I think I've found the (almost) perfect third party charger

[Guest waqasahmed]

Well, there is some talk about third party chargers and whether they will work. Whilst some with higher currents will work, it is not too good for the phone. For this reason, you could possibly get a genuine ZTE Blade charger from the ADVERTISING SPAM shop on eBay for £4.49 with free delivery(5V 700ma) or you could get a cheaper charger which is undervolted (Vivaz U5) ever so slightly and has the exact amount of current running through it as the original ZTE chargers from Amazon

Another charger that is safe to use would be the 6500 classic charger where it has 5V running through it and 550ma ie: within the safe limit. This type of charger is set at the correct voltage and outputs slightly more current than the Micro USB cable when connected to a PC

[Guest targetbsp]

You only need the voltage to match. The current a charger can provide is the chargers maximum - it doesn't force that upon what is being charged. The same or higher is perfectly safe - the device being charged will only draw the current it needs. It's lower amps that will generally cause a problem - though as these things charge off usb ports I guess they are fairly flexible in that regard!

Edited February 22, 2011 by targetbsp

[Guest digisol]

Agreed. I have a 5V source pumping out at 1A - think it might even charge faster than the ZTE charger which came with the San Fran. Shows up as AC charging too - not bad for a mobile backup...

[Guest waqasahmed]

Agreed. I have a 5V source pumping out at 1A - think it might even charge faster than the ZTE charger which came with the San Fran. Shows up as AC charging too - not bad for a mobile backup...

So you're saying that a 5V charger with 1A of current is safe? Isn't it not recommended to charge at the absolute max it can handle? hence the reason why the stock ZTE charger is rated at 5V and 700ma? I do have a charger here that is rated at 5V and 1A

[Guest targetbsp]

For powering a device you need a charger at the correct voltage that can provide a current equal to or higher than what the device requires. This is why universal chargers only need to allow you to select the voltage and not the current.

[Guest The Sorcerer]

So you're saying that a 5V charger with 1A of current is safe? Isn't it not recommended to charge at the absolute max it can handle? hence the reason why the stock ZTE charger is rated at 5V and 700ma? I do have a charger here that is rated at 5V and 1A

As long as the voltage is correct (and I think for the Blade/San Fran that figure is 5V) then you could have a 5V charger rated at 1,000A if you wanted and it would be safe because the battery in the phone will only draw what current it needs, ie, 500mA, 700mA or whatever. Just because the charger could provide 1,000A does NOT mean that the battery will draw 1,000A.

Some interesting info at http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article...m_ion_batteries

[Guest waqasahmed]

As long as the voltage is correct (and I think for the Blade/San Fran that figure is 5V) then you could have a 5V charger rated at 1,000A if you wanted and it would be safe because the battery in the phone will only draw what current it needs, ie, 500mA, 700mA or whatever. Just because the charger could provide 1,000A does NOT mean that the battery will draw 1,000A.

Some interesting info at http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article...m_ion_batteries

Right thanks for that. What would be the consequences of having something rated at 4V. Would it simply not charge?

[Guest digisol]

It might charge, only slowly.

[Guest cacoe]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/BlackBerry-Travel-...mp;sr=1-1-fkmr0

Exact same charger from amazon which is also sold by ADVERTISING SPAM

I got my blade from ADVERTISING SPAM and I think they're fairly reputable but I prefer buying stuff through amazon over ebay. Just thought other might feel the same.

[Guest waqasahmed]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/BlackBerry-Travel-...mp;sr=1-1-fkmr0

Exact same charger from amazon which is also sold by ADVERTISING SPAM

I got my blade from ADVERTISING SPAM and I think they're fairly reputable but I prefer buying stuff through amazon over ebay. Just thought other might feel the same.

Your choice, I suppose. I would prefer to buy the same charger on eBay if it costs the same, as it means that my feedback is slightly higher and I receive some money back via quidco. Annoying that PPM don't have this charger on their site, as they give cashback through their own site as well

[Guest shootomanUK]

Hi guys, i have just stumbled upon your post and i can confirm an alternative replacement charger for the ZTE BLADE.

The charger is for the VODAFONE 340 MOBILE PHONE

it has the micro usb plug and is 5v 700ma and is made by FOXLINK

i know this because i have been using one by accident thinking it was the charger i got with my blade, but it was my girlfriends that was plugged in the wall lol

hope this helps

oh and by the way im not sure about the blackberry charger as i have had a blackberry 8110 in the past and it is a different plug (mini usb)

cheers !

