A tale of two chargers

 

I was sorting through a rat’s nest of assorted car chargers and syncing cables for my various models of Nuvi's and I managed to sort most of them out and match them to their correct units except for two. They are for my earliest model a Nuvi 260 and its bigger brother a 260W. I have two chargers with two different part numbers and I am not sure which one goes with which unit.
The part numbers are 320-00239-24 and 320-00239-22.
Does it matter which goes with which?

--
Nuvi2797LMT (2) Nuvi260,Ford Sync3 Navigation. Captain Cook was a Yorkshire man too.

260W

My 260W charger is 320-00239-24, 5VDC @ 1A Output.

--
Harley BOOM GTS, Zumo 665, (2) Nuvi 765Ts, 1450LMT, 1350LM & others | 2019 Harley Ultra Limited Shrine - Peace Officer Dark Blue

the -22

The -22 is for the 260 so I would assume the -24 is for the 260W. Both have a 1A output so either would work with either unit.

--
Illiterate? Write for free help.

OK, here is how I do it

I bought a package of white stickers.
When I receive a new anything I write the name of the unit on the sticker then wrap it like a tag around the cord. They are all named and I know just what goes with what. Been doing this for several years and it does help. The newer cords get two stickers, one on the cord and the other on the removable plug...

My son laughs at me because I do have notes and labels on a lot of things. grin

--
Mary, Nuvi 2450, Garmin Viago, Honda Navigation, Nuvi 750 (gave to son)

that's one way

mgarledge wrote:

I bought a package of white stickers.
When I receive a new anything I write the name of the unit on the sticker then wrap it like a tag around the cord. They are all named and I know just what goes with what.

Many chargers are interchangeable. Perhaps the better example would be for the majority of cell phones that have standardized on the micro USB connector. I have several that sit in a drawer unused because the one that worked with my last device plugs right into the new device. The only change to many is the amount of output power so I'll examine the often microscopic FCC label and find the output current. I'll always use the one capable of providing the highest current as it will more than likely charge any device I choose as long as it has the same connector.

Some of the newer "bricks" actually allow you to plug in any USB cable so I can use my cell phone charger to charge my Nuvi or other mini USB connector device by simply swapping cables. My "go to" is one I bought at Best Buy that puts out a whopping 2A maximum. One charger, 2 cables and I'm good to go for almost all my battery powered devices.

--
Illiterate? Write for free help.

.

Box Car wrote:

I'll examine the often microscopic FCC label and find the output current.

Microscopic is right. It's amazing how small they actually print these labels. Many times you definitely do need a magnifier to actually read them.

--
nuvi 760, nuvi 765T, nuvi 855, nuvi 3790LMT, nuvi 3490LMT - SoCal area

I take all cords traveling

Box Car wrote:
mgarledge wrote:

I bought a package of white stickers.
When I receive a new anything I write the name of the unit on the sticker then wrap it like a tag around the cord. They are all named and I know just what goes with what.

Many chargers are interchangeable. Perhaps the better example would be for the majority of cell phones that have standardized on the micro USB connector. I have several that sit in a drawer unused because the one that worked with my last device plugs right into the new device. The only change to many is the amount of output power so I'll examine the often microscopic FCC label and find the output current. I'll always use the one capable of providing the highest current as it will more than likely charge any device I choose as long as it has the same connector.

Some of the newer "bricks" actually allow you to plug in any USB cable so I can use my cell phone charger to charge my Nuvi or other mini USB connector device by simply swapping cables. My "go to" is one I bought at Best Buy that puts out a whopping 2A maximum. One charger, 2 cables and I'm good to go for almost all my battery powered devices.

I take my Nexus 7, smart phone, Nuvi 2450, bluetooth for hearing aids and Samsung camera when I travel. I take the charger for each.
How would I know if each one could use the other?

Edit: Everything has the same size usb plug except the bluetooth.

--
Mary, Nuvi 2450, Garmin Viago, Honda Navigation, Nuvi 750 (gave to son)

Found this

mgarledge wrote:

...
I take my Nexus 7, smart phone, Nuvi 2450, bluetooth for hearing aids and Samsung camera when I travel. I take the charger for each.
How would I know if each one could use the other?

Edit: Everything has the same size usb plug except the bluetooth.

http://www.extremetech.com/computing/115251-how-usb-charging...

and this charger looks good
http://www.amazon.com/Hottips-Phone-Charger-COLOR-BLACK/dp/B...

