While the device is ultimately to blame, many PD chargers will work anyway (by dangerously assuming 5V when there are no CC resistors). My Anker chargers do this.
I lost a good two hours the other day on an insufficiently documented device, looking for a way to flash a new firmware onto it.
dmesg was absolutely silent about it when I plugged in or out my C-C USB cable although the device switched on when I was using a simple charger instead. I opened it up to see if there was a special switch or something to put it in firmware flashing mode, to no avail. The little documentation I had only mentioned using one of the USB port.
In the end, out of ideas, I switched cables (even though I knew my cable was perfectly fine). As soon as I plugged in a A-C USB cables, everything worked immediately...
I don't buy and return products that don't charge with a single usb-c cable. How can I expect good quality from a product if the maker saves on ¢1 cent? It's 2026 yet new products still keep people from going all usb-c.
As someone with a bunch of "USB-C" devices that do this, I'd wondered for years why nobody sold these. I recently just found them on Aliexpress in a more finished format (nice-looking case and such), so I'm hopeful they'll start to filter out into the world more. (If you're interested, do a search for "usb c resistor" and you'll find them for ~$2-$4.)
Oh, I made one of these not too long ago with those 4-pin solderable aliexpress USB-c pcbs. One side has the resisters, and I just joined them with headers. A few months ago I was looking for something just like this, but couldn’t find anything. I think a pack of 10 male and 10 female ports with CC resistors cost <$10, but I suppose this is a more elegant and accessible solution (plus, may actually pass more lines through).
I have a couple of devices that do not charge on a usb c source. I have to use a USB A - C cable on their shitty usb-c ports.
Now that I know the probable reason I’m more annoyed.
dmesg was absolutely silent about it when I plugged in or out my C-C USB cable although the device switched on when I was using a simple charger instead. I opened it up to see if there was a special switch or something to put it in firmware flashing mode, to no avail. The little documentation I had only mentioned using one of the USB port.
In the end, out of ideas, I switched cables (even though I knew my cable was perfectly fine). As soon as I plugged in a A-C USB cables, everything worked immediately...