Sena - Charging Question

Mick

Mick

Joined
Dec 12, 2004
Messages
716
Age
77
Location
Weatherford, TX
Bike
'16 Versys 650LT
I ordered a Sena SMH10(universal headset) & SM10 yesterday so that I could have wireless access to my radar detector. I've got a question about charging the battery on the SMH10 headset.

In looking at the list of things included in the SMH10 headset package, I saw no battery charger that plugs into a 110v source. Here is a list of the accessories included. Absent is a room charger that plugs into a 110v socket:

? USB Power & Data Cable
? Cigarette Charger
? 3.5mm Stereo Audio Jack Cable
? Glued Surface Mounting Adapter
? Microphone Sponges
? Speaker Pads
? Velcro Pads for Speakers
? Allen Wrench

I'd like to be able to charge the SMH10 headset up every few days in a motel room when out on the road. The SM10 transmitter is no problem as it appears that it can be permanently hooked up to the bikes power. In theory I guess the headphone could too but I"m buying this setup to be free of wires!

This question probably highlights my ludite nature but what am I missing here?
 
Mick,
I can't be positive, but I believe mine came with a wall transformer. If yours does not, any 1.0 amp transformer that you can plug a sub chord into will work. I use the same transformer for my phone, tablet, and Sena when I am on the road.
Rod
 
Mine did not come with an ac charger, but it works on any micro usb charger or any usb power brick.
 
Last edited:
The first version came with a wall charger, similar to Part Number: SC-A0107 but without the plugs for other countries. Apparently when they changed from the coaxial power input to the micro-usb, they stopped including the wall power adapter. But as someone else mentioned, any standard USB AC adapter will do.
-STeve
 
I charge mine via the USB port on my laptop. Full charge takes about 5 hours. You can also charge it while riding if you have a power port on your bike and a USB adapter.

Garry
 
Raj_Zin said:
But as someone else mentioned, any standard USB AC adapter will do.
Click to expand...

Several others have mentioned this but can this really be done without some sort of transformer between the AC socket and the headset? What about input voltage requirements? Don't want to fry the thing the first time I try to charge it.
 
Hello Mick, . I just (last week) bought both of the items you refer to. As stated, there is no transformer included. Your Sena SMH10 User's Guide calls the charging cord: "USB Power & Data Cable" .. see section 2. Just need a USB port to plug in to. Others have mentioned some good alternatives. I have been plugging mine into a laptop .. like 'Garry in AZ'.. been using my laptop so that way my helmet is on my desk reminding me to r-i-d-e .. Also, Garry was saying that his is taking 5 hrs to get to full charge .. book says. section 4.3 .. should take 2.5 hrs to get to full charge .. mine seems to run close to that.. maybe cuz new ?? .. anyway. I am stoked how well the headset works with my phone. Others have said that when they have been using the system that others don't even know that they are on their motorcycles .. I kinda thought that was sales talk .. but have found it to be the truth when modular helmet closed and windshield up at 85 mph. Crazy good. . Have fun with 'em. Randy
 
Opps .. just saw your most recent .. the recommendations given will work for you.. Also, I hope they told you that you will have to have a "Wire" between your radar detector and the SR10 .. right ?? .. the wireless portion of the system will be between SR10 and your headset.
 
Mick said:
Several others have mentioned this but can this really be done without some sort of transformer between the AC socket and the headset? What about input voltage requirements? Don't want to fry the thing the first time I try to charge it.
Click to expand...

It really can.
I have an assortment of old Blackberry, Samsumg, Sprint and Verizon MicroUSB wall chargers, and they all work to charge the Sena. I also have a bunch of Blackberry, Samsung, and Motorola AC to USB adapters, and they all work fine, too
 
5720 said:
Opps .. just saw your most recent .. the recommendations given will work for you.. Also, I hope they told you that you will have to have a "Wire" between your radar detector and the SR10 .. right ?? .. the wireless portion of the system will be between SR10 and your headset.
Click to expand...

