Why did the Bitcoin-QT wallet split a transaction sending bitcoin to myself?

[Berghoff]

Back in Dec I sent a small amount (.02 BTC) to two different addresses, a few bucks to a friend and a few to my android wallet.  These were sent from my Bitcoin-QT wallets.

I was looking at these today, picking apart the wallet.dat file and noticed that when those transactions occurred, the blockchain had recorded transactions like the following:

MyAddress  -> FriendsAddress (.02 BTC)
                -> AnReservedAddressInMyBTCWallet (.8283 BTC)

and

MyAddress  -> MyAndroidWallet (.02 BTC)
                -> AnotherReservedAddressInMyBTCWallet (2.43 BTC)


What is up with this?

[cp1]

You need to send all the bitcoins you received in a particular transaction at once.  So at some point you got 0.8483 BTC all at once, and to spend 0.02 you have to spend it all.  So it sent 0.02 to your friend and 0.8283 back to yourself.

[jonnybravo0311]

It's working exactly as it should.  X number of transactions contribute to the total Y you send.  If X is larger than the amount you want to send, you will get X-Y back.

[tsm]

Oh really? Besides this paying back to yourself thing. On bitcoin qt, does anyone know any other reliable wallets?

I`m waiting on a bitcoin and its been over 1hr... is it cause I`m using a bad wallet?

[dariuss]

Oh really? Besides this paying back to yourself thing. On bitcoin qt, does anyone know any other reliable wallets?

I`m waiting on a bitcoin and its been over 1hr... is it cause I`m using a bad wallet?

Has the bitcoin show a confirmation? Mine took long as well, but it needs 1 confirmation.. at least..to show updated balance..

[C.Steven]

Back in Dec I sent a small amount (.02 BTC) to two different addresses, a few bucks to a friend and a few to my android wallet.  These were sent from my Bitcoin-QT wallets.

I was looking at these today, picking apart the wallet.dat file and noticed that when those transactions occurred, the blockchain had recorded transactions like the following:

MyAddress  -> FriendsAddress (.02 BTC)
                -> AnReservedAddressInMyBTCWallet (.8283 BTC)

and

MyAddress  -> MyAndroidWallet (.02 BTC)
                -> AnotherReservedAddressInMyBTCWallet (2.43 BTC)


What is up with this?

It is the change. https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Change

I`m waiting on a bitcoin and its been over 1hr... is it cause I`m using a bad wallet?

It could be due to poor tx propagation, tx fee to low , presence of dust outputs, non-standard tx, etc.
We can take a look at it if you give us the tx id.

[Berghoff]

You need to send all the bitcoins you received in a particular transaction at once.  So at some point you got 0.8483 BTC all at once, and to spend 0.02 you have to spend it all.  So it sent 0.02 to your friend and 0.8283 back to yourself.

Thanks.  This makes sense.