My USB adapter /cables searing hot when in use but 13 amp plugs are fine?

[Mystery1997]

As title states when charging my phones (I have 2, same brand) the USB adapter and attached cable become searing hot (40-55°C when measured with a thermometer) and depending on the adapter the neutral pin will be hot too. But on the original charger from the company this isn't the case? 

I've routinely checked the other plugs such as for my mini freezer, fridge, lamp and fan heater (I live in a tiny studio) and they're all fine. It's just the adapters that get really hot, irrespective of which socket I put them in. 

I was thinking it could be the sockets (arcing) but wouldn't all of my plugs be hot? 

Any advice would help. 

 

[kerching]

Cheap adaptor possibly

i wouldn't use anything that didn't come with my phone/iPad or from same manufacturer.  Las year I saw 3 USB power sockets catch fire, and one adaptor took out a schools IT dept

 

[ProDave]

Something seriously wrong with the USB adaptor. They only use a tiny amount of power so should not get hot, let alone searing hot.

Buy another of a reputable brand.

 

[Andy™]

Something seriously wrong with the USB adaptor. They only use a tiny amount of power so should not get hot, let alone searing hot.

Buy another of a reputable brand.

you mean 'xhing xiong hou' isnt a reputable brand?!

 

[ProDave]

I think this one is "foo Kin Hot"

 

[Geoff1946]

Very odd. Charging a phone at 1amp, 5 volts = 5watts = Not much power.

It would be interesting to plug one into a power meter adaptor  and see what it's actually taking. Academic though, if it's hot it's unsafe.

 

[Murdoch]

I think this one is "foo Kin Hot"

the op probably bought another which would be foo kin cheap

 

[Geoff1946]

I bought one which seemed "too cheap" at 99p just out of interest, from a local discount shop. It worked, and certainly didn't get hot; (I can't visualise what could become hot in the typical design of these}.

I looked inside and saw that only a rough blob of silicone prevented the circuit board being pushed against the mains terminals. Any "fusing" was the pcb tracks.

 

[Bruspark]

Try again with a genuine apple or similar adapter ..  if, as is likely, that’s working fine take your  #¥$#¥ (big-dragons-breath) adapter and bin it 

 

[Mystery1997]

you mean 'xhing xiong hou' isnt a reputable brand?!

This is happening even with the brand adapter. I've bought a new one but that's not coming for a while so I wanted to cross out all possible causes.

 

[Sharpend]

I would drop the socket and check the terminals are tight. 
it may be that the adapter and it’s finer components are conducting any heat from a loose terminal connection than the standard plug and larger cable? 
 

power off at consumer unit first of course.