How can I determine the power input level

[GTGeek88]

Is there anything in iOS 5 or some app that will allow you to see the power level the phone is getting from the charger? I bought a Belkin charging kit and later read a review that said it only delivers 500 mA and not the 1000 mA that it claims. So an app that could tell me how many milliamps the phone is getting from the charger would be quite helpful in determining if the claims in that review are accurate (this was just a user's review, not something more "official" from CNet or some similar source). I looked at a few battery apps and they didn't seem to provide the power input information.

 

[ShionoyaTamaki]

Is there anything in iOS 5 or some app that will allow you to see the power level the phone is getting from the charger? I bought a Belkin charging kit and later read a review that said it only delivers 500 mA and not the 1000 mA that it claims. So an app that could tell me how many milliamps the phone is getting from the charger would be quite helpful in determining if the claims in that review are accurate (this was just a user's review, not something more "official" from CNet or some similar source). I looked at a few battery apps and they didn't seem to provide the power input information.

you could use a device called Kill A Watt P4400

 

[GTGeek88]

you could use a device called Kill A Watt P4400

Thanks, I'm aware of Kill A Watt, but really didn't want to do that. Much easier to have an app that does it. Also, that product will show how much the converter is pulling, but not necessarily how much the phone is getting, which could conceivably be different. I guess the question would be "does iOS track that and can an app query iOS for that information or is there some other way it could get it?"

 

[deeddawg]

I don't know about any apps, but short of directly measuring using a meter, would you achieve the desired result by measuring the time to full charge for each source and seeing if it's substantially different?

 

[FreakinEurekan]

I'm not aware of an app that gives that info, and as you speculate it may not even be possible if iOS isn't tracking that information, or exposing it in the API.

However an indirect method of checking current is to charge the phone from a given discharge level (say at 20% battery) and observe how long it takes to get to 100%. Compare the time using your Belkin kit to the time using the Apple wall charger. Any difference in time would roughly correlate to a difference in current.

ED: Deeddawg Ninja'd me

 

[GTGeek88]

Thanks for the "time to charge" suggestions. Those had also crossed my mind, but I was looking for the "ultimate solution", though it may not exist. In any event, I may try that, however if I get a phone call from a client or some other distraction, catching it right when it hits 100 may not be easy. This is more hassle, but may end up being the only solution. For now, I'll stay hopeful for something better.

 

[deeddawg]

Chances are if the Belkin is really only providing 500mA, then charging time to 100% will be significantly different, on the order of 2x the time using the 1A supply. You could also just measure how long it takes to gain portion of charge - start measuring time when it changes a % (like from 27% to 28%) then stop when it changes to 38%. Still a possible problem with distractions though.

Alternately, a clamp-on multimeter would likely give a definitive reading. Trouble is buying one is probably more costly than you'd want if you have no other need for a meter.