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macbook123

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Feb 11, 2006
1,869
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I just connected my Macbook via USBC-->USB cable to my Nexus 6 "TurboCharger", which charges the Nexus in less than an hour. The Macbook says "Not Charging" and the percentage isn't increasing. It's not decreasing either. When I do the same with the 2A charger from my car's 12 V outlet, the Macbook charges just fine, and pretty quickly (I'd say ~1 hour to charge it fully). Yet the same outlet doesn't charge my Nexus 6 as quickly as the supplied TurboCharger does. What's going on here?
 
I would guess your "TurboCharger" is Quickcharge compatible, and so is your Nexus 6. Hence it will charge at greater speed than normal usb chargers.
The Macbook however is not compatible with Quickcharge, and the TurboCharger might then only be delivering 1A, hence it won't charge while you are using it.

I would say 2A 5V is the minimum you need for charging the Macbook.
 
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I would guess your "TurboCharger" is Quickcharge compatible, and so is your Nexus 6. Hence it will charge at greater speed than normal usb chargers.
The Macbook however is not compatible with Quickcharge, and the TurboCharger might then only be delivering 1A, hence it won't charge while you are using it.

I would say 2A 5V is the minimum you need for charging the Macbook.

Thanks. Sounds like it's not simply a matter of volts and amperes, but the way the current is sent?
 
There is signaling occurring on the unused data pins that determine what the charge rate will be. The protocol that Qualcomm uses for their QuickCharge 2.0 is not compatible with MacBook's USB-C. The lowest I have been able to charge with is about 5V 1.8A. This is very slow though.
 
Also be warned that an iPad charger that is capable of putting out 12W (5v 2.4A) will do so but get very very hot. I found that multi-port chargers do better because they can have more headroom and can handle the load. I have a 60W 10 port charger that outputs a maximum of 5v 2.4 on any individual port with a total of 60 watts. It barely gets warm charging the Macbook using a USB-A to USB-C cable...
 
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