Dodgy USB chargers in the news

[king9017]

If you've read the news today, you will have heard about the NSW women who died from electrocution due to a dodgy USB charger. The person who sold her the charger face 2 years jail and $800K fine. I've noticed that the chargers pictured in the news today are currently available on eBay and many have been sold. Fair Trading has advised everyone not to buy or use these, and to dispose of them if you have them in your possession. I wonder what eBay will do about this?

Story:

http://www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au/ftw/About_us/News_and_events/Media_releases/2014_media_releases/20...

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/faulty-usb-phone-charger-blamed-for-sheryl-aldeguers-death-20140627-zsoc8....

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/woman-found-dead-holding-laptop-in-apparent-electrocution-...

[davewil1964]

If you have ceramic fuseholders, you can buy ELCBs that plug straight in instead of the fuse. I don't know what they cost, but I can't imagine they would be more than $15 per. Probably less.

[chezzy]

So we have 3 x power (1 is oven), 1 x light, 1 x electric hot water (which will be replaced in due course with mains pressure hot water).

[chezzy]

Thanks to the sparkies/ex sparkies for chiming in. We don't have an issue with our power, just want to add a/some safety features for peace of mind. Don't want to feel pressured into paying big dollars for an entire switchboard upgrade or rewiring at this time!

[cq_tech]

Be careful Dave, those plug-in replacement "fuses" are essentially just over-current circuit breakers and don't function the same way that RCDs do. They only trip after sufficient current has been drawn to kill you about 5 times over, and are only useful in the event of a dead short. ELCBs and RCDs will trip if there is a current imbalance of no more than 30mA which is nowhere near enough current to cause harm to a human.

[davewil1964]

They are marketed as, and are, Earth Leakage Circuit Breakers. What you have been advocating this entire thread.

As you are fully aware, except in very limited circumstances, 240V will not kill anybody. An ELCB is an ELCB, stop trying to panic people.

[chezzy]

Now now boys. I am grateful of those who have experience in the industry taking time to share their thoughts.

I can't speak for anyone else but we have been thinking of a safety device for around 6 months now. Recent

news had had us (our household) thinking of things a bit more. I am happy to pay up to/around $200 for a

solution, just not keen or in a position to pay $2000.

[davewil1964]

The bottom line is if you don't buy cheap non-compliant junk, you won't have a problem.

[cq_tech]

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@davewil1964 wrote:

They are marketed as, and are, Earth Leakage Circuit Breakers. What you have been advocating this entire thread.

As you are fully aware, except in very limited circumstances, 240V will not kill anybody. An ELCB is an ELCB, stop trying to panic people.

---

That is absolutely incorrect, Dave. You're talking about plug-in circuit-breakers which cost upwards of $10 each from Bunnings and similar outlets. ELCBs and RCDs need to be hardwired into the electrical circuit because they require a neutral to function, as this is part of how they measure the current imbalance. The toroid compares the difference between the active and neutral conductors. A fuse socket does not offer this, as it is nothing more than a fusible link in the active conductor only.

It is therefore impossible to even design or manufacture a plug-in replacement ELCB for a ceramic fuse socket. Also, I'm not trying to panic anybody, but for you to suggest that 240VAC will not kill anybody except in very limited circumstances is just plain wrong and I think it's very irresponsible of you to suggest otherwise.

[king9017]

More USB charger-related news stories from this week:

Fair Trading raids several stores in Sydney:

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/fatal-usb-devices-like-those-that-killed-sheryl-anne-aldeg...

USB charger explodes nearly kills boy:

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/second-knockoff-usb-charger-explodes-20140628-zspip.html

[lyndal1838]

I had a broken ceramic fuse in my hot water so decided to upgrade all the fuses to circuit breakers....it was about $200 for each one and a further $150 for the safety witch.