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Net Work Alan Winstanley This month the use of USB-type chargers is considered, including an explanation of Power Delivery (PD) rapid charging, GaN-based chargers and other features to look out for. A new EV with a longrange, fast-charging solid-state battery could also be heading our way from China. I t’s now almost 30 years since the universal serial bus first appeared in home desktop computers. The computer industry’s launch of USB in 1996 brought with it the prospect of Windows ‘plug and play’ that would dispense with bothersome and bulky serial and parallel ports, supposedly making it easy for home computer users to install peripherals without needing expert computer knowledge. That was the theory, anyway. Early USB technology also heralded a new simplicity in connecting devices to a PC. Computer users welcomed slender new USB 1.1 leads and they liked the idea that USB devices were hot-swappable, with no need to power down and re-boot a PC. As product design evolved, USB leads also provided a 5V power source for smaller peripherals, eliminating the need for separate mains adaptors. The ubiquitous ‘flat-style’ USB A-type plug would eventually appear in all manner of consumer electronics, not just personal computers. Inevitably, higher speeds and miniaturisation saw smaller USB connector types introduced that we’ve all become familiar with. The original boxy-shaped B-type plug was soon superseded by the USB Mini, Micro and finally the rounded-rectangle USB-C type connector that is in widespread use today. A typical USB A-type to USB-C charger lead is shown below. The traditional 5V USB A-type socket still appears on many mains chargers, and they power everything from rechargeable lanterns to Bluetooth speakers, ear buds, portable radios and handheld vacuum cleaners. Currently, rechargeable devices mostly use a USB-C type port for charging A typical high power USB charging lead showing A-type and USB-C plugs. 10 up, though the older USB Micro jack still puts in an appearance. At one time, a USB mains adaptor was bundled with mobile phones and tablets and inevitably we finished up with spare ones knocking around, prime candidates for the e-waste recycling bin. Now, mains adaptors are gradually being omitted as makers assume we already own one. Apple had previously gone its own way, as would be expected, introducing the ‘Lightning’ connector for the iPhone but, to reduce electronic waste, the EU has ordered Apple to change to the now universally adopted USB-C port by the end of 2024. You can bank on it Apart from using mains adaptors for charging, a glut of powerbanks is now widely available; rechargeable batteries that are very handy for on-the-go charging or for powering devices in inaccessible locations. Some gadgets now double as powerbanks themselves, offering a USB A-type or C-type port (or both) to charge a cellphone or other gizmo. I have an LED lantern and even USB hand warmers that do this. With Chinese manufacturers awash with Li-ion batteries and LEDs, the camping light shown above right is typical of what’s on offer today – apart from containing an LED spotlight, a dimmable LED work light and a red flashing beacon, an A-type port provides a powerbank function, and an LED battery level meter is thrown in for good measure. Having to cycle the power buttons repeatedly to reach the desired function is a nuisance, but it’s hard to know how much more tech they can cram into it for the money. A palm-sized dome light, also shown, offers a spotlight, a warm and cool white light, a flashing red beacon, LED level meter, magnetic mounts and hooks, and a USB 5200mAh powerbank. Some USB chargers offer almost every power port ever made, and it starts to get a bit much when a powerbank bristles with USB A-type, USB Micro, USB-C and iPhone Lightning ports for good measure. Things get more complicated still when you learn that many USB-C ports can now act both as power inputs (for charging up powerbanks) and outputs (to power other devices) – the 20,000mAh power bank shown opposite has a mystery USB-C on This rechargeable LED camping lantern isn’t short of features, including an A-type powerbank outlet. It has a built-in A-type USB lead for recharging. the side offering high-power bidirectional charging, but you’d never know without checking the user manual. Some present-day users express disbelief that A-type ports still even exist, because they use end-to-end USB-C types on their devices and chargers. It’s