Yo everyone. I’m trying to understand how USB power works with batteries, hopefully this is the correct community to ask. We have so many different devices that can be charged with USB-C, yet all the power bricks and power banks have different voltage, amps, watts. Can I use any USB-C brick or power bank with any device and battery and it must intelligently never draw over the limits of the power source?

I thought that USB-C is made for this yet I can read reports that people damaged their Nintendo Switch because of a power brick. How careful do we have to be when charging our phones, tablets, laptops, gaming devices? What exactly to look out for when deciding what to plug in where? Thank you very much for any replies.

  • Corkyskog@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    1·
    2 years ago

    I am sure someone will chime in with a more detailed explanation, but just so you dont damage your devices in the meantime… No, they are not all the same!

    Most devices can regulate the power that comes in and adjust for it, but not all devices.

    Here is an excerpt from the article I pasted below:

    "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.

    You will also need to consider Amperage. Chargers increase the current to provide a higher amount of power quickly – this is measured in amps and the more amps means the more power. Therefore, a charger that comes with a smartphone will provide less amps than a charger that come with a tablet. You will need to consider voltage and the equipment you’ll need to use to enable the use of USB chargers when travelling internationally."

    https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/guidance/product-safety/usb-chargers/