USB Chargers

I figured I'd post a link to this as I have recently tested a dozen or so mostly intended for Apple devices.

formatting link

Comments welcome.

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Samuel M. Goldwasser
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That does not include this lot, seized recently

Reply to
N_Cook

One Web site said that something 90 percent of the Apple chargers sold on eBay were fakes. I don't know if that includes only those listed as "Genuine Apple" or just "Apple".

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Reply to
Samuel M. Goldwasser

It did include "Genuine Apple" is has become a sure sign that the adapters sold are not genuine Apple.

The real chargers:

There are quite a few web sites that offer advice on how to recognize the difference between a genuine Apple charger and a counterfeit clone. Most of them use slight differences in appearance to make the determination. They never seem to mention using the weight of the charger to identify the counterfeit. I've been doing that with LiIon

18650 cells with good results using a cheap eBay scale: The fake cells usually weigh less.

However, I haven't tried weighing chargers. When torn apart, the counterfeit chargers tend to have much fewer components than the real charger. For example: The real Apple charger is on the left. I would expect that a fake could be identified by the weight, as long as Apple doesn't redesign the electronics, which could be identified by a change in FCCID number and model number.

You might want to get a scale, record the weights, and add them to your chart.

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Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

It looks like Apple used a lot of engineering just to charge a battery. From the writeup, the Apple charger does not seem to rate much if any better than many of the fakes.

Reply to
Ralph Mowery

Ralph Mowery wrote on 8/10/2017 1:14 PM:

Ya know, battery charging is not rocket science.

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Rick C
Reply to
rickman

Whether an Apple charger represents a quality device is not the issue or the problem. It's whether the chargers in question are safe to operate and meet the various safety specifications. Much of the extra circuitry in an Apple charger is required to comply with power factor correction (on the larger chargers), power line isolation, overload protection, efficiency requirements, operating temperature range, EMI/RFI, electromagnetic compatibility, etc. Every single logo on the (larger) serial number labels represent an expensive certification test.

Anyone can easily design a usable charger by simply copying the recommended circuit on the data sheet. Making one that's safe, rugged, customer proof, and passes the necessary tests, is another story.

In my never humble opinion, Apple chargers are designed to survive about 5-7 years under normal use, after which they mechanically fall apart. There are no concessions to reparability or long life. At best, they are nice looking, overpriced, throw-away products. However, I'm fairly sure that a genuine Apple charger is unlikely to electrocute me or set my house on fire, which is something I cannot say about the counterfeits.

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Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

None except nice to see you posting and hope all is well Sam.

Reply to
John-Del

There's mention on at least one Web site (and in the writeup) about the fakers adding iron blocks to make up the weight.

X-rays will tell. ;-)

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Reply to
Samuel M. Goldwasser

Technically, these aren't even battery chargers. They are constant voltage DC power supplies, period. Or should be if designed properly. The charge controller is in the device (or battery).

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Reply to
Samuel M. Goldwasser

I agree with you , but even brand names have their problems. The Samsung is a well known brand and their cell phones would burn up.

Other well known brands have had their problems.

Reply to
Ralph Mowery

Ralph Mowery wrote on 8/10/2017 4:02 PM:

A *lot* less often and when they do have problems they own up to it and recall them. You won't see any of the cheap models recalling products.

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Rick C
Reply to
rickman

I haven't seen iron blocks, but have seen sand inside one 18650 cell. The owner didn't want me to take it apart for some reason, but I could feel and hear the sand when I shook the cell. However, they added too much sand and instead of the usual 44-49 gram weight (for unprotected cells), it weighed about 60 grams. My guess(tm) is that they thought buyers would think they were getting more for their money if it were heavier. I just weighed a few known fake 18650 cells (Trustfire, GTL, Ultrafire, SkyWolfEye, etc). Most weighed 33-35 grams. One older Ultrafire "BCR-18650" weighed 47 grams. My guess is that it dates from the days when Ultrafire was a legitimate brand name.

Yes, unless the bad guys add a sheet of lead foil inside the power supply as "shielding".

More...