Super

jgermann wrote:

Found this

http://www.extremetech.com/computing/115251-how-usb-charging-works-or-how-to-avoid-blowing-up-your-smartphone

What a great summary.

here's a sample

mgarledge wrote:
Box Car wrote:
mgarledge wrote:

I bought a package of white stickers.
When I receive a new anything I write the name of the unit on the sticker then wrap it like a tag around the cord. They are all named and I know just what goes with what.

Many chargers are interchangeable. Perhaps the better example would be for the majority of cell phones that have standardized on the micro USB connector. I have several that sit in a drawer unused because the one that worked with my last device plugs right into the new device. The only change to many is the amount of output power so I'll examine the often microscopic FCC label and find the output current. I'll always use the one capable of providing the highest current as it will more than likely charge any device I choose as long as it has the same connector.

Some of the newer "bricks" actually allow you to plug in any USB cable so I can use my cell phone charger to charge my Nuvi or other mini USB connector device by simply swapping cables. My "go to" is one I bought at Best Buy that puts out a whopping 2A maximum. One charger, 2 cables and I'm good to go for almost all my battery powered devices.

I take my Nexus 7, smart phone, Nuvi 2450, bluetooth for hearing aids and Samsung camera when I travel. I take the charger for each.
How would I know if each one could use the other?

Edit: Everything has the same size usb plug except the bluetooth.

Here's a sample of the wall chargers offered through Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_pg_1?rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Ausb+10w...

Some have multiple USB ports that allow more than one device to be plugged into the charger at one time, others a single port. All you need is the wall charger (wall wart) and the USB cable that will go from the charger to the device.

One other thing about the cables though. The super skinny ones will not charge as rapidly as the thicker ones. The thicker cables have larger internal wires allowing more current to flow resulting in a faster charge.

The iXCC ® Dual USB 2.1 Amp seems to charge one device at a time while the New Trent NT90C 10W 5V/2A Dual USB Ports will charge 2 devices. Now, I'm not recommending one over any other, I just picked 2 from the list.

--
Illiterate? Write for free help.

Good idea

I have lots of old chargers laying around and have no idea what they go to. The devices are probably long gone or dead. I used to hang onto them in case I could use them for something in the future. It's hard to match them up sometimes when I need one. I think it's time to clean them all out and label what I have. The label thing is a great idea.

I label stuff too..

robert5733 wrote:

I have lots of old chargers laying around and have no idea what they go to. The devices are probably long gone or dead. I used to hang onto them in case I could use them for something in the future. It's hard to match them up sometimes when I need one. I think it's time to clean them all out and label what I have. The label thing is a great idea.

I use a P-Touch that uses Wire label.. Ver good to use!

--
Bobkz - Garmin Nuvi 3597LMTHD/2455LMT/C530/C580- "Pain Is Fear Leaving The Body - Semper Fidelis"

Good ideas

I use a plastic case with compartments, label a compartment as I get new chargers.

--
nuvi 2597LMT

Thanks for all the links

Now I have to read them. I am sure they will help.
Thanks again, Mary

--
Mary, Nuvi 2450, Garmin Viago, Honda Navigation, Nuvi 750 (gave to son)

Thanks.

Thanks guys, I have now sorted them into large zip lock bags with their respective chargers but I like the idea of a plastic case for a more permanent solution. Can’t bring myself to get rid of the older units so it should make it easier when I take them out for a run and a battery charge.

--
Nuvi2797LMT (2) Nuvi260,Ford Sync3 Navigation. Captain Cook was a Yorkshire man too.

Using the wrong charger can make a difference

I have an HP Touchpad tablet which uses a 2 amp charger. The charger has a resistor between the data terminals so you can only use the HP charger to properly charge the Touchpad. Any other charger will give you an error message on the Touchpad, regardless of the amperage.

I also have a Garmin 1490. I plugged it into the HP charger one night and the next day my 1490 had lost it's ability to connect or charge with the USB port. It would still start and run on the battery (which eventually ran down) but it would no longer charge. It also would no longer connect to the computer.

I used my meter to check the USB port connections and they are all fine so the problem is somewhere in the circuitry of the Garmin. I don't know if the problem was the resistor, too much amperage or something else.

The unit was out of warranty and the cost to send it in for a repair would have been high enough that I decided to just replace the Garmin with a newer, updated unit.

