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The frog flashes blue. How does frog charging work? "Frog" - the best option for a backup energy source

03.11.2023

A battery charging frog is a fairly common device today that can easily be used to charge a wide variety of items. It will be useful both at home as a spare charger and in the car on a long trip. It can charge a variety of batteries, including cell phone batteries.

Despite its widespread use, not everyone knows how to use a frog charger. From this, as well as from the quality of the frog itself, the manufacturer, its functionality depends. There are situations when ignorance of the simplest rules for operating the device leads to the fact that it is not even possible to recharge the battery of a regular phone.

The Frog is a simple and extremely easy-to-use charger that must be plugged into a 220-volt outlet. This covers a wide range of applications of the device.

general information

Before you understand how to use the charger, it is important to know what devices it is suitable for. These include:

any batteries from mobile phones;
lithium batteries from cameras;
from CCP;
similar batteries from other small equipment.

Visually, the frog looks very simple. This is a kind of box, on one side of which there is a plug for the socket, and on the other - a special clamp that will provide contact. To recharge the battery you only need to follow a few simple steps.

One of the advantages of the frog, in addition to its versatility and ease of use, is that the battery is very convenient to insert into the charger. The frog is designed in such a way that almost any battery can be recharged. This is ensured by contact terminals that can be moved in different directions.

Device capabilities

There are a variety of universal type chargers. They all differ in manufacturer, configuration and cost.

The standard charger kit includes several items:

adapter for connecting a frog;
the frog itself;
AC power supply with special USB output;
adapters for mobile phones;
wire from the frog to the USB port.

Among the capabilities of the frog, there are several main functions, among which, of course, the main one is charging batteries and accumulators.

The main features of a standard frog (what it can charge):

charging Li-Ion battery, the voltage of which in operating mode is 3.7V;
charge cell phone batteries, which are capable of receiving energy from the USB ports of personal computers that have a special 5V converter;
have the ability to recharge themselves, either through a special adapter or via a network.

It is noteworthy that charging can be carried out in several ways simultaneously. Thus, the external battery can receive energy while the internal battery is being charged. As a rule, the mains adapter of a standard frog-type charger is small.

Its contacts are removed, and you can thus easily carry it with you at all times. If we talk about the size of such a charge, it can even be compared with a car alarm key fob.

The structure of a frog

To use the charger more productively, you need to know something about its structure. So, there are basic symbols that it is advisable to familiarize yourself with before using the frog.

The letters TE usually indicate how correctly the charging is connected. CON indicates correct connection battery to the item.

Thus, if, when you connect the charger, the words CON and TE light up, everything is done correctly and the battery can begin to be charged.

When the battery is charged, the PW sign should light up. While the frog is charging the battery, the CH sign should flash. A lit FUL sign indicates that the battery is fully charged.

There are situations when not everything is done correctly. In this case, knowledge of the device will also help. If CO is on, a polarity change has occurred. Or you could simply confuse the minus sign with the plus sign.

Instructions

For any manipulation of a frog, certain actions must be performed. To charge correctly, it is important to follow a number of rules. They include several steps:

After all the steps have been completed, it is important to monitor the indicators. One should be green, and the second, red, should blink. This will ensure that the battery is charging successfully.

After approximately a few hours (2-3) the battery should be charged. Changing the colors of the light bulbs will help you verify this. So, the red light will disappear and will be replaced by green. You will see two green lights. The battery is ready for use.

It happens that the battery that needs to be recharged is faulty. The following facts may indicate this:

The time it takes to recharge a particular battery depends on the battery capacity. Typically, the average time is from 2 to 5 hours. Using frogs is very simple and convenient. And the cost of the device is low. Charging batteries is quick and easy, as is using the charger.

Video: How to charge the battery without a phone

Batteries with more than two contacts can be charged using the device described, but to do this you will need to disassemble the battery and connect the charger to it, bypassing the controller.

Following from all of the above, you can understand that the “Frog” is a universal charger, very useful in case of breakdown of other power sources, small batteries, as well as the inability to charge gadgets in the usual way, which happens quite often. At the moment, manufacturers offer all new devices equipped with a USB port and an LCD display, which greatly simplifies their use.

