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I'm a USB-C Maximalist

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Re: I'm a USB-C Maximalist

#381

Post by geden »

laurencerowe wrote: post #368
johnwalkr wrote: post #354

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think your suggestion and also the author's are too big for my taste. I carry a US-style 45W GaN charger, a couple of usb-c cables, and an EU adapter (which, off the record, also works for UK outlets so it covers anywhere I normally travel to). I carry this daily and for travel even though I live in Europe as this combination is the same size as the EU version of my charger by itself. For devices I have a work lapt…

> and an EU adapter (which, off the record, also works for UK outlets so it covers anywhere I normally travel to). What type of adapter is this? EU and UK plugs are very different.

(Not recommended at home kids) use a key (or, safer, an upside down UK Earth pin) in the Earth hole to open the Live/Neutral shutter - then insert the EU prongs. The width of the EU prongs is handily the same as the UK holes.

Touring musicians do it if venues don’t have convertors.

Doesn’t work if the EU plug needs a live earth of course.

Re: I'm a USB-C Maximalist

#382

Post by extraduder_ire »

laurencerowe wrote: post #368
johnwalkr wrote: post #354

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think your suggestion and also the author's are too big for my taste. I carry a US-style 45W GaN charger, a couple of usb-c cables, and an EU adapter (which, off the record, also works for UK outlets so it covers anywhere I normally travel to). I carry this daily and for travel even though I live in Europe as this combination is the same size as the EU version of my charger by itself. For devices I have a work lapt…

> and an EU adapter (which, off the record, also works for UK outlets so it covers anywhere I normally travel to). What type of adapter is this? EU and UK plugs are very different.

I think they're describing how you can force the two pins of a europlug into a type-G socket, if you first stick a screwdriver or key or something into the earth pin to open the shutters.

This will give you access to electricity, but the contact area is much smaller than it's designed for (round pins in a rectangular hole), so using it for anything high wattage will end poorly.

An often overlooked part of the BSA spec for type-G sockets is they're supposed to have a flat surface surrounding the socket large enough to prevent you using the earth pin of an upside down plug to do this.

Re: I'm a USB-C Maximalist

#383

Post by dzhiurgis »

_jackdk_ wrote: post #282

USB-C maximalism is great for travel. I personally recommend travelling with a USB-C desktop charger, but use one that accepts a IEC C7 ("figure-8") cable. Then, travel with only the cable corresponding to your destination (or buy one when you get there). That avoids having a wall wart that might not fit in narrow spaces, or whose weight might make it fall out of older sockets. I wrote about it a few years ago; the p…

Yes! I've been doing this for years!

Figure-8 cable is usually easy to find in some old media player in someone's house.

That said usb-c chargers are quite ubiquitous now that you'll likely to find one anyway.

Also 6ft usb-c cables are very neat. IDK why Apple even ships that 3ft e-waste.

Re: I'm a USB-C Maximalist

#384

Post by dzhiurgis »

ErroneousBosh wrote: post #370
_jackdk_ wrote: post #282

USB-C maximalism is great for travel. I personally recommend travelling with a USB-C desktop charger, but use one that accepts a IEC C7 ("figure-8") cable. Then, travel with only the cable corresponding to your destination (or buy one when you get there). That avoids having a wall wart that might not fit in narrow spaces, or whose weight might make it fall out of older sockets. I wrote about it a few years ago; the p…

ABSOLUTELY DO NOT DO THIS BECAUSE IT IS INSANELY DANGEROUS buuuut... ... if you're hopelessly stuck without your cloverleaf charging cable you can kind of batter a figure-8 power lead over the phase and neutral pins, and you can probably find a figure-8 power lead more easily than a cloverleaf one. Don't leave it unattended or where non-hackers can get at it. Don't make a habit of it. This will get you out of a hole.

My favorite DON'T DO THIS method is plugging European plug in UK socket - using something like scissors in earth to open shutters for neutral/live where EU plug actually fits pretty ok.

The other one is twisting US/JP plug pins so they fit AU/NZ sockets...

Re: I'm a USB-C Maximalist

#385

Post by chaz6 »

cricalix wrote: post #115
notatoad wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is really only a problem if you buy cheap cables. Pick the baseline spec you want your USB cables to meet, and throw out all the ones that don’t. Problem solved. It’s still a minor frustration if you have to borrow a cable, but that’s solved by packing a cable, and by encouraging as many other people as possible to also throw out their cheap cables.