--
Live every day like it's your last. Some day you'll be right - Benny Hill

Sorry To Hear That

rlohnes wrote:

I have an HP Touchpad tablet which uses a 2 amp charger. The charger has a resistor between the data terminals so you can only use the HP charger to properly charge the Touchpad. Any other charger will give you an error message on the Touchpad, regardless of the amperage.

I also have a Garmin 1490. I plugged it into the HP charger one night and the next day my 1490 had lost it's ability to connect or charge with the USB port. It would still start and run on the battery (which eventually ran down) but it would no longer charge. It also would no longer connect to the computer.

I used my meter to check the USB port connections and they are all fine so the problem is somewhere in the circuitry of the Garmin. I don't know if the problem was the resistor, too much amperage or something else.

The unit was out of warranty and the cost to send it in for a repair would have been high enough that I decided to just replace the Garmin with a newer, updated unit.

I use a Garmin OEM wall charger listed at 5VDC and 1 amp. Memmber Box Car has stated he uses a charger rated at 2 amps max without issues.

What is the VOLTAGE output on the HP Tablet charger?
Perhps it exceeds the 5V standard voltage for Garmin Nuvi's.

--
Nuvi 2460LMT 2 Units

NOT all the same...

Not all chargers are the same. I have a nüvi 760. It can play mp3 and aud files (audio books from audible.com). I listen to the audio books while traveling for work. From time to time I get wrapped up enough in a book to want to continue listening at home. I run the audio output from the nüvi through the stereo.

In order to do this I MUST use a Garmin wall charger (or run off the battery but that isn't always the best choice). The Garmin charger allows the unit to function in its normal mode rather than automagically going into mass storage mode like other chargers. The only way to make the unit function as a normal GPS with all functions available is to use the Garmin wall charger. Any other charger or plugging it into a USB port causes it to go into mass storage mode.

--
GPSMAP 76CSx - nüvi 760 - nüvi 200 - GPSMAP 78S

the topic has morphed

thrak wrote:

Not all chargers are the same. I have a nüvi 760. ...

In order to do this I MUST use a Garmin wall charger (or run off the battery but that isn't always the best choice).

While the topic was originally opened regarding two different Garmin lighter adapters it morphed into a discussion regarding AC adapters which wasn't strictly related to their use with Garmin units. However, if all a person wants to do is to charge a unit, then any wall wart will work as long as the output voltage is correct and the cord has the correct connectors.

You are correct when you talk about operating the unit from an AC Adapter in that it has to be a Garmin because of the configuration.

--
Illiterate? Write for free help.

AC chargers.

I have 3 nuvi's and 8 or 10 various USB AC adapters/chargers (none of which are Garmin branded). All of the AC chargers work fine with any of my 3 nuvi's, and they all have the same behavior. When first plugged in, the nuvi boots up in storage mode, showing the connected computer image on the screen. After 15 or 20 seconds, the nuvi will automatically reboot into normal operation mode showing the Where To menu. The nuvi apparently is smart enough to detect that there is no data traffic on the USB data connectors and switches to operation mode.

I suspect a lot of users who want to charge their nuvi and use it at the same time, unplug the nuvi as soon as they see that it boots into storage mode. Leave it plugged in for 1/2 minute or so and see if it reboots into operation mode.

--
Alan - Android Auto, DriveLuxe 51LMT-S, DriveLuxe 50LMTHD, Nuvi 3597LMTHD, Oregon 550T, Nuvi 855, Nuvi 755T, Lowrance Endura Sierra, Bosch Nyon

.

Great tip, Alan. cool

--
nuvi 760, nuvi 765T, nuvi 855, nuvi 3790LMT, nuvi 3490LMT - SoCal area

Careful with multiple outlet chargers

One caveat of chargers with multiple USB outputs is that the advertised rating is not per outlet, but in total. It will deliver 2A if only one thing is plugged into it. Plug two devices into it and they each only get 1A.

Having a smartphone with a larger screen, iPhone and two tablets in the family had me looking for a higher power solution for the car. My Samsung GS3 uses more than 1A while navigating with the screen on. So it very slowly discharges while navigating with the usual 1A auto charger. I bought a 2A auto charger, but if she plugs in her iPhone on a trip, the GS slowly discharges again because it's not getting the full 2A any more.