USB power supplies and chargers:

Index of tested USB power supplies/chargers: (Note the column in the chart on safety).

Test results on various supplies/chargers:

How does a USB charger work:

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Jeff Liebermann     jeffl@cruzio.com 
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Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

My current smartphone is a Samsung S6. I guess I should buy a pocket fire extinguisher in case my phone catches fire. Soon, everyone will be carrying pocket fire extinguishers.

Most manufacturers of laptops, smartphones, and cell phones have had problems with older LiPo batteries. These would bulge, which is normal during a fast charge cycle, which was most irritating, but allegedly not considered hazardous. A few phones did catch fire, which attracted media attention. However, what finally got their attention was the large number of YouTube videos showing what happens when someone pounds a nail into a LiPo battery pack. The result was the general addition of a BMS (battery management system) designed to protect the battery pack against over charge (above 4.2V), excessive discharge current, and discharge below about 2.8V. That was sufficient to reduce the number of spontaneous fires.

However, that didn't stop the problems at the manufacturing end. Sony had a huge recall of laptop battery packs for leaving scrap metal inside the cell which could eventually puncture the insulating separator and start a fire. Samsung had a similar problem with two generations of batteries in the S7.

Ok, so much for batteries. However, we're talking about power supplies, not batteries. We're also talking about a fairly small number of smartphone batteries that caught fire. I'm too lazy to calculate the odds, but I suspect you're safer carrying a Samsung S7 than you are trying to talk on your phone while charging it with counterfeit Apple power supply charger. For a smoking battery, the risks are statistical. For a counterfeit charger with insufficient AC line isolation, their situational.

The Sony laptop battery recall affected almost every major laptop manufacturer and a huge number of laptop batteries in 2006: When Sony laptops switched to Panasonic batteries, it happened again in 2013:

Apple had problems with some of their power supplies: Seen any recalls of counterfeit power supplies and chargers?

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Jeff Liebermann     jeffl@cruzio.com 
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Reply to
Jeff Liebermann

Also, the Samsung recall of fire-prone phones was due to battery problems, not charger problems.

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Reply to
Samuel M. Goldwasser

You didn't test beyond the rated power? I always like to see what happens when things are overloaded. Do they shut down, or stink and smoke?

George H.

Reply to
ggherold

No, at least not intentionally, sorry. Some ended up being tested at higher current than their ratings and at least didn't stink or smoke or shut down during the quick test. :)

And, in the interest of science, I have just purchased a 12 W charger from the Apple store to compare. ;-)

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Reply to
Samuel M. Goldwasser

Me also.

Long time no see!

RwP

Reply to
Ralph Phillips

If it's just a 5V supply you could buy a Phihong wall wart for ~$15. You'd have to re-wire the plug. How much is the charger from the apple store? (If you don't mind my asking.)

George H.

Reply to
ggherold

Yes, of course, or less from MPJA.

12 W charger is $19 delivered. It just arrived and tested very similar to the one I bought on eBay as "Genuine Apple 12W Charger". Labeling slightly different, but consistent with acceptable variations. Gold and silver refer to the USB contacts.

Rated || ID Description Max I | NL 10 5.0 3.3 2.5 2.0 | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 Apple 5W A1265 Gold Pins 1.0 A 5.03 5.01 4.98 -- -- -- 2 Apple 5W A1265 Tin Pins 1.0 A 5.01 5.00 4.97 -- -- -- 3 Apple 10W A1357 Gold Pins #1 2.0 A 5.06 5.03 4.96 4.94 4.92 -- 4 Apple 10W A1357 Gold Pins #2 2.0 A 5.04 4.96 4.95 4.94 4.90 -- 5 Apple 12W A1401 Gold Pins 2.4 A 5.11 5.08 5.06 5.03 5.02 4.92 6 Apple 12W A1401 Tin Pins 2.4 A 5.11 5.09 5.07 5.05 4.98 4.97

#5 is from Apple Store, $19, #6 is from eBay, $7.

Have sent off to be X-rayed. ;-)

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Samuel M. Goldwasser

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