4 ms·

Anyone can create a poorly made adapter or a poorly made plug. My question is why would an industry leader put an elementary risk at the forefront of a new tech

Anyone can create a poorly made adapter or a poorly made plug. My question is why would an industry leader put an elementary risk at the forefront of a new technology? The pins should be shielded. Third party garbage is inevitable, and too often very difficult to tell apart from authentic merchandise. In electrical current even in low amp situations idiot-proof should be the critical part of the design.

klodolph 14y ago
A power adapter which can't handle a short is dangerous, period. Handling a short should be a part of the design of the power supply. Break open a low-quality third-party power supply for the last generation of iPhone and you'll see some downright dangerous, possibly lethal stuff. These dangers aren't really even mitigated by putting a shield around the plug. http://www.arcfn.com/2012/03/inside-cheap-phone-charger-and-why-you.html http://www.arcfn.com/2012/03/inside-cheap-phone-charger-and-... And a picture of what it should look like: http://www.arcfn.com/2012/05/apple-iphone-charger-teardown-quality.html http://www.arcfn.com/2012/05/apple-iphone-charger-teardown-q... Notice that on the shoddy power supply, the isolation between mains voltages and the other side is about 1mm. Manufacturing tolerances and component faults could easily bridge that gap and electrify the entire low-voltage side with lethal 240V mains -- shield and all. Idiot-proofing low-voltage plug design doesn't help, because you've already lost if you let idiots design anything that plugs into the wall. Okay, shorting the plug might blow out your knockoff power supply and possibly start a fire, if the current limiting circuitry fails (which it shouldn't). But that knockoff was going to electrocute you anyway, at least if it lights on fire you still have the chance to run.

4 ms·

Anyone can create a poorly made adapter or a poorly made plug. My question is why would an industry leader put an elementary risk at the forefront of a new tech

by soupysoupysoup 14y ago

klodolph 14y ago
A power adapter which can't handle a short is dangerous, period. Handling a short should be a part of the design of the power supply. Break open a low-quality third-party power supply for the last generation of iPhone and you'll see some downright dangerous, possibly lethal stuff. These dangers aren't really even mitigated by putting a shield around the plug. http://www.arcfn.com/2012/03/inside-cheap-phone-charger-and-why-you.html http://www.arcfn.com/2012/03/inside-cheap-phone-charger-and-... And a picture of what it should look like: http://www.arcfn.com/2012/05/apple-iphone-charger-teardown-quality.html http://www.arcfn.com/2012/05/apple-iphone-charger-teardown-q... Notice that on the shoddy power supply, the isolation between mains voltages and the other side is about 1mm. Manufacturing tolerances and component faults could easily bridge that gap and electrify the entire low-voltage side with lethal 240V mains -- shield and all. Idiot-proofing low-voltage plug design doesn't help, because you've already lost if you let idiots design anything that plugs into the wall. Okay, shorting the plug might blow out your knockoff power supply and possibly start a fire, if the current limiting circuitry fails (which it shouldn't). But that knockoff was going to electrocute you anyway, at least if it lights on fire you still have the chance to run.