Overheating charger in foreign parts

[JBR]

Just returned from a short holiday in Germany where, of course, I had occasion to re-charge my phone.

However, I noticed on each occasion that the charger became really hot; far hotter than it does at home. Upon return, and re-charging again, its temperature was much lower and at the level it has always been in the past. Obviously, the cause is a difference in supply type between Germany and the UK.

I am aware that the average mains voltage in the UK is 240V and in Germany (and most of Europe) around 220V and I wonder whether this difference could account for the high temperature. Although I'm quite ignorant of these matters, I would have thought that a lower voltage would result in it drawing a lower current.

As it happens, I have found no problem with the charger or the phone since and believe that the manufacturers must be aware of the differences in voltage and have accounted for it.

Has anyone else encountered this phenomenon when using their charger in a different country?

 

[JohnW2]

I am aware that the average mains voltage in the UK is 240V and in Germany (and most of Europe) around 220V and I wonder whether this difference could account for the high temperature. Although I'm quite ignorant of these matters, I would have thought that a lower voltage would result in it drawing a lower current.

Not with a switched-mode power supply. Current (from the mains) will tend to be higher at lower input voltage in order to produce the same power (volts x amps) at the output. Say, for example, that the output required was 5V at 1A, i.e. 5W, then, assuming 100% efficiency (obviously not true, particularly since it's getting hot!), that would equate to about 20.8mA at 240V or 22.7mA at 220V. However, I wouldn't really expect that small difference in input current to make much, if any, difference to how hot it got.

Kind Regards, John

 

[winston1]

If it is a switch mode power supply it will take more current at a lower voltage but I would not expect the temperature to rise because of that.

I would look for other causes. For instance was the air temperature higher in Germany?

 

[jj4091]

Were you using the same socket outlet to charge your phone whilst on holiday, perhaps it was faulty.

 

[boringoldcodger]

Just wondering whether you were using an adaptor and, maybe, the adaptor didn't fit too well.

 

[JBR]

Thanks. Some interesting possibilities.
Bearing in mind that 20V lower shouldn't affect the temperature, and it was noticeably hotter than usual:
- yes, the weather was quite hot whilst we were there, and no air conditioning in the rooms;
- yes, I did use the same socket (next to my bed) every time, so could have been faulty;
- yes, I did use a UK - Schuko adaptor, but that and the charger fitted tightly.

Hopefully, the increase in temperature hasn't damaged the charger. It still seems to work properly, anyway.

 

[bernardgreen]

Does your charger use a metal Earth pin in the plug as a heat sink to dump waste heat into the socket. Cheap and nasty way to reduce the cost and size of the charger. Not a serious amount of heat and most UK sockets handle it without getting hot. But if the Earth pin is in a hole in plastic adaptor then the charger has not way to dissipate heat other than through its case and will get hot.

 

[endecotp]

Was the phone more discharged before you started charging it than usual? Were you going to bed / getting up at different times?

When charging overnight, I would expect the temperature of the charger to gradually rise while the phone is charged, and then drop when charging has finished. So it's possible that normally the maximum temperature is reached in the middle of the night when you don't notice it.

 

[JBR]

No, the charger has only a plastic 'earth' pin. It's the one that came with the phone from Google/LG, so I expect it's of reasonable quality.
The adaptor, of course, only has a channel through which the earth pin passes in order (if metal) to make contact with the Schuko earth connection.

When I put it on to charge at home, I sometimes continue to look at the newspaper (app) for some time before I drop off and the charger has never grown hot. In Germany, it became hot within only a few minutes of beginning the charging. On one occasion, the phone was almost completely discharged; on others it might have been at about 50%.

From all the suggestions so far the one that sounds most likely is a faulty socket, although there was no apparent marking or damage. On reflection, I should have tried a different socket but too late now.

Incidentally, the situation may not arise, but if the charger should go west in the future I might think about getting one of those dual three-pin sockets that include a couple of USB sockets for charging (at home). They look convenient, bearing in mind how many accessories these days use that connection for charging or powering. The charger I have has a separable USB cable.

 

[Iggifer]

If the charger should go west in the future I might think about getting one of those dual three-pin sockets that include a couple of USB sockets for charging (at home). They look convenient, bearing in mind how many accessories these days use that connection for charging or powering. The charger I have has a separable USB cable.

And now MK make them! Just waiting for Hager and then there's two decent options!