 Battery Tips and Tricks…

Lead acid batteries are the oldest, most dependable, and most widely used type of rechargeable battery in the world.

Lead Acid Batteries have three life phases – formatting, peak, and decline.

• Formatting is when the battery is new and needs to be used gently.
• Peak is the ideal performance phase, which we seek to maintain for as long as possible.
• Decline is a slow process, but one that gradually ends in the termination of the battery.

Batteries in decline can still be used for quite a while, but must be watched.

Around this time, you can either recondition the battery or keep a close eye on it and try to replace it before a problem arises (like being unable to start your car for work).

8 Simple Tips To Prolong The Life Of Your Car’s Lead Acid Battery

Tip 1: Do a monthly inspection of the battery terminals to make sure they are clean and corrosion free

One of the first problems most people have with their car battery is the build-up of corrosion around the terminals.

Corrosion destroys the connection between the battery and the vehicle and many batteries are replaced due to too much corrosive build up.

But often times, this can be easily treated by simply pouring a small amount of Cola or a DIY anti-corrosion paste (one part water to three parts baking soda) over the corroded areas.

The acid in the Cola or the alkaline properties in the DIY anti-corrosion paste will eat the corrosion away.

After the corrosion is gone, use a clean damp rag or sponge to clean up the remaining residue and moisture.

Be sure to let it dry, then rub some petroleum jelly on the terminals to prevent future corrosion.

*note: see our safety tips at the end of this article before disconnecting/re-connecting your battery.

Tip 2: Do not operate any car accessories (radio, lights, or electronics) before turning on the car ignition and driving the car

When the car is on, the car alternator generates electricity and charges the car battery after the battery has a voltage drop.

But if the car is not on, and you are using the car’s electronics, you are just relying on the car battery to power those electronics.

This is detrimental to the car battery because car batteries are not meant for this type of use.

Instead, car batteries are meant to provide a sudden burst of power for ignition. They’re not made to provide prolonged power for electronics and other devices (that’s what a deep cycle lead acid battery would be for).

Using your car battery as a battery that powers electronics, instead of a battery that just gives you a burst of power for ignition, will damage the battery and greatly shorten it’s lifespan if it’s repeatedly used in this fashion.

So avoid operating any car accessories or electronics while the car is off.

Tip 3: Make sure the car battery is secure and has good battery cables

The battery has to be secured at all times. If a battery is jostling around it will be impaired and could short circuit.

This will ruin the battery – and even cause damage to your car while creating a safety risk.

The same could happen if you have bad battery cables (or they’re not connected properly). So check your cables and make sure they have a secure connection as well.

Tip 4: Insulate your car battery from extreme changes in temperature

Protecting your car battery from large changes in temperature will help maximize the battery’s lifespan.

To do this you can use a car battery insulation kit.

Newer model cars already have these kits installed typically. But if your car doesn’t have one, you can easily install one yourself.

Just make sure it fits your car’s battery compartment. Generally the companies selling these battery insulation kits will have a form on their website where you can put in your car model and year, and it will tell you if your battery will fit their kit – like here (top of page).

These protective battery sleeves are usually made of plastic or an acid resistant, thermal resistant material.

These car battery insulation kits will insulate your battery and protect it while still allowing proper ventilation.

Tip 5: Fully charge your car battery at least once a week (use a car battery charger or interchange batteries if you have to)

Your car battery drains even when the car is off.

This happens because current is drawn from the battery by car accessories (radio, lights, etc.) or the car computers.

This is why people come home from long vacations and find their car battery dead.

But to prevent this, you can use either a car battery charger or a solar battery charger.

Car battery chargers (regular or solar) will maintain the optimum charge level of your car battery when the car is not in use.

They do this by providing enough power for the the car accessories and car computer, so they don’t continuously draw current from the car battery when the car is off.

As you can imagine, these chargers are very useful …especially if you go on a trip or leave your car unused for a while.

They’re also useful if you go on a lot of short car trips (like to work and back each day) and never give your battery a chance to fully recharge. Repeatedly doing this will dramatically shorten your battery’s life – unless you use a car battery charger or interchange batteries, leaving one at home to fully charge.

The most important thing to remember with this tip is …make sure you fully charge your car battery at least once a week because it will greatly increase the life of your battery. Do this with a charger, interchanging batteries …or just going on a car ride long enough to recharge the battery.

Tip 6: Check your car battery’s water level

Most car batteries indicate if there is a need for water.

So check the car battery water level indicator regularly and if water is needed, refill the battery with distilled water (and that’s important, ONLY use distilled water to refill your car battery).

Tip 7: Do NOT overcharge your car battery

Never overcharge your car battery. Lead-acid batteries release oxygen and hydrogen gases when they’re overcharged.

This causes two problems:

1. It can be explosive.
2. It also breaks down the composition of the water in the battery – which shortens its lifespan.

Tip 8: Check your car’s alternator

If you’re doing everything we’ve recommended in this article but your car batteries are still dying early, you’ll want to check your car’s alternator (or get a mechanic to check it).

If your alternator is bad it will results in ineffective recharging of your battery and dramatically shorten your battery’s lifespan.

Important Safety Precautions:

Safety Precaution #1) Before disconnecting your car battery read the car owner’s manual first. Most commonly (if not stated otherwise in the owner’s manual) the negative cable is to be disconnected first and then the positive cable. When you re-connect the battery, connect the positive cable first and then the negative cable.

If done in the wrong order it may affect your car’s fuses and other electronics. Also, remove your car keys from the ignition before working on the battery. Some cars are more sensitive to this procedure than others - like German Luxury Cars (Mercedes Benz and BMW type cars) - so use extra caution.

Safety Precaution #2) If you are charging a battery do it in a well ventilated area. If you are handling a car battery that is installed you should open the hood of the car for a few minutes to allow for ventilation first.

What can you do if your battery dies?…

If your car batteries dies or is in the decline phase all hope is not lost! You can still recondition the battery and bring it back to life again.

There’s actually a simple method that you can learn in the EZ Battery Reconditioning program that will bring a dead (or dying) 12v lead acid car battery back to life again.

It’s simple and quick…

And this easy 12v car battery reconditioning method will extend the life of your car battery even longer than the tips we discussed in this article…

…PLUS it will save you money because you can re-use your reconditioned car battery instead of buying a new overpriced battery.

You can learn more here.