3 ms·

> relatively small problem Setting the houses of their customers on fire is a small problem??

• kube-system 4y ago
  Setting people's houses on fire is in fact a large problem. Potentially setting houses on fire is also a problem, but it is "relatively smaller" than the liability of actually injuring or killing someone, or hundreds of people. Melting connectors is not all that uncommon of an issue with shoddy electronics. Well designed hardware rarely has this problem, but if you buy enough no-name import junk, you'll probably run into this with other products. (I have) Most of the time it does not cause a fire. This isn't okay, but it also isn't Surfside condo collapse levels of bad.
  • sudosysgen 4y ago
    This is a high amperage connector. It is significantly more prone to catching on fire that the majority of connectors in no name import junk in case of it melting.
    • kube-system 4y ago
      Fire is caused by heating something to its ignition temperature, and heat is a function of the conductor its flowing through just as much as it's a function of the current itself. The current provided from a base-spec USB charger is enough to start a fire, given the right (er... wrong) conductor. Plenty of us remember lighting Estes rocket motors with flashlight batteries (zinc carbon, no less) as a kid.
      • sudosysgen 4y ago
        When a junction melts, it is often the case that the connection itself will become much more resistive, which will make it heat up more and more. For an application where the PSU might be able to supply hundreds of Watts, it's much easier for things to get very hot and ignite. This is despite the use of a good conductor. And the issue is that when the power source is that much more powerful you're more likely to make whatever is nearby catch fire.