Can cheaper USB C cables make phone hot while charging?

[SGvagon]

Hello,

I have Sony Xperia X Compact. This is my first phone with USB C connector. I actually have two cheaper USB C cables, but phone gets hot while charging (on display too) . Battery shows 40-42 °C in CPU-Z and CPU cores are on 43-50 °C . But only when charging with these cables. Could better cable make phone cooler? Charger/s are OK (2,1 A) , I charged older Android phones (Xperia Z3 Compact, Xperia Z5) with them without any issues with phones hot.

Thank you in advance.

 

[steiny180]

Heat is related to the actual charging amps delivered to the device from the power supply.

Some power supplies use feedback from the device (via wire(s) in the cable) to regulate the charging to prevent overheating and/or overcharging.

If the cable does not contain the necessary feedback wire(s), then overheating and/or overcharging may occur.

 

[SGvagon]

steiny180 : Ok, thank you for quick answer. So I ordered new USB C cables from Vention, from reviews, these cables are more better quality. They should arrive on Monday, so I will write results .

 

[mikedt]

Hello,

I have Sony Xperia X Compact. This is my first phone with USB C connector. I actually have two cheaper USB C cables, but phone gets hot while charging (on display too) . Battery shows 40-42 °C in CPU-Z and CPU cores are on 43-50 °C . But only when charging with these cables. Could better cable make phone cooler? Charger/s are OK (2,1 A) , I charged older Android phones (Xperia Z3 Compact, Xperia Z5) with them without any issues with phones hot.

Thank you in advance.

From experience, those battery and CPU temps are perfectly normal and not excessive for a phone on charge. If they go above 60 degrees, then you may have problems.

 

[SGvagon]

Those battery and CPU temps are perfectly normal and not excessive for a phone on charge. If they go above 60 degrees, then you may have problems.

If I watching Youtube while charging with these cheaper cables, one CPU core shows 69-70 °C . Others are not above 60 °C . Ok, I will see what temps will be with new cable.

 

[mikedt]

If I watching Youtube while charging with these cheaper cables, one CPU core shows 69-70 °C . Others are not above 60 °C . Ok, I will see what temps will be with new cable.

Yeah, CPUs can run hot, all depending on what you're doing with it. The ambient air temp can make a difference. I've been in places with the outside temp exceeding 45 degrees, and so of course CPU and battery temps will be hotter as well.

 

[Hadron]

Using the phone while charging will always make it hotter than either charging alone or using when not charging. I've got to admit that at present my battery temperature is usually below 30, and hasn't exceeded 38 in several months. But we're talking British winter and someone who charges overnight and doesn't use the phone when charging. CPU cores can run hot by design, so a good phone design will keep them away from the battery.

 

[SGvagon]

Hadron: I think, that I have these higher temps, if the phone is bellow 75% battery . So it maybe phone try fast charge and thats a reason why temps are higher?
I am from The Czech Republic, where is middle range temps (but from few years in summer time we have higher temps here) .

 

[ocnbrze]

fast charging can make the phone run hot. have you tried turning that off?

 

[SGvagon]

ocnbrze : I think, that I can't do that on this phone. It depend on charger what I am using.

 

[Hadron]

Hadron: I think, that I have these higher temps, if the phone is bellow 75% battery . So it maybe phone try fast charge and thats a reason why temps are higher?
I am from The Czech Republic, where is middle range temps (but from few years in summer time we have higher temps here) .

Yes, charging doesn't occur all at the same rate. It start off fast then slows at the phone approaches full charge (with modern chargers this can be quite a sophisticated procedure). So more heat will indeed be generated in the earlier stages of charging.

Personally I have fast charging turned off: I generally only charge overnight, so have no need for it, and if I ever do I can turn it on. To me it feels another of those fake benefits marketing people like so much: quote a big number and tell people this makes you better. A decade ago it was "look how many megapixels our camera has", even though that was very poorly correlated with image quality. These days it's "look how powerful our charging is", even though that maximum power is probably only applied for a couple of minutes because it generates too much heat. I'm sure in a few years they'll pick some other useless number as the next marketing gimmick.

