Basically electronic devices get hot because of the resistance within the wiring and associated components.
Heat is an enemy of electronics.
That is why so many of our electronic devices have fans inside - the fans are used to control/limit internal temperatures to avoid heat building up.
A toaster for example uses a high resistance wire that gets red hot and thus toasts the bread. We take advantage of the situation and enjoy the results for the most part. Burnt toast is no fun at all.
What happens overtime in electronic devices is that the resistance increases with age and accompanying degradation. Each on/off cycle also creates minor heat up and cool downs. The device expands and contracts accordingly thus resulting in micro cracks or, if the temperature change is both large and fast, outright breakage will occur.
I am sure you have heard ice cubes crackling when dropped in water.... Or poured hot water in a cup (old or new) that cracked apart.
Many of today's electronic devices are made as cheaply as possible and with limited (if any) repair options. Manufacturing quality assurance is low if it even exists. Designed to fail to sell new ones.....
If you can feel the heat, even if touchable that, to me, indicates too hot. I have had a couple of USB adapters become very hot. One almost untouchable.
Warm versus hot is subjective - however; when "hot" happens you will (and seem to have noticed) the temperature difference.
In your situation the temperature may be reaching some interim point, something expands, and the adapter shorts out due to components touching where they should not be touching. Or expand and flex away from proper contact.
Device works at first, warms up, and disconnects. Time may very due to ambient temperature. And, if the room is cold, the heat up may be uneven with very much the same effects. Just more extreme.
And if the adapter does not get hot on another computer that may indicate that the problem is within the USB connections on the original computer. Some resistance somewhere.
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