Several users are having serious problems with the Switch, which in some cases catches fire when charging. The fault, however,m not (totally) of Nintendo
Already since last year, many Nintendo Switch users have reported malfunctions and breakages as a result of the use of non-original accessories for the hybrid console. In particular, consoles have been found literally burned (with lots of smoke) after being connected to chargers and bases manufactured by third parties.
The problem arose after the firmware update to version 5.0, so initially many users blamed Nintendo, which however responded that it was not at fault because, using original accessories, nothing would happen as complained by those who used non-original accessories. Now it turns out that, probably, Nintendo is only half right because it is true that the charging of the Switch is done via the USB-C standard and passing by a chip that manages the voltage to avoid problems, but the Japanese company has implemented the standard in a way not very faithful.
The discovery on Reddit
An engineer has opened a post on Reddit to explain to all his hypothesis, which seems very credible, about why the Nintendo Switch burn if recharged with non-original accessories. And as to why they only burn out since Nintendo updated their firmware. Initially it was thought that Nintendo had not integrated a Power Delivery chip (PD, i.e. a chip that regulates the input of electricity during charging) in the Switch. But that’s not the case: the engineer disassembled the Switch and found the PD chip, specifically an M92T36 chip.
There are no public specs of this chip, but there are of its near-twin chip M92T30. The M92T30 is a PD chip that accepts 6 volts as its maximum input voltage, which is 30% lower than the classic 9 volts delivered by USB-C chargers. From this point of view, therefore, Nintendo is not to blame: it has made a technical choice and others have to adapt in order not to damage the Switch.
Nintendo’s “responsibility”
But there is another factor to consider: the USB-C connector. Nintendo, in fact, states in the Switch’s official technical specifications, “USB Type-C port – Used to charge the console or connect it to the Nintendo Switch base.” However, the engineer on Reddit explained that the Switch’s USB connector isn’t standard: it’s slightly wider.
If you’re using an original Nintendo USB-C cable there’s no problem, but if you’re using a third-party one (i.e. a standard USB cable) there’s a serious risk that the pins inside the connector won’t match. This can translate, in practice, in sending a 15 Volt signal to the pin that sends the energy to the PD chip that, as mentioned, receives a maximum of 6 Volts. In this case, it is absolutely normal for the chip to go up in smoke.