Finally managed to sort out the dash cam / TomTom issues in the van. I have the two mentioned units plugged in to run from the power socket, and they always interfere with each other. When you turn the sat nav on the camera thinks the power's gone off and switches off, and when you turn it back on the TomTom asks "Do you want to connect to Computer". It's been annoying me for ages but I never got round to sorting it, until today. This is the issue...

 

 

Essentially, the USB ports are common, so there's a direct connection between them when you have two devices plugged in. So while I was in B&Q I picked up another one. Plugged it in, and both devices work fine now, completely independently. Also the reallu annoying radio interference has now gone. I can listen to the radio without any signal drop outs which was all too common with the Griffin device.

 

 

So if anyone thinls these little devices are a good idea, shop wisely. The Griffin ones (while cheap at less than £2) are absolute crap. Pay a little more and get a proper one, and you'll be okay.

I guess it's some thing to do with load capacity,  I have a modded cheapy triple one which is  1a+1a=2.1a   with camera+ radar + sat-nav and it's fine but the camera with non-screened power lead does interfere (intermittently)  with the radio   I guess swapping notes helps us all save some money  and time

No, it's just cheap crap. As soon as you plug the bloody thing in the radio interference starts, without even having anything plugged into it. And the issue with the two units interfering with each other is because unlike quality units where you have two seperate USB sockets, on this one you have a USB socket with two outlets. So if you have two different things plugged in it makes a direct connection between the two and tries to synchronise them, whereas what should happen is both units just see a charge port and charge as you would expect them to.

 

I guess the syncing issue could be sorted by buying two "charge only" cables for the units, but that would still leave the problem of the radio interference which is something that Griffin products are known for (now that I discovered the problem and googled it, it's a very common problem).

Ah... I'm not the only one who has issues with them then!? I have one exactly like this one and it charges one device fine but as soon as you plug another one in they go potty and start charging > not charging > charging > not charging etc.

 

Gonna get another one. You can get ones that re rated to charge iPads etc (which I now need as the other half has bought an iPad air and wants to charge it in the car).

 

I'll just use the griffin in the motorhome for charging the phone while using sat-nav I think.

 

Phil

Chances are that at £2 for the Griffin dual USB car charger it is not an original part.

Griffin sell these for $20 from their own site, so £2 is not going to be original. It is well known these are so widely copied, unless you're buying from a well know retailer, its probably fake

Ah... I'm not the only one who has issues with them then!? I have one exactly like this one and it charges one device fine but as soon as you plug another one in they go potty and start charging > not charging > charging > not charging etc.

 

Gonna get another one. You can get ones that re rated to charge iPads etc (which I now need as the other half has bought an iPad air and wants to charge it in the car).

 

I'll just use the griffin in the motorhome for charging the phone while using sat-nav I think.

 

Phil

 

 

I bought one like this from B&Q. Not this exact one as I can;t see the one I bought on their site, but similar.

 

http://www.diy.com/departments/diall-black-12v-in-car-double-usb-charger/261645_BQ.prd