possible that legacy A-type ports will gradually be replaced with USB-C connectors, especially as higher power products come to market, but for most people there’s plenty of life left in the old A-type port. While we’re talking about USB, here’s a reminder about USB data transmission rates themselves: legacy blue-colour USB ports are USB 3.0 (5 Gbps) or 3.1 (sometimes marked SS or SS10 – Superspeed 10 Gbps), while ports marked SS20 or Superspeed 20 can operate up to 20 Gbps. The colour of the plastic substrate found inside USB A-type ports This palm-size camping light also has a USB A-type powerbank port. Practical Electronics | June | 2024 The non-descript USB-C port on the side of this 20,000mAh powerbank provides bidirectional rapid charging. USB charging ports are increasingly found on domestic mains wall outlets. (Seeswitches.co.uk) A ‘dumb’ 5V charger built into a touchoperated bedside light. Silicone rubber dust covers are a good idea, available separately. is fast becoming irrelevant – instead of blue, each one on my laptop is black! The latest USB 4 standard sees data transfer rates of up to 40 Gbps and, looking ahead, readers can expect to see all manner of confusion arising from the use of USB-C and USB 4 cables. As computer manufacturer Lenovo reminds us, they are not interchangeable, and you can read more on this at: https://bit.ly/pe-jun24-len To meet the need for faster charging times and higher power, intelligent electronics is used to overcome the limitations of the legacy 5V rail, which originally only supplied up to a couple of watts for 5V plug-and-play devices. Power delivery (PD) standards offer fast charging through a USB-C port, as PD-compatible products can interact to raise the voltage and current, thereby reducing the charging time. Spec sheets show how a typical PD power Still on the theme of USB-type power supplies, users of modern smartphones and laptops increasingly focus on a charger’s wattage and the time taken to recharge. Mains chargers with power ratings approaching 100W or more are marketed, though, judging by Amazon’s range, 30-40W chargers are more likely a cost-effective choice for many mobile users at the moment. Laptop users need even higher ratings, with up to 240W becoming available as new technical standards are agreed, remembering that these utilise USB-C type connectors instead of the clunky DC power jacks we’ve used for decades (as shown in Net Work, September 2023). A basic ‘dumb’ 5V switched-mode supply might be limited to, say, 2A or less, but using them to charge modern high-power devices can take an inordinately long time. USB chargers rated at 5V, 2-2.4A (P = IV, so 10-12W) also find their way into 13A mains wall outlets and power strips. Basic 5V A-type ports even appear in bedside lights, offering overnight phone charging. I use silicone rubber port covers, available from AliExpress for next to nothing, to stop debris falling in or shorting out the USB outlet. This neat USB charging lead is rated at 3.1A and has an LED indicator. USB monitor on an A-Type powerbank port showing ‘PD’ in action – 9V from a USB port. Shown in use charging a smartphone, with power and PD displayed. Express power delivery 1455 extruded enclosures Learn more: hammondmfg.com/1455 This tiny USB-C inline monitor fits a USB-C plug so you can keep an eye on charging progress. new square profiles uksales<at>hammondmfg.com 01256 812812 Practical Electronics | June | 2024 11 This Ugreen USB PD-compatible charger uses GaN semiconductors for compact size and greater efficiency. It has a USB-C port and the mains pins fold flat for portability. charger can offer 5V, 9V, 12V and maybe 15V and 20V output voltages, all from a single USB port. With power levels exceeding 100W and even reaching 240W, uprated USB cables with appropriate current ratings become necessary to get the most from the system. Some fast-charge leads even have a built-in LED. The technicalities of power delivery are beyond the scope of this column, but PD can be observed in action using digital monitors that are cheaply available online. A larger USB monitor is shown in the photo on the previous page that fits an A-type socket and displays the output on 7-segment displays. No longer is a USB rail clamped at 5V – by connecting my smartphone to a PD-compatible powerbank, I saw the 5V supply rail jump to 9V at nearly 1.5A before settling down until charging was complete. A typical smartphone can be fully charged in 90 minutes or less, this way. Suppliers such as AliExpress