I did a search, but found no info using "USB charge" as search parameters. Is the USB port on the SYNC system capable of charging an iPhone 4/4s? If so, any other pertinent information would be appreciated.

 

yes it should....the radio needs to be on for the power to be supplied via the usb port....

 

You sure about the radio? I thought the key had to be on. Pretty sure I charge my BB with just the key on. I'll have to check.

 

When your I phone is plugged into the USB on the truck (for sure when listening to music off of your phone) your phone will be charging. Works like a charm.

 

It only charges when the key is on. It won't charge with the key off like the cig lighter will. Thats a drag.

 

I bought a small 120V converter that can be plugged into the accy socket that never loses power to charge all my electronics up.

Amazon sells them for around 20-30$ and the best part is, is that you never have to buy a seperate car charger for any of your electrical devices, again!!

I just use the wall charger that comes with every electronic device.

Works on laptops, cellphones, iPads, electric razors, vibrators, anything that plugs into a wall socket as long as it doesn't draw too much power.

I charge my Segway with it also.

Well worth the investment.

I carry one on my Harley when I go motorcycle camping too, for all the reasons listed above.
(I skip the vibrator, tho)

 

I added a USB port and wired it to the cig port so it has power all the time. I'm also installing a inverter and it has a USB port, but I'm wanting it for the 120v plug.

 

They make 12v plugs that plug into a cigarette lighter that has 2 USB ports on them. You can find them @ walmart in the battery sections near the registers that sell AA and such. I think Rayovac makes them.

 

I use these. That way when I rent a car or use another vehicle the tiny 12v>USB converter goes with me. Take careful note when purchasing these, try to get the ones that supply higher amperage. For instance, mine are the Belkin model that supplies 1 Amp. Some others only supply .5 Amp or .8 Amp. Then the charging takes much longer. The ones I've seen with 2 USB ports have a 1 Amp and a 2.1 Amp, nothing less...like anything else, be sure you know what you are buying.

I noticed that when I was streaming music via Bluetooth and had voice GPS...my phone never charged up at .5 Amp...it was about the same as when I started driving 90 minutes earlier, so I got the 1 Amp plug instead. Also, the USB port in our trucks isn't 1 Amp...I didn't put a multimeter to it, but I bet it's no more than .5 Amp.

Example:
iPhone chargers are 1 Amp
iPad chargers are 2 Amp

I would like to get another 120v inverter with a USB port then hardwire it into my truck. I've had good success with these too.

 

I found this thread with a search engine because I'm having a weird problem. The Sync USB port will charge my wife's dumb candybar phone, but not my iPhone 4S. The iPhone doesn't even put up the "charging" graphic indicating that something is TRYING to charge it. The port will play the music on my iPhone just fine. It's not the cable, because I've tried two different cables, both of which work fine to charge the iPhone from a computer USB port or a wall-outlet USB charger. But it doesn't look like anyone else is seeing this problem, so I give up. I can and will buy a cigarette-lighter adapter at Monoprice for $1.50 to do the job, but I can't understand why I can't use the otherwise perfectly good Sync port that comes with the truck.

 

Looks like I was wrong. The problem WAS the cable -- in fact, every one of the cheap Chinese cables I had bought at 99¢ each to spread around where I would be likely to need one (like in the truck). The cables aren't BAD -- they work fine to charge the iPhone from a transformer or computer USB, they work fine for backup/sync/disk access from a computer, and they work fine for playing tunes on the truck's sound system -- but they won't charge an iPhone from the Sync port.

Today I hooked my iPhone to the Sync port with the genuine Apple cable that came with the phone. It went to charging mode immediately. It also immediately suggested I download the free app for Microsoft Sync ports, which I did.

The conclusion can't be avoided that the genuine Apple cable must contain some extra conductors that the third-party cables don't, and the Sync port needs them for proper operation. My suggestion to anyone who is having the same problem is to try a genuine Apple cable and see if that solves it.

 

I've had similar problems with aftermarket iPhone cables, the genuine product seems to fix the issues.
Chumgrinder, What/where is the free iPhone app for Microsoft Sync? I can't seem to locate it through the App Store.
James

 

Sorry -- I didn't see this update until today. The name of the app I was urged to download is Sync Destinations.

 

If I charge my iPhone thru the Sync USB port while the engine's off and the key's out, will it affect the truck battery?
(Is there a better way to charge my iPhone in the truck?)
Thanks!