I ended up finding a 4A auto charger with two outlets and the problem went away. So if you buy a multi outlet charger, pay close attention to the total output rating and divide by the number of devices that you think you might have plugged in at the same time.

Onboard regulator

I must admit that I have never used a wall socket USB adaptor for charging my Nuvis. As I stated in my initial post I usually take them out for a trip to work and back once a month and that seems to keep them topped up. The only other times I have charged them without the car charger is via the USB port on my laptop. I was under the impression that the Nuvi regulated the amount of power required via internal circuitry.

--
Nuvi2797LMT (2) Nuvi260,Ford Sync3 Navigation. Captain Cook was a Yorkshire man too.

The USB Charging Samba...

It's an interesting dance (well, at least to some of us)!

Executive summary:

To be safe, label the cable and the charger that came with your gadget, and use that cable and charger with your gadget.

While many "USB" chargers are available, their performance is all over the map and may not work with your particular device. The same goes for USB cables -- not all are alike.

There are a lot of counterfeit chargers out there, and there are a lot of cheepies that are flat out safety hazards.

Techie details:

The wonderful thing about standards, an old cartoon states, is that there are so (blanking) many of them!

So it is with USB and charging. Early USB standards dictated a voltage range (around +5 Volts) and a maximum current (and those early USB standards were for data transfer devices like mice).

While the voltage is the same, a nominal +5 Volts, current levels, and device signaling have changed/evolved.

Device needs have also evolved, and using USB to charge gadgets is a technological afterthought, albeit a very convenient one. (The first USB Charging spec dates to 2008.)

Simple devices such as mice may only need 50 mA (milli Amps, 0.050 Amps), while a tablet or other large device may need/want over an Amp.

There is one standard where the charger puts different voltage levels on the USB data pins to signal how much current it can deliver. Smart devices are supposed to sense these voltages and respond accordingly, and go to a default charging level when those voltage levels aren't present. But not everyone plays by these standards.

Then there are design/manufacturing issues... I accumulate large numbers of wall warts - chargers, including a lot of 5 Volt USB types.

A few of them put out close to 5 Volts! The (rather loose) USB standard says 5.0 +/- 0.25 Volts. The lowest one I've measured so far was 4.2 Volts, and the highest was 5.6! That's with no load. Both these units were taken to the garage, beaten with a hammer, and placed in the electronics recycling box.

The Voltage output of a charger should remain in spec at its rated charging current. The vast majority if the cheepies do not, with their output voltage is is especially a problem (as noted in another post in this thread) with many of the USB chargers offering multiple connectors; they can't deliver rated current at one, let alone multiple connectors at once.

And then there are USB cables... A cheap cable can introduce enough voltage drop so that the device at the end of that cable is not getting the proper charge voltage. Such cables may work just fine for running a mouse, connecting a camera, or many other uses, just not for delivering a lot of power for charging a device.

Other than the USB cables from one manufacturer (they're white), I can't tell if a cable is going to be useful for supplying a lot of current by just looking at it. I have a test jig I use that puts a known load on the cable and lets me measure the voltage drop. That lets me identify the cables that will work to charge my li-po battery packs, and run Arduino and Raspberry Pi systems that are less tolerant of voltage drops.

Yeah, I know -- too long and too detailed. But USB charging is a mess.

Drop me a note off-list if you actually want more details on this stuff.

--
Nuvi 2460, 680, DATUM Tymserve 2100, Trimble Thunderbolt, Ham radio, Macintosh, Linux, Windows

.

Most excellent post, k6rtm! Thanks! cool

--
nuvi 760, nuvi 765T, nuvi 855, nuvi 3790LMT, nuvi 3490LMT - SoCal area

Not for me

alandb wrote:

I have 3 nuvi's and 8 or 10 various USB AC adapters/chargers (none of which are Garmin branded). All of the AC chargers work fine with any of my 3 nuvi's, and they all have the same behavior. When first plugged in, the nuvi boots up in storage mode, showing the connected computer image on the screen. After 15 or 20 seconds, the nuvi will automatically reboot into normal operation mode showing the Where To menu. ....

I can wait forever, but it doesn't reboot at all in my case.

Interchangable

I was always unsure if the USB chargers could be interchanged. Thanks for the information.

Curious

k6rtm wrote:

It's an interesting dance (well, at least to some of us)!

Executive summary:

To be safe, label the cable and the charger that came with your gadget, and use that cable and charger with your gadget.

