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]

I'll agree to the tick, but I doubt anything else will change.

[chezzy]

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@8mangbecak8 wrote:

pretty sure from now on, the chargers will have a 'tick' as well as some cheapo insulation. 

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Does anybody know if there are any identifying features besides a generic tick that we should be looking for on gadgets? I am pretty keen to stick with genuine stuff from now on - even camera batteries I don't want to take the risk with in case it voids warranties etc

[davewil1964]

Easy.

Don't buy from Chinese sellers. Even on eBay. Or any sekllers on eBay.

Go to your local shop and buy something that has to have a warrranty and where you have a comeback if faulty.

Easy.

[cq_tech]

Unfortunately, with Chinese electrical products, having a C-tick means nothing and unless they also have insulated pins they will definitely be fakes, and therefore you would have to presume, electrically unsafe. However, if they've gone to the trouble of manufacturing them with both a C-tick and insulated pins, chances are high that it will be safe to use, but I'm still not sure I'd bet my life on it.

[j*oono]

It will look somewhat like this.

If you have bought a charger dissimilar then ditch it.

[cq_tech]

They look like Apple chargers j*oono yet despite their purported electrical approvals, their pins are not insulated.

They are therefore unapproved and illegal, and very clearly electrically unsafe.

[cq_tech]

These are the insulated pins which are now mandatory, and also the proper approval code and number.

They should also carry the image of concentric squares, which means double-insulated.

[j*oono]

Thanks CQ.  I had a feeling I got that wrong.  It's like the before and after renovation photos and I can't tell which was the before and which the after.

This is my Apple adapter.

It has the tick and the concentric squares but the number under the tick is different.  I'm guessing it is still safe though?

The number is N122.

[cq_tech]

Yes j*oono, the adapter pictured above is definitely approved and therefore perfectly electrically safe for use in this country. The biggest obvious fact is that it has insulated pins which is something that the cheap unapproved chargers all lack.

[j*oono]

Thanks CQ.

You are quite right about the RCD thing too.  My slow cooker tripped it recently while I was out at the shop.  I came home to no power in the kitchen and a big smoke mark around the temperature dial on the slow cooker.  That could have been a very burnt casserole.