How safe is USB 2.0 passthrough VV on a PC?

[Malduk]

Specifically this product:
[V.V. Passthrough] 900mAh(Variable Volt) USB battery(Passthrough) for 510/eGo - $24.00 : Healthcabin Electronic Cigarettes - Wholesale and Retail--

I know it says it is made for the PC, but I cant help but thinking it would put too much load on the PC. I want a cheap 4,2V solution for countless hours in front of my computer, and this looks pretty much perfect. Can anyone confirm it wont fry the motherboard or something?

 

[Nomoreash]

It should be fine, it's a inline battery. What's actually going on when it's plugged into the computer the battery is charging via USB, you're still vaping from battery power.

 

[5cardstud]

Actually Passthroughs aren't very good for PCs and when I used them I got an AC to USB adapter and didn't use my pcs. I think I paid $5.00 for it and that's a lot less than PC problems. Some do, I won't. But I didn't have the inline battery.

 

[wseyller]

The pc or laptop will only supply a so much and will not allow anything to draw more than what is allowed. Usb has specifications designed just for charging devices in this manner. It will just mean longer charge times. Anything connected to a computer with enough power has the potential to fry a computer but it would be rare mishap.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk

 

[FunkyVapes]

You should be good at 4.2 V...Most USB ports can throw 5V

Sent from my Galaxy

 

[Malduk]

I know USB is giving out 5V, but its the current that I'm worried about. Its the main reason why I was going for battery with passthrough, and not just passthrough. I *think* battery would handle current while actually vaping while passthrough would just slowly fill that battery. That would mean that device is not really a passthrough, just something that can charge and discharge at the same time(?). But, I honestly have no idea how it works in reality, thus the question here.

p.s. Yes I do have wall adapter just in case, but having PV plugged into PC would be so much more convenient for me.

 

[mikebabs]

What 5cardsud said............Plus the fact that one stupid short circuit in the pass-thru and there goes a motherboard.....the out board self powered USB is a very fine way to go.....Fine Business!!!

 

[Slurp812]

USB 2.0 specs are 5v @ 500mah. They are supposed to regulate themselves. You shouldn't be able to hurt the port. You could get a powered USB hub, and use that for power...

 

[mg7454]

Actually Passthroughs aren't very good for PCs and when I used them I got an AC to USB adapter and didn't use my pcs. I think I paid $5.00 for it and that's a lot less than PC problems. Some do, I won't. But I didn't have the inline battery.

I have to agree with 5cardstud!
There is a chance you may fry your mother-board = Expensive!

I have a Belk 4-port USB hub, which has an additional electric power cord (AC to USB hub) that comes with it; so, for $20 at Staples, I get a 4-port USB hub connected to my computer as well as electric energy to supply my pass-through without pulling the energy through my mother-board.

There is always the $5 wall-wart, I have a few of those as well as a cigarette power-cord for using my pass-through in my truck. When I want to, I can pull the cord, cap the end of my battery, and go "wireless" with a fully charged battery.

Another advantage is a constant charge to my battery for a constantly great vape!

​

 

[Samyaza]

It's no more dangerous than charging your phone on the PC ... It's not pulling the power you use to vape, it's charging the battery and you are vaping from the battery.

Just unplug it once it has charged, same as all batteries

 

[Sentonal]

I have to agree with 5cardstud!
There is a chance you may fry your mother-board = Expensive!

I have a Belk 4-port USB hub, which has an additional electric power cord (AC to USB hub) that comes with it; so, for $20 at Staples, I get a 4-port USB hub connected to my computer as well as electric energy to supply my pass-through without pulling the energy through my mother-board.

There is always the $5 wall-wart, I have a few of those as well as a cigarette power-cord for using my pass-through in my truck. When I want to, I can pull the cord, cap the end of my battery, and go "wireless" with a fully charged battery.

Another advantage is a constant charge to my battery for a constantly great vape!