While many "USB" chargers are available, their performance is all over the map and may not work with your particular device. The same goes for USB cables -- not all are alike.

There are a lot of counterfeit chargers out there, and there are a lot of cheepies that are flat out safety hazards.

Techie details:

The wonderful thing about standards, an old cartoon states, is that there are so (blanking) many of them!

So it is with USB and charging. Early USB standards dictated a voltage range (around +5 Volts) and a maximum current (and those early USB standards were for data transfer devices like mice).

While the voltage is the same, a nominal +5 Volts, current levels, and device signaling have changed/evolved.

Device needs have also evolved, and using USB to charge gadgets is a technological afterthought, albeit a very convenient one. (The first USB Charging spec dates to 2008.)

Simple devices such as mice may only need 50 mA (milli Amps, 0.050 Amps), while a tablet or other large device may need/want over an Amp.

There is one standard where the charger puts different voltage levels on the USB data pins to signal how much current it can deliver. Smart devices are supposed to sense these voltages and respond accordingly, and go to a default charging level when those voltage levels aren't present. But not everyone plays by these standards.

Then there are design/manufacturing issues... I accumulate large numbers of wall warts - chargers, including a lot of 5 Volt USB types.

A few of them put out close to 5 Volts! The (rather loose) USB standard says 5.0 +/- 0.25 Volts. The lowest one I've measured so far was 4.2 Volts, and the highest was 5.6! That's with no load. Both these units were taken to the garage, beaten with a hammer, and placed in the electronics recycling box.

The Voltage output of a charger should remain in spec at its rated charging current. The vast majority if the cheepies do not, with their output voltage is is especially a problem (as noted in another post in this thread) with many of the USB chargers offering multiple connectors; they can't deliver rated current at one, let alone multiple connectors at once.

And then there are USB cables... A cheap cable can introduce enough voltage drop so that the device at the end of that cable is not getting the proper charge voltage. Such cables may work just fine for running a mouse, connecting a camera, or many other uses, just not for delivering a lot of power for charging a device.

Other than the USB cables from one manufacturer (they're white), I can't tell if a cable is going to be useful for supplying a lot of current by just looking at it. I have a test jig I use that puts a known load on the cable and lets me measure the voltage drop. That lets me identify the cables that will work to charge my li-po battery packs, and run Arduino and Raspberry Pi systems that are less tolerant of voltage drops.

Yeah, I know -- too long and too detailed. But USB charging is a mess.

Drop me a note off-list if you actually want more details on this stuff.

I'm just curious k6rtm, when do you relax? As always you have so much detail I can't imagine the hours you spend figuring out everything you touch. And here again, we all gain from your knowledge.

Thanks,

--
Harley BOOM GTS, Zumo 665, (2) Nuvi 765Ts, 1450LMT, 1350LM & others | 2019 Harley Ultra Limited Shrine - Peace Officer Dark Blue

Relax?

Hey, *this* is what I do to relax!

Not surprisingly, I'm a techno-geek by day, doing battle with hardware, software, pc board vendors, buggy open-source code, data sheets that are mixtures of lies and fairy tales...

I initially wandered by POI Factory (many moons ago) as I had questions on my Garmin boxes, and folks told me this was the place to go for answers. They were right! I got the answers I was looking for, and found a family I could be part of.

One of the other things I do is translate (or try and translate) between geek and human. It ain't always easy. With a lot of modern technologies, underneath an (attempted) simple interface is a whole lot of technology, and too often a technological mess. The adage about not wanting to see how sausage is made comes to mind.

Some things have simple explanations. Some do not. Some things have simple explanations at the very superficial level.

Case in point is USB charging. I should/could have written more succinctly that using USB to charge stuff was very much an afterthought (and that's a polite term). But that abuse has taken off and become entrenched. The "standards" are trying to catch up.

Anyway, if we look at POI Factory as a family (as I do), I'm one of the geeky uncles who sits mostly on the side of the conversation until someone asks, "Uncle Bob, how does this work?" or says something that's silly and wrong, and Uncle Bob tries to get things back on track (appreciated or not).

And this is one of the things I do to relax and have fun! I'm glad some find my occasional rant amusing, entertaining, or even informative.

--
Nuvi 2460, 680, DATUM Tymserve 2100, Trimble Thunderbolt, Ham radio, Macintosh, Linux, Windows

@k6rtm

You are truly gifted with knowledge and we appreciate your sharing with us. Nor will I forget to mention your sense of humor, indeed it is entertaining.

