Usb A, B, C etc.... (1 Viewer)

[Jev88]

Not strictly MH related bit will be as electronic devices develop.

I have found usb C to usb C leads often do NOT charge some of my existing USB micro - lights, vapes, battery chargers etc....
Switch to USB A to USB C and all charges perfectly. Anyone know why this is?
My car now has USB C ports as standard but if I wanted to charge my old faithful torch etc .. it doesn't light up, use a car cig adaptor that accepts Usb A and then USB C at the device end and all is well?

I thought the new standard oval, reversible USB C was here to stop us having multiple cables and wasting miles of wires ??

 

[meanders]

Look up 'USB-C PD'. Not all USB-C is the same.

 

[Vanman]

The USB C cables are a 'new standard' going forwards, they are not necessarily compatible going back. You can get adapters or special cables to make some of your legacy stuff charge, but it's not guaranteed.

 

[Guigsy]

USB A was never designed to charge dumb devices. But they became so ubiquitous that that's what they are often used for. Bridging the data pins with a resistor convinced ports to start outputting power.

Usb C PD is smarter. It adjusts the voltage depending on the device you squeeze more power down a skinny USB cable. But that old hack with the resistor doesn't always work anymore.

 

[LithiumConvert]

USB A was never designed to charge devices. But they became so ubiquitous that that's what they are often used for.

No USB ports where originally designed to charge anything.

Universal Serial Bus (USB) was designed to replace the very old and very hard use (9 pin) Serial Ports.

The orignal USB-A was designed to work with the now outdated USB-B for simple devices like printers, which in those days had 9 pin serial ports.

These days, most devices should charge with a USB-A cable as they are the charging sockets found almost eveywhere :- Computers, houses, shops, cars, trains, buses, aeroplanes and even newish motorhomes.

They (USB A) are now used less and less for data transfer as USB-C has numerous advantages for data transfer.

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[pagey]

Some usb c only charge and do not transfer data

 

[brocola]

As mentioned above much more eloquently, USB-C devices negotiate with the "USB-C" power supply to determine how much power to provide.

Some device manufacturers have adopted the USB-C style connector for power, but don't have the electronics to negotiate how much power they need.

Using a USB-C to USB-A lead removes the negotiation from the equation.

My rechargeable Lidl Inspection lamp that uses a USB-C socket is similar. Won't charge with a USB-C to USB-C lead, but will charge fine with a USB-C to USB-A lead.

 

[LithiumConvert]

USB-A can negotiate a charging current as well.

 

[Guigsy]

USB-A can negotiate a charging current as well.

Yes, but that's a recent addition. And requires the device on the other end to have a chip to do the negotiation. USB C PD can also negotiate voltage. The latest standard means it can go all the way up to 50V at 5A!

My USB C PC port I've added to the van is just plugged into the 12v supply, so it'll kick out up to 30 watts when passing 12v straight through. Which is enough to slowly charge a full sized laptop while in use.

 

[the1andonly]

My USB C PC port I've added to the van is just plugged into the 12v supply, so it'll kick out up to 30 watts when passing 12v straight through. Which is enough to slowly charge a full sized laptop while in use.

So what do i need to charge my "new" HP laptop via 12v it has a 3 pin 240v charger (sence pin,no way of using my maplin 12v charger) it has 2 usb A and a usb C.

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[Guigsy]

If the USB C port has a little symbol, you can charge with that using USB C PD. With one of those ports in the van that connects to 12v, you can just use a C to C cable with no adapter. With my 15" laptop with a Ryzen 7 (so fairly power hungry) it'll charge at 30w. It complains it's slow if you're gaming, but it'll still add juice. And much quicker when the lid is closed.

 

[steve69]

USB - A, USB - C, USB C PD, will charge, won't charge.....brain cell overload, brain cell overload....AAAARRRRGGGHHH.

 

[the1andonly]

If the USB C port has a little symbol, you can charge with that using USB C PD.ee

Unfortunately no just std usb sign trident with 3 different prongs , the usb A have smaller with ss by side