USB ports can not only transmit data, they can also be used for power . In fact, many peripheral devices and gadgets use both functions at the same time, being powered through the port and also transferring data. This is the case of pen drives, or some external hard drives with MicroUSB-B sockets.
In these cases, doubts arise about the USB voltage and the intensity that these ports and cables can withstand. Here we will deal more about these doubts, so that you know all the details.
Index of contents
- USB voltage
- Intensity: USB PD (Power Delivery)
- Why some hard drives connected to the TV do not work?
USB voltage
The USB voltage seems to be clear to many, and it is 5V, but the truth is that this is not always the case. For this reason, you should know what the voltages are for each type of USB specification currently available:
- USB 1.0– This port specification allows voltages of 5V.
- USB 2.0– Revision 2 of this port can also handle only 5V.
- USB 3.0: The arrival of the third generation did not change this aspect either, since 5V can also be handled.
- USB 3.1: however, in this latest specification (USB-C + USB PD) it has been possible to change this, allowing a voltage range between 5 and 20V.
Intensity: USB PD (Power Delivery)
Surely you have seen the term USB PD or USB Power Delivery among the specifications of some chargers . Well, USB Power Delivery is a charging protocol that uses USB-C cables and connectors to provide higher levels of energy to your devices. It enables devices to charge faster, consume more power, charge in less time, and charge together simultaneously. It allows USB devices to receive a more flexible power supply, in addition to data, through a single cable.
USB Power Delivery offers the following features :
- It allows you to increase the power of existing USB standards up to 100W, something very practical for charging high-power devices or for fast charging batteries that support this technology.
- On the other hand, the direction of the delivered power is no longer limited. This allows both the host and the peripheral to provide power.
- Power management optimizations have been made for multiple peripherals so that each device draws the power it needs at any given time, and no more than that.
- Power management is smarter and more flexible through communication through these ports.
- Allows low-power devices like wireless headphone cases and more to trade only the power they need.
As for the intensities or current that it can handle, it would be this way:
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- USB 1.0– The first specification allows only 0.5A or 500mA.
- USB 2.0: with the second specification the same figure as the previous one was kept.
- USB 3.0: in this case there is a change, since currents of 0.5 or 0.9A are allowed, or what is the same, 500 mA or 900 mA.
- USB 3.1: In the case of revision 3.1, you can work with greater freedom of current intensities, such as 0.5A or 500mA, 0.9A or 900mA, 1.5A or 1500mA, 3A or 3000mA, and 5A or 5000mA.
Finally, we must not forget the maximum power that these connectors are capable of handling, especially important for chargers:
- USB 1.0– With the USB voltage and current allowed, it could only handle 2.5W power.
- USB 2.0: exactly the same as the previous one, that is, 2.5W of power.
- USB 3.0: as there was an increase in the current, there was also an increase in the maximum power, which in this case rises to 4.5W.
- USB 3.1: with this other socket you can reach up to 100W, which allows you to power higher power devices and even adapts to the different fast charging technologies for mobile device batteries (30W, 65W, 80W,…).
Why some hard drives connected to the TV do not work?
Some hard drives, when connected to the USB port of your Smart TV, do not work at all. If this has happened to you, it is important that you know the reasons and how it can be solved. For example, some USB-C drives that connect via USB-A to the TV may not be getting all the power they need, as the TV’s port specification does not allow that power. Therefore, you should get a compatible device that does not require as much power, such as some MicroUSB-B hard drives that allow power and data transfer over the same cable without having to have a latest USB specification.