USB-C extensions are not allowed for a reason
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There is a reason for USB-C extensions not to be part of the standard. They can be bothersome in the best case and dangerous in the worst. The cable tester f...

There is a reason for USB-C extensions not to be part of the standard. They can be bothersome in the best case and dangerous in the worst.

    • WraithGear@lemmy.worldEnglish
      305·
      15 days ago

      So a standard cable needs to be chipped to show its rating to the device, its not that the device can pull what it wants or can get, but the cable itself tells it what it can supply. Extension cables can’t do that, because it doesn’t know what it’s plugged into, and that would be if they even bothered to put a chip in. They instead piggy back off the chip for the main cable. The problem comes when you you have a 240 watt cable hooked up to a cheap 120 watt cable, with the device being told it can push 240, and starts to super heat the extension cable

      • Mr_Blott@feddit.ukEnglish
        856·
        14 days ago

        Brilliant thanks

        5 sentences that inexplicably need a 9 minute video to say

        Fuck YouTube

      • Anivia@feddit.orgEnglish
        101·
        14 days ago

        Correct, except for your example. Firstly, 120 watt USB c cables don’t exist, only 60w, 100w, 140w and 240w. And only plugging in a 100w or higher cable into a 60w extension would be dangerous, since it would allow drawing 5 amps on a cable over an extension only designed for 3 amps. However, as soon as your extension is rated for 100w it is completely safe to use with any USB c cable, even those rated for 240w, as those only operate at a higher voltage but still only allow 5 amps max.

        I have also never seen an USB C extension cable rated for less than 100w, so this is kind of a moot point. If 60w usb c extensions exist somewhere, they would indeed be dangerous, but I have never come across one

      • Obinice@lemmy.worldEnglish
        42·
        14 days ago

        Interesting, I’d never trust any USB cable to push anywhere near 100 watts anyway haha good god, the most I ever do is maybe 20w at 5v.

        I’ll keep that in mind when buying cables in the future though this is very useful info!

        • fine_sandy_bottom@lemmy.federate.ccEnglish
          9·
          14 days ago

          As a point of reference, Lenovo Thinkpad’s have something of a cult following for their reliability and versatility.

          My T490s has a USB-C power supply which provides 45w (20v at 2.25a).

          The thing is, when docked it’s not only pulling power through that cable, but also network, USB devices, and providing video for 2x monitors in 1920x1080. It’s kind of astonishing to me how much can be crammed in to one little connector. That said, it’s frustrating trying to find a usb cable that works reliably, because as you’d imagine not all USB-C cables support the same specs.

        • GreyEyedGhost@lemmy.caEnglish
          7·
          14 days ago

          If you buy a Steam Deck, or the Lenovo laptop I have for work, the only charging options you have are USB C. Their standard chargers put out at least 60 45 W, and they aren’t particularly special. In fact, I’m pretty sure 20 W at 5 V won’t be enough to supply these while in use, so you will either be using battery with long charge times in between, using them with battery-assisted power for longer use times until you hit those long charge times, or using the 60 45 W or more at whatever voltage the chargers provide.

        • iopq@lemmy.worldEnglish
          5·
          14 days ago

          My laptop can do 240W over USB-C, I’m just waiting for a charger that can do it with a modular cable

    • jordanlund@lemmy.worldEnglish
      7·
      15 days ago

      Extensions aren’t part of the official spec, so they aren’t actually certified as proper USB-C.

      Same risks as any other janky no-name gear you see online, even if it SAYS it’s rated for a specific throughput or power rating, that may not be the case.

    • mannycalavera@feddit.ukEnglish
      737·
      15 days ago

      This is what AI says about this video:

      The video is about the dangers of using USB-C extension cords. The narrator explains that USB-C extension cords are not officially certified by the USB Implementers Forum, which means that they are not guaranteed to be safe or reliable. He also explains that USB-C extension cords can be dangerous because they can overload the power supply of the device that they are connected to. This can cause the device to overheat and even catch fire. The narrator recommends that people avoid using USB-C extension cords altogether. Here are some of the specific dangers of using USB-C extension cords:

      • They can overload the power supply of the device that they are connected to.
      • They can cause the device to overheat and even catch fire.
      • They can degrade the performance of the device.
      • They can be unreliable.

      The narrator also explains that some USB-C extension cords have a label that says “USB 2.0 low speed devices can only work with one side of the ultra high rate extension cables interface.” This means that the USB 2.0 connection is only available on one side of the cable. This can be a problem if you need to connect a USB 2.0 device to the cable.

      The narrator recommends that people avoid using USB-C extension cords altogether. If you must use one, he recommends that you use a high-quality cable from a reputable manufacturer. You should also make sure that the cable is rated for the power requirements of the device that you are connecting to it. Overall, this video is a helpful resource for anyone who is considering using a USB-C extension cord. It provides important information about the dangers of using these cables and how to avoid them.

      • hendrik@palaver.p3x.deEnglish
        32·
        15 days ago

        As always AI doesn’t quite get it. One of the main points is that it could catch on fire and burn down your house. Plus you’ll run into other problems as well. You’re not supposed to buy extensions for USB. Buy a longer cable instead.

        • Lemminary@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          14 days ago

          I need the super duper reliable video summary LLM I was promised. Or else!

          I even bought my pitchfork for it, see? ----₤ What? It was on sale.

          • hendrik@palaver.p3x.deEnglish
            31·
            14 days ago

            Idk man. If you’re writing wrong stuff, people will call you out here on Lemmy. Doesn’t really matter who you are. And the issue was someone wanting that info as text.

        • hddsx@lemmy.caEnglish
          21·
          15 days ago

          Jokes on you buddy. Most people can’t afford houses these days.

          But yeah, if you don’t know what exactly what you’re doing, err on the side of caution

          • hddsx@lemmy.caEnglish
            83·
            15 days ago

            I asked the AI if it was wrong or you were wrong. It said you were wrong.

            Who am I to believe?

          • Ahrotahntee@lemmy.caEnglish
            19·
            15 days ago

            I’m sick of stuff that should be ~2 paragraphs of text being a video. I do not want to watch a person or hear a narrator, I interpret written information much more effectively, and being text I can retain significant portions of the document as necessary.

            • Jaybob32@lemmy.caEnglish
              13·
              14 days ago

              You know, you don’t have to watch it. You can find the information elsewhere in text format. But I guess we all need to conform to your preferences.

              • Ahrotahntee@lemmy.caEnglish
                1·
                14 days ago

                It’s nice that you’re so ready to delegate to my natural authority, but unnecessary.

      • Bezier@suppo.fiEnglish
        151·
        15 days ago

        The AI got most of it vaguely right, but unsurprisingly a lot seems to go above its head. Kinda like reading a shitty tech journalist writing about something they don’t understand at all.

      • Natanael@slrpnk.netEnglish
        4·
        15 days ago

        The risk isn’t usually the device you connect a bad cable to (they have internal limiters), it’s the cable itself. You can easily overload a cable if the extension cord can’t signal the lower limit if it’s own rating and the other cable’s rating.

        The USB 2 part is also misleading.