This article is just a stupid hit piece.
A USB cord is not responsible for detecting short circuits. That's the job of the charger not the cord.
The best cord in the entire universe cannot prevent short circuits.
A USB cord is not responsible for detecting short circuits. That's the job of the charger not the cord.
The best cord in the entire universe cannot prevent short circuits.
Fire investigators are also well versed in the forensic investigation of these scenes. If his expert analysis determined the cord was at fault, there's a good chance it was the cable and not the device.
yes. also extremely high quality cables which have been damaged in the field can develop a short.
power supplies intended for use by users who cannot/will not inspect their cabling for damage (morally) should detect that the output is shorted and stop applying a voltage.
they're the only device in the "charger, cable, chargee" chain that can do anything about the situation.
It is a huge mischaracterization to suggest that this is a hit piece about "USB cords." That was one of half a dozen different electrical products they discussed, and only the jumping off point into a much larger discussion.
A poor connection at a plug can (or will?) cause a hot spot without arcing, and for a long thin cable a short may not even trigger the overcurrent protection of a high power charger.
Best to buy a cable with a decent 'AWG rating' eg 24AWG, either from a reputable brand like Tronsmart, or a specialist supplier, in the UK there's Kenable: