# Why does my phone ruin every charger? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 26, 2015, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-phone-ruin-every-charger/738620 "2015-11-26T12:01:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-phone-ruin-every-charger/738620/1 "2015-11-26T12:01:31Z")
I have a galaxy s5 and every charger is plugged into it has gotten ruined. It starts off saying please "connect to the original charger "after i used it for a few weeks. Sometimes even when it is plugged in to a OEM charger. About a week later, that charger will be ruined and not work at all. I tested one charger after it died, my multimeter said 0 volts when it was plugged in, do its not a driver issue. This has happened to four wall chargers and a couple car chargers. ---
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-phone-ruin-every-charger/738620/2 "2015-11-26T15:05:11Z")
Also, there doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with the battery. When I do get it charged up, it holds a charge as well as the day I bought the phone. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-phone-ruin-every-charger/738620/3 "2015-11-26T22:20:40Z")
FWIW, I’ve had the same problem with the same phone. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2015, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-phone-ruin-every-charger/738620/4 "2015-11-26T23:16:36Z")
> [@boffking](#): > > This has happened to four wall chargers and a couple car chargers. After the second charger I would have replaced the phone. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-phone-ruin-every-charger/738620/5 "2015-11-27T00:30:02Z")
Are you sure it’s not the charger\<-\>phone cable? Has it been the same one all along, perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-phone-ruin-every-charger/738620/6 "2015-11-27T00:46:34Z")
The car chargers were one piece, not the kind where you plug in a usb cable to whatever you are charging. ---
**Author:** ![bomberswarm2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c37758/32.png) [@bomberswarm2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bomberswarm2)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-phone-ruin-every-charger/738620/7 "2015-11-27T03:57:06Z")
well when you bend the end of the charger, its always going to stop working. also use two piece charges also you are lying as there is no message ever telling you to use the oem charger ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-phone-ruin-every-charger/738620/8 "2015-11-27T05:32:10Z")
Mine was kind of funny about cables- some cables would charge it, and others would not. I have great luck with Anker brand chargers- both the car and the wall versions. The Samsung originals work well also. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-phone-ruin-every-charger/738620/9 "2015-11-27T05:43:48Z")
> [@bomberswarm2](#): > > also you are lying as there is no message ever telling you to use the oem charger Yes there is! It’s a Samsung thing. I was using a non-Samsung charger fine and then after an update on my Note 3 it quit working. Two other Samsung chargers still work just fine. Samsung phones can tell when you are not using a Samsung charger. ---
**Author:** ![bomberswarm2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c37758/32.png) [@bomberswarm2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bomberswarm2)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-phone-ruin-every-charger/738620/10 "2015-11-27T08:34:13Z")
> [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > Yes there is! It’s a Samsung thing. > > I was using a non-Samsung charger fine and then after an update on my Note 3 it quit working. Two other Samsung chargers still work just fine. Samsung phones can tell when you are not using a Samsung charger. I’ve been using samsung phones for years. If you actually read the message it would read ‘please connect the charger’ dont tell me whats not on the phone ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 10:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-phone-ruin-every-charger/738620/11 "2015-11-27T10:07:45Z")
I’ve gotten the message with other devices, LG at least, and maybe other brands that i forgot. But nothing was ever broken. The message doesn’t come up every time, more often not and iirc it says simply that it will charge slower. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 10:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-phone-ruin-every-charger/738620/12 "2015-11-27T10:31:31Z")
The galaxy s5 can draw quite a lot of current from a charger, if it thinks the charger is up for it. Since it can draw quite a lot more than the original USB specification every permissted, a cheap or old charger which doesn’t signal correctly, and depends on the s5 to be a good citizen, might burn out. This shouldn’t be a problem with good chargers, but of course there’s no way to tell by looking. Or maybe you’ve just had a lot of lightning recently. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-phone-ruin-every-charger/738620/13 "2015-11-27T13:18:48Z")
> [@bomberswarm2](#): > > well when you bend the end of the charger, its always going to stop working. > > also use two piece charges > > also you are lying as there is no message ever telling you to use the oem charger [From here.](http://thedroidguy.com/2015/11/samsung-galaxy-s5-will-not-charge-1051852) > [@](#): > > S5 Will Not Charge Charger Not Compatible > > Problem: I had a fleeting issue a while back where my non oem (from galaxy s3) car charger gave me an error saying “”cannot charge, charger not compatible, please use charger that came with device”” or something to that effect. Note the answer specifically addresses the warning message. > [@](#): > > Solution: One of the common causes why you will be getting this error message is if the USB cord has been damaged. You may not see it but there may be a wire cut inside the cord. This usually happens when the cord is constantly bent or coiled. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-phone-ruin-every-charger/738620/14 "2015-11-27T14:21:14Z")
**Moderator Note** > [@bomberswarm2](#): > > also you are lying as there is no message ever telling you to use the oem charger Accusations of lying are not permitted in the General Questions forum (or most other forums on the SDMB for that matter). Please do not do this again. ---
**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-phone-ruin-every-charger/738620/15 "2015-11-27T14:36:26Z")
Had the same problem, same phone. Finally took it in for service and they replaced it right away. There’s something in the charger port at the bottom of the phone that breaks or bends or something. It’s not the charger, it’s the phone, and the problem is common–Google it. I know the tech said the work “pin” when he was describing the problem and said it’s very common. Hope that help. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-phone-ruin-every-charger/738620/16 "2015-11-27T14:49:26Z")
> [@bomberswarm2](#): > > also use two piece charges Why? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2015, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-my-phone-ruin-every-charger/738620/17 "2015-11-27T15:56:18Z")
> [@bomberswarm2](#): > > I’ve been using samsung phones for years. If you actually read the message it would read ‘please connect the charger’ > > dont tell me whats not on the phone Plenty of folks [would disagree](https://www.google.com/search?biw=1713&bih=1056&noj=1&hl=en&q=samsung+galaxy+s5+%22charger+not+compatible%22&oq=samsung+galaxy+s5+%22charger+not+compatible%22&gs_l=serp.3..35i39j0i22i30.4119.8581.0.8758.32.25.0.0.0.0.247.2777.0j18j3.21.0..2..0...1.1.64.serp..11.21.2771.hp2MQwuZ9F4). It seems you are mistaken.