i charge my vision spinner using an old iphone power supply, i have since i got it and i will continue to do so because it's safe. a charger with in built circuitry isn't stressed more by using a 2.1amp supply as opposed to a 500mah supply. it draws the current that it needs rather than having the full available current forced onto it. also, apple power supplies don't use a higher voltage, usb is standardised at 5v, even the newer usb 3. the only difference is the maximum current output which is higher on iPad chargers and the reason that an iPad will not charge using an iPod/iPhone charger.
these explosions imo are caused by the charger having no circuitry in them, which means that the battery will receive a 5v supply at whatever current the usb power supply can supply. now this may sound like a good reason not to use a high amperage supply, but it isn't the current that will do the damage here, it's the voltage. with a 2.1amp supply the battery will reach it's full capacity of 4.2v faster than with a 500mah supply, but without circuitry that limits output voltage to 4.2v and cuts off the supply when the battery is full both chargers will still push the battery past it's capabilities up to 5v making them very dangerous and a fire/explosion risk.
i can't understand how this kind of charger came into being, there must be a type of battery out there somewhere that has the charging circuitry built into itself and not the chargers. it's just a guess here but i'm thinking the main culprit could be the "man in the pub" making up ego kits himself from individual parts that he has sourced cheaply from some random corners of the web.
the message i think we need to be giving to people is not that they shouldn't be using usb supplies from apple or any other electronics manufacturer, these are good quality, well protected bits of kit. it should be to make sure the charger you're connecting to any power supply has the correct voltage and current output for your device and all the regulation and safeguards that it needs to be safe. a decent ego charger only costs a couple of quid, it could save your life. there are many reputable vendors on this forum that wouldn't have anything to do with these death chargers. just point people towards one of those guys.
IY & Tools
