We get it, when it comes to power and USB-C, there is a lot of insider jargon that nobody understands. This section is meant to explain a few things as easy as possible.
What is Voltage?
Voltage is measured in Volts (V)
Think of voltage like water pressure in a hose. Just as higher water pressure pushes more water through the hose with greater force, higher voltage pushes electrical energy through a wire with more force.
When you turn on a faucet connected to a hose, the water pressure determines how strongly the water flows out.
- Too little voltage is like weak water pressure—your device won't work properly.
- Too much voltage is like excessive water pressure that could damage your pipes.
This is why different devices need different voltages.
What is Current?
Current is measured in Amperes (A) or milli-Amperes (mA) Amperes is often shortened to “Amps” 1000mA = 1A
Keeping with the water analogy. Think of current like the flow of water through a hose.
If you imagine a device like a sprinkler connected to a hose, the current flows at the rate that a sprinkler allows it to. Different sprinklers allow different rates. Electricity operates the same way, current is determined by the device under power, not the source.
Just like a faucet that can only supply a given flow of water, power sources are limited in the maximum amount of current that they can supply.
What is Power?
Power is measured in Watts (W) Power = Voltage × Current (W = V × A)
Continuing with the water analogy, power is like the total work being done by the flowing water—it's the combination of both the water pressure (voltage) and the flow rate (current) working together to accomplish a task.
It is helpful to think about the math:
5V × 3A = 15W but also 15V × 1A = 15W
USB-C and VFLEX have a maximum limit of 5A. Let’s look at this in terms of Power
5V × 5A = 25W
12V × 5A = 60W
20V × 5A = 100W
48V × 5A = 240W
So the maximum power that VFLEX is capable of is dependent on the output voltage.