Advantages of the device:

Availability of a USB port that allows you to charge most devices.
Easy to use.
Versatility.

Flaws:

With frequent use, relative fragility.
Long process of charging high-capacity batteries.

"Frog" - the best option for a backup energy source

Despite a few shortcomings, the “Frog” is a charger, the price of which is very varied (from 60 to 650 rubles), it is quite a useful thing in the household, if only because it is able to literally revive the batteries of phones and cameras that are not showing signs of life . But it should be borne in mind that this device should be used as needed. Charging too frequently using the Frog can lead to rapid depletion of the battery and, accordingly, its failure. It's paradoxical, but it's true.

Despite the fact that these chargers are mostly made in China, you should not neglect such products. On the modern market you can find universal and unique auxiliary devices that can significantly make our lives easier and give a second chance to parts that would otherwise certainly end up in the trash. Therefore, it makes sense to have at least some idea of how to use the Frog device for regular recharging of a telephone battery.

Modern technology amazes and impresses with its diversity. For example, there are many types of devices for charging various devices. In our article we will talk about such chargers, which are colloquially called “frogs”. The frog is very simple and easy to use. It plugs into a regular outlet at 220 volts.

The frog is a universal charger that fits all batteries of any mobile phones. The frog is also good for other lithium batteries, for example from cameras, PDAs and other small-sized equipment.

The charger is a small box that looks like a frog with a plug for the outlet. There are two antennae coming from the body - for connecting and for charging.

There is nothing complicated about how to charge a battery with a frog. To recharge your phone using this device, you need to perform a few not very complicated steps.

How to charge with a frog: instructions

If you have studied this device and read the attached instructions on how to charge your phone with a frog, then you probably know that first you need to remove the battery from the phone, but before that you must turn it off.
Next, press the clothespin on the frog. This is necessary for the device to open.
Now try to insert the battery into the device so that the two terminals match. If your charger has four terminals, then you need to use two, which are located on the side.
Then click on the TE button (usually located on the left). If the CON LED lights up green, this indicates that you have connected everything correctly. If it doesn’t light up, try reconnecting the terminals.
Now, if you have already checked the correct connection, and the CON LED does not light up, it may well be that the battery has been completely discharged, which is called “to zero”. In this case, your charger and battery should be plugged in for about five minutes. After this, check whether the CON indicator we need now lights up. If it lights up, it means everything is in order. If nothing works again, check whether there is voltage in the network, as well as the serviceability of the battery itself.
Now plug in. Has the CH indicator come on or started flashing? If yes, then everything is fine.
The battery will be charged when the left FUL indicator on the charger lights up.

As you can see, there is nothing particularly complicated about this issue. Now you know how to charge through a frog.

If you lose your original mobile phone or smartphone charger, inexpensive universal chargers for 3.7 volt lithium batteries, the so-called frogs(or toads). They have adjustable contacts to which the battery, previously removed from the phone, is directly connected. Of course, this creates some inconvenience (you need to constantly remove the cover, time is lost), but sometimes this is the only way out when the charger from a rare Chinese phone is lost.

Instructions for using the charger

The frog charger is designed for charging Li-Ion batteries that are used in cell phones, GPS receivers and cameras. It operates from a 110-220 V network. Output voltage is 4.2 volts, current is 200 mA. The charge occurs automatically and is controlled by the microcircuit, and it automatically turns off when the required level is reached. Standard charging time is 1.5 hours.

It is necessary to clamp the battery into the frog so that the contacts of the charger are on the + and – terminals of the battery. If the battery has 3 or 4 contacts, you usually need to use the outer 2. If the connection polarity is correct, then when you press the button T.E.(left) the first green LED will light up CON. If it is not lit, press the right button CO(reversal) and press the first button again. On some frogs CON may light up when connected without pressing the button - also the correct polarity. There are also models that will automatically determine the polarity. Accordingly, there is no right polarity reversal button.

If everything is fine - CON lights up green, plug into a 220V socket. Lights up PW and starts to light up or flash CH(charge - charge). When charging is complete, the right LED lights up FUL(full – complete). If CON Doesn't light up at all, maybe the battery is dead. Then connect randomly in any polarity and plug it into the network for 5 minutes (not for long - it’s not scary). If CH will blink, then the charge is on and everything is correct, otherwise change the polarity with the right button and see how it behaves then CH. If it lights up immediately PW And FUL then most likely the battery in the frog is not connecting (so the LED lights up without the battery at all) - move it towards the contacts.

