Current smartphones and tablets are ideal for mobile navigation or as children’s entertainment on long car trips. However, the short battery life often puts a quick end to the fun. Simple car USB charging cables are often overwhelmed by the enormous power hunger and therefore do not work. We therefore take a closer look at the wicked chili car usb charging adapters, which aim to master the charging process in the car without any problems with their high output voltage.
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why do cheap car usb chargers not work??
USB charging cables or corresponding adapters for the 12V or 24V car connection (also often referred to as "cigarette lighter") can already be bought for about 5 euros in the nearest electronics store. But these offer in most cases with a maximum of 0.5 ampere insufficient output power, to be able to charge a smartphone or tablet with it. These charge with the simple adapters either not at all, or only in the very slow USB mode. This can lead to the battery continuing to discharge during use, despite a connected car charging cable. For a successful charging process, z.B. of an iphones, therefore, at least 1.0 ampere output power is required, which most inexpensive car adapters, however, do not achieve.
Advantages of the charging adapters from wicked chili
The usb chargers, also called "fast charging adapters" by the manufacturer wicked chili itself, are available in three different variants, which provide a output power up to 2.4 ampere offer, spread over up to two usb bookings. So these car charging adapters should be able to satisfy the power hunger of current smartphones and tablets, at least in theory. In addition protective electronics specially designed by wicked chili, which protects the connected devices against overvoltage, electrical short circuit and overheating. This protection makes perfect sense, given that the smartphones or tablets being charged via the car adapters are usually very high-quality and therefore quite expensive.
The wicked chili car adapters are also extremely compact design, so that they almost completely disappear in the 12v connector. This should make those car owners happy whose cigarette lighter z.B. hidden behind a cover – it should still be possible to close it, even if the adapter is still plugged into the 12V socket. despite their small size, the wicked chili adapters can be pulled out of the cigarette lighter quite easily thanks to a small chrome clip.
Different variants of the USB charging adapter
There are three different variants of the wicked chili car quick chargers. these are respectively optimized for devices from apple, from samsung and a general adapter for other manufacturers, such as sony, LG, huawai and HTC. All three charging adapters provide an output of 2.4 amps and can charge two USB devices at the same time, sharing the maximum charging power.
Technical data
number of USB sockets | 2 |
input voltage | 12 – 24 volt dc via car connector |
output voltage | 5 volts dc |
output current (maximum) | 2.4 amps |
power distribution to the usb sockets | 2.4 amps divided between two USB consumers, depending on individual needs |
quiescent current without consumer | 10 ma at 12 volt |
readiness indicator | not available |
dimensions | 45.0 x 32.0 mm (length, width) |
weight | 22 grams |
charging control of major manufacturers is supported
Unfortunately, the charging capability via USB alone is not sufficiently informative as to whether the car charging adapters from wicked chili actually work with a particular device. Many manufacturers install a charging control in their smartphones and tablets, which can prevent successful charging with third-party accessories. After all, they would much rather sell their own, usually high-priced original accessories.
However, there is a technical reason for the use of an integrated charging control: many devices can be charged (albeit very slowly) via a normal USB port on the PC, which in turn only provides 0.5 amps of output power. So that the smartphones can be used at a normal socket with the maximum current intensity, that manufacturers can integrate into their own adapters, power supplies or usb-charging cables z.B. High impedance voltage distributor. These signal the maximum available current to the connected device. This is exactly the problem: every manufacturer uses a different variant of this charging control. the wicked chili adapters do not technically cope with all variants on the market, but they do cope with the most common from apple, samsung, sony, HTC and other major manufacturers.
Which smartphones and tablets does it work with??
First of all a tip: when using the wicked chili charging adapters, it is important to, to use the original charging cable of the smartphone or tablet. sometimes manufacturers already use the supplied usb charging cable to integrate a charging control into it. With a cheap replica of this cable, the smartphone could possibly only charge in the very slow USB mode, instead of in the AC mode with full current strength.
to ensure that no one gets a nasty surprise with the wicked chili fast charging adapters, we would like to provide an overview of compatible smartphones and tablets assemble. However, this does not claim to be complete, as we cannot carry out all the tests ourselves. Please support us with your own experiences with the adapters from wicked chili, so that we can complete the compatibility list. just leave us a comment at the end of this test report. We will then add your comments here accordingly.
At the online retailer amazon, various car charging adapters from wicked chili are offered: each in an optimized version for apple devices, one for samsung and a universally applicable adapter that can be z.B. Suitable for sony, HTC, nokia and motorola smartphones. Technically, these are by no means identical adapters. For this reason, it is important to choose the right car adapter from wicked chili when making a purchase, in order to avoid compatibility problems. If the charging adapter is explicitly offered for a device, then you can trust that this will also work with it.
