Polo 6C USB Charge Port (Slow Charging)

[TheDSider]

Hi guys,

Just wondering if anyone has any experience with upping the output of the built-in USB port in their cars? My new Polo has the USB port but it charges my Galaxy S4 extremely slowly - a couple of percent in about 30 minutes with nothing running, and it actually drains if I have Bluetooth streaming and GPS running. I'm guessing the output is 5V 0.5A MAX, and I've tested with a few chargers at home and 1.0A seems to work OK, anything higher will let me run whatever I want and still charge pretty quickly.

I could buy a cigarette lighter plug-in that's 1.0 to 2.1A and achieve what I want but I'd prefer to keep using the USB port - though I'm assuming it's powered directly off the head unit and so bumping the power output wouldn't be possible.

Any guidance?

[staz88]

There's an Android app you can install - Galaxy Charging Current *Lite*.
It's free. It well tell you the charging current being supplied to you phone.
I'm guessing the the Polo's inbuilt USB charging current will be low.

[TheDSider]

There's an Android app you can install - Galaxy Charging Current *Lite*.
It's free. It well tell you the charging current being supplied to you phone.
I'm guessing the the Polo's inbuilt USB charging current will be low.

Thanks! I'll give it a shot.

From a couple other threads I read from earlier model Golfs (2012ish) it seems the port only supplies the standard USB-spec power that you'd expect from it to power a memory stick - up to 0.5A - rather than a high amount you'd get from a charger.

[staz88]

You need 700-800 mA charging current or else the battery will not be able to maintain charge whilst being used.

[TheDSider]

You need 700-800 mA charging current or else the battery will not be able to maintain charge whilst being used.

The PC at work is outputting 0.46A and I can run wifi and use the screen (Facebook etc) and it charges, slowly. But I suspect with navigation and bluetooth running it would start to drain. I'll test the Polo USB port when I get home and post results but I'm guessing it's the same situation.

So I guess the next question is, is that port powered by the headunit?

Probably just going to need to settle for a cigarette lighter adapter.

[h100vw]

I get write ups like that constantly. I work for Panasonic with our video systems on Qantas, Virgin Australia and others.

Now everyone travels with an ipad or tablet they whine that they don't charge on the aircraft. The in seat USB ports aren't charging points, they are for pax to use for their own content. So only put out 500mA.

On all the in seat systems there are 240v sockets somewhere on the seat that will take almost any plug on the planet.

I know someone that pulled apart a 2A lighter adapter and wire that to the back of the VW USB socket. Just to keep things neat.

Gavin

[TheDSider]

I get write ups like that constantly. I work for Panasonic with our video systems on Qantas, Virgin Australia and others.

Now everyone travels with an ipad or tablet they whine that they don't charge on the aircraft. The in seat USB ports aren't charging points, they are for pax to use for their own content. So only put out 500mA.

On all the in seat systems there are 240v sockets somewhere on the seat that will take almost any plug on the planet.

I know someone that pulled apart a 2A lighter adapter and wire that to the back of the VW USB socket. Just to keep things neat.

Gavin

I figured that was the case. My old Pioneer head deck had no issues at all charging my phone with GPS and Bluetooth running but I guess they opted for more than just the bus power required to run a USB memory stick. No biggy, I'll just use a cigarette lighter adapter or install a 2amp USB port in the spare hole next to it. Thanks for the info!

[TheDSider]

UPDATE: For those interested, here are the stats I got from the Galaxy Charging Lite app for various powerpoints.

Work thin client: 468mA
Polo USB Port: 460mA
Sony Camera Charge (1.5A): 1100mA
Belkin Cigarette Adapter (2.1A): 1100mA

With the Belkin ($24.95 at JB Hifi) I can now run GPS, Bluetooth, Wifi etc simultaneously and still pickup about 1% charge per 5 minutes. So I'm happy with that.

[rufus001]

It's interesting because VW claim that people use mobile devices for directions hence no satnav on the main screen any more. Yet they don't provide enough power out of the port to both charge and use a mobile device as a satnav.