[SOLVED] Will this device ruin my mobo?

[Douglas Wicker]

Hi all,

I have a Asus Prime Z370-A ii and I have a question about the USB-C port on the rear I/O.

I have just bought a USB-C hub that allows passthrough of power from a wall charger through the hub to the male USB-C connector. This is designed for laptops with only one usb-c port to allow for power & accessories. The power input to the hub is distributed to all outputs. This would be handy for me as I can charge devices from the hub as well making sure my peripherals have sufficient power.

My question is, will the passthrough of power from the wall charger to my mobo have an affect on my mobo? I believe the USB Type C port on my mobo is rated to deliver 3A if that is of any help.

The hub is the QGeeM 7 in 1 USB C hub on Amazon.

 

[Ralston18]

If I am reading your post correctly I believe that there is a bit of a misconception.

Sometimes too many USB devices on a host computer (laptop or desktop) simply demands too much power via the host's USB ports.

To compensate one solution is to use an independently powered (i.e., wall charger) USB Hub that provides both additional USB ports and the power necessary to support the additional attached USB devices.

For whatever reason those USB devices are attached.

The power does not passthrough the USB hub and into the host computer's USB ports per se.

For more information:

https://www.minitool.com/lib/usb-hub-020.html

https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-reasons-need-usb-hub-maybe-dont/

There are other links and details matter. So read carefully before you go forward.

 

[Douglas Wicker]

If I am reading your post correctly I believe that there is a bit of a misconception.

Hi Ralston, thank you for your response. From what I understand from the product page, it does in fact pass through power. This is taken directly from the description along with a diagram showing the power passing through to the laptop:

'100 W Power Delivery
Maximum input of 100W minus 9W for the hub’s operation allows the hub to give your laptop up to an 90W pass-through charge while using other hub functions.'

Whether this is true or not I just want to know if it is safe to do so. Say I bypassed the hub altogether and plugged a wall charger directly into the mobo usb-c connector (not that I ever would obviously), would my PC be safe?

I am not sure what the rules are on links in this forum but here is the link to the amazon product page if that helps; https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07WYD88M6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Ralston18]

As I understand pass-through charging that is used to recharge the host computer.

Versus providing supplemental power to USB devices attached to the host computer's USB ports.

An independently powered hub would provide power to the USB devices directly connected to the hub.

Doing anything other than the prescribed connectivity is unlikely to be safe.

 

[Douglas Wicker]

As I understand pass-through charging that is used to recharge the host computer.

Yeah, i'd have thought that the mobo should have protection against this considering usb-c's versatility with charging.

I might contact Asus direct.

 

[Ralston18]

Yes we would hope that such protections (to some extent anyway) would be in place.

However, all that costs more and it is far cheaper to just add "warnings" to the documentation and leave it to the end user to decide or otherwise work it all out.

Basically if you misconnect something or otherwise violate the documentation then it is on you.

Read manuals etc. not only for what is said but what is not said.

Cynicism conceded.