Is there really a need for a product like this?

An interesting problem for kids with forks.

I wonder what the orientation of the USB sockets are? Bet that you spend some time figuring that out, each time.

A good deal on a smart product. Made in .........

RL

Like reading a soup can, if it doesn't compute, flip it around 180 degrees. Or leave the cord in all the time.

China, of course.

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

Yep. I've just been talking with a major GPS manufacturer... various OTS chargers are toasting their GPS units. ...Jim Thompson

UL also checks if the device can kill the user, create a upstream or downstream hazard, destroy itself, performance when it involves safety, and anything that might make insurance underwriters nervous.

Even with UL approval, it is still possible to create a fire or shock hazard:

May I humbly suggest you work on your deplomacy. It's really not necessary to insult those you disagree with or when you think you've found an error.

There are standards and targets for larger appliances and devices, but at the power level of this device, they're not signifigant. I just checked my Apple iPhone charger device with my Kill-a-watt P4400 meter. It doesn't even register current when there's no load. Good enough methinks. Same with a clone charger:

My Kill-a-watt meter will measure current down to 10ma. Close enough to zero for me.

Amazing. That would make sure that no power is drawn or supplied when there's no AC input power. Disconnecting the input AC power is considered sufficient to prevent any power draw and disable any output. The fun part is what happens during a "brown out" where the input power is less than 117VAC.

It could easily be zero. Just add a mechanical switch on the AC side, operated by plugging in the USB connector.

Or do it elecronically, and get so close to zero that it doesn't matter.

See above.

No net gain, at considerable expense.

There's nothing in the patent drawings or data sheet to suggest an interlock. It looks like a spring loaded sliding USB door, and nothing else.

That's the right way except there's nothing in the power supply schematic to suggest that it shuts off when there's no load. Kinda looks like it's running all the time. See schematic Fig 5 in the patent drawings.

Yep. Maybe we should send one to Mr Skybuck Flying. If there's any way to break it, he's sure to find it.

AC wall outlets and GFCI protectors are made to last about 40 years: I wonder how long the cheap USB power supply will last? If it's anything like my wall wart collection, my guess is there will be bulging electrolytic failures after about 2 years. I haven't lost any Apple chargers yet, but two out of 10 clones that I purchased have died.

Also there are fake UL stickers:

Yes, I've run into free market UL markings more than once, and also gray area (they had listing but failed to keep up the protection payments).

This one looks very legit that way.. they list the file number on the brochure, and it points to a HK-registered company:

"Receptacles with Intergal (sic) Power Supply with Class 2 Output Connectors: Model WO-002-01 WO-002-02, WO-002-03, WO-002-04, WO-002-05."

The US Patent was granted to three HK residents: Chung Man Lam, Kwan Mo Ng, Tak On Chan, and they were previously granted a Chinese patent

A HK-registered company with China factory is a good business structure for light manufacturing of this type. Their HK address is a legit-looking grubby factory building in Kwun Tong.

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

Yes, but you can lookup the product on the UL web pile to see if it's for real. Same with fake FCC ID numbers, creative MAC addresses and bogus Wi-Fi certifications. You name it, and someone will fake it.

Oddly, the bogus MAC addresses are what caused me the most grief. I bought a box of no-name wireless ethernet client adapters. The MAC address claims they were made by Cisco, which is rather unlikely. I could live with that, but out of 10 adapters, 4 of them had exactly the same MAC address. It took considerable head scratching to figure out why things weren't working.

Sometimes, the bad guys do get caught. Note that they were doing this for 10 years before they got caught:

Nice. I guess the breakers were good enough not to attract attention in the form of safety issues or that would surely have figured prominently in the press release.

A year+ in federal prison and a fairly substantial fine, plus loss of about 100,000 units.

I wonder what they threatened him with to get the guilty plea.

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

They probably threatend to tell his wife if he didn't cooperate.

I think it would be great to provide 19 volt laptop power in cars and on the wall socket, but on a USB connector??? Pumping 100 W through a USB cable sounds dangerous.

Being able to plug in my laptop without the power pack would be really nice.

Rick

No, a triac would do the job nicely. No DC supply needed. That's what is in most AC SSRs anyway.

Rick

She's probably going to notice the year+ in federal prison thing anyway at some point.. but maybe they threatened him with five or ten years in prison (probably at 63 yo the rest of his life).

One of the case studies I looked at years ago was a bunch of guys who set up a circuit breaker company to compete with the established guys (allegedly there is a lot of cross ownership, sitting on each other's boards and such like so there is no real competitive market). They were bought out before they had a chance to start investing real money, so the market stayed unchanged.

I certainly would never condone playing fast and loose with safety certifications and/or counterfeits, of course, but if the case study was accurate they could use some honest/serious competition. There are a number of decent looking circuit breaker manufacturers in China, but they would need to pass all the relevant safety certifications, be reliable, and establish a solid brand with support.

Best regards, Spehro Pefhany

Cutler Hammer was never anything to brag about.

I always carry an 'A' to "mini-B" and an 'A' to "micro-B" cable in my backpack (or laptop case, whichever I have with me), as well as a charger or two when traveling. There are a lot of things besides phones that use USB for power these days.

I've been thinking about using one by my nightstand, instead of the wall wart.

I have an 16k mA/h backup USB supply.

I use that for my iPad and phone, etc.

Now, I just need one to feed my laptop requisite.

Sounds like they should have OVP in the $x00 GPS units. Its a rough world out there, only the tough survive.

Rick