offer scores of USB monitors and higher power connecting leads, which can be handy for checking a device’s charging status at a glance. The photos above also show a tiny add-on USB-C inline monitor against a 50p piece for size comparison, which shows wattage and a ‘PD’ icon when charging a phone and power delivery is operating. These cost just a few pounds from Temu or AliExpress. A detailed summary of USB PD protocols can be found on Wikipedia at: https://bit.ly/pe-jun24-usb Quick Charge or ‘QC’ is an alternative fast-charging protocol used on some devices, and other proprietary systems are also available. With so many factors to think about, it’s easy to see the appeal of wireless charging instead of grappling with fragile cables, and these contactless charging pads are increasingly commonplace at home and in the car. GaN is the answer The latest crop of mains chargers now caters for fast charging, and I was 12 attracted to a compact ‘Nexode Mini 30W’ (maximum) type made by Ugreen. It has fold-away mains pins – a good idea when travelling – and the specification is typical of rapid chargers, switching intelligently between 5V, 9V, 15V and 20V and supporting PD3.0, QC3 and other protocols. This entry-level model costs just £13, however it only has a single USB-C port. A suitably rated goodquality USB cable should be used. It feels solid and well made, and unlike many anonymous imported types I was pleased to see a proper EU Certificate of Conformity included, so everything seems traceable as it should be. Another Ugreen model has both an A-type and USB C-type port, and other versions rated up to 160W are sold, priced at about £100. This compactness of this charger is down to the use of GaN (gallium nitride) power semiconductors rather than silicon. It’s claimed that GaN is as reliable as silicon, and as GaN is more efficient and can operate at higher temperatures, a greater power density means less heatsinking and cooling are needed, so a smaller but more powerful charger can be manufactured. When choosing a mains charger, a GaN type would make a good choice today and would likely be future proof too. GaN semiconductors are most often used in industrial power electronics, and more background can be found on the Texas Instruments website at: https://bit.ly/pe-jun24-gn The physics and merits of GaN power devices themselves are detailed in an academic paper, GaN-based power device: physics, reliability and perspectives hosted on the HAL (Hyper Articles en Ligne) Open Science website at: https://bit.ly/pe-jun24-hal The direction of travel them are plain wacky or weird microcars and, happily, most will stay put in China where sales of EVs and NEVs (tiny Neighbourhood Electric Vehicles) have gone through the roof. Even smartphone makers are getting in on the act: Xiaomi has just launched the $30-42,000 SU7 luxury sedan range – call it up at: https://bit.ly/pe-jun24-mi BYD – Build Your Dreams – produces some thirty EV models according to the database, selling three million last year in China alone. In mainland Europe, the EV market faces uncertain times as private buyers shun costly EVs and hang on to their petrol and hybrids cars. As the market evolves, major brands like BYD will slug it out with Tesla for market share, perhaps with US import tariffs imposed to throttle sales of Chinese EVs in America. Some EV brands mentioned in previous columns have since fallen on hard times. Highly regarded Polestar is losing Volvo’s financial backing and Geely (who also own Volvo) will take over. In the May 2022 issue, I described Fisker’s green, recycled electric SUV credentials – so far in 2024, Fisker has sold just 207 cars in the UK. (BYD sold 1,278, about the same number as Polestar, but Tesla sold nearly ten times more, 11,768.) According to Fleet News, Fisker is slashing prices by £14,000 to shift unsold stocks, but buyers will have to accept that Fisker’s after-sales service, support and warranty claims will be severely restricted. This is symptomatic of the turmoil facing the EV sector: I’m reminded of DeLorean’s failed efforts to build a futuristic car in 1980s Northern Ireland, but we’ve seen nothing yet, as more new brands and developments are coming over the horizon. Solid-state Survivor An emerging Chinese brand, IM Motors, (Innovation in Motion) is an EV joint Depending on one’s lifestyle, there’s venture created to beat Tesla head on, no doubt that electric vehicles are the and it’s launched a market first: the IM perfect solution for some motorists, but L6 