Having trouble charging your Hema Navigator? It may be caused by the charger or cable you are using.
We have had many calls from our customers about charging their units from sources other than the original cigarette lighter leads that they are supplied with. While it is possible to do so, there is one major thing to consider - the current rating.
Here are the chargers that are supplied with the HX2+, HX2, HN6/7 & HX1.
HX2 Replacement Charger and Cables:
https://hemamaps.com/products/hema-hx-2-navigator-12-24dc-car-charger-v2
https://hemamaps.com/products/hema-hx-2-navigator-usb-charger-lead
HX1 Replacement Charger and Cables:
https://hemamaps.com/products/hx-1-navigator-12-24dc-car-charger-v2
https://hemamaps.com/products/universal-navigator-usb-cable
They all convert from 12/24 Volts down to 5 volts and can supply 2 Amps of current
Car Cigarette lighter sockets:
The standard output from a car cigarette lighter socket is 12 volts and they usually have a fuse on them of 10 amps or less.
Picture of Cig socket
This means they have plenty Voltage ( Volts ) and Current ( Amps ) to supply to the cigarette plug chargers that come with your Hema Navigator.
The Hema Navigators need to have available at least a 2 Amp current supply to charge the battery. It won't always draw that much current, but there will be times when it will need that.
Think of it this way:
A 1963 Mini Cooper S may go just as fast as a Ford F100, but certainly does not have the pulling power to tow a 22 foot caravan. Likewise a USB charger may have the correct voltage but the current ( Amps ) is not enough to charge the battery.
Or if you're not old enough for that:
Using other chargers:
There are many other chargers on the market that convert a cigarette lighter socket to a USB socket.
For example:
This adaptor converts from 12/24 Volts to 5 volts but the current rating is only 700mA which is 1/3 of the Hema chargers.
On the other hand this Redarc cigarette socket adaptor is rated to deliver 3 Amps of current at 5 volts from its USB socket which is plenty to charge a Hema navigator.
Dual Port Chargers
Some Cigarette to USB chargers have dual ports and the specifications can be a little ambiguous. It may say for example that the unit is rated to 2 Amps, but that may be shared across the two ports - therefore if you are using both ports, your navigator may only be getting 1 Amp of current supply.
Car USB ports.
Many modern vehicles are now supplied with USB ports for owners to charge their phones with or they are a connection to the vehicle's entertainment system. But the industry standard for these is 500mA of current, not enough to charge a Hema Navigator.
If you would like to read more about In-Car USB this article comprehensively explains the limitations of the standard system.
https://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/why-your-usb-car-charger-hardly-works-at-all/
Use good Quality cables:
If you have replaced the original Cigarette lighter plug or USB lead that came with your Hema Navigator and are using a aftermarket charger as discussed above, it is important to also use a good quality charging cable as well. Sadly, cables do have a finite life and eventually need to be replaced.
Generally, the more heavy duty a cable looks, the better it will work.
This link leads to an article about USB leads but also links to Amazon to show the appropriate leads for sale:
https://www.androidauthority.com/different-types-of-usb-cables-804432/
The HX2+ and HX2 both use USB A to USB C cables.
The HN6, HN7, HX1 all use USB A to Mini USB cables.
If you are using a charger that supplies 2 Amps of current and a good cable but your Hema Navigator is still failing to charge or hold charge, then please submit a ticket to our service department and we will help to find out what is wrong.
Submit a ticket:
https://kb.hemamaps.com/kb-tickets/new