Counterfeits are everywhere! After counterfeit SSDs, it’s time for power cables… More specifically, the connectors and adapters available in retails. Counterfeits are circulating with cables whose internal cross-section is smaller than specified!
Power cables: watch out for counterfeits!
To measure the internal cross-section of a cable, we use the AWG standard for American Wire Gauge. Naturally, the larger the cross-section, the greater the cable’s ability to withstand high currents. Moreover, the standard works like this: the smaller the AWG, the thicker the cable and the more current it can carry.
In reality, the counterfeit here is 18 AWG, with an internal diameter of 1.02 mm. Once cut, we realize that the diameter is actually 0.4 mm, in line with 26 AWG. This has a terrible influence on the current it can handle, as it drops from 16A to 2.2A.
If all this blah, blah, blah doesn’t ring a bell, bear in mind that a big graphics card like the RTX 4090 can draw up to 42A. So, if you buy a “crappy” adapter made up of counterfeit cables with a very small internal cross-section, you’ll start to see the picture take shape. The card will run away and draw a lot of current, and the cable will heat up so much that it could catch fire, the sheath will melt, and so on and so forth. Not pretty.
Unfortunately, these counterfeit cables seem to be everywhere (Amazon, ebay, etc.) and lack of control seems to be the cause of all this. Finally, to avoid this kind of mishap, opt for quality power supplies with connectors that comply with current standards. When it comes to adapters, you’ll need to turn to trusted manufacturers, such as cablemod, who do an excellent job in this area!
