Battery charger question

What About Bob · Mar 10, 2025

This question is in regard to a charger that will charge batteries for an older digital camera that was given to me some time ago: a Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-H3.

Last year I bought a dual battery charger and it came with a type-c cord but no wall adapter. There is also an input for a micro-usb cord but none came with the charger, only the type-c. The wall block adapters that I do have are rated at 5 volts, which is the same input for the charger but the amperage recommended for the charger is 2-3 amperes at 5 volts (15 watts), my wall blocks are rated at only 1 ampere. I looked around for answers and experiences on this differs. Some say that using the lower amperage wall block would be fine to use for the charger but that charging would be slowed down while others say that the wall block might overheat and might damage the charger. I have come across the heat issue when charging an electric coffee grinder; where my wall block adapter would get really hot. I would unplug it and wait until plugging it back in. That grinder didn't come with any wall adapter plug.

I would prefer to use the wall outlet for the charger and not my computer's supply. While I have never had a problem with charging little devices like certain voice recorders through the computer I am not so sure about an actual charging unit. I say this because some years ago I tried charging a mini bike cam and the device smoked up at the port. Good thing I caught it. There may have been something else going on with that bike unit but that memory is still lingering in my mind.

Thanks for any information anyone might have.

BradS · Mar 10, 2025

Use what you have. It may be slower but will be fine. The power supply may indeed get hot or it may not. Either way, it's not really a big deal.
With USB-C, one needs to pay attention to the cable specs as well as the power supply specs.
Just try it and see...it will be fine but may take a while.

Chan Tran · Mar 10, 2025

You better get a wall adapter that is capable of the current. Some charger and wall adapter combination can communicate with each other so the charger knows the current limit and not drawing too much current. In this case the charging is slower but no harm done. If they can't communicate with each other the charger may try to draw more current than the wall adapter can supply. In this case 1 of 2 things happens. 1. The wall adapter would drop the voltage to limit the current in this case it wouldn't charge well. 2. The wall charger let the current goes over its limit and gets very hot and could cause damage. When they sell the charger alone with the UBS-C port then it's likely that it can communicate with a USB-C PD wall adapter but you need to get one with this capability.

What About Bob · Mar 10, 2025

@BradS: The USB-C cord doesn't have anything printed on it. It appears that a lot of electronics do not come with any wall adapters.

@Chan Tran: I went to maker's site and didn't notice any wall adapters for this product. My guess would be to get any wall bock adapter that is at most 3 amperes and at 5 volts. Amazon here I come.

Thanks guys

I included images of the charger

Chan Tran · Mar 10, 2025

It's the EU common charger directive that requires a lot of devices that the wall adapter must be sold as option. The rule only in the EU but manufacturers would do it for products worldwide instead of making different products just for the EU.

BradS · Mar 10, 2025

Yes, the best thing to do is to get a USB-C power supply that is capable of delivering 5v @ 3A. This 20W Amazon basics USB-C power supply would be very good choice...

https://a.co/d/7Vg4vkq

I have one and use it for my iPhone, cameras and those 3rd party battery chargers. Anker and Belkin also make quality products.

BradS · Mar 10, 2025

...and while you're at it, you might want to pick up some decent USB-C charging cables like these...

https://a.co/d/7oM36W5

What About Bob · Mar 10, 2025

@Chan Tran: Thanks for the deets regarding the directive. I will admit I am fuzzy when it comes to tech stuff.

@BradS: Will be placing orders. Thanks!

What About Bob · Mar 13, 2025

I just got the Amazon wall plug and cables from Amazon. The Amazon plug doesn't work with the battery charger but it works perfectly with the coffee grinder. The battery charger will operate when using the 1 amp phone blocks that I have. They heat up kind of fast so I have to disconnect and switch them out, off-and-on. The battery charger will not even turn on and neither will one of my voice recorders for charging the internal battery when using the Amazon plug. Scratching head here.

I will keep this plug and the cables. It's a nice solid plug and it remains much cooler. I'm guessing that there are certain devices that may not work with these plugs?

BradS · Mar 13, 2025

That doesn't seem right. The one I have works with everything I've plugged into it. Including a third party dual battery charger thingy like you have - the one I have is by "Enegon" but it too has USB-C and micro-USB inputs. It works fine with either one.
Which cable are you using? and What do you mean by "the battery charger will not even turn on" ? Are you sure the cable is seated all the way on both ends?

What About Bob · Mar 13, 2025

I ordered the one from the above link. I bought the 3.3 feet version

The battery charger doesn't turn on to charge the batteries. The panel LEDs do not turn on to indicate the unit is powering. The cable is seating in all the way.

What About Bob · Mar 13, 2025

Just tested out the plug and cord with an Andoer IR array light panel. Works perfectly.

Bushcat · Mar 14, 2025

What About Bob said:
I'm guessing that there are certain devices that may not work with these plugs?

It's quite rare now, but there are some stunningly dumb devices (like battery chargers, coincidentally) that don't work with some implementations of PD (which the Amazon adapter has), because they were designed for an era when they used a resistor either internally or in their "special" charging cable to tell the upstream device how much current they would like (hello Apple), and for some reason the PD feature in the adapter fails to default to 5V.

I see your Kastar doesn't monitor the battery temperature, so it probably doesn't make 800mA available to a battery anyway. If you got the set with Kastar batteries, I bet the T terminal on them is a dummy, too.

What About Bob · Mar 14, 2025

Bushcat said:
I see your Kastar doesn't monitor the battery temperature, so it probably doesn't make 800mA available to a battery anyway. If you got the set with Kastar batteries, I bet the T terminal on them is a dummy, too.

Thanks for the information, Bushcat. Yes these came with the Kastar batteries. I did get them charged last night. Now to see how long they will last with this camera.

What About Bob · Mar 16, 2025

This Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-H3 is pretty neat. Not bad for an older camera and it fits nicely in the pocket. I do enjoy having something compact to take along for the ride. I just used about 1/3rd of a 1GB memory stick, 121 images so far, and still have room for about maybe 250 more, in high quality mode. I remember ordering a memory stick from eBay some time ago.

Currently I am using it to document some issues in town. A bunch of people, including a few city councilors, are getting tired of some stuff that is going on here. As of recent I have been harping on about how boring things are going in my life. Well from the looks of things I am thinking that might be changing very soon, lol.

Battery charger question

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