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Samsung urged to officially recall Galaxy Note 7 to prevent resale of a dangerous product

USB Type-C enables truly rapid charging of your battery operated devices by providing higher voltage and current than ever before through a USB cable.  But sometimes, aggressive power management and charging can become problematic.

This explanation from the Apple Insider explains the differences between USB2 and USB Type-C charging at a high level:

While typical USB 2 chargers (like those used for iPhone and iPad) operate at 5 Volts and draw between 5 and 10 Watts (the standard iPhone and larger iPad adapters, respectively), Samsung's Galaxy Note 7 ships with a USB Type C adapter that operates at up to 12 volts and can draw up to 25.2 watts.

Electrical voltage is comparable to the pressure of water in a pipe, while wattage is analogous to the total amount of water delivered by a pipe over a specific period of time. Higher voltage increases the risk of an electrical short or overheating if a product is not safely designed to accommodate a faster flow of current.

Higher voltage power supplies aren't inherently more dangerous, however. Apple's MacBook uses a USB Type C power adapter that delivers 29 watts of power at up to 14.5 volts. The company's MagSafe 2 power adapters for MacBook Air deliver a maximum 20 volts and 45 watts, while its MacBook Pro models use adapters that deliver 60 to 85 watts of power at 20 volts.

The USB "Power Delivery" (USB PD) specification associated with USB 3.1 and Type C cables can support up to 20 volt adapters that supply up to 100 watts of power, although the device being powered needs to be designed to safely accommodate those higher current charging modes.

That said, Samsung does have a problem.  Read the full article at Apple Insider.

 

Learn more about your USB Type-C system with the Total Phase Power Delivery Analyzer. Have questions? You can send email to sales@totalphase.com.