[gubby]

Interesting idea, I suspect it isn't possible with the existing connector. You either need to increase the voltage or the current.

The new 240W spec is 5A and 50V. Assuming 5A is the thermal limit of the connector and that can't change, to get 1500W you'd need 300V, which is probably higher than the connector can support in terms of conductor spacing.

[buildbot]

300V DC is also quite dangerous, 48v/50v is already up there.

[jorvi]

Maybe you can get there if the device doesn’t actually require a steady stream of 1500W. For example, induction stovetops often work with cycling their coils. Couple the idea of a charge pump, a whole bank of capacitors and Tesla’s trick of running cables over spec by constantly monitoring temperature and making on-the-fly adjustments, and you might get somewhere.

[andix]

You may be able to run cables 50-100% over spec for a short time. But not 1000%. Thought experiment (don't try at home!): Take a random USB cable and short circuit a car battery. It will start burning within seconds.

[Eisenstein]

If you short circuit a car battery with a wrench it will melt the wrench.

[hulitu]

50 V in the USB-C connector ?

What can go wrong ?

[minedwiz]

In power-over-ethernet setups, you can have up to 57VDC at the consuming device: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_over_Ethernet#Standard_i...

[andix]

50V is pretty much the limit that is still considered safe for humans to get in direct contact with.

[askvictor]

At uni we learned that 30V can penetrate skin in the right (wrong?) conditions. Once it's through the skin, your body conducts really well, so even a tiny amount of current can stop your heart. But you need a path for the current to get across your heart, so I'm guessing that even if 30V gets under your skin, you'd have to be pretty unlucky for it to form a circuit through your heart.

[Scoundreller]

plenty of grounded things you might be gripping with your other hand at the same time :(

[jamiek88]

And by safe it means 'won't die' not 'pleasant feeling' still be careful with 50v!

[andix]

With dry hands it shouldn't be bad, with wet or sweaty fingers it probably can become quite a "shocking" experience.

If there is some liquid poured over the connector or if the cable is damaged, this could really become nasty.

[bafe]

As a teenager I touched a phone plug with my tongue. While it only delivered 48V it was far from being pleasant

[CamperBob2]

You're just lucky it didn't ring at the time!

[askvictor]

Touching a 9V battery to your tongue isn't pleasant.

[bafe]

Having done both I can assure you that the phone plug experience is far sharper. It's the similar "lemony" shock, but far far stronger

[andix]

Licking a Nintendo game card is also not pleasant.

[moffkalast]

Mmm yes 50 V over pins that are half a millimetre apart. I see no problem with this. No problem at all.