Repair instructions for the frog charger

As for a completely non-functional charger, just look for a burnt part. But sometimes you come across low-quality chargers, when when you connect the battery to the frog, the charge current is less than specified. Not 200 ± 50 mA, but several times less. Thus, the battery is simply undercharged. As the charging current at the output decreases, the final voltage on a “fully charged” battery also decreases. Hence the short battery life when installed in a phone. When the charger light signaled the end of the charge, the battery voltage was only 3.9V. Why is this happening? Most likely it's a matter of variation in parameters. A slight deviation in resistor values will result in a change in the overall characteristics of the device.

Schematic diagram of the frog charger

By replacing the fixed resistors R14 and R15 (the numbering of parts on the diagram corresponds to the numbering of parts on the printed circuit board) with a multi-turn trimmer resistor of the SP3-39A brand with a nominal value of 10 Kom, it becomes possible to accurately set the output current. After the replacement, I set the current to 250 mA, which approximately corresponds to the specified parameter on the charger body. You can, of course, set the charging current using the trimmer at will and another. When the device's light alarm turns on, indicating the end of the charge, the charging current is reduced to 70 mA, and the voltage on the battery is set within 4.15V. The full charging process lasts about two hours, that is, the same as when charging in the device with its original charger. Download the full version of the instructions on the forum.

Homemade toad

After analyzing several Frog memory schemes, I settled on one of them. I decided to make it as an attachment for charging NOKIA (I think many people have them, and I have a few of them lying around) to charge a Li-ion battery 18650 . In the NOKIA charger itself, the output from the transformer is almost 7V, which should be enough for a set-top box.

For the battery itself, you will need a battery compartment to mount it on the side of the case. On the lid there is an output of four LEDs and a microswitch. In the meantime, a signet on CMD and simple radio elements has been developed for the circuit, installed on top of the board. Download it.

The enclosed signet has already been mirrored; please send it for printing immediately. The photo simply shows the arrangement of the elements as it should be.

Next, I soldered a separate memory card and tested it - it works great! With the specified details, the charger output is 4.2V. I put a used battery on charge - the charge rises. The LM358 chip was installed soldered, taken from God knows where. I used a power supply with a 6V 0.45A output.

I drew and checked the circuit diagram - Igoran.

Discuss the article CHARGER FROG

How to use a frog charger. The universal “frog” (“toad”) charger is designed for charging lithium Li-Ion batteries with a capacity of up to 2000 mAh and voltages from 3.5 to 4.8 V, which are used in most cell phones, PDAs, GPS receivers and cameras.
Operates from a network of 110-220 Volts. Output voltage - 4.25 volts, current 200 mA.
Charging occurs automatically and is controlled by a microchip. The charge automatically turns off when the required level is reached. The standard charge cycle (time) is 1.5 hours.
It is necessary to clamp the battery into the frog so that the contacts of the charger are on the + and – terminals of the battery. If the battery has 3 or 4 contacts, the outer 2 are usually used.
If the polarity of the connection is correct, then when you press the TE (left) button, the first green CON LED will light up. If it is not lit, press the right CO button (polarity reversal) and repeat pressing the first button. On some frogs, CON may light up when connected without pressing the button - also the correct polarity. There are also models that themselves determine the polarity. Accordingly, there is no right polarity reversal button.

If everything is fine - CON lights up green - plug it into the outlet. PW (power - network) lights up and CH (charge - charge) starts to light or flash. When charging is complete, the right FUL LED lights up.

If CON does not light up at all, the battery is probably dead. Then connect randomly in any polarity and plug it into the network for 5 minutes (not for long - it’s not scary). If CH (charge) blinks, then the charge is in progress and everything is correct, otherwise, change the polarity with the right button and see how CH behaves then.

If PW (mains) and FUL (fully charged) light up immediately, then most likely the battery in the frog is not in contact (it lights up without a battery at all) - move it towards the contacts.

Sometimes, with a faulty battery (if one cell dies), the frog can show a full FUL charge even if it is far from normal voltage. The charging current just doesn't flow anymore - that's all.