--
Nuvi 2460LMT 2 Units

Pinout information

A lot of information, including the trick to make the GPS runs instead of "connect" can be found at: http://pinoutsguide.com/GPS/garmin_nuvi_power_pinout.shtml

Pinout Info?

I've seen that link before but I MISSED the part that stated " Nuvi requires 1000mA for simultaneous charging + GPS operation [many 'generic' 12VDC-to-USB adapters output a maximum 500mA]

Both generic chargers that I have, THAT DON'T WORK are 500ma. I use a OEM Garmin International wall charger rated at 5V 1Amp and works on any Nuvi and puts it in operational mode.

I'm wondering if the 1Amp statement is a fact or do some members have a .500ma wall charger that does put it in operating mode.

--
Nuvi 2460LMT 2 Units

if they are not labeled you

if they are not labeled you would need to meter them and compare them to the various power requirements

.

muell9k wrote:

I'm wondering if the 1Amp statement is a fact or do some members have a .500ma wall charger that does put it in operating mode.

There's likely no way to know for certain. Some units draw more current than others. My nuvi 750 & 760 operate just fine on a 500mA charger. My 765 on the other hand will refuse to enter navigation mode and will continually power-cycle on it's own when connected to the same charger. The 1A statement is probably just to cover all units since there are likely none that exceed the 1A rating...maybe the nuvi 5000 does though since it's a large, "older technology" unit.

--
nuvi 760, nuvi 765T, nuvi 855, nuvi 3790LMT, nuvi 3490LMT - SoCal area

I'm not so lucky

DorkusNimrod wrote:
muell9k wrote:

I'm wondering if the 1Amp statement is a fact or do some members have a .500ma wall charger that does put it in operating mode.

There's likely no way to know for certain. Some units draw more current than others. My nuvi 750 & 760 operate just fine on a 500mA charger. My 765 on the other hand will refuse to enter navigation mode and will continually power-cycle on it's own when connected to the same charger. The 1A statement is probably just to cover all units since there are likely none that exceed the 1A rating...maybe the nuvi 500 does though since it's a large, "older technology" unit.

Interesting that your 750, 760 will work with the .500ma charge. My 660 (old with USB 1), 765 (newer), and my 2460 (newest) never worked using the two .500ma chargers I have.

--
Nuvi 2460LMT 2 Units

If you are looking for a USB charger with higher amperage

If you are looking for a USB charger with higher amperage capability, Amazon currently is selling the New Trent USB Dual charger in a twin-pack for $14.95 minus $5.95 if you enter the promo code TWINPLUS, which yields a net price of $9.00, or $4.50 each.

This dual charger is stated to deliver 2.1 amps per USB plug, for a total of 4.2 amps, and 2.1 amps per device should service everything except the biggest tablets. I have not used one of these personally, but they have a very, very high user rating on Amazon and a lot of users, so I placed an order myself yesterday for one of these twin-packs.

- Tom -

--
XXL540, GO LIVE 1535, GO 620

USB in the wall outlet

All this talk about charging from a USB adapter has got me thinking. I have seen replacement wall outlets that have dual USB sockets also; they are promoted as good for recharging cell phones and tablets but are they OK for a GPS.

--
Nuvi2797LMT (2) Nuvi260,Ford Sync3 Navigation. Captain Cook was a Yorkshire man too.

Look

Just look at the power ratings label. If they are rated for 1 Amp, (1000ma) or more they can be used. If they are more, your GPS will self regulate on how much power it pulls.

--
Frank DriveSmart55 37.322760, -79.511267

I have a wicker baskit full

just grab one that fits, sometimes check manuf labels, all works so far, lol

GPS and cell phone

bpaine wrote:

All this talk about charging from a USB adapter has got me thinking. I have seen replacement wall outlets that have dual USB sockets also; they are promoted as good for recharging cell phones and tablets but are they OK for a GPS.

Granted my cell phone is an older (read 'free') style slider, it charges happily with that wall installed twin USB port from Pass & Seymour (Lowes) at the same time as my nuvi 500. The box states "Class 2; 5VDC 2.1A". The paperwork inside states the same. 2.1A is the total current, not per port. I haven't tried 2 iGadgets simultaneously yet. I don't own any. wink

--
Striving to make the NYC Metro area project the best.