Hacking a Cheap Rechargeable Lamp With Non-Standard USB-C Connector
1 min read
Summary
A Youtuber bought a rechargeable lamp from Kmart that was advertised as being chargeable via USB-C.
After discovering that it didn’t work with a standard USB-C cable, he bought a second lamp and discovered that the cable had non-standard wiring to the data pins.
He then set about modifying the second lamp to be charged via a standard USB-C cable, and also integrate with his home automation system.
The original cable appears to be non-compliant with USB-C standards, and there are concerns that it could damage devices that expect the standard.
The use of non-standard proprietary cables rather than standard USB is becoming increasingly common, which is a step backwards for consumer electronics.
