Charging speed of OSTC2

[hgw]

Hello,
it takes ”forever” (practically a day or two) to charge my OSTC2. I’ve had this same experiece with two different units. I have measured the charging current using about 15 different dumb chargers with outputs 1,8A- 3A. With all of them the charging starts with more or less corresponding current, but after couple of minutes it drops to about 0,5A.

Is my charging pad faulty ? I have this one [attachment=0]20240808_071906_Original.jpeg[/attachment]

I got my OSTC2 a few years ago, and about the same time took a hiatus from diving unfortunately. So I’ve basically just been occasionally charging the computer back to life and only slightly cursing the charging speed 8-)

[scubatinoo]

Charging speed is a mess! I have the same pad.

I startet charging my OSTC2 yesterday at 8:00 in the mornig with 18% left. At 16:00 in the afternoon i had 98%

Temperatur in the office increased during the charging time from 26°C in the morning to 32°C in the afternoon :lol: just kidding, but most of the chargings power seems to become heat... I expirience the same issue with my phone in the car.

In my eyes: useless technology.

But at least the HW Charging Pad seems to work with my Google Pixel as well, litteraly. :D

[hgw]

[quote=scubatinoo post_id=24723 time=1723132639 user_id=769]
Charging speed is a mess! I have the same pad.

I startet charging my OSTC2 yesterday at 8:00 in the mornig with 18% left. At 16:00 in the afternoon i had 98%
[/quote]

That makes 10%/h, I'd be thrilled with that. I've been charging now for 6-7hours, 50->72%

[scubatinoo]

I put the charging Pad on the table and then the OSTC on top to maintain a proper "contact"... the other way around I also had charging problems.

[hgw]

I always charge that same way, computer on top. Otherwise the pad won't stay in correct place.

[swissdiving]

I keep the qi charger in place with bungee. Works perfect. And it has the advantage that the charger stays cooler = faster charging.


[attachment=0]20231116_204653.jpg[/attachment]

[hgw]

I have tried charging on top of a icepack, no difference in charging speed, but atleast the charging does not stop due to overheating.

[Frank D]

I got a new OSTC 2 and when put on the charger it decharges!
Started at 82% - after 3 hours: 78%

[hgw]

[quote="Frank D" post_id=24746 time=1724257611 user_id=1094]
I got a new OSTC 2 and when put on the charger it decharges! :o
Started at 82% - after 3 hours: 78%
[/quote]

I have had that happening. Try different chargers. Make sure the charger is not a "fast" or "intelligent" charger, but a dummy one specced with constant output of 5V and minimum of 1,5 amps, preferably more.

[heinrichsweikamp]

Hi,

Obviously a fault in the charger or (unlikely) in the OSTC 2. Did you contact our support already?

regards,
Matthias

[hgw]

I just did :) Like I wrote earlier, it has not bothered me too much. But if I'm to start actively diving again then it'll will be an issue. Thanks.

[hgw]

Update:
Matthias kindly sent me another pad to test with. That did not make a difference. I sent the whole unit to be checked up, nothing was wrong it. They sent it back all charged up with a new USB charger (thanks for that)

Now for the interesting part, I've gotten mixed results when charging. On my first try I got from 85% to 100%, but not after that. Because it takes a long time to deplete the battery of the computer, I continued testing the pad with my Samsung S22 phone. I work in IT, so my home office is loaded with stuff: modems, routers, wireless access points, monitors, switches, laptops, chargers, printer, UPS, you name it and it's probably plugged in the ONE outlet socket in the room through extension cords.

This is not conclusive, but It looks like something in my home office is disturbing the "quality of the mains power" and disturbs the wireless charging of the pad. If I put the charger in UPS I get better results, also if I charge in a another room where there is nothing else connected to the same outlet socket the charging is better. And there is also a slight hint that it might matter which way the charger is plugged, i.e. which prong is connected to Live & Neutral. Go figure...