If a cell phone with a dead battery does not turn on for charging or shows no signs of life at all, then read below.

It must be said that if a battery with a nominal voltage of 3.6 volts drops below 3.2 volts, then the mobile phone may not show signs of life at all, even when a standard charger is connected. That is, the controller sees that there is no battery at all and does not turn on the charge. In this case, the frog is an irreplaceable thing - by turning on the battery for 5 minutes through the frog, you give a boost to the battery, after which it can already be charged in the phone itself.

An additional 3rd contact on the battery is usually a signal from a controller chip (or simply a thermistor), which are located inside the battery itself and prevent overcharging and overheating - they give a signal to the charger (cell phone) to limit the current or turn off the charge altogether. There is no such control in a frog and charging it is considered worse than the charger that came with your device, so you should not leave the frog unattended for a long time, especially if your battery gets hot when charging.

Happy charging!)))

Instructions on how to use a frog - clothespin.
It is necessary to clamp the battery into the frog so that the contacts of the charger are on the + and – terminals of the battery. If the battery has 3 or 4 contacts, you usually need to use the outer 2.
If the polarity of the connection is correct, then when you press the TE (left) button, the first green CON LED will light up. If it is not lit, press the right CO button (polarity reversal) and repeat pressing the first button. On some frogs, CON may light up when connected without pressing the button - also the correct polarity. There are also models that DETERMINE THE POLARITY THEMSELVES. Accordingly, there is no right polarity reversal button.

If PW (mains) and FUL (fully charged) light up immediately, then most likely the battery in the frog is not in contact (it lights up without a battery at all) - move it towards the contacts.

Sometimes, with a faulty battery (if one cell dies), the frog can show a full FUL charge even if it is far from normal voltage. The charging current just doesn't flow anymore - that's all.

If a cell phone with a dead battery does not turn on for charging or shows no signs of life at all, then read below.

An additional 3rd contact on the battery is usually a signal from a controller chip (or simply a thermistor), which are located inside the battery itself and prevent overcharging and overheating - they give a signal to the charger (cell phone) to limit the current or turn off the charge altogether. There is no such control in a frog and charging it is considered worse than the charger that came with your device. I would not recommend leaving the frog unattended for a long time, especially if your battery gets hot when charging, etc.

Usually, along with any digital equipment, the buyer also receives a charger. On the one hand, it is very convenient. On the other hand, a whole collection of various chargers can accumulate at home. Some fail, others, on the contrary, are left without an “owner”. Whole bunches of unusable devices are thrown into a landfill, and new ones are purchased.

Official information from the European Commission

A few years ago, under pressure from environmentalists from the European Commission, the largest electronics companies came to an agreement to produce universal chargers for any gadgets. A “station wagon” will be sold with the new phones. Later, both phones and chargers can be purchased separately. So far this process is moving very slowly, but high-quality devices have begun to appear on the market that can replace the “frog” for charging digital cameras.

Types of chargers

The abundance, variety and incompatibility of digital “toys” forces users to have a whole collection of chargers for them in stock. Manufacturers produce several types of support devices:

mini-transformers with mains power supply;
automatic pulse;
universal charger for phones and other digital equipment.

Transformer non-automatic chargers

These devices do not have protective circuits. If the battery is kept under voltage, the electrolyte from the nickel-metal hydride battery may boil away. As a result of this process, the capacity decreases and the power of the device decreases. At the moment, such devices are practically out of use, despite their durability and reliability. If you put a “frog” next to this device to charge your phone, you can immediately clearly see how far progress has come in the development of technology.

Pulse charging of batteries

To maintain the operation of digital portable equipment (phones, cameras, voice recorders, players, etc.), automatic devices with a built-in electronic timer are used. In fast charge mode, the maximum voltage current is supplied. A few hours later, after the main charge capacity has been reached, a timer command switches the device to a mode with pulsed current supply. In this case, it is impossible to overheat the battery, since the device has a protection circuit. However, with frequent and incomplete recharging, they quickly fail. It is worth remembering that the life of such a battery is about 1000 cycles. After this, it will need to be replaced, because even charging the battery with a “frog” will not be able to restore its viability.

