Can the Gear Head USB 2.0 7-Port Hub be used without a computer (plugged into wall power outlet only) to charge multiple devices over USB?
360481
yes, but there are better products out there that are strictly for charging - I think Belkin makes one that has two 2amp outs and tow 1 amp outs. This will take a much longer time.
3301
It has one USB port and one 12 volt port. I suspect that you can use a hub to create more USB ports but I don't know for sure since I use my Nomad primarily to charge my auxiliary camper battery rather than as a USB charging source.
1519018
I don't think this hub is built to deliver that kind of power. All my external USB hard drives are separately plugged into the A/C. At minimum, your drive would probably have to be plugged into multiple USB ports.
2114693
MANUFACTURER ANSWER: Thanks for posting your question here, John! No, http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005HKIDF2/ is a bus powered hub and cannot be used for device charging. If you need any additional information, please do shoot us an email at support@plugable.com. We are here to help! Thanks! Regards, Roze Plugable Technologies
1299746
Thank you for your question. This hub can function directly with USB cord connected. Power supply is not necessary when using low power consumption devices. Should you have any questions don't hesitate to contact us again. Thank you.
147654
I do not have a USB to USB cable to test. I've only used it connect my jump drives to it and it works great. I don't see why it wouldn't charge when connect to a power USB hub. But I can't confirm, apologies.
377432
The hub has a 12 volt, 2 amp power supply. I assume the amp capacity is divided among the 4 ports. You'd need to find out what the current draw is of the external drive to be sure.
63639
My fan did not work coming out of the box so I never had a chance to use it with all 4 USB ports supporting devices. From reading other reviews, unless you have an external power source, it looks like the hub does not have enough power to support 4x power-hungry devices.
75046
Most USB 2.0 hubs will recharge devices, except tablets. USB 3.0 has even more capability (900 ma vs 500 ma), but still not enough for tablets. Also, be careful not to exceed the combined capacity of the power adapter. Multiple low current devices should be okay, but limit the number of phones and devices that are more power power hungry to two at a time.
528563
That other answer is not entirely correct. A powered hub can operate on USB power only. It does not NEED to be plugged into AC. It will work the same as an un-powered hub, which will limit you to a total of 500mA of current draw from all ports combined. However, if you use the AC adapter then you will have up to 500mA per-port (2A total).So if you are only going to connect low powered devices, or self powered devices, then the AC adapter can be considered optional. If you need to connect devices that draw more power (portable hard drives, USB powered scanners, burners, etc.) then you would need to use the AC adapter to supply the additional power. That other answer is not entirely correct. A powered hub can operate on USB power only. It does not NEED to be plugged into AC. It will work the same as an un-powered hub, which will limit you to a total of 500mA of current draw from all ports combined. However, if you use the AC adapter then you will have up to 500mA per-port (2A total).So if you are only going to connect low powered devices, or self powered devices, then the AC adapter can be considered optional. If you need to connect devices that draw more power (portable hard drives, USB powered scanners, burners, etc.)... » Read More That other answer is not entirely correct. A powered hub can operate on USB power only. It does not NEED to be plugged into AC. It will work the same as an un-powered hub, which will limit you to a total of 500mA of current draw from all ports combined. However, if you use the AC adapter then you will have up to 500mA per-port (2A total).So if you are only going to connect low powered devices, or self powered devices, then the AC adapter can be considered optional. If you need to connect devices that draw more power (portable hard drives, USB powered scanners, burners, etc.) then you would need to use the AC adapter to supply the additional power. « Show Less
555251
Yes, I'm using it with one now. But it will need two USB ports (unless you buy the power supply), and a hub won't work. You need a card or the original ports.
352172
The USB hub doesn't need one for most devices, the AC adapter that comes with can also easily be replaced with a universal one you buy locally.I am using it just with the USB power fine.
1354445
Yes. I have connected multiple external hard drives to this hub. It is a powered hub and will power drives that are not externally powered themselves (Drives which have only a USB connector and no DC adapter input).
377804
I use a powered usb hub. So I can plug many things into the hub and it has it's own power pack. Then I don't overload the onboard power from the pc.
443939
I have not attempted to use the hub w/o the power adapter, as I have nine USB components connected to it, including a webcam, two printers, two scanners, turntable, VCR, DVD drive, etc.
594081
Experimentation tells me that the answer is NO. My experience with bus powered USB hubs has been problematic. Commonly you get a "power fault" on one or more of the devices involved and restoration is very difficult without rebooting (ugh).
2114694
MANUFACTURER ANSWER:Thanks for posting your question here, John! No, Plugable USB 2.0 2-Port High Speed Ultra Compact Hub/Splitter (480 Mbit/s, USB 2.0 Windows, Linux, OS X, Chrome OS) is a bus powered hub and cannot be used for device charging. If you need any additional information, please do shoot us an email at support@plugable.com. We are here to help!Thanks!Regards,RozePlugable Technologies