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Rsteube

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Rsteube

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March 20th, 2018 17:00

USB Power Share Amperage?

I think I have the Answer....... However....... I cannot find the information in the support documentation so I can be 100%.

 

Is there a specific amp output on the USB powershare and/or does it have an instasense like technology that allows the powershare usb port to give each device what it requires?

I plug in a device to charge that requires 500mA and the usb doesn't have a sensing tech and it fries it because it outputs 1Amp?  That is what I am trying to figure out.

I've read documentation on the web that usb3.0 utilizes increments of 150mA in units of up to 6.  So in essence, a usb 3.0 port would output a max of 900mA.  

 

Thanks for any info

  • jphughan

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    Posted March 20th, 2018 18:00

    You cannot fry a device by having a port that supplies too much amperage, only too much voltage.  Whereas voltage is controlled by the device providing the power, amperage draw is controlled entirely by the device that is drawing the power.  That's why you can plug a low-draw device like a clock into a standard household outlet that's capable of providing up to 15 amps without frying the clock, but if you plug a device that only works on 120 volts into an outlet that pushes 240 volts, you may well fry that device.

    According to their respective specs, a powered USB 2.0 port must supply at least 500 mA at 5V (2.5 W), and a powered USB 3.0 port must supply at least 900 mA at 5V (4.5 W).  However, some USB ports can supply up to 1600 mA (8 W) while simultaneously carrying data, and some USB ports when operating solely as charging ports, i.e. no support for carrying data, can supply up to 3000 mA.  This extra amperage capacity allows devices that are capable of accepting power at that rate to charge more quickly, for example.  Some devices actually require extra amperage, and if it's not provided by the USB port, then you either need a special Y-cable that plugs that device into two USB ports to draw from both of them, or you have to connect that device to an external power source.  And that's all before even getting into the new USB Power Delivery spec found on USB-C ports or proprietary charging protocols like Qualcomm Quick Charge, both of which can also change voltage as well as long as the device supports these protocols.

    But anyway, your only risk with PowerShare is that it may not supply enough power for your device to charge, or at least not as fast as it is capable of charging.  iPads for example require at least 1000 mA to charge; if you give them less, then they will simply maintain their existing charge if possible.  But you will never fry a USB device by plugging it into any standards-compliant USB port.

  • Rsteube

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    Posted March 22nd, 2018 11:00

    Very interesting  The pair of bluetooth headphones that I have purchased, and ones previous to these specifically state to not plug them in for charging with anything higher than 1amp or risk damaging the headphones.  Very interesting.

  • jphughan

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    Posted March 22nd, 2018 11:00

    Interesting, I'm not sure what to tell you on that front.  There may be some way to design a component that will pull down as much amperage as the circuit can offer even if it will fry the device, but I don't know why anyone would design something that way, and that's definitely not the norm.  Again, the overwhelming majority of devices people plug into their household outlets don't consume anywhere near the full 15 amps that are available on the circuit, and obviously people aren't frying their devices left and right.

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    Posted August 31st, 2020 00:00

    So I had a garmin watch and I had premature battery failure. The assistance said it happened maybe because I used charger grater than 1.0 amp. It's impossible, only if these hardware have a suicidal circuit