Features of battery charging

Many users of digital gadgets are familiar with the term “battery dead.” Not “died” (that is, she completely served her time), but rather “fell asleep.” What does this mean and why might it happen? There are several reasons for this:

Batteries do not always discharge to zero. If you constantly charge the device when the battery power is not fully used, the ability to accumulate electricity (capacity) gradually fades and its operating time is reduced.
If the player, phone or camera is left idle for a long time, the battery charge will be depleted and the device will stop responding to the power-on signal.
Some devices shut down when used in the cold.

In order to revive the battery, you can use the “frog” to charge the phone. The “dormant” battery is removed from the case and clamped with the “frog” contacts in the usual manner. The device then connects to the network. After a few minutes of exposure under voltage (no more than 5), the battery is returned to the phone. Further charging is carried out in the usual way, that is, through your own charger with a cord and adapter.

Universal chargers

The number is constantly increasing, their functional abilities are improving. The phone charger can operate from different power sources:

from the electrical network;
from a computer or laptop;
platforms with a set of special adapters;
from solar panel;
from a car cigarette lighter (ACS);
portable dynamo chargers.

Some landline devices can simultaneously serve several telephones with different outputs. Advanced companies have begun producing wireless platforms that do not require connecting cords, adapters, or other direct contacts to connect to them. To recharge your phone or tablet, simply place it on the surface of the platform for a while.

How to charge with a frog

Using kits with interchangeable plugs and a voltage switch, it is very easy to correctly connect the charger to a piece of portable equipment. However, you need to take into account both the charging time and the optimal current value for this particular device. Otherwise, the battery life may be sharply reduced. This process can be made safe by using a frog to charge your phone. In addition, a “universal” of this design is indispensable in cases where the incoming connector is broken.

The case is small in size, has a button for changing the polarity, two contact clamps, indicators, and a folding plug for connecting to a network with a voltage of 110 to 220 volts into a regular outlet. The most advanced models are equipped with an LCD display to monitor the capacity of the battery being charged. This is what a frog charger looks like. How to use is described below.

Instructions for connecting the “frog”

In order to charge or revive the battery of any portable digital device with a “frog”, you need to do the following:

remove it from the body of the previously switched off device;
press the charging contact antennae minus and plus on;
make sure that the indicator lights up green;
plug into an electrical outlet;
one of the indicators lights up green, the second indicator blinks red - charging is normal;
after 2-3 hours the red light will go out, and the outer indicators will light up with a constant green glow, indicating that the battery is ready for use;
the battery is released from the “frog’s” legs and inserted into a phone, camera or other device;
turn on the digital device in the usual way.

If the indicator light does not blink, you need to change the polarity by pressing the button on the charger. Sometimes the contacts are weakly pressed or shifted. If you change their position, everything will go fine. In some cases, when the battery is damaged or at full capacity, the indicators will not show any signs of life.

A battery that has been discharged due to prolonged inactivity can be restored to service by connecting it to the network via a frog. Having received a small battery will work again.

Knowing how to use the “frog” for charging, you can keep your favorite gadgets in working order without bothering yourself with searching for “original” chargers.

However, this method is more often used as an emergency method in cases where the incoming contact is damaged or its own charger is missing. Frequently turning your phone on and off can mess with your current settings. Continuous opening of the case can lead to breakage of the fastening clips on the cover. Using the “frog” to charge your phone for some time, you should worry about purchasing a more convenient charger.

A frog is a simple, but at the same time very useful device in everyday life. It is capable of charging lithium batteries of push-button phones, smartphones, video cameras and digital cameras, regardless of their shape. Frogs are inexpensive (especially Chinese models) and are very widespread in Russia.

Contents

What is a frog

A frog (or “toad,” as these devices are also called) is easily recognized by two springy wires on the top cover, which are moved apart to the required distance - thanks to this, they can be docked with various batteries.

It is these contacts that should be connected to the battery, which was previously removed from the phone. That is, the device is only suitable for removable batteries (which means this device is useless for owners of the iPhone and many other modern models from other manufacturers).

The frog is able to transfer energy to lithium batteries in the simplest possible way. Moreover, in some cases it can charge even faster than the included charger.

