Nowadays, our life is surrounded by many gadgets, some of them become essential and sometimes the most important partner in our life, so they have a high impact on most of our lives! The most important element for these gadgets is feeding them with power in order to keep them running! the way we feed them is a key factor in the gadget itself’s health and it may extend to us, surroundings, and all the related components which may threaten our safety.
Going back some years, it was a time when every device seemed to come with its own unique charger and different port, and remembering to pack the right charging cable or adapter was a must if you wanted to continue using your device whilst away from home or even a way of nearest power supply.
Recently, mobile phones and some toys are the major which fitted with a micro USB port which combatted the industry’s use of custom ports, and now, charging it on the go is no longer a problem with many ways and choices that are available nowadays, even for the standard connector. but some of these ways or elements may harm the process; so, we would like to mention the most important elements and give some advice in order to make charging more durable and safer not only for the device but also for the user and all the surroundings (as it may cause an explosion in some cases).
How USB charging works When it comes to USB cords, there is always one host and one device. The majority of the time when we talk about data synchronization purposes, the computer is the host and your appliance is the device, or when we talk about charging-only purposes, the power supply like adapters or power banks is the device and your appliance is the device.
Types of USB Plugs (Connectors) The type of USB refers to the physical shape of the plug.
USB Type-A It is the classic USB plug that we are all familiar with, the Type-A USB is the larger standard rectangular plug the majority of cords are ended at least one of this. Whilst it’s gone through a number of changes to accommodate different versions of USB, the design of the plug remains the same, which means that all Type-A plugs, ports, and sockets are compatible no matter what version they are.
USB Type-B Usually, the other end of a USB cable uses a Type-B connector. The Type-B plug is a tall plug with slanted top corners. Variations on Type-B have been widely adopted due to the sheer necessity of having smaller ports at the client device end.
USB Micro-A The mini USB-A is a variation of Type-B only.
USB Micro-B The micro USB is also a variation of Type-B only.
USB Type-C The headline feature of the USB-C is that it’s reversible. It’s designed to be small enough to not need any mini or micro variants. The intention is that it will completely replace all types of USB on both host and client devices.
USB Ports Versions The various upgrades focus on improvements in terms of speed and features. Since its official release in 1996, there have been five versions of the USB:
USB 1.0 USB 2.0 USB 3.0 USB 3.1 USC-C 1.0 Whilst USB 3.0 is currently the most common, it is predicted that the new USB-C connector could eventually replace this. The USB-C (or the USB Type C) was made widely available in 2015 and is now common on many models of smartphones as well as in some laptops and many other gadgets. The intention is that it will completely replace all types of USB as the USB-C is a replacement for both ends of the cable. USB-C 1.0 brings in new power standards and speed advantages similar to that of USB 3.1.
How USB-C charging works The USB-C is entirely different from its predecessors. The connector is universal and therefore it will work when used either way. It also outputs more power, as well as the theoretical output. There are also plenty of USB chargers that don’t fit into this specification, such as AC adapters.
Types of USB ports There are three types of USB ports dictated by the actual current specs (milliamps or mA).1- Dedicated charging port 2-Downstream port 3-Standard downstream port
Voltage and Amperage Not all USB connectors, cables, and chargers are equal. For example, some wall chargers can supply more power than others and one particular USB socket on a laptop may vary in power from the others, or PCs with some able to charge whilst in sleep mode.
Safety Concerns Uncertified chargers come with serious safety concerns. Similar to unofficial batteries, uncertified chargers can be bought everywhere at a reduced price online or in high street shops and these kinds of electrical products may present a higher risk of exploding or catching fire. Not only do they present a risk to you, but the use of uncertified chargers may also damage your device (which in turn could void your guarantee).
Frequently asked questions about USB chargers Finally, to help you understand how to use your USB chargers safely and to avoid the threats that will heart your device(s) and cable we’ve answered some key questions on the safety of USB charging.
Could my USB device be dangerous? What is the difference between a smartphone USB charger and a tablet USB charger? What happens if I mix and match a USB charger cable with a USB plug? Is it safe to plug any USB device into a laptop, tablet, or wall socket? Is it safer to charge my e-cigarette with a laptop or a USB wall plug? What are the dangers of charging my USB device in a car? When should I charge my device with my USB charger? Recommended Products In this topic, we would like to offer some products that you may like which can help and contribute to your favor
