I recently got a new gadget with a USB charging cable, and the safety manual includes a warning about checking the local voltage level before use. It mentions that the product needs to be charged at an extra-low voltage corresponding to its marking, which states it needs 5V 0.5A. I'm trying to find a way to check the voltage coming from my laptop's USB ports using software. If the voltage is too high, is it safe to ignore this warning, or could it potentially harm my device if I do this regularly? I could really use some guidance here.
1 Answer
USB ports are generally spec'd at 5V, with a slight deviation allowed. The mention of "extra low voltage" in your manual seems off; your device will only draw the current it needs, so it shouldn't be a problem unless it tries to pull over 0.5A. If you're looking for a way to check the voltage, there are small USB voltage meters that look like thumb drives, which display the voltage and current when you connect them to your device.
I thought it was odd too, but thanks for the meter suggestion. I really don’t want to wait for another gadget to arrive before using my new toy.