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The next generation of wall chargers

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Re: The next generation of wall chargers

#171

Post by dzhiurgis »

kalleboo wrote: post #162
dzhiurgis wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Basically you just repeated what I just said... I am actually considering buying 30W one for it's portability. But then again I am not a YouTube influencer that occasionally games and cuts videos (you know, the person that Apple designs it's computers nowadays for).

> the person that Apple designs it's computers nowadays for I develop software in Apple's programming language using Apple's frameworks and Apple's own IDE, and power usage is through the roof. 50W while typing (and auto-complete is doing it's job) and 80W while building. I think it's odd and quite rude that you dismiss anyone who has higher computing than just typing some basic text and browsing the web to be "a You…

I use WebStorm and IntelliJ. From what I know Apple's IDE is one of the most appalling one while IntelliJ is one of the best. Yes they are both using quite a bit of resources. Nope, neither of them are compiling code using GPU and via super accurate colour gamut.

Re: The next generation of wall chargers

#172

Post by [deleted] »

shaklee3 wrote: post #147
torstenvl wrote: post #146

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have the RAVPower 61W GaN USB-C charger for my backpack. No UL, but no noise and no issues. It's currently five stars on Amazon, for whatever that's worth. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TC53ZYD/

It has a fakespot rating of F, for what it's worth: https://www.fakespot.com/product/usb-c-wall-charger-ravpower...

[deleted]

Re: The next generation of wall chargers

#173

Post by dspillett »

moreati wrote: post #160
Angostura wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Anker box mentioned is £20 on Amazon.co.uk

I mentioned the Mu because it has a folding UK plug. Small chargers lose much of their smallness when using a standard UK plug.

I've had an older Mu for some time for travelling. There are much cheaper copies, and alternative designs, these days* but I can't vouch for their quality as I've never used them. The Mu seems well-built and after many uses still feels solid.

[*] https://idaffodil.co.uk/products/slim-foldable-usb-charger-a... to pick one at random from a quick search, or https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07VDJLD1Q/ for C-type though that is only 15W not 45W like the Mu C-type models.

Re: The next generation of wall chargers

#174

Post by hollander »

ImminentFate wrote: post #125
velominati wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I saw someone do this with the plug to a laser printer once. The toner literally exploded in his face when he plugged it in.

That’s why you check that the printer can even support 240V before you do this

That's killing the fun though!

Re: The next generation of wall chargers

#175

Post by rwmj »

dmurray wrote: post #59
epanchin wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not an electrical switch. The outlets contain a physical gate over live and neutral that is pushed open by the longer earth pin.

Which means you can use a European plug in a UK socket, if you first put something in the earth slot (a key works well). European travellers are generally impressed when I show them this trick, and sometimes rightly concerned that I'm sticking metal objects into a power outlet. If there's any chance the outlet is wired incorrectly, don't do this unless you can isolate the outlet or the key.

Yeah I wouldn't rely on things being wired correctly. When I moved into my current UK house the neutral and earth were physically connected (someone had driven a nail through a cable and "got lucky"). Took a while to find the nail and fix that.

Re: The next generation of wall chargers

#176

Post by dspillett »

lhl wrote: post #143

One of my minor goals for 2020 is to switch all the gear I carry around to being USB-C PD. I've been doing some research on the subject, so just thought I'd throw my 2 cents in (some of this stuff mentioned in other comments). There's a pretty good site, https://www.chargerlab.com/ (see also: https://twitter.com/chargerlab ) that's dedicated to reviewing charging peripherals. I started off the year with an Innergie 6…

I'm similarly moving to USB-C-PD where I can when things need replacing or otherwise updating.

One thing to watch for with decices that use the same port for in and out though:

1. Portable charger runs out of juice before completely charging running laptop.

2. Shortly thereafter laptop notices an empty battery connected.

3. Laptop dutifully starts sending power the other way to recharge the battery...

Re: The next generation of wall chargers

#177

Post by Symbiote »

kalleboo wrote: post #157
kps wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, they don't distinguish hot and neutral.

I've never understood why that is important? Incorrectly wired outlets do occur even in the US, so it seems like it's safer to take that possibility into account and just design the whole system to allow them to be interchanged (e.g. make power switches open/close both lines)

> I've never understood why that is important?

On appliances with a physical on-off switch, it's best to have the switch as close as possible to the cable, and on the 'hot' side. If there's a fault (wire touching the metal case) then the appliance is still safe with the switch 'off'.

Nowadays, I think everything would have double-pole switches anyway.

Re: The next generation of wall chargers

#178

Post by Symbiote »

dmurray wrote: post #59
epanchin wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not an electrical switch. The outlets contain a physical gate over live and neutral that is pushed open by the longer earth pin.

Which means you can use a European plug in a UK socket, if you first put something in the earth slot (a key works well). European travellers are generally impressed when I show them this trick, and sometimes rightly concerned that I'm sticking metal objects into a power outlet. If there's any chance the outlet is wired incorrectly, don't do this unless you can isolate the outlet or the key.

Please don't demonstrate this to anyone. It's very difficult to do without damaging the socket.

(Source: frequent socket replacements at a British university.)

Re: The next generation of wall chargers

#179

Post by Symbiote »

thebean11 wrote: post #122
BurningFrog wrote: post #69

Uninformed basic question: Would these charge my phone faster than the standard ones?

If your device accepts wattage (current? not totally sure about the terminology) higher than your current charger can provide, then yes. Basically, devices will charge at minimum(phone_rate, charger_rate).

> wattage (current? not totally sure about the terminology)

Power is measured in watts.

Current is measured in amps.

Potential difference / voltage is measured in volts.

Re: The next generation of wall chargers

#180

Post by jeremejevs »

JimDabell wrote: post #83
agurk wrote: post #53

When I got a new laptop this summer I researched what chargers were out there, as I was fed up with carrying the normal assortment of cables and chargers. I settled for another GaN charger - the Innergie Powergear 60c[0] which is a very decent size for 60w and not having a mains lead built into it (still very common on non-mac chargers) makes it a lot more compact. I travel a lot, often with more than one laptop, so…

If you don't need 60W, I find that the CA4-Pro [0] is great – it has the travel adapter built in (so you don't have to carry attachments), it can act as a travel adapter for plugs for other appliances, and it's got three USB-A ports as well. [0] https://www.card-tec.com/ca4-pro.php

Been using this for a year now, zero complaints!
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