What To Look For In A Used Mobile Phone Charger?

Chargers can have electrical and mechanical faults. Here is how I examine them without any tools or meters.

I split the evaluation into examination of electrical and physical attributes.

The Physical

• Is the end that plugs into the phone present? I'm amazed at how many used chargers are totally missing the charging end.
  
• Is the end straight? This is the most common malady of this charger - the bent tip. If it is bent then move on to another unit. All it will do is wallow out your charging port on your device and then a decent charger won't work well.
  
• Examine the lead between the wall wart and the charging end for kinks, missing insulation, signs of stress such as obvious thinning of the lead or an area where the insulation looks lighter in color than the rest of the lead. If the lead is smooth when you run it through your fingers with no obvious problems then this is good. Pay careful attention to where the lead exits the body of the charger and where it enters the barrel of the charging tip. These are the usual high stress areas of the charger.
  
• Does it stay plugged into the wall receptacle? This is a key point. If it is loose or droops, move on and look for another unit.
  
• Does it stay plugged into the phone? I do what I call the "dangle test". I plug the charger into the phone and then lift the phone by the charger's lead. If the phone stays attached that's a good sign. I also check to see in the charge indicator on the phone shows a continuous charge under these circumstances. If it does then that's a point in its favor.

The Electrical

• Does the charger give off any noise, smoke or smell hot? If it does move on to something else. Is there any sign of arcing on the wall prongs or the charging tip? If so, move on!
  
• When you are doing the dangle test above if the device shows an inconsistent charge then you probably have a lead that is getting ready to stop carrying power to your phone. Move on!
  
• If you have a meter handy check the output. The values are printed on the charger. Hopefully the values you see with your meter are close. If they are too high or too low, move on!

Checking a charger in person can take a few minutes. Buying one from a seller on eBay requires trust. Ask the seller if they have done any testing of their chargers. Ask what percentage they reject and for what reasons. If they "never met a charger they didn't like" then maybe you should pass on them. Make sure there is a return policy.

These remarks apply specifically to the Nokia AC-3U but apply in general to all barrel ended chargers. In many respects they apply to all chargers. It pays to take a minute or two to ensure you aren't going out in three weeks and looking for yet another charger. They can be up to $25.00 in the stores and if you end up needing one "right now" you'll pay it and not like it.