Horrific USB power supply fault. (Electrocution risk.)
bigclivedotcom2 HN recommenders · recommended in 2 months, 2016–2024
demo · general · evergreen · 2016–2024 on HN
Electronics hobbyist bigclivedotcom tears down a cheap USB power supply with a manufacturing fault that carries full mains voltage to the USB ports, showing the risk of electric shock.
Cited in threads about cheap chargers as proof of why proper certified and isolated power supplies are worth paying for.
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8 comments from Hacker News
Big clive on HN. Hurray! He earned my respect from a video on a USB charger with an electrocution risk and why you should never buy cheap USB chargers. ▶ this video
TL;DR: spend the $19 to buy a real, big brand USB charger because they have more to lose than grey market no brand. Tragic. Probably cheap USB without mains isolation or maybe enough water dripped down length of cable and socket to create a circuit, because USB is supposed to be 5V DC. Watch these USB charger teardown horror-shows to further understand why it's rational to pay for proper, authentic CE+UL, high-low isolation and quality components (ie insulated tape in transformers): ▶ this video link link link link link
So I guess there will be more Bigclivedotcom deathdapter teardowns. This has been a common occurrence since 2016: ▶ this video There need to be more class-action lawsuits against Amazon, and the FTC and CPSC need to surveil Amazon's products and take regular enforcement action.
Related classics: (2019) BigClive overclocks a 120v Presto hot dogger to 250v link (2019) Veratasium grape microwave plasma link (2022) BigClive The dangers of microwave transformers link (2016) BigClive Electrocution risk of cheap USB chargers ▶ this video (2020) ElectroBOOM proves 5G isn't going to give you cancer or eat your children link
It stands to reason that selling arbitrary offshore products without liability insurance will come to an end. Almost every offshore brand and reseller has a throwaway name so they can just fold up and start over should anything happen. No more cheap/counterfeit USB deathdapters ▶ this video Also, I think electrical, li-ion, and RF products will have to prove their safety and compliance certification paperwork.
Computer killing powered USB hub. (Mac murderer) link Horrific USB power supply fault. (Electrocution risk.) ▶ this video
Finally a possible explanation [1] as to why Apple chargers (USB and laptop) give you tingles when touching the metal casing of the device they're plugged into. Would love to know if the mentioned capacitor is indeed the reason and whether it leads to enough efficiency to justify the scare it causes with first time customers. [1]: ▶ this video
Sometimes even a well designed and assembled power supply can be dangerous because of defective components. Big Clive on Youtube does many teardowns of cheap electronics, and here's one of a USB power supply that's dangerous because of internal damage to the transformer: ▶ this video Because this is an intermittent fault it's possible that non-destructive testing would not find it.