hhnngg1

Just curious - why is USB charging of things like bike lights and other things so popular now? I was under the impression that it was much more inefficient to put a computer in the power transfer path from outlet to USB as compared to a direct wall plug in.

I'm aware of the ease of expanding USB with a USB expander hub, but even with that option, I still prefer something that doesn't depend on my computer to be powered/plugged in for charging.

KLiNCK

I keep one of these in the garage for charging my lights. No computer required.

svtmike

Agree with not wanting to depend on a computer. Wall chargers that output USB charging voltage are readily available. The beauty of the USB connectors for charging is the universality. I can charge at home from the wall charger and keep a cable at work to charge my lights from my desk PC.

fettsvenska 

+1...I think that since there are so many different devices that charge via USB that it has sort of become the default standard.

johnny99

I have a dozen or more USB wall chargers and also a few USB car chargers. They came with cell phones, tablets, cameras, video games, etc. They output different power levels, but are more or less compatible with each other. I'm glad that the industry is standardizing on one format so I'm not screwed if a charger breaks or gets lost. I don't mind if some products try to save money by not including a charger in the box.

Wil Davis

Just about everyone has a cell/mobile/smart-phone, and USB charging is becoming/has become the standard, so I think it's more a convenience thing. I have a couple of Morotola Talkabout 2-way radios and they can be charged from a USB port even though they don't use the data lines.

- Wil

Spld cyclist

They should all be 5 volts (making the chargers universal), but amperage varies. I've found my devices take forever to charge on some computers, so I prefer to use a wall outlet charger if available.

bikepro

I think the USB output from a computer USB port is about .5 Amps. I seen AC powered USB chargers that provide 1 Amp and 2 Amps. I just bought a Light & Motion light. At .5 Amps, it requires 14 hours to charge. At 2 Amps it takes 4 hours.

alaskanb3arcub

the amperage a computer will produce via the usb port depends on the age of the motherboard and the device. the motherboard will default to 500ma unless the device communicates it's desire for more(and the motherboard is capable of understanding those requests).

keithm0

FWIW, these Adafruit USB power supplies rock. They're cheap, they charge everything I've thrown at them (iPhone, Nexus 7, Kindle, bike lights, etc) and they work great on US or European power.

Shimagnolo

USB amperage depends on a number of variables.
Good explanation here: https://www.extremetech.com/computing...our-smartphone

Cue

Those are just generic oems available on fleabay or aliexpress for $1.

hhnngg1

Again, seems redundant to have to buy a separate adapter for the wall just to charge a device. I'd prefer a direct wall connection over that or a computer intermediate. That and the huge variability of USB hubs in older computers,and I still wonder why more and more bike lights etc are going 'usb only.'

jolly_ross

USB is convenient to charge things at work if you're a desk worker with a PC on all day.

cplager

This. And if you don't have a computer, somebody else does.

keithm0

Something like this?

https://www.thinkgeek.com/product/e81a/

keithm0

Maybe, maybe not. Try some of the $1 product and let us know their reliability and their ability to charge high-current devices.

The chargers I bought from Adafruit two years ago are still going strong, and still quickly charge everything I've thrown at them.

(I also buy them from Adafruit because I believe in their mission and I have huge respect for their founder Limor Fried.)

unterhausen

I like USB charging because I know I have a charger. Otherwise I have to carry around another charger with me, which is annoying

Ekdog

Are there USB chargers that can be hooked up to a dynamo so as to keep devices charged up while on long rides away from electrical power?

unterhausen

Yes, there are a lot of choices for dynohub usb chargers.

I am planning on buying a B&M Luxos U headlight that has a USB charging port. That seems to be the most economic route if you need a good headlight too.

Ekdog

Hmmm... I've had my eye on a Busch and Muller IQ Cyo 60 (recommended by a poster here at Bike Forums). How does the Luxos U match up to the Cyo? (Is this the one?) Maybe I should get one of those instead. I want something to hook up to the Shimano dynamo hub on a Brompton I've ordered. Thanks.

njkayaker

So, you are trying to charge a DC device from 110 volt AC.

Before USB, there weren't any standards for the transformers (the thing that converts AC to DC) and there were no standards for plugs (connecting the device into the charger).

USB is a standard. With USB, you can sell the device without having to sell a charger too. With USB. you don't need a different charger for different devices.

(You don't need a computer to charge USB devices.)

Ekdog

I once lost the charger for a mobile phone and had to pay an arm and a leg for a new one, even though I had a drawer full of chargers from older phones, because the plugs are different for every make and they wouldn't work. I believe the European Union has set a date by which they have to be standardized. Of course, smart phones can now be charged with a USB cord, a positive move, I believe.

cplager

The standard is micro usb. Most lights I've seen is mini usb. Either is nice as they are both everywhere.

unterhausen

Your link is the correct one. If you actually order, make sure to get the more expensive version with USB if that's what you want, there is a cheaper version that doesn't have charging.

I'm sure the Luxos is brighter than any CYO. You should look at the beamshots on Peter White's site, they are HERE The Luxos U puts out a lot more light than anything else, it's almost hard to believe.