USB hub almost killed my laptop

[quartzz1]

I bought this off ebay

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Black-7-...r-Adapter-Cable-For-PC-Laptop-UK/163136856265

Plugged in mains power (the supplied 5v 500mA adapter wasn't long enough to reach, so I used a separate 6v 300mA adapter)

plugged it into my Fuji A531 laptop with 1x 2.5" hdd connected, 20 seconds later the laptop died. Only switched on again once I had removed laptop mains power and battery. Thought I had killed the laptop for a sec.

So I won't be plugging in that USB hub again (does anyone know what happened?)

Does anyone have recommendations for a 7 port USB hub, with mains power supply and reasonably long USB cable? (preferably detachable usb cable so I can buy another cable if the supplied isn't long enough).

Price for the hub isn't totally critical, but I'd prefer not to fork out £20 or something ridiculous for it.But I guess I would pay £15 for something that suits my environment (long enough cables) and something that works

many thx

 

[quartzz1]

Does anyone think this

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B071QZ5D7L/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza

will be ok, with this

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3V-4-5V-...C-Adaptor-UK-Power-Supply-6-Tips/253678861751

adapter? Need the additional adapter as it says the supplied ac adapter has a 2 foot long cord, which won't be enough

 

[DigDog]

Id be more concerned with why the original unit you bought didnt work correctly. (and get a refund)

 

[quartzz1]

well....I'm definitely not plugging in the bad hub again (it's going back and I'm not buying any more cheap usb hubs) ...I'm not sure if it was the hub, the current drawn from the 2.5" hard drive (I've emailed western digital to ask them how much it draws), or the hub power supply being at 6v that did it...

Some googles say usb hubs can backfeed power up to the usb connection

 

[DigDog]

If the 6v adaptor you used supplied 6v, then it obviously would malfunction - it wants 5v. i assume as you said "adaptor", it has a switch to change from 6v to 5v ?

 

[quartzz1]

it's got 3, 4.5, 6, 7.5, 9 and 12v on it. I 'figured' 6 would be the most suitable

 

[Mr Evil]

That looks almost identical to one I tried a few years ago. Like many other powered USB 3 hubs I've seen, it was incapable of supplying enough power for all the ports. Using more than one external HDD with it at the same time failed miserably. Some of the others I've tried were even worse, unable to power even a single HDD.

If you really only got a 500mA adapter with it, then that isn't enough for a single port at maximum current (the USB 3 spec allows 900mA per port). 300mA is definitely not enough. It needs to be the right voltage too (5V, and regulated); USB devices may not react well to the voltage being out of spec.

 

[DigDog]

Just extend the power cord and use the original adapter.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Ehh, plugging an an AC adapter power brick that gives out 6V isn't too wise, when the USB spec calls for 5V. Cheaper hubs may directly tie that into the line, which, on the laptop side, may also be tied directly into the +5V supply.

BAD IDEA.

Remember, you can go higher on the AMPS, but the VOLTS must MATCH.

 

[capsulej]

All of those cheap ebay peripherals are made in Chinese factories with no Q/C.

 

[13Gigatons]

Voltage was to high and the amperage was to low.

You could have damaged both the drive and laptop.

The adapter should be 5volts(exactly) and 900mA(or more) since current draw with multi devices will be higher.