Mobile phone, advice please

[Diver Fred]

My new Acer has a USB C, which Acer claim it can be used to charge the laptop, along with a charger, with coaxial plug. Some reports suggest that it will not charge via the USB C - I have yet to try that. It is able to power a HDD, via the USB C, I tried that.

I think you will need a charger that is capable of delivering 20 volts DC into the USB-C to charge a computer and the charger and device 'negotiates' the charging voltage.

I know that from the summer when I went to buy a 2nd-hand Laptop and the nice, shiny M2 MacBook Air in the shop was tried to be charged on a 'phone charger. (Shop wasn't very happy as they had bought in the MacBook with the charger they were trying to charge it with; even less happy when I made think it could be a stolen MacBook.)

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

We have probably a dozen or so USB C devices in this household, we have multiple chargers around the place, some genuine, some aftermarket, same for the cables, I know exactly which devices of my own (I have three) I can use for exactly which charger/cable but for the rest of the muppets who reside here it's pot luck if the device they plug in will charge or not, otherwise they have to plug it into a different cable/charger until they find a compatible connection, or what typically happens is the chief muppet (ie me) checks their devices are charging and swaps them if they're not.

 

[Jurassicspark]

if the device they plug in will charge or not, otherwise they have to plug it into a different cable/charger until they find a compatible connection,

And I bet most of the time you have done that was with an incompatible voltage/amp rating of the charger or just a purely cheap charger purchased on a Sunday afternoon.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

And I bet most of the time you have done that was with an incompatible voltage/amp rating of the charger or just a purely cheap charger purchased on a Sunday afternoon.

So you seem to be saying not all chargers and cables and phones are compatible then?

 

[Jurassicspark]

So you seem to be saying not all chargers and cables and phones are compatible then?

Ofc, without the correct specifications of the device, then no, they aren't compatible. With the new rule, more and more chargers will be able to adopt to lower voltages and vice versa.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Not saying your wrong but I have never found that to be an issue. We tend to use the same charger for all of things we have, it just stays plugged in all the time.

I've found similar.. My Iphone, sometimes complains - something along the lines of 'none approved accessory', but it goes on to do the deed regardless.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

We have probably a dozen or so USB C devices in this household, we have multiple chargers around the place, some genuine, some aftermarket, same for the cables, I know exactly which devices of my own (I have three) I can use for exactly which charger/cable but for the rest of the muppets who reside here it's pot luck if the device they plug in will charge or not, otherwise they have to plug it into a different cable/charger until they find a compatible connection, or what typically happens is the chief muppet (ie me) checks their devices are charging and swaps them if they're not.

I have just read up a little on it - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB-C

and, it suggests USB C can vary, as to how well it is supported (as Fred above). Some (not many I would guess), support the 20 volt needed by some appliances, but generally I would expect only the 5 volt to be supported.

 

[JohnD]

Except it doesn't always work in reality, not all phones work with all cables work with all chargers. Anyone who thinks otherwise is uneducated.

And does that apply to many devices designed and sold to meet the new EU standard?

 

[JohnD]

Except it doesn't always work in reality, not all phones work with all cables work with all chargers. Anyone who thinks otherwise is uneducated.

You are describing the problem that today's new EU standard is intended to deal with.

Good thing too.

It must be great to live in a country that has the right to contribute to developing standards that save its consumers money and inconvenience.

The EU common charger

The common charging solution promotes the use of common chargers for mobile phones and other portable electronic devices.

single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu