One day, children will ask why we don’t make the plugs different shapes so you know if you’re using a 60 watt cable or a 240 watt cable or something in between.
(I do not know anything about electricity so I’m certain there’s a better way to explain this but it’s bananas I have USB cables that look identical but my Steam Deck will die while plugged in if I grab the wrong one)
The 90’s were even more lead-addled than that. You remember these things:
Barrel jacks and plugs. Typically used for DC power, and that’s all I can reliably say. The socket had an inner pin and and outer ring that engaged with the inner and outer surfaces of the plug. Which was positive and which was negative? BOTH! A given power brick or device could be wired either way, which is why most of them had one of these diagrams printed on them somewhere:
There was no attempt at standardizing sizes or lengths for different polarities or voltages. It was entirely possible you could own a 12V center positive power brick that would plug straight into a 6V center negative device. If you were lucky, the device had reverse current protection, maybe a self-resetting fuse. Some didn’t. Or, somehow worse, you’d find a brick with the right voltage and polarity that wouldn’t physically fit.
So the current state of USB-C charging is considerably less lead-brained than what I grew up with.
One day, children will ask why we don’t make the plugs different shapes so you know if you’re using a 60 watt cable or a 240 watt cable or something in between.
(I do not know anything about electricity so I’m certain there’s a better way to explain this but it’s bananas I have USB cables that look identical but my Steam Deck will die while plugged in if I grab the wrong one)
The 90’s were even more lead-addled than that. You remember these things:
Barrel jacks and plugs. Typically used for DC power, and that’s all I can reliably say. The socket had an inner pin and and outer ring that engaged with the inner and outer surfaces of the plug. Which was positive and which was negative? BOTH! A given power brick or device could be wired either way, which is why most of them had one of these diagrams printed on them somewhere:
There was no attempt at standardizing sizes or lengths for different polarities or voltages. It was entirely possible you could own a 12V center positive power brick that would plug straight into a 6V center negative device. If you were lucky, the device had reverse current protection, maybe a self-resetting fuse. Some didn’t. Or, somehow worse, you’d find a brick with the right voltage and polarity that wouldn’t physically fit.
So the current state of USB-C charging is considerably less lead-brained than what I grew up with.
That’s because your supposed to use usb 3.2-1v3.1.2-hyperfast and not USB 3.2-1v3.1.2-superfast.
a. If no speed, assume usb2
b. If no power, assume 10W (5V2A)