Razr R3 - USB Charge

Mea cuplpa for my misspellings!

The only USB cord that I am aware of for this phone that is made by Motorola is called the Mini-USB cord that connects the phone to a USB port on the computer.

The software packet that is designed to connect the phone to a PC includes this "mini-USB cord," but with the software, allows you to back up the contacts (but not the ring tones) from your phone. You can input audio to your PC, and change the music to ringtones which you can input the the phone. This packet costs more than the min-USB cable alone, of course.

Motorola makes a STand-alone charger, and a dual desk charger that charges the phone and a battery as the same time. Connecting the phone to the PC via the mini-USB cord also charges the battery in the phone, but I understand, at a slower rate that other devices that connect a V3 battery directly to an electrical outlet.

I returned my less-than-one month old V3 to Cellular Choices today as the charger that came with the phone failed to charge batteries. The replacement phone kit lacked the Bluetooth earpiece and charger that was part of the kit I paid for, and Cellular Choices seems to have a very bad reputation, based in some measure on buyer perception of their ham-handed ways and veiled threats. Want an example?

Snooper 2

Help please! I used the regular(Digi Camera, etc)USB cable to connect my new V3 to the PC. The PC's(either XP or ME) recognized the phone but could not find the driver which obviously I have to purchase. But still the battery is not being charged. Do I need to buy the Moto software and install the driver before I can charge from USB port? Or I need a special USB cable from Moto? Thanks.

The V3 Phone kit comes with an electrical cable that plugs into an electrical outlet and to the side slot on the lower left side of the phone. Motorola make a proprietary cable that it calls a "mini USB" cable that plugs into that same slot on the phone, and thence to a standard USB port of a PC. You can purchase the Mini cable with a software CD from Motorola and I recommend this. It's a nice package.
I don't know what cable you are using. A phone guru told me that sometime the pins of the phone connection port or that respective end of the "mini-USB cable" get bent and this frustrates the connection. Also, web traffic notes a charging/battery issue with the V3 phone. Motorola says that charging is faster using the electrical cable of the phone kit than the mini USB cable (because when you are using the mini USB cable, connected to a PC, you are engaged in other applications.) Similarly, you can use your phone while connected to an electrical outlet, but while using the phone, battery charging is slowed. Motorola also makes other battery chargers (single, dual) and a spare battery is always a good idea. CAUTION: It is probably better to use products that are manufactured by Motorola than cheesy faux Motorola products that are counterfeits made in some 3rd World country under conditions of dubiety.

snooper2

Thanks. I'll get that software/cable package.

I forgot to add -- and I apologize -- that if you use the Motorola proprietary "mini-USB" cable and software to charge your phone (this is slower than using the travel charger that is plugged into an electrical outlet)your MUST have the phone turned on.

Now some may not think of this. Say you connected your phone to your PC using the mini-USB cable, and you were transferring data or perhaps ring tones from you PC to your phone. (Recall that ring tones cannot be transferred from phone to PC, at least not with the Motorola software.)

So when you're finished, you turn off the phone and leave it connected to the computer with the monitor shut off or a screen saver operating.

When the phone is turned off, even though connected to the PC that is "ON," there is no charging of the battery. To charge the battery when connected to the PC, the phone MUST be turned on.

Sorry I didn't mention that before.

I just purchased two spare batteries and a stand-alone charger, even though the V3 had a minumum stand time (when there is not excessive phone use) of at least 7 and 1/2 days. Not bad for that small battery.

Also, while I initially thought I had trouble with Inphonics/Cellular Choices, they have come good, been courteous and helpful, and I have no complaints. The problem with the phone was not theirs (they didn't manufacture the phone and glitches do happen.)

In July 2006 I will file for my $200.00 in due rebates. THAT will be the final test.

Merry Christmas//Snooper2

You know, I had exactly the same problem. I'm a little irritated about it too.

I have several USB devices with batteries, including an iPod shuffle, a Palm Pilot, and a DVD-ROM for my laptop, all that use the USB port to power and charge the batteries. They all use the 5.0V power from the USB to charge and power the device. Thus I also have a couple stand-alone chargers so I can charge them (including a 110V/220V AC charger and an auto charger, both that convert to the 5.0V charge in a standard USB port). Then I just plug them in, and I can charge them without firing up my computer. It's real slick. Plus, the same charger works with multiple devices, so I only have to carry one.

So I had assumed I could use them to charge the RAZR. In fact, many of these third party accessories claim to do the same thing, as they thought the same. In fact, you can use them with all the above devices. Except the RAZR.

