Power management and power transfer systems within the transmit and receive portions of an inductive charging system. An inductive charging system may include an inductive charging station to transmit power and a portable electronic device to receive power. Embodiments may take the form of power transfer systems within an inductive charging station including load-based transmit frequency adjustments. Embodiments may also take the form of power management systems within portable electronic devices which conserve power by disconnecting circuits from ground when those circuits are in an idle state.