PSA: The Steam Controller’s magnetic charger can be a fire hazard
The Steam Controller's magnetic charger poses a fire hazard due to exposed metal connectors. A Reddit user reported that their charging puck nearly caused a fire when it came into contact with a metal watch strap. Valve has acknowledged the risk and advises users to keep the puck away from metallic objects to prevent potential hazards.
- ▪The exposed metal connectors on the Steam Controller's charging puck can be dangerous if they touch any metal.
- ▪A Reddit user experienced a short circuit when their watch strap contacted the charging puck, which almost started a fire.
- ▪Valve warns users in the manual to keep the charging puck and controller free of metallic objects to reduce risks.
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| Original publisher | Ars Technica |
| Canonical URL | https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2026/05/psa-the-steam-controllers-magnetic-charger-can-be-a-fire-hazard/ |
| Publication time | Fri, 22 May 2026 16:24:11 +0000 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-22T16:32:02.589Z |
| Last seen | 2026-05-22T16:32:02.589Z |
| Headline source | Publisher (no WeSearch rewrite) |
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| Summary source text | contentText |
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Basis: Derived from the published RSS/Atom feed. Contact: [email protected]. Reviewed: 2026-07-24.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
We don’t need no water… PSA: The Steam Controller’s magnetic charger can be a fire hazardvar abtest_2155894 = new ABTest(2155894, 'click'); Keep the charging puck’s exposed pins far away from anything metal. Kyle Orland – May 22, 2026 12:24 pm | 1 Those exposed metal connectors on the charging puck can be a serious hazard if they come in contact with any stray metal. Credit: Kyle Orland Those exposed metal connectors on the charging puck can be a serious hazard if they come in contact with any stray metal.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Ars Technica.
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