Using the USB port to power a phone?

[alancha]

As I didn't go for the SatNav option I use my phone instead (either Google Navigation or NavFree) and have it mounted to the left of the radio using a Dashmount bracket (purpose designed for the Octavia III) with a Brodit cradle for my phone that I've had for some years.

 

It all looks good and works very well except that to keep the phone charged I've been running a cable from a car charger plugged into the power point, which is to the rear of the gear lever.  The cable therefore runs past the gear lever on its way to the phone and all looks a bit of a mess and sometimes gets caught in my hand as I change gear.  Not ideal really.

 

Then yesterday I noticed that nice little USB port, just a few inches from my phone.

 

I can't think of any good reason why I can't charge the phone direct from that - but somehow it seems wrong to do so.

 

Does anyone have any thoughts on this?  It would be so neat and tidy and I don't use the USB for anything else as I have all my music on a big SD card in the glovebox.

 

Thanks!

 

By the way, I can recommend the Dashmount bracket (see http://www.dashmount.co.uk/index.php/Dashmount/Dashmount-Brackets/Skoda/Skoda-Octavia-2013.html).  It fits between the radio and the trim to the left of it.  My dealer fitted it free of charge - it only took him about 5 minutes.  It's sturdy and out of the way - you just bolt on a phone-specific cradle of your choice (of which I think the Brodit ones are best).  Brodit also do phone mounting brackets but for this car the only options were one that clips over an airvent, or one that attaches to the windscreen pillar - neither of them ideal positions in my opinion.

[Neily03]

Yes you can charge USB devices from it.

[NickBrown]

Though note that the built in AUX USB port delivers quite a low current compared to the 12V point used with a USB adapter, and thus takes longer to charge a phone.

I think it delivers less than 500mA, where as most 12V USB adapters can deliver 2000mA.

(Most phones when used with suitable 'fast charge', as often provide with the phone, will report they are connected to 'AC' and make use of the higher current available).

[SnailUK]

Car companies should offer the choice of 12v car power point or 2.1a USB connections. Almost all gadgets you plug into a car these days could be powered by a USB port.

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[Steve43]

I also find that the phone (iPhone 5s) doesn't charge unless the radio/mfd is on if plugged via USB.

Steve

[alancha]

Though note that the built in AUX USB port delivers quite a low current compared to the 12V point used with a USB adapter, and thus takes longer to charge a phone.

I think it delivers less than 500mA, where as most 12V USB adapters can deliver 2000mA.

(Most phones when used with suitable 'fast charge', as often provide with the phone, will report they are connected to 'AC' and make use of the higher current available).

Yes, of course, I hadn't considered that.  You're right - even the "official" HTC car adapter for my phone (HTC One X) doesn't supply enough to keep the phone charged when using Google Navigation - although I wonder if anything does - and I expect the USB port would be even less capable in that respect.

[pipsyp]

Yes the USB will charge things but is low amperage. Best suited to low power devices such as media players and HDD's...much as it was designed for.

You could always hard wire a suitable charging point by tapping into the fuse board and getting a 12v feed to elsewhere in the car, above the dash perhaps. This is what most places who'd hard wire a portable sat nav in would do, gather a few guys on here have done the same to power in car video cameras too.

[freddyg]

I (very) occasionally use the usb port to charge my Android phone (Galaxy S4) when the 12v>USB charger is being used by something else. It does send the Bolero a bit 'daft' at time though. I've found changing the phone from "disk drive" to "camera" in the phone settings does help most of the time.

In the main, I use a 12v charger (2amp) for my phone with a long cable wedged down the side of the front passenger seat. It's unsightly, but out of the way of the gear stick.