​

I have what is likely the same hub. Works like a charm for the passthroughs, I actually have 2 of these now with one on the PC and another running a USB extension cable through my easy chair. my "Vape-Z-Boy"

 

[Krprice84]

The pc or laptop will only supply a so much and will not allow anything to draw more than what is allowed. Usb has specifications designed just for charging devices in this manner. It will just mean longer charge times. Anything connected to a computer with enough power has the potential to fry a computer but it would be rare mishap.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk

you're going to tell me that i can run a 20 amp load off of a 5 volt usb plug if the load is only rated at 3 volts? are you sure?

you're completely wrong and wayy wayyyyy off base...

while yes, computers are MEANT to limit the output current to 500ma it doesn't always work correctly, and some will work just fine with a passthrough (most with batteries SHOULD work fine because the USB port is just charging the battery and the battery is what is powering the atomizer) but personally, i wouldn't risk it unless the manufacturer states that the power required by the passthrough is NO MORE than 500ma. and even at that, some laptops won't put out that full amount, even though they should. it also can be, depending on the design of the computer, a combined 500ma for all usb ports, or for every 2 or 3 or whatever ports, so if you have an external drive or something else connected (that doesn't use it's own power supply) then you're possibly going to run into trouble sooner.

ANY passthrough that DOESN'T have it's own battery should NEVER be used on a computer. the problem with the ones that have a battery is that lots of retailers don't know (or don't care) if the device needs more power than a usb port can supply, they just figure that since the passthrough HAS a usb plug on it then it MUST work on a computer... not so, and very risky

some computers HAVE fried from using passthrough PVs or other devices which draw more than the rated 500ma, and some laptops have even fried on lower current than that.

just some food for thought, and please, don't post if you don't know for sure what you are talking about, or at least state that you don't know for sure, because you could be telling someone to do something that breaks their computer, or pv, or something else... thanks

 

[mikebabs]

you're completely wrong and wayy wayyyyy off base...

while yes, computers are MEANT to limit the output current to 500ma it doesn't always work correctly, and some will work just fine with a passthrough (most with batteries SHOULD work fine because the USB port is just charging the battery and the battery is what is powering the atomizer) but personally, i wouldn't risk it unless the manufacturer states that the power required by the passthrough is NO MORE than 500ma. and even at that, some laptops won't put out that full amount, even though they should. it also can be, depending on the design of the computer, a combined 500ma for all usb ports, or for every 2 or 3 or whatever ports, so if you have an external drive or something else connected (that doesn't use it's own power supply) then you're possibly going to run into trouble sooner.

ANY passthrough that DOESN'T have it's own battery should NEVER be used on a computer. the problem with the ones that have a battery is that lots of retailers don't know (or don't care) if the device needs more power than a usb port can supply, they just figure that since the passthrough HAS a usb plug on it then it MUST work on a computer... not so, and very risky

some computers HAVE fried from using passthrough PVs or other devices which draw more than the rated 500ma, and some laptops have even fried on lower current than that.

just some food for thought, and please, don't post if you don't know for sure what you are talking about, or at least state that you don't know for sure, because you could be telling someone to do something that breaks their computer, or pv, or something else... thanks

Excellent post......One of my pet peeves about this forum is all the "wrong" or "bad" information that gets passed around....just because a vendor "sells" an item, some people think "it must be ok".....
Remember when we all smoked analogs ???? Were they OK too???????????

 

[Krprice84]

^^

Thanks, I was worried i'd just be pissing people off, but honestly it just gets to me like crazy when i read all of the misinformation going around, especially about electronics-related stuff, because that is my field, and because people get super-uber-crazy paranoid and stupid when things are said incorrectly about electronics... it's sad

 

[wseyller]

you're going to tell me that i can run a 20 amp load off of a 5 volt usb plug if the load is only rated at 3 volts? are you sure?

you're completely wrong and wayy wayyyyy off base...

while yes, computers are MEANT to limit the output current to 500ma it doesn't always work correctly, and some will work just fine with a passthrough (most with batteries SHOULD work fine because the USB port is just charging the battery and the battery is what is powering the atomizer) but personally, i wouldn't risk it unless the manufacturer states that the power required by the passthrough is NO MORE than 500ma. and even at that, some laptops won't put out that full amount, even though they should. it also can be, depending on the design of the computer, a combined 500ma for all usb ports, or for every 2 or 3 or whatever ports, so if you have an external drive or something else connected (that doesn't use it's own power supply) then you're possibly going to run into trouble sooner.

