Warning: Car charger with 2 USB and Cigarette Lighter

[Phluvcat]

Bought the above charger from Giant yesterday evening.

 

This morning, plugged into the cigarette lighter socket, on the engine, then proceeded to plug in video cam usb and mobile phone usb (mobile phone not connected at the other end yet). The cigarette socket is still free.

 

Within 5 sec, heard a slight piak and a little smoke emitted from one of the usb.

 

Knn, burnt liao. Cost about $14 down the drain.

 

Thought I found the charger with my desired config (2 USB + one cigarette lighter socket), now I am back to square one.

 

This type of thing dunno can get refund from Giant or not.

[Lanevomax]

you need to calculate your time, effort and parking charges worth more than $14 or not.....

 

i will definitely move on and buy other brand....unless it is like $100 and above

Edited January 6, 2013 by Lanevomax

[Kurty]

http://www.mycarforum.com/index.php?showto...656288&hl=*

 

bro, this kind of plug, must buy something well built and quality..

 

just sharing with you what happen to mine...

 

burn my car interior..

[Bigbadguy]

Think should be able to refund ba, less then one day, Sometimes buying those no name usb charger a bit dangerous, My gf brought those house usb charger from IT fair and it explode during charging of the phone, Luckly no one was injured, (anyway i doubt it really explode, My guess is its just sparks and burn, girls like to exaggerate =P )

[Phluvcat]

you need to calculate your time, effort and parking charges worth more than $14 or not.....

 

i will definitely move on and buy other brand....unless it is like $100 and above

 

ya I was thinking not worth the time and hassle...for now I stick back to my Belkin dual USB charger. So far ok, just that I have been wanting one with a cigarette lighter socket. Hard to find that config.

 

But then I happy for less than a day niah.

[Gee]

Have had quite a few, cheapo MIC CMI, though not to the extent of blowing up, the CE labelled 2.1A rated simply can't deliver. After got a refund, got myself a proper one. Cost a hell lot more but it delivers.

[Phluvcat]

http://www.mycarforum.com/index.php?showto...656288&hl=*

 

bro, this kind of plug, must buy something well built and quality..

 

just sharing with you what happen to mine...

 

burn my car interior..

 

yours that serious? You mean plastic melted?

 

Me not conversant when come to electrical stuff, foreign language to me. Did not expect Giant also sell crap stuff, well now I know to be careful at Autobacs and in fact, everywhere else too.

 

Next time I bring an electrical guy with me to buy the charger.

 

Thanks.

[Phluvcat]

Think should be able to refund ba, less then one day, Sometimes buying those no name usb charger a bit dangerous, My gf brought those house usb charger from IT fair and it explode during charging of the phone, Luckly no one was injured, (anyway i doubt it really explode, My guess is its just sparks and burn, girls like to exaggerate =P )

 

hahaha...mine is slight piak, then zzz...then a bit of smoke, I quickly take out.

 

Thank goodness.

[Fcw75]

Should go and get the refund.

[Phluvcat]

Standard USB specs draws up to 0.5A and therefore many chargers are designed for up to 0.5A only. But many devices such as iPhone, iPad, Galaxy etc. all drawing 1.0 to 2.0A. If the charger is not effectively protected by fuse or circuit, then surely burn.

 

Looks like you are the man.

 

So what kind of specs I should look out for?

 

I dig out the packaging from my bin (some extract):

 

For DC 12V car use only.

Suitable for DC5.0V and 500mA electric current.

 

Bsaed on your description, seems like it short-circuited. I was powering my video cam then, not yet charge handphone.

[Alf08]

If you still have the receipt and packing, you can get a refund, just tell the customer service that the device not working and ask for a refund. It happened to me twice on a same product - battery operated drill, I bought the black and decker brand, go home charge, next day the drill not working, go back exchange for another one, same things happened, go back again and ask for refund...

[Porche]

Bought the above charger from Giant yesterday evening.

 

This morning, plugged into the cigarette lighter socket, on the engine, then proceeded to plug in video cam usb and mobile phone usb (mobile phone not connected at the other end yet). The cigarette socket is still free.

 

Within 5 sec, heard a slight piak and a little smoke emitted from one of the usb.

 

Knn, burnt liao. Cost about $14 down the drain.

 

Thought I found the charger with my desired config (2 USB + one cigarette lighter socket), now I am back to square one.

 

This type of thing dunno can get refund from Giant or not.

 

Bro, buy from Autobacs. i got one, working fine for almost a year

[Troyempire]

u r lucky. Mine is car fuse gone & gotta go back AD & change it FOC. After which i change to those "branded" one instead.

[Siewss]

I only have one 12V output socket and I use it to power the car-cam, air ioniser, GPS and MP3 player.

 

I'm thinking of hooking up my phone via USB, but now I'm thinking twice about powering too many devices to a single socket.

[Kurty]

yours that serious? You mean plastic melted?

 

Me not conversant when come to electrical stuff, foreign language to me. Did not expect Giant also sell crap stuff, well now I know to be careful at Autobacs and in fact, everywhere else too.

 

Next time I bring an electrical guy with me to buy the charger.

 

Thanks.

 

mine was the wiring, it actually melt and its smoke.. almost choke and faint me when i was driving..

imagine i had to escape from car when driving..

it actually burnt the interior of the car..

 

damn pissed, i took the faulty product and went autobacs and log a complaint..

but can't do much... not even the slightest compensation..

 

for electrical product, better buy something robust and better build quality etc thicker wiring

the one i using now, pretty good.

only cost me like $40 and been using like 3yrs.

somemore fully utilized.. from gps to DVR to hp to humidifier

[5936]

Try Mckal products.

 

I have been using it for few years.

 

From their 2 USB + 1 Cigi, to

2 USB for IPad/Tab, to

4 USBs ( 2 + 1+1+0.5mAh)

 

Get from Challenger/other IT store.

[Yewheng]

mine was the wiring, it actually melt and its smoke.. almost choke and faint me when i was driving..

imagine i had to escape from car when driving..

it actually burnt the interior of the car..

 

damn pissed, i took the faulty product and went autobacs and log a complaint..

but can't do much... not even the slightest compensation..

 

for electrical product, better buy something robust and better build quality etc thicker wiring

the one i using now, pretty good.

only cost me like $40 and been using like 3yrs.

somemore fully utilized.. from gps to DVR to hp to humidifier

 

Your car don't have fuse for the cigarette lighter socket to protect for overcurrent?

 

If overcurrent fuse brown out, the cigarette lighter socket will just have no supply .

 

No fuse, overcurrent, cigarette lighter socket wiring will melt and potentially fire hazard. ( You are lucky to just escape with smoke and not fire )

Edited January 6, 2013 by Yewheng

[WTF]

I bought mine from HomeFix, can't rem the brand. It got 2 ciggie and 2 USBs connectors. Have been using nearly a year without problem. Have used with iphone charger, bluetooth charing and GPS together without problem.

 

Normally when not in use will pull the plug out a bit so that it's not on (got indicating LED)......

 

iirc it cost me abt $12......

Edited January 6, 2013 by WTF