Experiences in everyday use
With the very easy use of the wicked chili charging adapter you can not go wrong. Simply the quick charger plug into a 12v or 24v connection of the car’s, then plug the charging cable of the smartphone or tablet into the usb socket and connect it to the device, and the charging process begins. The tiny adapter with only one USB port, which is unfortunately no longer available, signals its functionality via a green LED. We think the LED is rather superfluous, because our smartphone shows the charging process in the display anyway. But again, the LED is not really disturbing. Our test device, a power-hungry iphone 12 pro, has been despite the use as a navigation device while driving fully charged again. It seems that wicked chili did not promise too much.
in our toyota corolla, the wicked chili tiny fast charging adapter fits flush with the cigarette lighter. It looks nice and also has a decisive advantage: you can simply leave the adapter plugged into the socket when the charging process is complete – it doesn’t interfere any further. Both charging adapters sit tight in the 12-volt connector, a wobble or rattle is searched in vain. Wicked chili has done a great job with the accuracy of fit of its adapters, which we like. The workmanship of the wicked chili fast chargers is also solid and of decent quality. The plastic is cleanly finished – but given the selling price of around 10 euros, that’s what you might expect.
there are some car USB charging adapters on the market that seem to cause interference with radio reception. We have taken a closer look at the wicked chili adapter in this respect. But here too we can give the all-clear. During various longer uses in different types of cars there was no interference with the reception of the car radio. The USB adapters are probably shielded well enough – anything else would be surprising if wicked chili had skimped on this point.
Exactly fitting in every 12V and 24V connection?
Each car manufacturer cooks its own soup with the 12 volt sockets. Sometimes they are hidden behind covers, sometimes they are a little longer, or also more high-quality processed than others. It is therefore difficult to say whether the wicked chili charging adapters really fit equally well in every car and close flush. The dual adapter tends to protrude a little further from the 12V connector because it is 6mm longer.
So if you value adapter fits as snugly as possible if you have a smartphone or tablet and can manage with just one usb socket, the tiny fast charger from wicked chili, which is unfortunately no longer available, is a very good choice. Fortunately, the manufacturer is very accommodating when it comes to exchanging the adapters if you are not satisfied. So much customer service is rare these days. It is therefore a good idea to simply try out the wicked chili charging adapters.
Advantages
- The power of the charging adapter is optimal for current smartphones and tablets
- Very small and compact design
- High quality workmanship
- radio reception in the car will not be disturbed
- sophisticated protection electronics prevent damaging overvoltages, short circuits and overheating of the connected devices
- The manufacturer offers a good customer service in case of problems with the adapters
Disadvantages
- The sales price is not exactly cheap for a car adapter, but given the quality offered, it is definitely justified
- Unfortunately, not all smartphones and tablets from all manufacturers are supported, so it’s better to check our compatibility list in this review before you buy it
Conclusion and recommendation
Where most cheap car charging adapters are running out of steam, the wicked chili adapters are just getting started. Their output current strength is sufficiently dimensioned to satisfy the power hunger of most popular smartphones and tablets. The adapters are also well made, integrate perfectly into the cigarette lighter thanks to their compact dimensions and also look good with their chrome bracket.
The sophisticated protection electronics justify the slightly higher price of the charging adapters from wicked chili, so charging problems can not arise in the first place. The experience with car USB chargers shows once again: if you buy cheap, you buy more than once. If, on the other hand, you choose a wicked chili car usb charging adapter, you should never have an empty battery again for the next few years on the road. A clear buy recommendation!
Update: UGREEN 20-watt fast car charger as an alternative
The technology of car charging adapters has recently developed considerably, and universal fast chargers are now established that can be used to charge the popular apple iphones as well as the widespread samsung galaxy smartphones and many other cell phones at a high speed.
The UGREEN dual car charger belongs to the new category of universal-compatible fast-charging adapters. This offers via the integrated USB-C socket thanks to power delivery 3.0 a maximum charging power of 20 watt. Another USB-A socket supports quick charge 3.0 standard with an output power of 18 watts.
The UGREEN adapter is quite compact despite its powerful charging capacity, but still has all the necessary safety mechanisms built in, for example against short circuit, overvoltage and overheating. Heat generated during the charging process is radiated to the outside by the high-quality processed aluminum housing, so that the electronics are not permanently damaged.
The UGREEN dual car charger is currently one of the most interesting universal car chargers, due to its good price-performance ratio and the integrated fast charging functions for almost all smartphones and tablets on the market. (updated on 3. November 2021)