ANY passthrough that DOESN'T have it's own battery should NEVER be used on a computer. the problem with the ones that have a battery is that lots of retailers don't know (or don't care) if the device needs more power than a usb port can supply, they just figure that since the passthrough HAS a usb plug on it then it MUST work on a computer... not so, and very risky

some computers HAVE fried from using passthrough PVs or other devices which draw more than the rated 500ma, and some laptops have even fried on lower current than that.

just some food for thought, and please, don't post if you don't know for sure what you are talking about, or at least state that you don't know for sure, because you could be telling someone to do something that breaks their computer, or pv, or something else... thanks

WTH..You are taking my post way out of context and you are putting words into my own post. Show me where I told you or anyone that they can run a 20 amp load off of a 5 volt usb plug if the load is only rated at 3 volts. My whole post was about charging the battery. Please show me how I suggested anything but that. I would "hope" to think that all pass throughs draw power off of the battery and never directly from USB. I apologize if I didn't word my post exactly to your standards but it just seemed like your are just looking for something wrong to complain about.

 

[R1ptide]

USB is going to output at 5V and is only rated to throw 500ma at that voltage; however if the device connected asks for more than 500ma some USB ports will give more than that and it is possible to do some damage or not depending on the PC.

For example most Samsung smartphones are designed to only draw 500ma when they recognize they are plugged into a PC but draw 1+amp when connected to the wall charger. It can make the distinction because the wall charger shorts the two USB wires normally used for data so the phone knows its safe to pull more than 500ma and as a result charge faster. Off brand wall chargers that don't do this will charge slower. If you get a USB cable that already has those two wires shorted and plug it into a PC the phone will draw more than 500ma giving you a faster charge but you risk dmg to the PC.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[sandybeach]

Waking up an old thread here, but couldn't you just use the USB plug you get with an iPhone and plug it into the wall instead of plugging it into your computer?

 

[Thompson]

^ That is essentially what a lot of people suggest, so that if anything does go wrong its not your computer on the wrong end of it. I believe though that its recommended to get something with a higher mA output than the standard AC-USB charger supplies (which is 500mA for most of them). I don't know what the iphone charger outputs.

Whats to be made of this guy then?

Ego/510 Variable Passthrough (Black) | E-Cigarette USB Passthrough by EsmokerOnline! | eSmoker Online

It even states its not to be used with AC-USB adapters, which I find extremely odd.

I've got an eGo 650mAh Pass Through and absolutely love it. Even though I don't personally think it'd cause any issue to my computers, its not worth it.

 

[mg7454]

^ That is essentially what a lot of people suggest, so that if anything does go wrong its not your computer on the wrong end of it. I believe though that its recommended to get something with a higher mA output than the standard AC-USB charger supplies (which is 500mA for most of them). I don't know what the iphone charger outputs.

Whats to be made of this guy then?

Ego/510 Variable Passthrough (Black) | E-Cigarette USB Passthrough by EsmokerOnline! | eSmoker Online

It even states its not to be used with AC-USB adapters, which I find extremely odd.

I've got an eGo 650mAh Pass Through and absolutely love it. Even though I don't personally think it'd cause any issue to my computers, its not worth it.

I agree!
You can purchase an AC to USB wall plug-in from anywhere from $5 to $12!
You will most certainly not fry your computer mother-board if you do not use your computer USB ports, but the AC/USB plug-in.

I found a Belk 4-USB-port-hub at Staples for $20!
It has an electric cord plug-in for the power you need to charge your USB chargeable devices,
I love it for my eGo pass-throughs and other USB port chargeables.
The Belk 4-USB hub-port also plugs into your computer at the same time, so my remote mouse plug-in can be used in the hub at the same time I am charging my devices, and I can un-plug the AC cord and just use the ports with my computer accessories like the mouse-plug-in or my keyboard, etc.
I think the Belk 4-USB-port hub was worth the $20!

 

[Thompson]

That sounds like a great way to use the PT at the computer without threatening the computer itself.

And given that most people have one on their desk or nearby makes it even more palatable.