Is there a quick/easy way to tell if a cable is charge only vs data?
During a move all my USB-A to Macro, Micro, and C ended up in the same box.
Figured the General Forum would be the best place to try first.
It’s obvious with the nicer cables.
Now I’m left with a pile of generic white and black cables to sort out.
Any tricks other than finding some device to plug them into to see if they’ll talk?
I’d be willing to drop a few bucks on some sort of USB tester to make my life easier.
I’m a bit worried that a miss wired cable could brick something I care about.
A $0.20 cable that came free with a flashlight will always be correctly wired – Right?
After all the USB symbol seems to be placed in random sides of the USB-A end…
I doubt that this would happen unless the manufacturer of the cable really screwed up… Just using a (properly wired) data cable in place of a charging cable or vice versa is not going to damage anything. As mentioned though, if you are very concerned, get a good USB cable tester and verify each cable before using it.
For me, it does not get to that level of concern… and I have some pretty expensive devices that use USB cables.
The only problems I have ever had was grabbing a charging cable and trying to use it to transfer data… Then having to find the correct cable for the job.
I don’t know. I’ve seen a few fried USB connector areas inside PCs over the years.
Not sure of the cause. But clearly burned components on the MB where the front panel connectors are connected.
The users claim nothing nefarious took place.
What happens when two mains connected systems sees a +5 hot where a ground is supposed to go? Could it make some sensitive components let the magic smoke out?
Or the +5 to one of the data lines?
RC I’m not worried about a correctly wired cable. A charge cable just won’t pass the data.
It’s something wired bass-ackwards I’m thinking about.
zoulas - thanks for the link. Thick vs thin - some Apple cables are mighty skinny.
Heck,Anker is shipping $2000 power stations with the 120v or 240v sockets with reversed hot and neutrals on some of them.
I’ve got a few USB meters for monitoring charging, but nothing that checks cable integrity.
Any suggestions? Cheap/easy is the operative word.
All the Best,
Jeff
Yeah… mis-wired cables could cause problems.
. For that, testing is the only sure way to tell. I don’t have tester. But being as I am, if somebody comes up with a suggestion that is not stupid expensive, I will probably buy one…
If it were all micro, then it’s a matter of 2-wire vs 4-wire, and with a micro socket, you could hook up the A end into a powerbank or other supply, then just sniff the power- and data-lines with an LED each.
No light at all means a miswiring, power-only LED (can stick a resistive load to draw, say, 500mA from it) means power’s intact, data-LED lit even barely means something’s jiggling on that line vs being totally off.
I got some micro sockets so’s I could hook up, say, 5V fans directly to a usb port via generic cable vs via some weirdo adapter. All I care about is power, and no negotiation for anything above 500mA, so simple is good, but you could wire up something quick or just use that board above to do more thorough testing.
Just wanted to recommend such a device. Not only will it show wrong pin assignment, it will also show you whether it’s just simple two-wire power cable, four wire or USB3 and how many data lanes (if it supports higher data rates, thunderbolt etc).
I would like to see your results and thoughts on the tester. I might just buy one if it works well.
I am not really concerned with bad or mis-wired cables, but I like testing gadgets.
I guess being a retired engineer does that to a person…
Got it in.
Mine doesn’t have the battery clip problem that many reviewers complained about.
The on board connectors do look and feel rather breakable. Especially the Micro USB socket.
Reviewers often have this complaint. Micro rips off the board.
After bit more careful playing. I think a tiny drop of superglue on each socket might give me more confidence that I won’t rip a connector off by applying even a small amount of nonlinear stress.
A couple of quick pics below.
I’ll do a longer review when I understand it better.
Go for it. I’d like to throw some more brain cells at it!
Easy to tell Charge from Data.
But I’m not sure it will define a miss-wired cable. Would be nice if the connections would cascade like on my serial breakout box.
For $15? Shut-up and take my money!
All the Best,
Jeff
Yeah, if wires are crossed in a certain way, I can see where it could light up the “correct” lights on both sides. I looks like it is just a continuity checker. Still interesting.
That’s all it is. But I do see contact points next to the LEDs.
Perhaps a meter could be applied to those one at a time and see where it comes out on the other side.
Maybe even a voltage to light up the corresponding LEDS.
Need to think about that some.
But at least I can now quickly cull out the charge only cables.
Decided I’m going to mark all my USB-A cable ends with a “Top” decal.
I’m sick of the random markings that seem to be the way of these things.
All the Best,
Jeff