is a mid-size saloon that they claim their impracticalities and drawbacks are well known. It’s been suggested that more British motorists, deterred by the huge list prices, will likely sign up to car dealer subscription plans (or ‘renting them’ as it’s also called), instead of buying outright and risking huge depreciation and repair bills afterwards. A Chinese database tells me that nearly 400 (four hundred) different battery electric vehicles A teaser shot of the first EV mass produced with a solidand about 170 hybrids state battery. The mid-size IM L6 saloon may be exported are on sale there. Some of under the MG brand, sources say. Practical Electronics | June | 2024 is powered by the first mass-produced, ultra-fast charging ternary lithium NMC (nickel-cobalt-manganate) battery. The solid-electrolyte battery promises greater safety and a far longer range, along with very fast charging times. The same battery platform may also be licensed to Audi for forthcoming new EVs, and one can also expect to see much rivalry with BYD’s ‘blade’ battery. However, there’s a big ‘gotcha’ to be wary of: while ranges of up to 1,000km/ 600 miles are quoted, these are so-called CLTC values – China Light-Duty Vehicle Test Cycle figures. In other words, they are inflated over likely real-world ranges to make them look more appealing. An insightful YouTube video explains why CLTC figures should be treated with a large pinch of salt – see: https://youtu.be/5s0CFAuQ4BM At the time of writing, IM’s website has suddenly, and annoyingly, 404’d the English pages and images related to the L6, but I had managed to nab some on the Chinese section. The L6 has Tesla Y-like rear quarters and a futuristiclooking cockpit carrying full-width dash displays. The reason that this new model is significant, though, is that IM Motors is part-owned by SAIC (Shanghai Automotive), who also own the former British brand MG Cars, known for keenly priced EVs. When they reach our shores, IM’s solid-state battery vehicles will reportedly be branded as mid-range MGs for sales in Europe and North America. If true, interesting times are ahead! The IM L6 interior has an expanse of three screens; early PR shots suggest its steering wheel is more like a yoke or control column. plant – one that reclaims ‘waste’ heat to drive a steam turbine and generate more electricity – would include piping waste carbon dioxide into abandoned undersea gas caverns, in a race to achieve ‘net zero’. The plans won’t be signed off by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (yes, there is such a thing) until the year 2027, RWE states. This means that the new power station is about half a decade away and new gas pipelines and transmission towers (pylons) will also be needed. This stopgap measure wouldn’t be so bad except that, in the same locality, 1.5GW of modern gas-fired power stations were bulldozed in recent years simply because they couldn’t make any money. Appallingly, this included Killingholme ‘A’, a power station I adopted courtesy of National Power when the station was quite new, when researching my mini-series ‘From Pipelines to Pylons’ in the August and September 1999 issues of Everyday Practical Electronics. You can see the damage being inflicted on YouTube; note the larger 0.9GW neighbouring CCGT station lies demolished behind – see: https://youtu.be/3k8SjEqVf0Q Until new energy sources such as SMRs (small modular reactors) come on stream, other measures may be needed to throttle demand and match it to the available supply pool. This may include ‘surge pricing’ or ‘time of use’ tariffs, effectively penalising users for consuming energy Power crazed The UK has spent £13bn on a faltering smart meter programme to monitor electricity demand, with four million of them still not working properly, if at all. A smart meter fault-finding checker is listed at: https://bit.ly/pe-jun24-chk Britain is also trying to swerve a looming energy crunch by building more gas-fired power stations, and proposals made by energy company RWE to build a new Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) Seen in happier times, Killingholme ‘A’ power station was built during the 1990s ‘dash for [North Sea] gas’ but demolished just 25 years later. (Photo: author) Terrington Components • Project boxes designed and manufactured in the UK. • Many of our enclosures used on former Maplin projects. • Unique designs and sizes, including square, long and deep variaaons of our screwed lid enclosures. • Sub-miniature sizes down to 23mm x 