Tech insight?

[Jester]

There is something seriously wrong with my iPad charger....in the last five hours or so, it's charged only 10%. I don't want or need to buy a new charger...I have enough shit going on! Ideas?

[wolfie]

Did you run the battery totally flat before charging it? With some of the better-designed charging systems for Li-ion batteries, if a battery is run totally flat (or for some other reason, the charger can't get a true reading on its charge state), it'll charge VERY slowly for the first few percent (or until it can get a true reading). This initial charge is slow enough that in a worst-case scenario (damaged battery, or already fully-charged but for some reason not giving its charge state) it won't cause BAD THINGS like catastrophic overcharge (read: "vent with flame") to happen.

A couple years ago, I let a company-issued smartphone run completely flat, and the initial charge rate was so low that simply turning it on (resulting in the "standby" drain level) ran it down faster than it was charging. After sitting overnight, though, it was fully charged.

[Jester]

That's never been an issue before, and I've had this iPad for several months now.

[sms001]

Are you charging it in a powered off state?

[csquared]

If you can borrow a charger from someone, then you can see if the charger is failing or if it is a problem with the iPad itself. Maybe even have that person try your charger on their iPad.

[Aethian]

When my iPhone went completely dead from a flight of Detroit to Begas it took ALL night plus some to get fully charged again.

[Jester]

It's plugged in but not charging. Definitely something with the charger or the port. Wanna take it in to the local Apple store, but don't think they're open on Sundays. And when I try calling them to check their hours, the phone rings twice, then the call just disconnects. Grrr.

[lordlundar]

They had the newest iPhones released last week Jester. They're going to be busy for a while as a result.

Here's a list of stores. Select the one you'd be dealing with and it will have store times listed.

I'd offer more help, but you know Apple. Propietary and a pain in the ass to deal with.

[Aethian]

Make a appointment at the juice bar and your sure to be seen. My apple store in GR is open on Sundays.

[TheSHAD0W]

Did you just upgrade your iPad to iOS7? It apparently locks out unauthorized Thunderbolt devices.

[Jester]

They had the newest iPhones released last week Jester. They're going to be busy for a while as a result.

Here's a list of stores. Select the one you'd be dealing with and it will have store times listed.

This is Key West. We have one Apple Store. There hours, mysteriously, are 11-6. Went there after work, they determined the charger plug and charger cord were both toast. They wanted $42 for a new set. I went to Walgreen's and paid $10.75 for a new set. Sure, they're not Apple. The original set I had was Apple, and it didn't last very long, and it didn't see much abuse. And even if the new cheaper set goes kaput, I could buy three more and before I equal the price of the Apple set. Add to this the questionable hours, and the basically rude attitude of the owner/proprietor that I dealt with, and I really don't feel any need to be "loyal" to Apple. Fuck them.

Did you just upgrade your iPad to iOS7? It apparently locks out unauthorized Thunderbolt devices.

Nope. Don't know that I want to, with all the bullshit my friends have been reporting having to deal with when "upgrading" to it.

[emax4]

Try a different cable, and test it. Same thing? Try a different charger. Same thing? Try a different outlet. Same thing? It may be the iPad. Here's something else...

I had my iPhone 4S and a charger from Five Below that was a 1 amp charger that fit in my car's cigarette lighter socket. After the iOS7 upgrade, it worked for 20 seconds, reset, then stopped. I tried a new car cigarette lighter charger that had both the 1 amp and 2 amp USB slots, tried it in the 2 amp slot, and it started charging again.

[dalesys]

... tried it in the 2 amp slot, and it started charging again.

So iOS7 sucks more?