Electronic waste built in and unavoidable,almost?

reboot · 29-03-2024 06:52AM #1

An elderly friend spent a torturous and expensive 4 hours last week buying a Sim free mobile phone in Newry.

She rang to ask if she needed to buy a new charger,as the new phone only came with a lead.

The new lead had USB C plugs Both Ends.

I advised her not to buy a charger,as the house was full of them already,and I'd sort her out.

Her phone charges fine with her old charger,albeit checked to ensure it delivers 2 Amps and has a USB A to C, charging cable.

listermint · 29-03-2024 07:14AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058344058/electronic-waste-built-in-and-unavoidable-almost

You can get a usb c wall charger for 9.50 on amazon.

Arguably the USB c is more functional port than any phone or charger they had before because you can't get it wrong. It has no up or down or little spikey catch bits and also the same port both ends.

I'd have binned all the old chargers bar 1 for guests and got a single new usb c one. Keeps it all super simple and easy

reboot · 29-03-2024 08:08AM

Thanks you make my point,with binned.

The C plug is more functional,although in this case the A cable end only fits one way up.

I also believe C may carry video and audio data, perhaps replacing HDMI in some circumstances.

On the binning point,the laneways near me are littered with discarded E cigarettes, the batteries of which would be capable of recharging,if the will was there,but then you wouldn't sell more,which can then be again binned,etc.

listermint · 29-03-2024 08:25AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121952002#Comment_121952002

Binned as electronic recycling these things can have second life's in new goods.

reboot · 29-03-2024 08:46AM

Could be,or as we've seen set fire to on African beaches.

listermint · 29-03-2024 08:48AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121952103#Comment_121952103

Have you considered that's also just local African waste. The continent of Africa does have its own electronics and does have many wealthy nations. Bit of a western perception that everywhere is a backwater...

Flinty997 · 29-03-2024 09:27AM

A new charger if you buy the right one will charge the phone quicker. Phone and Charger communicate. It's not simply about the amps. With the right cable. Old cables can have micro breaks which means they don't charge as fast

That said you might want to normally charge the phone slower as it preserves the battery.

I moved the family over to USB C it's just easier. The only thing left using USB micro is earphones. I got usb micro to usb C adapters that fit on the end of the UDB C cables. So one cable does both..

Often if giving old phones away I give the old cable and charger with them.

reboot · 30-03-2024 07:17AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121952221#Comment_121952221

Good points ,well made,it's not really a discussion,although it may morph into that if required, about the undoubted advantages of USB C.

The point you make on old or indeed cheap cables is taken up by Google Engineer Benson Levng,who warns of damage to products from some C cables.

The complicated and confusing subject of C cables is before us, with the possibility of 100 Watts power transfer, speeds up to 40 GPS Thunderbolt,and Gen,1,2 and 3.USB 3.2 coming up.

The transfer of signals ,power and data,in both directions could raise problems,but also being capable of 4k vision and sound,with power,very useful.

You mention the vexed question of the merit of fast charging lithium batteries.

There are many and varied opinions ,God help me, going back now Eleven years on the EV boards forums.

I could charge my 22kwhr lithium battery at 160 amps, but choose to avoid fast chargers,opting instead for 10 amp home charging from any 13 amp socket,overnight of course.

PoInt being, I've not experienced any battery problems, and although Renault say to expect 7 years from the battery, I'm now driving the Zoe in year 9.

Getting back to the elderly lady who bought the new phone which didn't come with any charger,are we saying she should make the transition to C,by replacing her existing power sources 5v dc USB A, which include cigar plug car charger,several power banks,UPS,and even laptop?, and giving them away?.

The relatively new world of moving over to C,may be a benefit in some areas, but frought with threads to come.Thanks.

Del2005 · 30-03-2024 08:09AM

The elderly lady only needs to buy 1 cable to charge her phone and she can plug it into her old charger or power banks. Her laptop still needs it's proprietary cable and all her other devices still function with the cables she has. When she goes out she can haul her bag of proprietary chargers and cables with her instead of just carrying 1 multi port USB C charger and a few cables

It's a lot better since the EU forced micro USB and now USB C onto companies as before she'd of got a new charger and cable with every device she bought and they would only work with that device. Get a new model and she'd need a new charger and plug as the old one was different.

Moving to USB C is also a safer option. You can charge most devices in an hour or 2 with a high power charger instead of having to charge overnight. Leaving batteries charge overnight is dangerous.

Stark · 30-03-2024 08:18AM

Moving to C is a necessity for fast charging as the PD power delivery standard only supports C-C for whatever reason (the one plus phones managed fast charging using A-C but it was a proprietary standard). At least once you have a C-C charger, everything that uses the PD standard will charge quickly with the same charger. Things are a hell of a lot better now than in the bad old days when I had a drawer full of chargers which would each only work with one device.

You can still of course use all your old USB-A chargers, it's just going to be slower to charge. (This is also the case for the OnePlus phones as the fast charging mechanism they use is proprietary).

Flinty997 · 30-03-2024 09:30AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121955272#Comment_121955272

EV batteries are different discussion.

I think you really asking can you keep your ancient inconvenient equipment rather than replacing it with something more convenient. Sure.

There are people still using their 2 tonne 386 laptop with a suitcase sized PSU and a dial up modem. 10 mins of battery life and 3 days to charge.

Sam Russell · 17-11-2024 10:20AM

New switching chargers are more energy efficient than old transformer based chargers.

The difference can be significant if they are left attached all the time - like DECT phone chargers are. The same can apply to standby of TVs and radios. An extra watt or two sounds not much but that multiplies to a significant cost over a billing period.

If the charger is heavy in your hand compared to a 13A plug, it probably contains a transformer and should be binned. The extra watt or two generates heat which can be dangerous as well.

reboot · 12-01-2025 03:12PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122848762#Comment_122848762

Pulse mode power supplies and chargers are an interesting topic with some saying they may cause Dirty Electricity, a problem mentioned to me by then head of Renault EVs Europe Andy Heiron.

These days everyone wants smaller,lighter devices and faster charging. I'm not so sure.

Sam Russell · 12-01-2025 05:06PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123047541#Comment_123047541

Not sure what a pulse mode psu is compared to switch mode one.

Switch mode uses high frequency which is much more efficient than 50 Hz. Modern electronics allows much higher speed, and therefore greater efficiency.

reboot · 18-01-2025 06:40AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123048379#Comment_123048379

Think we are talking about the same thing,understand the hf doing away with tfrs, resulting in good and not so good possible outcomes,thanks

Sam Russell · 19-01-2025 07:24PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123068666#Comment_123068666

High freq does not get rid of transformers - it is just that they are hugely more efficient, and very much smaller and lighter.

reboot · 20-01-2025 09:53PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123074236#Comment_123074236

Agreed,some ps that use hf still include transformers.

Electronic waste built in and unavoidable,almost?

Comments