Hardware is a USB-A TO USB-C cable good for charge + playing zelda?

[PotatisKnug]

So, i've already bought a generic usb a to usbc cable for a dollar. Will i be able to play while using this cable without the switch dying from too much power out vs power in? Can i only charge it in standby?
I've been thinking this since usb-a is rated for 5V when the switch power brick is rated for 15v. I have nothing that runs usb-c just yet. That's why i bought this.

 

[wurstpistole]

I played Zelda while having the Switch connected to a 5V/2A powerbank. It loads a tiny bit more than it uses, maybe gains 1 percent in ten minutes that way. But it doesn't die.

 

[PotatisKnug]

I played Zelda while having the Switch connected to a 5V/2A powerbank. It loads a tiny bit more than it uses, maybe gains 1 percent in ten minutes that way. But it doesn't die.

We say, i'm gaming and it goes into sleep with the empty battery on screen, i plug it in and wait for it to start up again. Then i start playing zelda. Will it die or will it charge back up to 100% EVENTUALLY?

 

[wurstpistole]

We say, i'm gaming and it goes into sleep with the empty battery on screen, i plug it in and wait for it to start up again. Then i start playing zelda. Will it die or will it charge back up to 100% EVENTUALLY?

Of course it'll charge up, phone charger is enough, just takes longer.

 

[PotatisKnug]

Of course it'll charge up, phone charger is enough, just takes longer.

Okay, i'll be sure to try it when my cable comes through. China is so slow at delivering things..

 

[Wolfy]

China is so slow at delivering things..

...........cause it's from.....(wait for it).....CHINA

 

[TotalInsanity4]

...........cause it's from.....(wait for it).....CHINA

Jai'na

 

[PotatisKnug]

The cable's useless. Without even having a game powered on it discharges faster than it actually charges. Now, grant it, i've only tried running it through a pc usb port. I'll try it with my ipad adapter once i get bored enough to care.

 

[wurstpistole]

The cable's useless. Without even having a game powered on it discharges faster than it actually charges. Now, grant it, i've only tried running it through a pc usb port. I'll try it with my ipad adapter once i get bored enough to care.

A PC port outputs 500ma. That's not enough. With the 2A port on my powerbank it worked fine.

 

[PotatisKnug]

A PC port outputs 500ma. That's not enough. With the 2A port on my powerbank it worked fine.

i'll try my ipad charger sometime. It runs at 2A.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

So, i've already bought a generic usb a to usbc cable for a dollar. Will i be able to play while using this cable without the switch dying from too much power out vs power in? Can i only charge it in standby?
I've been thinking this since usb-a is rated for 5V when the switch power brick is rated for 15v. I have nothing that runs usb-c just yet. That's why i bought this.

Well, you haven't mentioned what you're going to be plugging it into. That's the key here. The Switch won't draw more than 2A so any 5V 2A+ charger should work as well as any other. That is to say, not very well, but just about sufficient to charge the Switch slowly while undocked.
Also, be careful with generic USB-C cables. A lot of USB-C cables have the wrong resistance in the cable which can result in whatever you're using to charge it being fried.
Personally I got a Switch Pro Controller which comes with a type A to C cable, so at least I know that cable is good.

 

[PotatisKnug]

A lot of USB-C cables have the wrong resistance in the cable which can result in whatever you're using to charge it being fried.

The cable i got was 1 dollar and it looks like it has an okay quality. It's braided like a high quality pc power supply.
I plugged it into my switch for about 5 minutes via (as i said, my pc usb port) (3.0) and the switch looked like it was fine.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

The cable i got was 1 dollar and it looks like it has an okay quality. It's braided like a high quality pc power supply.

Doesn't matter what it looks like, there's no way of knowing beforehand if a random cable is good or not besides checking lists of known good cables, and I doubt a generic cable like that would be on any lists.

 

[PotatisKnug]

Doesn't matter what it looks like, there's no way of knowing beforehand if a random cable is good or not besides checking lists of known good cables, and I doubt a generic cable like that would be on any lists.

How would i even look that up? I usually go for the approach of "plug it in and see if any smoke comes out"

 

[The Real Jdbye]

How would i even look that up? I usually go for the approach of "plug it in and see if any smoke comes out"

https://www.google.no/amp/s/amp.red...ogle_spreadsheet_for_usbc_cables_with_benson/

http://astore.amazon.com/ba026-20

http://usbccompliant.com/

 

[wurstpistole]

I already said like in the first answer that a modern USB charger, that is 5V/2A like any new tablet or phone should have, charges the switch even sufficiently while playing so it won't switch off. I played for like 6 hours straight connected to my powerbank on a longer drive and it was perfectly fine. But it was more or less status quo - it did not lose power, but it did also not really charge the switch while playing.

 

[PotatisKnug]

I already said like in the first answer that a modern USB charger, that is 5V/2A like any new tablet or phone should have, charges the switch even sufficiently while playing so it won't switch off. I played for like 6 hours straight connected to my powerbank on a longer drive and it was perfectly fine. But it was more or less status quo - it did not lose power, but it did also not really charge the switch while playing.

Okay, that's a good answer. Thread closed.

 

[enigma85]

The cable i got was 1 dollar and it looks like it has an okay quality. It's braided like a high quality pc power supply.
I plugged it into my switch for about 5 minutes via (as i said, my pc usb port) (3.0) and the switch looked like it was fine.

Any cable that costs $1 and is shipped from china isn't worth it the risk. That price right there should tell you its crap quality and could break itself or fry your expensive game console.

 

[aykay55]

The cable's useless. Without even having a game powered on it discharges faster than it actually charges. Now, grant it, i've only tried running it through a pc usb port. I'll try it with my ipad adapter once i get bored enough to care.

What you get for buying something directly from China.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

I bought a Wii U Gamepad charger from eBay coming from Hong Kong. When I got it it....worked. Then it stopped 3 days later, and the small box (where the wires come out from each side) had some thing inside like a screw cause when I shook it it made some metal clanging sound.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------

I had spent 11 bucks on it. I tried to return it telling the seller it didn't work. Said he'd send me a replacement, for $5 dollars! Still trying to get some dough for something that clearly didn't work. I demanded him/them to give me a refund, so he just said ok, gave the money back, and vanished. Gone. Poof.

 

[sarkwalvein]

According to Mr. Ohm and Mr. Watt, you will have a drop of voltage in the cable and a corresponding loss of power proportional to the cable resistance value.
If your cable is shit and is composed of a filament of a micrometer of "conductor", sure it will have high resistance.
The Switch drains 9.xx watts when playing undocked in order not to discharge.
If your cable was perfect and you used a 2A power source, you would have 5Vx2A = 10W, so it will charge up no problem.
If your cable or power source are shit, you will have less than 9W (because of the Vdrop on the cable), and it will discharge.