How Many Amps Does a Phone Charger Use?

Image of phone chargers: source Freepik

Phones are widely used by people of all ages, from young kids to the elderly. For you to use a phone, you will have to charge it regularly so that it can have the power to run. When buying a phone most of us look at the battery capacity, which states how long the battery will last when fully charged. However, we rarely look at the charging features of the phone charger. One of the technical questions that you are likely to ask with regards to a phone charger is, how many amps does a phone charger use? After all, it is the amps that will end up determining the charging speed of the phone.

In this article, we are going to have an in-depth look at the amps that different phone chargers draw when in the charging process. Additionally, we will look at the different factors that affect the amps that a phone charger uses and how to choose the ideal phone charger based on the amps that it uses.

How many amps does a phone charger draw?

First things first, let’s try to establish the amperes that a phone charger draws when it is in the charging process.

The most accurate answer is there is no fixed amount of amps that a phone charger uses. Instead, the amperes vary from one charger to another. The difference is based on the fact that there are different types of phone chargers and each is designed to draw different amperes.

To help you know the value, the table below illustrates different types of phone chargers and the current that they draw when charging batteries.

Type of phone charger	The Voltage	Amps the charger uses	Wattage of the charger
Standard phone charger	5V	1.0 A	5 Watts
Quick charge 1.0	5V	2.0 A	10 Watts
Quick Charge 2.0	5V/9V/12V	1.67 A/ 2.0A/3A	18 Watts
Quick charge 3.0	3.6V-12V	2.0 A or 3.0 A	Maximum of 36 Watts
Quick charge 4.0	3.3V-20V	3A to 5A	Up to 100 Watts
USB power phone charger	5V/9V/15V/20V	Up to 5A	Up to 100 watts
Super fast charger for Samsung phones	9V/10V/15V/20V	Up to 4.0 A	Up to 45 Watts
Warp Charge used on OnePlus phones	Varies between 5V and 10 V	Maximum of 5 A	Up to 30 Watts
SuperVOOC chargers for Oppo hones	10 Volts	6.5 A	Up to 65 Watts.

As you can see from the table above, there are different types of phone chargers. Each type comes with its unique power specifications and is designed to deliver different levels of charging performance.

So, before you know the amount of amps that your phone charger will use, it will be imperative to identify the exact type of phone charger that is to be used for charging the phone. Once you know the type, you can proceed to define its power specifications. From there, you will be in perfect position to know the amps that it uses.

Also, from the above table, you can see that the amperes that a phone charger drain is directly proportional to the wattage of the phone charger. The higher the wattage, the more the amps the charger uses. For example, a 5W phone charger will draw 1 AMP while a 20W phone charger will draw up to 3 AMP.

Most normal phone chargers in the market do not drain more than 1 amps. This charger value is suitable for most old devices and they will get charged without any risks.

However, in recent years, we have witnessed a massive improvement of phone charging technologies. Fast chargers are now dominating the market and have the capacity to draw 2 amps and more. The good news is most modern devices are able to support the fast-charging capacities of modern devices.

Table of Contents

Summary of the phone charger technical specifications

From the table above, we have mentioned various parameters that affect the amps that a phone charger uses. Here is a summary of what those parameters mean and the impact that they have on the overall operation of a phone charger.

Volts (V): This is the measure of potential difference in an electric circuit. It is the energy per unit that is required to drive current in an electric circuit.
Amps: Well, this is the current that a phone charger draws when it is in operation. Amps are the shot form, of amperes and define the amount of electrons that are flowing through an electric circuit at any given moment and time.
Watts: This refers to the power consumption of the phone charger and is measured in watts (W) and as well as kilowatts (kW). The wattage of a phone charger is obtained by multiplying volts by amps.

What is the impact of the charger amps on a phone’s battery life?

Probably you have heard that fast chargers have a negative impact on the battery life of mobile phones and other related devices. Is this true?

Theoretically, this may be trues as the current flow may be too high such that it can overwhelm the capacity of the battery. However, in reality, modern phone chargers and even batteries have measures and systems to ensure that there is minimal damage to the battery even when using fast chargers. This means that quick chargers do not degrade the battery life and performance.

The construction of the modern phone charging systems and as well as the batteries entail the use of various electronic components that provide some form of protection. Some of these components are embedded in wafers to form integrated circuits while others work independently in the form of discrete semiconductors.

How can I know the amps that my phone chargers use?

We have just outlined the figures and numbers that phone chargers consume when operating. You have bought a charger or you want to buy one. How can you find out the exact number of amps that it will be using when charging the phone?

Well, there are various ways of finding out these numbers. One of the most basic methods sis checking the labels on the phone charger. It is a requirement by the manufacturer to print all the technical features of their electronic products on their components and this may include the expected amps and voltage of the charger. The value that has been indicated by the manufacturer will tell you the amps that the charger will use.

Another easy method is using a USB power meter to measure the amps that a phone charger draws. These meters are compatible with different chargers and you simply need to connect it to the power outlet. It will give you the exact value of the amps that a phone charger draws.

What if you don’t have a meter? There is an easy way of finding out the amps drawn by the charger. You can use a mobile app. There are different smartphone apps that have been designed to measure the amps drawn by a charger when charging a phone. While these apps may not be 100% accurate, they will give you the approximate current that the charger is drawing. Compare the ratings and the reviews of any smartphone app before downloading.

Factors that affect the phone charging speed.

The amps that a phone charger draws have a direct impact on the speed of charging. This refers to how long it takes for the phone charger to charge the battery. We have already mentioned that different types of chargers draw different amounts of amps. This directly implies that one of the key factors is the type of phone charger. You can use a fast phone charger of you don’t want to wait for too long.

Ambient temperatures also have an impact on the charging speed of the phone charger. During hot days, your phone is likely to charge faster than during cold days. This is mainly because high temperatures increase the rate at which charges or electrons move through the charger.

Battery health and even the state of the phone are two other factors that can affect the charging speed. Damage to a phone’s charging port can end up slowing the charging process. This is because it may block some current from reaching the battery. Also, it will take longer to charge damaged batteries. Physical damage is likely to cause leakage of electric current hence slowing down the charging process.

Using the wrong phone charger can also slow down the charging speed. Even though the charger may fit into the charging port, it may not be fully compatible with the phone or even the battery. Confirm if you are using the right type of charger that matches the specifications of your phone.

The source of your power may also have an impact on the charging speed. There is a big difference between charging from a wall socket vs. using a USB charger that is connected to your computer.

Are you an electronic hardware manufacturer and you are building phone chargers? Ensure that you use the right components for the chargers. They will determine the performance of the chargers. Buying from reputable electronic components suppliers and distributors will give you a guarantee of getting the right chargers.