Yeah, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense!!
I also unplugged my LCD display this morning to see if that makes a difference (also because my GF wasn't particularly happy with my dodgy soldering being plugged in 24/7!!)
Ive now got a watchdog running as I got fed up with the manual morning and evening reboot and the downtime in between!
Looks like I can remove a single line to stop the service and test this customised USB cable. I mean, either way, the cable seems a good idea anyway to be fair.