16mm, ideal for IoT devices. MADE IN BRITAIN www.terrington-components.co.uk | sales<at>terrington-components.co.uk | Tel: 01553 636999 Practical Electronics | June | 2024 13 An artist’s concept design of NASA’s Lunar Terrain Vehicle. (Image: NASA). at peak times. Disingenuous industry double-speak says that consumers will be able to celebrate ‘saving money’ by using energy off-peak instead. There’s no denying that smart meters and energy-saving measures are desirable and appreciated by many consumers, but I wrote some years ago that smart meters, themselves a market-controlling concept originating from within the EU, could ultimately be used as a tool against homeowners to influence their power usage. Paraphrasing Britain’s Energy Saving Trust, that says the ‘time of use pricing... adjusts the price of energy in real time, depending on demand. In homes, second generation SMETS2 smart meters automatically send updates to energy suppliers about household energy use at regular intervals.... so energy companies can see exactly how much energy its customers are using throughout the day, and would allow them to quickly adjust prices, according to demand.’ In theory, customer data could be uploaded wirelessly every 30 minutes, but often they transmit daily or even monthly instead. I think it’s only a matter of time before the industry joins up some dots to match available renewable energy (wind, solar) against demand, and customers will then be penalised for turning on the cooker or electric heater on calm, cloudy, wintry days. But you could still turn everything off – think of all the money you’d save! Other news Amazon US is discontinuing its cashierless ‘Just Walk Out’ shopping technology used in Amazon Fresh stores in America (see Net Work, May 2021). A very good insight into the amazing technology is presented at: https://bit.ly/pe-jun24-amz An Amazon smart ‘Dash’ shopping cart – Amazon Fresh stores are dropping ‘Just Walk Out’ cashier-less AI technology in favour of smart shopping carts. 14 The tech uses advanced AI and weighing sensors to recognise and charge buyers when they add goods to their shopping basket, and when exiting the store their account is charged automatically, but many customers also wanted to see a rolling tally of their purchases and browse the store for offers, like the rest of us do. The stores are therefore being redesigned with smart ‘Dash’ shopping carts being introduced instead. Amazon has closed several UK retail stores, but the remainder will retain Just Walk Out for the time being. Attempts by rival supermarkets to use similar technology have not caught on and are never likely to, probably being better used in busy locations such as grab-and-go cafés, says The Grocer magazine. Amazon has also terminated by mutual agreement the acquisition of iRobot, makers of the Roomba robotic vacuum cleaner, blaming European regulatory problems. NASA has short-listed three bidders tasked with designing the next-generation lunar terrain vehicle. The rover would be used by astronauts as part of the Artemis programme and will enable them to explore the South Pole and perform scientific experiments further afield than they could on foot. In between manned missions, the rover could be driven autonomously, with the winning contractor being allowed to perform commercial tasks, controlling the unmanned rover remotely from Earth. A movie trailer is offered by NASA at: https://youtu.be/zTHJ9zb8J2s NASA has also been directed to devise a ‘moon time zone’ by 2026, called Co-ordinated Lunar Time (LTC). The White House order would establish a unified time standard at, and around, celestial bodies other than Earth, and NASA would work via standards bodies to establish LTC in conjunction with international agreements. Last, this month, if you’ve ever needed data on legacy components such as old chips or transistors, or old computer software, one site worth keeping in mind is bitsavers.org, a resource containing 7.5 million pages of data maintained in an old-school file-area fashion for speed and ease of mirroring. One such mirror is hosted by the University of Kent, where archives of software, component data, test equipment and more will be found. There is even an FTP server for good measure – see: https://bit.ly/pe-jun24-mir That’s all for this month’s Net Work – remember the above web links are readymade for you to click on at our advert-free website at: electronpublishing.com The author can be reached at: alan<at>epemag.net Practical Electronics | June | 2024