USB-C charging law in the EU.

[BeBuLamar]

What do you think about the requirement that a lot of electronic devices must be USB-C chargeable?
To do so the BMS system as well as a boost converter is needed for devices that requires higher voltage than USB-C is capable to provide. I don't think it's a good idea to put all that circuitry in the device. I must rather have them in the charger.

[wraper]

Law applies only to specific types of devices. It's very unlikely device that needs higher voltage falls under this law.

I don't think it's a good idea to put all that circuitry in the device. I must rather have them in the charger.

What exactly do you mean by "charger"? Generally it's an extremely poor idea to move charging controller into a power brick. Wait until customer plugs some incompatible charger and your device explodes and busts in flames. Do exactly that if you want this to happen https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/supply-chain/melting-batteries-3-fires-prompt-recall-of-248k-insulin-devices.html

[ebastler]

What do you think about the requirement that a lot of electronic devices must be USB-C chargeable?
To do so the BMS system as well as a boost converter is needed for devices that requires higher voltage than USB-C is capable to provide.

What would be examples of devices which the EU requires to be USB-C powered, and which run on higher voltages than what USB-C Power Delivery can provide?

[TimFox]

This EU press release has a list of objects that require USB-C charging:  https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/10/24/common-charger-eu-ministers-give-final-approval-to-one-size-fits-all-charging-port/
Question:  is that list exhaustive?
Mention is made of a later deadline for laptops.

[SiliconWizard]

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2022/2380/oj

Annex Ia.

[NiHaoMike]

To do so the BMS system as well as a boost converter is needed for devices that requires higher voltage than USB-C is capable to provide.

USB-PD goes up to 48V for the latest version. More than that and just putting an IEC mains input on the device would make most sense in most cases.

This EU press release has a list of objects that require USB-C charging:  https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/10/24/common-charger-eu-ministers-give-final-approval-to-one-size-fits-all-charging-port/
Question:  is that list exhaustive?
Mention is made of a later deadline for laptops.

Seems odd to mention video game *consoles* rather than video game *controllers*. Are they trying to limit new game consoles to 240W of power use or was that a misprint?

[EPAIII]

Bunch of busy-bodies with nothing better to do.

Why can't they just let the market decide how things are made? I smell a billionaire-wanna-be in the making here. Somebody is trying to reap some money. I don't know who, but somebody!

[ebastler]

What would be examples of devices which the EU requires to be USB-C powered, and which run on higher voltages than what USB-C Power Delivery can provide?

That was meant as a rhetorical question. The answer is "none". The regulation applies to mobile devices which are battery-powered; none that I am aware of uses voltages above 48V. So the question raised in the OP is a non-issue.

Seems odd to mention video game *consoles* rather than video game *controllers*. Are they trying to limit new game consoles to 240W of power use or was that a misprint?

The regulation applies to handheld, battery-powered video games -- Nintendo 3DS, Switch and the like.

[SiliconWizard]

The regulation applies to handheld, battery-powered video games -- Nintendo 3DS, Switch and the like.

Yes, note that from the directive, the initial scope was "radio equipment", and they kinda added all kinds of mobile/portable devices to the scope while still more or less classifying them as radio equipment. At least that's how I read the directive. Funky.

[ebastler]

Yes, note that from the directive, the initial scope was "radio equipment", and they kinda added all kinds of mobile/portable devices to the scope while still more or less classifying them as radio equipment. At least that's how I read the directive. Funky.

Well, in practice rechargeable-battery-operated tablets, cameras, video games, navigation systems, earbuds etc. will include WiFi and/or Bluetooth functionality, so they are radio equipment. Not sure whether a device without any radio interface would be outside of the scope of the planned rules, but I am not aware of any radio-less current product in these categories anyway.

Frankly, I am only aware of one manufacturer who has not already migrated to USB-C charging ports, or has at least started the migration of new products from Micro-USB or barrel connectors a couple of years ago. So this seems to be largely a "Lex Apple" in practice.

It's worth noting that the planned rules do allow products which only use wireless charging. Only if a product offers wired charging, it needs to provide a USB-C port for that (and supporting USB PD if more than 5V are required). Products can also have further proprietary charging ports in addition to USB-C, which I have seen on some HP notebooks. (Not sure why though -- maybe HP still had an excess of fixed 19V barrel-connector power bricks in their warehouse?)

[Siwastaja]

What do you think about the requirement that a lot of electronic devices must be USB-C chargeable?

Best thing since sliced bread. Generating a lot of unnecessary e-waste and having to carry around huge mess of random chargers was an actual problem which manufacturers clearly could not solve but chose to make worse. Good example case where legislation is needed. USB-C is very good. If your gadget actually needs something else (e.g., due to needing higher voltage than 20V available from USB-C), then the law does not mandate you to use USB-C (and a boost converter, for example).

[tom66]

Bunch of busy-bodies with nothing better to do.

Why can't they just let the market decide how things are made? I smell a billionaire-wanna-be in the making here. Somebody is trying to reap some money. I don't know who, but somebody!

Because as has been seen by, for instance, Apple - the market cannot be expected to self-regulate.  Why have a different charging port?  I like my phone, but there is seriously no reason for Lightning to exist any more.  It's less capable and more expensive than USB-C. 

