Phone charger

Every now and again, our phone charger(s) and Apple laptop charger refuse to work. The simple fix is to unplug them from the mains and the device, then short out between the mains pins of the charger. There is often a small spark when shorted out.

After that, they magically work - What is going on and could this action damage the charger?

BobH

Edited By Speedy Builder5 on 02/07/2019 06:59:38

Are they original Apple chargers or aftermarket items? Both the charger(s) and the Lead(s)?

How old are they and what condition are they in?

It sounds like a glitch in the communications between charger and device. For a full fast charger there is "intelligence" in the device, lead (lightning) and charger. Unplugging resets the electronics in the charger and lead.

The spark you are seeing is from the EMI filter capacitor. While shorting it should not cause damage it would be better to just leave them unplugged for 5 minutes.

Robert G8RPI.

I applaud your curiosity but please don't do that plug trick with anything bigger than a 'phone charger !

The ' spark' is quite normal.

Robert, the Laptop charger is original Apple with built in lead and 'magnetic' plug. Wiggling the Laptop end plug doesn't make any difference until unplugged from the mains, shorted and re-plugged. Note, these are Euro 2 pin devices without earth pin.

On occasion, there is a healthy spark from the Apple charger when plugged in .

The mobile phone chargers are 'no brand' with assorted leads

Speedy builder....

please do not leave chargers pluged in even if switched off......

no switches on French sockets tho.......do have a couple of UK sockets with a phone charger built in...

nothing is charged over night in my house even the electric bike....

and certainly the dishwasher n washing machines is never used overnight.....

we have lost phones and chargers to lightning.....very bad storm last night ..Charente Maritime.....

as for chargers, will only buy from the Apple store......

I take it you won't be getting an e-car any time soon.

If I touch the pins of the charger for my Android lap top on unplugging I get quite a good little tickle.

Ian S C

Big Clive do tcom on you tube dot com has several videos about the appalling quality and unsafe construction of some of the low cost phone chargers available at pound/dollar stores. The transformers inside have poor quality insulation, are very closely wound for smallest possible size, and often do not have safe separation distances between primary and secondary coils. He has reviewed several with transformer winding dead short faults that resulted in the enclosure melting and ending in a big bang with sparks. As I recall he reviewed several Ap ple branded USB devices and chargers that he was not happy with also.

Trust but verify with compact-package line voltage electronics. A physically larger wall-wart type device is usually safer due to larger separation distances / more insulation between primary and secondary windings unless transformer is built badly.

I ditched Apple chargers and leads a long time ago. I only buy Anker products now, quality items and amazing durability.