Sometimes it's not the cable. Sometimes it's the sodding device. I have some IP60-something speakers for the shower. Write up says USB-C power. Brilliant says I, I've got plenty of good ones I use for charging laptops and other USB-C form factor accepting devices. Sodding things only charge with their special USB-A to USB-C cable. They're in the bag labeled "cursed usb-c charge cables".

It is not ideal, but you can buy C-to-C adapters with the resistors to force the charger to supply 5V.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005012247371267.html

Re: I'm a USB-C Maximalist

#386

Post by dzhiurgis »

xp84 wrote: post #158
rogerrogerr wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Re. toothbrush, I have to take the opportunity to give Philips credit for the Sonicare electric toothbrushes they made ~15 years ago. That thing just keeps trucking, it’s incredible. I go on 2 week trips and don’t even bring the charger, and have no worries about it dying. It must have been crazy overspecced, I expected it to be a 5-year disposable piece of non-serviceable tech.

They are good! Although my wife manages to kill hers every few years, I don't think I've ever actually had one die myself. I also have my original UV sanitizing charger unit that I purchased new circa 2009! I've found that one can buy just new handles on ebay though, without the head and chargers, for only like half the super high retail prices or less, even for the "higher end" models, so I do that every 5-8 years o…

I saw this posted somewhere too, but my first Sonicare lasted 10 years, next one 5 and last one 2 which also mirrors my experience.

Re: I'm a USB-C Maximalist

#387

Post by pixelesque »

Tharre wrote: post #277
rrrrrrrrrrrryan wrote: post #275

Earlier quoted context omitted.

More often than not these are usually cheap Chinese devices that are expecting a USB-C to USB-A (power-only) cable, because they're actually USB-A devices, with USB-A circuitry, modified slightly to appear as if they're USB-C. Basically they skipped out on building power negotiation smarts that are required to support real USB-C charging, and instead just swapped out the physical connector.

They skipped out on literally 2 resistors. That's it, that's all that is required for real USB-C charging.

Out of interest, is that all that's required for the power negotiation handshake? I would have expected more complexity?

Re: I'm a USB-C Maximalist

#388

Post by dsego »

wolrah wrote: post #344
josephg wrote: post #334

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you’ve got one of the older style Mac chargers, the part which plugs into the wall physically separates from the rest of the charger. You can connect different plugs for all the different countries. There is a plastic seam where the charger separates. It’s easy to miss. I’ve slowly acquired all the global adaptors for Mac chargers. I just bring a usbc Mac charger when I travel with the destination country plug att…

Those Apple chargers in fact use the C7/C8 connector to interface the plug adapter, so you can skip their official parts and use any compatible cord. I for years used a power cable from an Xbox with my old Magsafe1-era Macbooks.

Same here, I used a black power cord from an old stereo.

Re: I'm a USB-C Maximalist

#389

Post by fragmede »

dzhiurgis wrote: post #384
ErroneousBosh wrote: post #370

Earlier quoted context omitted.

ABSOLUTELY DO NOT DO THIS BECAUSE IT IS INSANELY DANGEROUS buuuut... ... if you're hopelessly stuck without your cloverleaf charging cable you can kind of batter a figure-8 power lead over the phase and neutral pins, and you can probably find a figure-8 power lead more easily than a cloverleaf one. Don't leave it unattended or where non-hackers can get at it. Don't make a habit of it. This will get you out of a hole.

My favorite DON'T DO THIS method is plugging European plug in UK socket - using something like scissors in earth to open shutters for neutral/live where EU plug actually fits pretty ok. The other one is twisting US/JP plug pins so they fit AU/NZ sockets...

The best part is that you need to do this when you're on holiday, so all you've got are your keys, so you stab the keys into the slots and ever so carefully balance the round European plug contacts onto each key, and you pray to god that there's no earthquake and you don't cause a fire.

Or so I heard someone else do.

Re: I'm a USB-C Maximalist

#390

Post by dzhiurgis »

nemomarx wrote: post #22
chaosharmonic wrote: post #15

I too am a USB-C maximalist, but with a handful of differences from OP: - You lose me at "toothbrush." I don't want personal care items that have internal batteries at all , because they'll eventually die on me while the device itself (brush heads notwithstanding) is otherwise perfectly functional. I'd much rather keep rechargeable AA(A)s on hand for that kind of stuff. (I still haven't found a good electric razor fo…

Why haven't phones just moved to have two USB ports? A slight convenience when you want to charge it in that you don't have to turn it around, you can have USB headphones and also charge, you could use more accessories...

Wha wha whaat? You'll more likely to see no ports soon than two lol.

I don't remember when I actually plugged my phone for anything other than charging. Must be nearly a decade. And wireless charging is becoming good, albeit not ubiquitous quite yet.

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