If I run a navigation on my mobile phone, the phone battery is still discharging (not charging fast enough!) even if its plugged in usb port. 

 

Is this normal?

I'd suggest:

 

1) Life is too short for crap USB cables. Buy some top quality Lindy or Anker ones, you won't regret it

 

2) Get a charging rate monitor app ("Galaxy charging current" app works well for me on Samsung phones) - you'll see if your phone is charging at 200mA or 1800mA (Although, I think I tend to get no more than 1000-1200mA from the dash USB socket.

I use a Tomtom dual fast charger and that charges my phone up even when using it as a satnav; Google Maps or Sygic.

I guess its not normal but I have the the same issue with my Samsung S3 and now LG G4.

Unless I turn off the phone completely the USB connection cannot provide enough current to charge the phone & keep it running.

There was a thread about this a while ago with many (but not all) users having similar problems.

 

You can try another USB cable but I doubt an expensive one will give you 1A more from the same socket.

 

Which model year is your car? Mine is from 2014.
I'd assume that on older versions (perhaps with the MIB1 headunit) the connection is not meant to "charge" it is just for data transfer.

Newer models maybe have a higher current rating to support newer phones which require several amps for "quick charging".

My car is 2014, and it really charges slowly even on its own (without navigation) through usb port . I figured out if I turn the phone screen of (I can still get sound instructions in naviagtion) then it charges well. Maybe I can get better results over 12v socket, I just have to get a plug for that.

If I run a navigation on my mobile phone, the phone battery is still discharging (not charging fast enough!) even if its plugged in usb port. 

 

Is this normal?

Yep, it's normal.

The usb slot provides only small current and charges the phone verrry slowly.

I use this hama charger for my iPhone. No issues and it pumps 50-60% per hour to my phone battery.

When you use the simply clever phone holder, you can hide the cable as in the picture.

And you are in a better position than me if you have the standard black interior.

 

Edited 8 August, 20169 yr by aki78

My USB couldn't cope when on co- pilot and Bluetooth with the 2.1 your

Agree get Anaker 2.5 solved all my problems. And they are not exoensive, certain from eBay.

My 65 plate Vrs charges my iPhone 6s to 100% whilst the phone is being used in CarPlay. Maps music etc.

don't use satnav on my phone but always have apple music on and the phone charges fine no problems - thats using the USB port mind not the cigarette thingy 

I'll try and test out how much amperage the USB port can supply later in the week, BTW most android phones will only try and pull 500mA when in data mode

I found that it depends on the mobile.

 

With a std samsung usb cable, my S4 is recharged while SWMBO's Moto G does not, at all.

 

The display doesn't even show that it is recharging.

 

So, another variable in the game...

1. Get a proper chunky 2A+ charger

2. Get a really good cable.

Think a 2.5 Anaker gives more power than 2.???? Seriously I have recently been moving all types of cars around the country. U watched the phone drain as I went with,maps, Bluetooth lots of short calls. Got this one recommend by my car inspector. And its small. American made.

Life is too short for crap USB cables.

 

Worth every penny.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/LINDY-0-5m-CROMO-Micro-B-Cable/dp/B008BTVOLG/ref=sr_1_sc_3?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1470697248&sr=1-3-spell&keywords=linby

 

The long ones are handy as well, less useful for the car of course.

Edited 8 August, 20169 yr by Jono

I tested that usb port with a digital display that show the charge rate and it was pretty pitiful. Not enough to match the drain from GPS. I use a 2.1 amp socket on the fag lighter now.

It's pulling around 400mA, which is dreadful. However I happen to work for the aforementioned LINDY so I'll try and do some real testing tomorrow on my lunch break. As said, quality of the cable also matters quite a lot. The 400mA was on a cheap and nasty one I had lying about so even changing that might improve things.

Trust me, you won't get more than that with 4awg

Edited 9 August, 20169 yr by Mallettsmallett

Well good and bad news. Good news is that you can get around 1amp to charge your phone, so as long as you don't have silly length USB cables any half decent cable will charge at that speed, but, the bad news, to get this you need to disable the data mode, not just via android either, I'm talking removing the pins, either by using a USB power only mode cable or an adapter which removes data. This enables around a 1amp from 400mA on my nexus 6, still isn't great but better than it was.

 

This may vary from MY / device used, however this was my experience. One final point, I managed to pull around 2amps using an electronic load tester before the port shutdown, this dropped it to 4.5V!! At 1amp it was steady about 4.8V

 

So, as said, the best way is a 12v socket car charger which can handle 2amps+ and also a good USB cable if charging around that area especially if over 1m.

 

Cheers

My plug-in phone battery charger does not keep up with the power consumption of my Samsung S5 using navigation on Google maps. I'm ordering a higher power one.

But can I also safely use the USB port in front of the gear stick to charge the phone without damage to the car?

But can I also safely use the USB port in front of the gear stick to charge the phone without damage to the car?

Yes, although if your phone has a USB type C socket there have been issues with some cheap cables that might be able to damage the car (nothing to do with Skoda, this is a general problem).

Anyone know if wireless charging can be retrofitted and if it's any good?