Types of universal phone chargers

Now in stores you can find the following options for universal chargers:

car (connects to the cigarette lighter);
with a USB port (has a corresponding USB connector);
with a plug for power supply from a household electrical outlet (standard).

In addition, recently models have appeared on the market that simultaneously have both a USB port and a plug.

Also, all modern frogs can be divided into automatic and semi-automatic. The main difference between the first and second types is the number of LEDs: the “automatic” has three, the “semi-automatic” has four. The fact is that automatic models are able to independently determine the polarity, and therefore the polarity reversal button (usually it is labeled CO) is absent on them.

Frog charger circuit

The concept of a classic frog is quite simple. The two moving contacts connected to the battery come from the controller. The role of the controller is performed by microcircuits of a certain complexity. The controller's task, in particular, is to compare the voltage on the battery with the internal reference one. When these two indicators become identical, the controller will turn off the power supply.

Another significant detail of universal charging is a bridge AC/DC converter with a built-in key for connecting the battery to the power source (mains). It is located at the very beginning, in front of the controller and contacts. The purpose of this unit is to convert alternating voltage to direct voltage.

Theoretically, the frog can be used with the same intensity as regular exercise. But in practice, it often serves as a spare charger. If the original charger is lost, then universal charging will allow you to stay in touch.

Sometimes, after losing the charger that came with the kit, it turns out that finding the right analogue is very difficult. This is true primarily for old models of mobile phones that are no longer produced, but remain in use. A frog in this case can save the situation. And if for some reason the battery connector is broken, the toad can also help out.

A universal charger will certainly come in handy for those who have two or more phones of different models. When you go on a trip, you don’t have to take a bunch of power supplies with you, but get by with this one device.

Important! It is the frog that is used “to bring back to life” completely discharged lithium batteries of mobile devices. The universal charger controller is not capable of blocking the supply of voltage to a severely discharged battery, and in this particular case this is an advantage, not a disadvantage.

How does a frog charger work?

One of the obvious advantages of this device is its small dimensions. This allows you to easily carry it in a backpack, bag or pocket and plug it into any suitable outlet. The classic frog runs on 110–220 Volt power. In this case, the output voltage is much lower (for example, 4.2 Volts). As for the output current, it is equal to several hundred milliamps.

The charge occurs in the device automatically and is controlled by the microcircuit. When the maximum possible charge level is reached, the device turns off itself. That is, nothing bad will happen if, instead of the required three hours, the battery is in universal charging for a couple of hours longer. In general, the time to fully charge a battery (digital camera, smartphone, player, etc.) depends on the capacity. As a rule, we are talking about a period of 1.5 to 5 hours.

How to use a frog to charge your battery

Of course, a device such as a frog is accompanied by instructions from the manufacturer. But it is often written in a foreign language (in particular, Chinese), and therefore the user has to figure it out on his own.

The battery must be inserted into the frog so that the contacts of the universal charger are located on the plus and minus terminals of the battery. If the battery has three or four terminals, you should use the two outermost ones.

If the polarity was chosen correctly, then when you press the TE (test) button, the green CON LED will light up. After this, you can safely insert the entire structure into the outlet. As a result, the PW (network) indicator should light up, and then the CH (Charge) indicator. And when charging is complete, the corresponding FUL LED will light up (full charge).

If the CON diode does not want to light up, then most likely you have a very low battery. A battery with a nominal voltage of 3.6 Volts may well discharge below 3.2 Volts, and in such a situation the mobile phone will not show any signs of life even when connecting the “native” charger.

The solution is simple: the battery must be connected randomly, in any polarity, to the frog and plugged into the network for five minutes - the CH diode should blink. The purpose of universal charging is to give a strong boost to the battery. And then it can be charged in the usual way.

Attention! Sometimes, with a damaged battery, the frog may show a full charge of FUL, even if this is not true. It is unlikely that you can fix this on your own - you need to call a professional technician or simply throw out the battery.

Precautions

Always insert a lithium battery between the terminals first. And only then can the device be plugged into the outlet. If you do the opposite, you can get a noticeable electric shock.
There should be no flammable materials near the universal charger plugged into the outlet.
The frog is designed for lithium batteries only and should not be used to charge other types of batteries.
After the battery is charged, it is advisable to unplug the universal device from the network.

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