[NiHaoMike]

Well, in practice rechargeable-battery-operated tablets, cameras, video games, navigation systems, earbuds etc. will include WiFi and/or Bluetooth functionality, so they are radio equipment. Not sure whether a device without any radio interface would be outside of the scope of the planned rules, but I am not aware of any radio-less current product in these categories anyway.

Still lots of cameras out there that don't have wireless functionality.

Notably absent from the list are battery operated power tools, which rarely have wireless functionality. My opinion is that those should be required to have USB-C and/or an IEC mains input on the tool or on the battery unless they are IP65 rated or greater.

[newbrain]

Why can't they just let the market decide how things are made?

Because "market" has proven times and again to be shit at these kind of things, and the only thing that counts is customer exploitation.

[wraper]

Why can't they just let the market decide how things are made?

Then look at your healthcare system as example of how well "free market" works. Hint: no government pays nearly as much per capita and at the same time many manage to get free healthcare for every citizen. And even when it's 100% paid by patient it's still way less than insurance copayment in US.

[thephil]

I think standardizing on a single type of charging port makes sense for most small devices – no more bags full of adapters to keep around. I am not as enthusiastic with respect to laptops because the USB-C plug is small and flimsy. I expect the USB-charging port on my notebook to break earlier/more easily in comparison to the old style plugs that had a bit more material to them.

Another, minor, downside is repair: I like to power defective devices from my lab power supply when tinkering with them. That no longer works with USB-C.

[wraper]

I expect the USB-charging port on my notebook to break earlier/more easily in comparison to the old style plugs that had a bit more material to them.

Depends on particular connector construction. IME more material/connector size has no correlation with durability.

[tooki]

Frankly, I am only aware of one manufacturer who has not already migrated to USB-C charging ports, or has at least started the migration of new products from Micro-USB or barrel connectors a couple of years ago. So this seems to be largely a "Lex Apple" in practice.

But Apple started its USB-C migration back in 2012, and as of right now, all the mainstream products are USB-C. (Some older models that remain on sale as budget options are still using Lightning.)

[tszaboo]

To do so the BMS system as well as a boost converter is needed for devices that requires higher voltage than USB-C is capable to provide.

USB-PD goes up to 48V for the latest version. More than that and just putting an IEC mains input on the device would make most sense in most cases.

This EU press release has a list of objects that require USB-C charging:  https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/10/24/common-charger-eu-ministers-give-final-approval-to-one-size-fits-all-charging-port/
Question:  is that list exhaustive?
Mention is made of a later deadline for laptops.

Seems odd to mention video game *consoles* rather than video game *controllers*. Are they trying to limit new game consoles to 240W of power use or was that a misprint?

I think if a console has battery charging in it, limiting it to 240W is a reasonable request. Think about a PSP or a Oculus headset, not a PS5 or Xbox.

[tooki]

Products can also have further proprietary charging ports in addition to USB-C, which I have seen on some HP notebooks. (Not sure why though -- maybe HP still had an excess of fixed 19V barrel-connector power bricks in their warehouse?)

Right?!? My HP laptop included both the USB-C and barrel plug chargers. No clue why.

[tooki]

Bunch of busy-bodies with nothing better to do.

Why can't they just let the market decide how things are made? I smell a billionaire-wanna-be in the making here. Somebody is trying to reap some money. I don't know who, but somebody!

Because as has been seen by, for instance, Apple - the market cannot be expected to self-regulate.  Why have a different charging port?  I like my phone, but there is seriously no reason for Lightning to exist any more.  It's less capable and more expensive than USB-C.

Probably because whenever Apple changes a connector — even if for very good reasons — people and the media whine about Apple changing the connector, as if it were something they did every 5 minutes. :/

[Siwastaja]

Why can't they just let the market decide how things are made?

Then look at your healthcare system as example of how well "free market" works. Hint: no government pays nearly as much per capita and at the same time many manage to get free healthcare for every citizen. And even when it's 100% paid by patient it's still way less than insurance copayment in US.

Yeah, or just the phones in general. There never was "free market" in the meaning "you can build product as you like", the design of a simple phone requires complying to thousands of pages of mandatory legislation, everywhere; and it's not just about electrical and fire safety and EMC compliance, but also environmental and social impacts which is exactly under which the charging port requirement falls.

[Bud]

I expect the USB-charging port on my notebook to break earlier/more easily in comparison to the old style plugs that had a bit more material to them.

Depends on particular connector construction. IME more material/connector size has no correlation with durability.

Not sure what you mean. Obviously USB-C is a fragile connector no matter how much materials you wrap around it. A slight vertical push on a plugged connector is all that us needed to bend and crack the mating part.

[tooki]

Not sure what you mean. Obviously USB-C is a fragile connector no matter how much materials you wrap around it. A slight vertical push on a plugged connector is all that us needed to bend and crack the mating part.

Nonsense. It’s not “obviously” fragile, nor is it independent of the “materials you wrap around it”. Smart manufacturers use molded or milled slots in a thick part of the enclosure to mechanically guide the plug, so that it’s the enclosure, not the socket, taking all the force. This has proven to be very reliable.

[PlainName]

You can get right-angled USB-C connectors (Garmin do one, for instance). If snapped/bent connectors get to be an issue there will likely be a big market for pre-bent ones. So far they are available but not common. And there are only two formats, whereas pre-C need four due to the polarized connector.