Thing is, I can't understand why the RAZR would know any different. The charger that comes with it is 5.0V DC, just like the USB port. In fact, I can even use the RAZR charger to charge my DVD-ROM. (The others use have a different plug so I can't physically charge them without some B-A/female adapter that no one makes.)

Here I thought, finally, a cell phone that uses a standard charger, and not everyone had to be different so they could charge you 1000% over cost for their proprietary cables, and have a million cables, one for each device.

Sadly, Motorola disappointed.

And the idea that because it's a third-party that's it's not up to quality is bump-kiss. As long as they meet the specifications, they're as golden as OEM. It's Motorola that isn't following the standard.

When I initially posted the question of charging I was disappointed with Motorola. Since, I have bought Phone Tools and charging via USB is solved. Additionally, snycronization of contacts and calendar works very well with Phone Tools. The V3 is somewhat short of the capabilities of the Samsung i600 smartphone that I used previously but with Phone Tools it's capabilities are near that of the smartphone and the size of the phone makes up for the difference.

Phone Tools is essential but any old mini-USB cable works fine. Add the Jabra BT-500 headset to the package and it's pretty nice.

Yeah I found out if I loaded the Phone Tools as well, it would charge, but you still can't use a stand-alone phone charger. At least I can charge it using my computer instead of lugging a separate charger, although it's klugey.

Personally I'm a fan of the Plantronics Voyager 510.

my razr usb cable is skn6371c
and i have installed Motorola phone tools 3.25
but tis still not cahrging via USB. is it my usb cable?

You have to install the USB RAZR drivers in order for it to start charging. Details are previous in the thread.

Not sure anyone had supplied these info before. Here are other ways to charge using USB 5Volts for the Motorola RAZR V3.

This phone uses the miniUSB port to charge but has some proprietary pinouts. There are 5 pins inside the miniUSB labeled as PIN1, PIN2, PIN3, PINX and PIN4. This PINX is used by Motorola V3 to detect the device connected to it.

Details can be found here:
http://pinouts.ru/CellularPhones-A-N/razrv3_charger_pinout.shtml

The above web page supplied two modes - one is handsfree (shorting PIN2, PIN3, PINX), but this causes the LCD to light up without timeout so most current will go wasted and less current (if at all) goes to charging battery. The other is the one you are interested which is shorting PIN2, PINX and then connect these two via 200kOhm to the GND. Diagram below will be clearer as the description in the above web page can be ambiguous.

http://krhainos.tk/motoplug.jpg

Of course it is difficult to do all these unless you have soldering iron and some special tools - the miniUSB is really small. Alternatively, you can just buy this charging cable from McKal for about US$8.00.

Then what you need to do is just to plug the USB to your computer on one end and the miniUSB to your RAZR V3 and it will start charging.

Brgds.

Unlike the older phones like the V360, the Razr uses the USB port for its headset as well as charging. It has to be told whether a cable connected to it is for charging or for a headset. The charger cable shorts the data pins, I think, to pin X, the pin between pins 3 and 4. If Mobile Phone Tools software is running on the computer and the phone is turned on, the software can tell the phone that it should be charging even if the pins are not shorted. If the phone isn't told it's charging, it assumes that the cable is connected to a headset.

Hi there

Well 200Kohms is a high resistance. So I just tested this and it worked.

1 - Apply a small amount of spit (or water) to your finger
2 - wipe it lightly over the end of the usb cable that plugs into the phone
3 - Plug in slowly until the backlight comes on and it says it's charging. Might take a few goes, and will soon stop when the spit dries out.

Warning - repeated use of this technique will eventually damage the phone's connector due to electrolysis.

You should then get enough charge in to be able to connect it and use the software to charge it from the computer

I've been trying to charge my phone with my computer for an hour now. After I read your post I tried your suggestion. It worked! Thanks.

...if the battery is dead, how do you turn on the phone so that the battery can be charged? I think there may be a Catch 22 here!

....was started in 2005 and time to close it once and for all. If anyone has any further questions, start a new thread.

Charging the battery of a Motorola Razr V3 cell phone is slowest when using the Motorola "Mini-USB" cable as the phone (a) must be turned ON and (b)attached to a USB port on the Computer...which also must be turned on. If the phone is not ON, the battery in the phone will not charge. This is a bit bothersome.

Charging the battery using the travel charger requires the phone be connected to an electrical outlet. The phone need NOT be ON while charging.

Fastest of all is the Stand alone charger/Power Supply, model # SSW-0855, otherwise identified on the web as CHPN46139. I just got mine today and I had previously purchased two spare batteries. Brand new, they are supposed to be charged 24 hours. This charger charged each in about 2 hours apiece. There are no wires on this item. A battery slips into a custom slot, the tines of the battery fold out, you plug it in, and voila! The green light blinks during the charge, and is steady when the charge is full. This charger is supposed to NOT overcharge, ever.

