USB charger - defective or not?

zbluebirdz

A few weeks ago, I brought a USB block charger (charges 1-4 devices at the same time) and it charges via the wall-socket.

This gadget works well – except for sparking/clicking ...

If you connect the gadgets, charger and power cable in a certain way, I can see “sparking” in the charger.
- Firstly, connect power cable to wall socket, but not connected to charger.
- Secondly, connect gadgets (phone + tablet) to charger via USB cables.
- Thirdly, plug the power cable into the charger ... here, you can see the “sparking” inside the unit when the plug goes into the charger (at the point the plug is just connecting to the pins in the charger). You can hear/feel it "clicking" inside the charger.

After a few of these “sparking” incidents, I’ve change the way I connect things – wall, then charger then gadgets.

Question:
Is this charger faulty/defective or not?

Alanstrainor

Bin it. Absolute madness to use it!

coylemj

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Bin it. Absolute madness to use it!

+1 OP, it sounds like it's going to take flames or the smell of melting plastic to make you realise that what you have is a dangerous heap of sh1t, get rid of it immediately.

And then people wonder why Apple introduced the 'Made for iPod' approval system for third party accessories to control what you could use to charge an iPod or iPhone!

zbluebirdz

Thanks for the reply.

The sparks are not that big - just lights up inside socket part of the charger. Didn't really think it would be much of an issue.

For peace of mind, the manufacturer is sending a replacement unit free of charge.

Alanstrainor

zbluebirdz wrote: »

Thanks for the reply.

The sparks are not that big - just lights up inside socket part of the charger. Didn't really think it would be much of an issue.

For peace of mind, the manufacturer is sending a replacement unit free of charge.

Result!