Thanks Randy. About 30 seconds before I got your reply, I sent a message to Sena asking about the input voltage & amp requirements. Being that they are busy as a one armed paper hanger this time of year, it may be a while before I hear from them. That will be great if I can just run down to my local Best Buy or whatever and pick up a cheap plug-in charger.

As to the radar detector, yeah, I already knew about this. In another thread a few months back I asked about what all was needed. I've got a Valentine 1 that I haven't used since I sold my ST1100 3 or 4 years ago. All I need for hooking it up to the SM10 is a mono to stereo adapter plug.

It will be nice to have the V1 back in action again. I was reminded of the need to get it hooked up on the 1300 when I got pulled over a couple of weeks ago for speeding while on my Bandit. It was in Houston on a weekend morning & I was doing the exact same speed as everyone else. I guess because I was on a MC I stood out from the crowd.
 
JasonFJ said:
It really can.
I have an assortment of old Blackberry, Samsumg, Sprint and Verizon MicroUSB wall chargers, and they all work to charge the Sena. I also have a bunch of Blackberry, Samsung, and Motorola AC to USB adapters, and they all work fine, too
Click to expand...

Excellent. Thanks Jason. Your actual experience with these tells me that the output voltage of these things is compatible with the Sena.

Can I assume that any device that I plug a USB plug into will have the same output voltage (5v ?) ?
 
Mick said:
Can I assume that any device that I plug a USB plug into will have the same output voltage (5v ?) ?
Click to expand...

If the device, charger and cable all bear the USB symbol, they're comapatible. That's the beauty of having a standard.

A lot of vendors who sell USB-charged gadgets have stopped including chargers because most of us already have a handful and there's no need to increase the cost by putting another one in your junk drawer. I have a Kensington 4-port charger and a couple of these, all of which work just fine and don't take up much space.

One of these is nice to have, too. You can charge it up when convenient, and mine will charge up my mobile phone three times before it's exhausted.

--Mark
 
Blrfl said:
If the device, charger and cable all bear the USB symbol, they're comapatible. That's the beauty of having a standard.
Click to expand...

Thanks Mark. That supplies the missing bit of info. I suspected there might be a standard of some sort but I needed to be sure. Didn't want a miniature mushroom cloud emerging from my headset when I plugged it into a wall outlet. :D
 
Mick said:
Thanks Mark. That supplies the missing bit of info. I suspected there might be a standard of some sort but I needed to be sure. Didn't want a miniature mushroom cloud emerging from my headset when I plugged it into a wall outlet. :D
Click to expand...

Just don't plug it in while the headset is on your head. :nuke1:

One other bit of info I should add: USB chargers can supply varying amounts of current. The USB standard requires a minimum is 0.5 amps, and any device will charge with that, just slowly. The buck-each variety usually fall into that category. Others can supply more, which speeds charging if the charger and device decide among themselves that it's okay to do that. If you're going to buy a charger, get one that has at least one high-current (2.1 amps) port.

--Mark
 
There are many inexpensive quality USB wall chargers available from tech gear vendors. Personally I don't trust cheap ebay equipment. Some may work well, some may toast your device. A Griffin 2.1A dual outlet wall adapter only cost me about $12 a while back.

As Mark mentioned the higher current makes for quicker charging. The ability to charge two devices at once comes in very handy. The higher current will charge a power hungry device like a tablet but won't hurt a low-demand device like you Sena or any BT headset. Even at say $20 a quality charger is cheap compared to replacing any gear you might be charging.
 
Almost any ac phone charger that has a (standard; mini- B, I believe it is) MINI USB plug on it will charge it... I've used my motorola phone charger, an unknown ac to mini usb charger and also cigar plug adapters that had usb outlets.... they all work.
If you have a tablet, many now use the ac cubes with a usb plug... use the same cube, change to the sena cable. ( like Ipad charger cube)

It needs very little current to charge, it will use the computer port which is mostly limited to 500ma of current.... so find an ac charger , ask yr friends, ( i had 2 in a junk box ) as you can prob get one for free... plug in and if your light goes red(charging) , your good!.

One note... just remember to charge it up every month or two IF YOU USE IT OR NOT. Don't let the battery go completely flat and sit without a charge.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom