PETALING JAYA: Some buyers of mobile accessories are risking their safety by choosing cheaper alternatives of adapters and charging cables via online, gadget shops and even night markets.
It is only after they encountered a bad experience that they realised they should not compromise on the quality and safety of the mobile accessories which they use almost every day.
Executive Liew Yeng Hsing, 21, shared his experience of using a generic charging cable which only cost her about RM10 at a night market.
“It was cheap and I badly needed a new charging cable at that time so I purchased it.
“Over time, I started to feel the current passing through my mobile phone when using the cable but I didn’t think it was a big issue,” she said.
It was only when her mother used the charging cable and left it overnight which led to overheating that she realised the danger.
“It was a horrifying experience for me at home, when my mother was charging her power bank with the cable.
“She left it charging overnight. Then, we noticed that the next day, the cable had overheated and melted.
“Because of this, the sides of the power bank expanded and became faulty,” said Liew, who then stopped using the cable.
Kenji Ng Ken Li, 21, had a scare when his car charger began emitting sparks after he plugged in his mobile phone.
“I was driving to my friend’s place and had to charge my phone as it was at 20%. After I plugged in the phone, there was a small spark with a ‘pop’ sound in the car charger.
“I was shocked as it had just been a few months since I bought the cable online and I had to get rid of it,” he said.
Following this incident, he bought a new charging cable from a reputable brand.
“It cost slightly more but I believe it is better to be safe than sorry,” said Ng.
Manager Norarissa Ahmad avoids buying cheap charging cables from online platforms as their quality and safety are not guaranteed.
“I’m afraid that if I simply buy online without checking, it would be faulty or even cause harm such as overheating my mobile devices,” she said.
Checks at several electronic shops in Petaling Jaya showed that most sellers claim their charging cables are certified and safe for use.
From as low as RM59, a shop operator said the charging cables come with a two-year warranty from the manufacturer.
“We offer warranties even for the cheaper ones. So far, we have not received any complaints from buyers,” said the man.
Asked about the safety of the charging cables, the man said that all the cables are certified by the manufacturers which are mostly from China.
“The cables are quality-checked by their manufacturers in China. There shouldn’t be any issue about its safety,” he said.