 

[SGvagon]

Hadron : As I said, I can not find turn off fast charge on this phone. There is only On Off button in Battery Care. I have this Battery Care turn On by default. It sais, that phone recognize when I stop using the phone and then optimize charging.

 

[AugieTN]

Can't you use an older charger to prevent fast charging? like a 5W charger? My Pixel 7 can use a 20 to 30W charger to fast charge, but the phone didn't come with a charger so I'm using an older 5V 2A 10W charger.

I don't need to worry about fast charging because I charge my phone overnight.

 

[Hadron]

Yeah, it varies between phones. My Pixel 2 provided no way of turning off fast charging other than using an old, low-power charger. My s21 however lets me do it. Not sure whether that is Samsung or something that came in with Android 12 (like the ability to limit charging to 85% was introduced as part of A12).

 

[SGvagon]

Thank you , ok, so if the new cables wouldn't make phone cooler while charging, I will try order weaker charger.

 

[SGvagon]

Ok guys, with the new cable from Vention, phone is not heating up anymore . Now I tried charge it from 25% and phone have same temps as without plug cable. And maybe it charges faster. Maybe, because there is 56 k pull-up resistor ? I'll see when I charge it more times. Anyway, Vention cables are much better than others on the same chargers .

 

[Windroid]

I don't know, but when useing electronics (and I mean toasters too, not just smartphones and charging cables and all), it's best to use UL approved electronics. UL approval means that it's safe to use, that it's not going to burn your house down or something.

 

[SGvagon]

Windroid: UL? Here in Europe we have CE for safe certification. And yes, both cheaper USB C cables had CE.

 

[Windroid]

Windroid: UL? Here in Europe we have CE for safe certification. And yes, both cheaper USB C cables had CE.

I'm not familiar with CE, so I can not endorse it. But with online shopping and globalization, Americans can buy CE-approved electronics and Europeans can buy UL-approved electronics.

 

[mikedt]

I'm not familiar with CE, so I can not endorse it. But with online shopping and globalization, Americans can buy CE-approved electronics and Europeans can buy UL-approved electronics.

I can go to many markets, and see products with "CE" and "UL" markings, as well as gems like "WARNING: This product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm.". and "SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: This product maybe harmful to your health." Of course non of it means anything around these parts.

On the back of a cheap wireless charger I bought locally. I don't think "FCC" has much meaning either.

 

[Windroid]

WARNING: This product contains chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm

That means nothing. Short answer: California thinks everything causes cancer. Long answer: California's government doesn't understand that things which are dangerous in large doses can be safe in small doses. If some chemical causes cancer in massive doses, California puts that label on anything that has the slightest dose of that chemical. At least that's my understanding.

Of course non of it means anything around these parts.

Are you saying that where you live, most of those labels are counterfeit?

 

[mikedt]

Are you saying that where you live, most of those labels are counterfeit?

Well where I live is where all the things with counterfeit labels are made, and are sold the world over. Basically anything cheapo, off-brand, or unbranded, then it's quite likely markings like "UL", "FCC", and "CE" will be fake. Want to see some real USB-charger nasties with "CE" and "UL" labels, look for YouTube deathdapter usb-charger teardown videos from DiodeGoneWild and BigClive.

https://www.youtube.com/@DiodeGoneWild/search?query=usb%20charger

On the other hand legitimate branded devices, like my Samsung, made in Vietnam USB-charger only has labels and is in the language that are relevant for where I live, like "CCC" and a "GB" number.

No "UL", "CE", "FCC", here, and no "RoHS" as that's only required for products intended for the European Union.

 

[mikedt]

I don't know, but when useing electronics (and I mean toasters too, not just smartphones and charging cables and all), it's best to use UL approved electronics. UL approval means that it's safe to use, that it's not going to burn your house down or something.

I believe UL approved electronics are supposed to have a number, that you can verify as genuine for the product. Same with FCC approval labels. No UL number, and it could well be fake?

Like this charger I've got, that was originally purchased in the US from Canon, and I assume won't burn my house down.

 

[SGvagon]

For ex. if the CE fake you can easily recognize it https://www.kverulant.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/CE-vs.-CE-no-frame.jpg .

 

[SGvagon]

Xialyna : That make sense, thank you . With new Vention USB C cables, phone not hot anymore .