Is it dangerous to plug in multiple devices that draw power through A USB port?

I have a notebook cooler plugged into my left USB port that has 3 fans (can't confirm the volts, 3-5v for each fan). If I use a thumb hub in the USB port to attach both the cooler and an addition 5v fan, could I draw too much power through and ruin the root usb port?

 

I don't think you can and the reason why certain 2.5" HDD enclosure has special USB cable that plugs into TWO USB ports(on the notebook) in order to have enough power for the drive startup.

 

In my experience, drawing too much power will just cause some devices to stop working properly. I haven't ruined anything yet, just moved some USB devices around.

I.E I have a 4-port hub, 3 are used and added an external hard drive. It wouldn't show up in the OS. Moved it to one on the mobo, found it just fine.

 

My system refuses to boot if there is one too many devices on the hub (even they work if plugged in post-bootup). Other than that annoyance, no "damage" observed.

 

I've never heard of anything that plugs into a hub ever damaging your laptop in any way possible... I think you're just being a bit paranoid.

 

You can't damage the computer itself this way. You can only damage the external hardware if it doesn't get the power it expects - if you connect an external HDD and it doesn't get the power it requires, it will try to start spinning in a loop which can damage it if you keep it long enough this way.

that's all

 

Thank you all!

 

Just to clarify, it doesn't sound like it draws too much power but more like your hub doesn't give the HDD enough power.

 

Absolutely true.

 

Another way to look at it.

 

Before you go crazy the with laptop cooler, clean your inside of the laptop and replace the stock thermal paste with arctic silver 5. Make sure the fan allows air flow through the vent. That should keep yo from using the laptop cooler.

 

In short, no. It is important to note, however, that a root USB port can provide power for up to 127 devices... and if you have that many devices running off one port, I'd like to know what they are!

Really? Most devices simply refuse to function if they don't receive the power they require. This includes not only peripheral devices but internal card in a PC such as soundcards or graphic cards.

As far as your assertion that an external hard drive can be damaged without sufficient power to operate it, I'd like to see some kind of technical documentation supporting your claim.

 

I cannot assert that it would really damage an external HDD but I did experience cases when not enough power was given(i.e. only the USB cable rather than plugging the supplement one either through the old PS/2 keyboard or newer one with extra USB), it is in a 'working but not working' mode as if an old man having trouble to get up from bed.

 

Exactly right, where functionality might be reduced or completely non-existent.

 

I can only say it is unstable. Kind of it is seen by the OS as a drive but have problem reading from it and spin up, spin down repeatedly with some weird noise. Whether it would damage the drive, I have no idea but not in my case as after giving it enough power, it worked as normal.