# Bizarre USB charging issue

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-usb-charging-issue/796449>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 16, 2017, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-usb-charging-issue/796449 "2017-09-16T04:17:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2017, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-usb-charging-issue/796449/1 "2017-09-16T04:17:39Z")

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Hello Everyone,

I have an E cigarette that I occasionally use when I feel the need for some nicotine. To charge it I have several chargers available, both house and car. Each charger has a charger that plugs into either the wall or power plug in a car. You plug a separate cord into the charger then into the device,

Here’s where it gets weird. If I plug the device into the car it will charge to full everyrime. If I plug it into the wall, it charges only for a few minutes then stops changing. Unplug it, replug it in and it charges for a few minutes then stops.

This happens regardless of charger or cord. I’ve switched them in all combinations and the result is the same. Why will the device charge in a car, but not in the house?

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**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2017, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-usb-charging-issue/796449/2 "2017-09-16T04:24:30Z")

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It’s cheap junk, that’s why.

I would guess that it overheats and shuts down when dropping 120v AC down to the charging voltage, but works just fine on 12v DC.

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**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2017, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-usb-charging-issue/796449/3 "2017-09-16T11:11:17Z")

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You may find [this](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxiEZeFE2Zs) video interesting.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![obbn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/d6d6ee/32.png) [@obbn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/obbn)\
**Post date:** [September 17, 2017, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bizarre-usb-charging-issue/796449/4 "2017-09-17T04:52:43Z")

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Thanks, the 12v DC vs 120v AC makes sense.