Reviewer Finds Bulging Capacitors in '1,000W' Charger After 250W Failure
Updated
Updated · ZDNet · Jun 5
Reviewer Finds Bulging Capacitors in '1,000W' Charger After 250W Failure
1 articles · Updated · ZDNet · Jun 5
Summary
A teardown of a failed "1,000W" portable charger found three bulging capacitors after the unit overheated, popped and died within minutes of light use.
Testing showed no port delivered more than about 60W and peak output only approached 250W, while power fluctuated sharply and the charger became dangerously hot.
Inside, the reviewer found thermal paste packed into a plastic enclosure with no effective heatsink, plus bridge rectifiers awkwardly angled to touch metal for cooling.
The case was also unusually easy to remove for a mains-powered device and could still deliver electric shocks even unplugged, raising additional safety concerns.
The review argues the product used a 1,000W label and many ports to mask weak engineering, noting the highest legitimate charger the reviewer has tested is a 500W model.