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Car Charger for iPhone 5?

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Laimbeersux

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 30, 2010
250
2
I commute 1.5 hours each way and can't afford to be without a car charger, so when the event happened, I immediately started looking for one. Since Apple apparently didn't let people know specifications for the power cord, they appear to be difficult to find, so I just ordered an extra Lightning to USB cord and an adapter that turns my cigarette lighter into 2 USB ports. I was going to get the extra cord anyway, and the adapter was only like $6-$7 so it's not that much of a stretch in case I can't find one before I get the phone (hopefully the 21st).

I guess what I'm looking for is anybody who has been able to find a car charger specifically designed for the iPhone 5 since I don't want to do the cord/adapter combo. Anybody have any luck?
 
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robdam1001

macrumors 6502a
Sep 23, 2008
998
2
Proclipusa told me they'll have their iphone5 line ready ~5 weeks after the phone is released.
 
L

Laimbeersux

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 30, 2010
250
2
JLemm said:
I bought one of these about a year ago for about $15, charges the phone fast and I will easily be able to plug the new lightning cord in!

http://www.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=489767
Click to expand...

Thanks, that's the route I had to go with too, in fact I think I bought the same model but with 2 USB ports instead of 1. I'm leery about a 2 piece charger though with the adapter and the regular Lightning cord though because I have to stuff it in my lunch cooler that rides around in the truck with me all day and I'd think the specifically built car chargers would hold up better than the fragile cords that are designed for use in houses and buildings for the most part. Going the two piece route will do the trick but I'd like to find a regular one piece charger like the one I have for my soon to be replaced iPhone 4.
 
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JM2

macrumors member
Oct 8, 2010
42
10
South Florida
robdam1001 said:
Proclipusa told me they'll have their iphone5 line ready ~5 weeks after the phone is released.
Click to expand...

Awesome. I've got 3 ProClip mounts in various vehicles and due to their design I assumed they would make similar setups for 5. Ideally I'd like to see Lighting port in / USB out. But Lighting in / Lighting out (aka pass thru, which is what I have now) combined with the standard Lighting port to USB out provided by Apple will work fine with most car audio systems I bet.

I also have one of those Belkin Mini USB deals in the wife's car and it does the job. Combined with one of these: http://www.amazon.com/MPI-Audio-Cable-iPhone-Connector/dp/B003L13BNI/ref=pd_sxp_grid_pt_1_2 since her car only has AUX in. Given time I'm sure a Lighting to USB (for charging) plus generic analog audio out will also come along for those that need it.
 
L

Laimbeersux

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 30, 2010
250
2
Anybody had any luck finding a car charger that doesn't require the combination of a seperate lighting cord and some random adaptor that turns the outlet into a USB outlet or two? I commute 95 miles one way both at the beginning and end of my shift, and drive around most of the day at work on some messed up roads, soni would like a 1-piece purpose built, more robust option than my current method.
 
S

srcstc

macrumors member
Oct 22, 2010
96
0
Laimbeersux said:
Anybody had any luck finding a car charger that doesn't require the combination of a seperate lighting cord and some random adaptor that turns the outlet into a USB outlet or two? I commute 95 miles one way both at the beginning and end of my shift, and drive around most of the day at work on some messed up roads, soni would like a 1-piece purpose built, more robust option than my current method.
Click to expand...

the Griffin Powerjolt is pretty robust. I don't see how you'd have any problems with it.
 
L

Laimbeersux

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 30, 2010
250
2
wjmartin4 said:
Why does the charger have to be different on iPhone 5?!? I was hoping after iPhone 4 that they would keep it the same, but from what i'm hearing it's supposed to be different.

Has anyone else heard this?


If so, does anyone know if there are any new iPhone car adapters online that are already available for purchase?
Click to expand...

It has a different plug that interfaces with the phone. The new one is a completely different size and shape, similar to the micro-usb in size but completely proprietary in shape and function.
 
J

JM2

macrumors member
Oct 8, 2010
42
10
South Florida
JM2 said:
Given time I'm sure a Lighting to USB (for charging) plus generic analog audio out will also come along for those that need it.
Click to expand...

Just a follow up to this... one of the reasons the Apple Lighting to dock connector is so expensive is because it includes a DAC (digital-to-analog converter) to generate the analog audio out of the old dock connector. So time will tell if cheap 3rd party knock offs of Apple's adapter will use sub-par converters. Personally I avoid any such issue by using car audio systems that have onboard DACs via USB audio.
 
trophynuts

trophynuts

macrumors member
May 25, 2011
73
18
isn't it necessary for the output to be at least 1amp and not .500a to properly charge the Idevice especially when in use like when using GPS turn by turn navigation.

I too will need to buy some form of car charger and i want to make sure i get the right one. I bought one of the dual usb Griffin chargers once but you had to do a mod on it for it to output 1a.
 
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T

takeshi74

macrumors 601
Feb 9, 2011
4,974
68
trophynuts said:
isn't it necessary for the output to be at least 1amp and not .500a to properly charge the Idevice especially when in use like when using GPS turn by turn navigation.
Click to expand...
If you don't want your battery to drain even while you're plugged in, yes.

wjmartin4 said:
Why does the charger have to be different on iPhone 5?!?
Click to expand...
Covered in countless prior threads. Does the why matter? It's a given.
 
L

Laimbeersux

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 30, 2010
250
2
I hit up Best Buy, Target, and Wal-Mart over the weekend, and nobody had a clue as to when they might see a car charger for the iPhone 5. Their best guess was like ours, October or so, "almost definitely before Christmas" according to one guy at Best Buy.

Honestly though, I'm not sure I'm going to need a charger, I worked at an assignment at work the other night that usually killed my iPhone 4's battery within 4-5 hours because of it constantly having to search for signal, finding it, then losing it. Yesterday when I was at the same assignment with my 5, I fiddled with it a good chunk of the night and still had 44% battery life left after 8 hours. I will still be getting a charger, but it's not nearly as big of a deal since my little cigarette lighter/usb adapter sounds like it will do the trick till a more durable option comes out.
 
L

Laimbeersux

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Aug 30, 2010
250
2
coupey said:
i just went ahead and bought one of these:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Griffin...&skuId=1207248&st=Griffin Powerjolt&cp=1&lp=5
Click to expand...

I've got the same thing as a temporary fix, discussed earlier in the thread actually in post 3. I'm looking for something more durable than a regular cord and adapter combo, as it will ride around in a truck with me all day at work and I don't think the regular cord and this adapter will take the punishment that a car charger like my old one for the 4 took.
 
K

kenrobin

macrumors regular
Apr 15, 2006
106
0
San Francisco Bay Area
JLemm said:
I bought one of these about a year ago for about $15, charges the phone fast and I will easily be able to plug the new lightning cord in!

http://www.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=489767
Click to expand...

This is also my current setup. I like the 2 piece solution because it allows more flexibility in case I need to charge my bluetooth headset or iPad. An iPhone 5 specific solution will become obsolete when Apple decides to change the connector on the iPhone 6 n 2 years.
 
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Thedeathbear

macrumors 6502a
Apr 18, 2010
604
2
I just bought something from target. It has 2 usb outlet and 3 more regular car outlets. For $15, better than buying a separate charger.
 
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