Edited February 24, 2011 by shootomanUK

[Guest daveypro]

I use my blackberry one without problems, must admit i havent checked the voltage or nowt :huh:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Genuine-Blackberry.../ref=pd_cp_ce_2

[Guest ronc2000]

This phone is not fussy.

Any USB source is OK.

There are probably plenty in your home left from old devices already.

[Guest Spies]

Do nokia chargers work ok?

[Guest mug2k]

I'm using my kindle charger and it seems to be faster than via the PC.

[Guest curl66]

i am using a nokia charger rev B. with 1200ma. works fine

if touchscreen doesnt respond while charging voltage is out of range (too high)

nokia charger rev c doesnt work

Edited February 24, 2011 by curl66

[Guest surfatwork]

I am using a Nokia N86 charger (5V, 1200mA) and it works just fine. @targetbsp is right - the device will only draw the current it needs.

[Guest wiffeltje]

I'm using my kindle charger and it seems to be faster than via the PC.

That is correct.

A 'correct' charger does short the two data-lines of the USB connector. This is the sign for the phone that it is connected to a charger and can draw more amp's. In this case, my phone draws up to 700mA.

Without the shorted data-lines, the phone has to assume it is connect to something like a computer and should (by the USB specifications) not draw more then 400mA. The ZTE Blade does this correctly. In this case, my phone draws up to 360mA.

So, it will charge about twice as fast if it is connected to a 'real' charger.

Edited February 25, 2011 by wiffeltje

[Guest agreenjesus]

USB3 can supply more current as well as full duplex, I wonder if this is supported by the blade?

[Guest wondertx]

Well, there is some talk about third party chargers and whether they will work. Whilst some with higher currents will work, it is not too good for the phone. For this reason, you could possibly get a genuine ZTE Blade charger from the ADVERTISING SPAM shop on eBay for £4.49 with free delivery(5V 700ma) or you could get a cheaper charger which is undervolted (Vivaz U5) ever so slightly and has the exact amount of current running through it as the original ZTE chargers from Amazon

Another charger that is safe to use would be the 6500 classic charger where it has 5V running through it and 550ma ie: within the safe limit. This type of charger is set at the correct voltage and outputs slightly more current than the Micro USB cable when connected to a PC

Ads blocked, the charger is everywhere.Many chargers with usb has the voltage 5V

[Guest wbaw]

USB3 can supply more current as well as full duplex, I wonder if this is supported by the blade?

No, the blade doesn't have usb3, it'd cost more.

As other posters have said any usb charger over 700mA will be fine, less than 700mA & it'll charge slower.

[Guest Grain]

As other posters have said any usb charger over 700mA will be fine, less than 700mA & it'll charge slower.

If the charger is wired so the Blade recognizes is as an AC charger (not PC USB connection), the Blade will (try to) draw 700mA. If the charger is not rated for 700mA or more, the charger will get very got, shutdown, or drop voltage. The Blade does not charge if the voltage drops much below 5 Volts.

However, normal USB chargers do not have the data lines shorted. The Blade will assume a standard USB connection then and charge more slowly - guessing from the charging time it seems to draw about 350mA then.

See the wiki article linked to below for details.

[Guest wiffeltje]

Well, there is some talk about third party chargers and whether they will work. Whilst some with higher currents will work, it is not too good for the phone. For this reason, you could possibly get a genuine ZTE Blade charger from ...

I have to disagree with this statement.

The ZTE Blade correctly limits the current it draws. I did try this with my lab power source. I can easily source a lot of current to the phone without harming it. It will NOT take more current than it is supposed to do.

[Guest toggle]

I have bought a nokia charger 1200 ma. it charges but touchscreen does bot respond during charging.

[Guest Matthew Ferguson]

If the charger is wired so the Blade recognizes is as an AC charger (not PC USB connection), the Blade will (try to) draw 700mA. If the charger is not rated for 700mA or more, the charger will get very got, shutdown, or drop voltage. The Blade does not charge if the voltage drops much below 5 Volts.

However, normal USB chargers do not have the data lines shorted. The Blade will assume a standard USB connection then and charge more slowly - guessing from the charging time it seems to draw about 350mA then.

See the wiki article linked to below for details.

Well this is untrue, according to both my own knowledge, common sense AND the wiki page you linked to. If the charger is rated below 700mA, the phone will simply charge slower, it will not "get very got" by which I assume you mean hot, and will NOT drop voltage. Therefore the blade will charge normally, and there is no threat of it not charging from chargers rated less than this.