We want to point out something that’s becoming increasingly confusing in modern electronics:
Not all USB-C chargers are the same.
While the USB-C connector looks universal, the USB-C standard supports many different voltages and charging modes. A basic USB charger provides a fixed 5 V, which is what our device is designed to use.
Many modern “fast” or laptop chargers (USB-PD, SuperVOOC, etc.) can output much higher voltages — up to 20 V — and rely on electronic negotiation to decide what voltage to supply.
Our device expects a simple, fixed 5 V supply and does not negotiate USB-PD. Fast chargers and laptop chargers may therefore:
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refuse to provide power, or
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briefly power up and then shut down, or
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appear to do nothing at all
This is normal behavior and does not indicate a faulty charger or a faulty device.
For safety, our charging circuit is designed to reject incompatible chargers rather than be damaged by them. However, we still strongly recommend:
Use a basic USB-A wall charger, power bank, or a PC USB port.
Do not use laptop chargers or fast/“smart” USB-C chargers.
This incompatibility is a growing and mostly unexplained issue across consumer electronics. If you’ve ever had a USB-charged device that worked with one charger but not another — or seemed to “die” unexpectedly — charger compatibility is often the reason, especially with small or imported devices.
If you ever have questions about charging behavior, please ask before modifying cables or hardware — we’re happy to help.