My charger cost $29.99 + shipping and it works fast and great. I got mine from PortablePort.com

Sorry folks. The tines are on the battery charger, not the battery. It's tough when the two-fingered typing is faster than the brain.

Mea culpa!

Snooper2

Technically, the speed of the charging shouldn't be any slower or faster using the USB cable versus the stand-alone charger... they both output 5.0VDC, or at least as does my charger that came with it. Of course, third party or after-market accessories may be different, but at least the USB cable shouldn't be any different than the charger that comes with the phone.

Motorola -- not just me -- says its charging with the Mini-USB cable connected to a PC is slower than with the travel charger that comes with the Razr V3 phone kit. And the phone (and of course, the PC) must be turned on. I didn't make that up. It's what Motorola said.

And when I first-time charged my Razr V3 with the battery that came with it, the Motorola instructions said to charge it for 24 hours. I did.

However, I did observe (because of the green & red lights on the stand alone charger) charged each of my two new V3 batteries -- the ones Motorola says to charge for 24 hours with the travel charger when brand new -- in about two hours, each. I didn't make THAT up,either, I just timed and observed it.

Not a problem. I didn't mean to accuse you lying, just pointing out that it didn't make any sense to me. Both simply deliver a voltage, and as far as I knew, the same voltage, at least with the charger that comes with it. The phone has no idea if the power is coming from a USB port, auto charger or wall charger (nor should it care), and if it's the same voltage, it shouldn't be any faster or slower.

Also, charging time will always be faster with the phone off, regardless of the source.

After-market accessories may deliver a different voltage, and therefore their charging time may vary.

I think the same voltage doesn't necessarily means that the charging time will be the same. It is the amount of current that matters in this case. Proper USB spec states that each port can delivery 500mA of current, and I believe this number is less than that of the Wall charger. Thus charge time will be longer via the USB port.

No, charging via Mini-USB cable does not have to have the phone turned on, just the computer/power sourced.

When using moto tools how do you transfer apps?

I had the same issue, and did not want to spring for the free tools. There are some great free drivers out there that work. I posted a how-to on my site, so that it is easy for everyone.

http://www.somelifeblog.com/2007/01/motorola-razr-v3-how-to-charge-and.html

<a href="http://www.somelifeblog.com/2007/01/motorola-razr-v3-how-to-charge-and.html">Motorola USB Charge</a>

I also had the charging problem with my Motorola Razr V3. Once the Razr battery went completely dead, I couldn't charge it via the USB cable off the PC. First the keypad would flash blue for 2 seconds but not power up. Then not even the keypad would light. To solve this, I removed the battery from the phone. It is labeled as a BR50. There are 4 gold contacts. Using a multimeter, I measured across the two outside pins (labeled + and - ) and saw 2.6 volts. The BR50 label says it is a 3.7 volt lithium ion battery.

Knowing that the USB port puts out 5V, I put 3 AA (1.2v) NiMH cells in series, and connected the resulting 3.6 volts to the battery's + and - contacts (positive to positive, negative to negative). After about 30 seconds of charging, I put the BR50 back into the phone and had keypad lights again, but not enough power to boot up the phone. Another 30 seconds connected to my improvised charger put enough into the BR50 that when I put it back into the phone it was able to boot and started to charge from the USB immediately.

Once you line up the three AA cells all facing the same way, be sure that you connect the free positive end of the first AA battery to the + terminal on the BR50 and the free negative end of third AA battery to the - terminal of the BR50 using some copper wire. Make sure the polarity is correct! If you aren't sure, get some help from someone who is. Don't charge the BR50 for more than 30-60 seconds at a time from the AA batteries, and stop charging it immediately if you notice it getting warmer.

You might have to repeat the charge process a few extra times depending on how dead the BR50 is, but I don't suggest doing it more than 5 or 6 times (3 or 4 min total). If that hasn't made any difference, there may be something else wrong.

Cheers
Dan

Thank god for Dmitriy. I had to read through that entire thread before he pointed out that I could find a driver on the internet (hopefully free) that will charge my phone through the USB.

Second, I'm sorry to point out that snooper2's posts need some clarifying and the answer is not in purchasing more from Motorola. Your "solution" in post 13 to "Spring for the Motorola software and it should work fine" is totally bunk. Why should we have to "spring" for more software just to charge a phone that we paid a lot of money for? Also, the mini-USB is not proprietory (as you state in post 3). If any ole USB cord (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Serial_Bus) can plug into the phone, it should be able to charge it.

Now I'm off to find that driver. Oh, and does anyone know how to get those white specks of dust off of the inside of the screen?