Charging Cable Organization

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MandyLuna
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Charging Cable Organization

Post by MandyLuna »

I've somehow ended up with an assortment of devices that need to be continuously charged - with various connection types - lightning, C, USB etc.

It's a tangled mess.

Do you have any tips or tricks to keep this organized?
livesoft
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Re: Charging Cable Organization

Post by livesoft »

It sure can get complicated. Are you sure they need to be continually charged? Li-Ion batteries last longer if they are more-or-less maintained between 20% and 80% of charge capacity. I now let my devices get down to less than 25% before I consider charging them and stop charging when above 80% though only when I am paying attention. Also, I turn my phone OFF overnight. Also it help to keep Li Ion batteries in your refrigerator.

Otherwise, I have gravitated to a single short USB-C male to USB-C male cable with couple of adapters: a USB-C female to microUSB male (for earbuds, a GPS, and a headlamp) and a USB-C-female to Garmin Watch. I haven't used a wall charger for my electronics in about 2 months since I can use a $25 solar panel to charge a small power bank and then charge my devices from that power bank. I haven't even used my car to charge anything.

(If I needed a lightning connector, then I would get either a short USB-C to lightning cord or a USB-C female to lightning connector.)

So maybe simplify your life and get rid of devices that you don't really need?

But a tip: Before I went to a single cable I had bought different cables in different colors: black, red, silver, pink, and even black&white striped, so that I could immediately see at a glance which cord to use. Example: The USB-A to USB-C cord is silver. The USB-C to USB-C cord is red. The USB-A to microUSB cord is black.
Last edited by livesoft on Wed Dec 01, 2021 10:50 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Point
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Re: Charging Cable Organization

Post by Point »

livesoft wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 10:31 am It sure can get complicated. Are you sure they need to be continually charged? Li-Ion batteries last longer if they are more-or-less maintained between 20% and 80% of charge capacity. I now let my devices get down to less than 25% before I consider charging them and stop charging when above 80% though only when I am paying attention. Also, I turn my phone OFF overnight. Also it help to keep Li Ion batteries in your refrigerator.

Otherwise, I have gravitated to a single short USB-C male to USB-C male cable with couple of adapters: a USB-C female to microUSB male (for a GPS and a headlamp) and a USB-C-female to Garmin Watch. I haven't used a wall charger for my electronics in about 2 months since I can use a $25 solar panel to charge a small power bank and then charge my devices from that power bank. I haven't even used my car to charge anything.

So maybe simplify your life and get rid of devices that you don't really need?
What is your solar and power bank setup? Brand/model?
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mhc
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Re: Charging Cable Organization

Post by mhc »

I don't know what your situation looks like, so I recommend going to Amazon and searching on "cable organizer." This will show you some options that are out there.
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livesoft
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Re: Charging Cable Organization

Post by livesoft »

Point wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 10:32 amWhat is your solar and power bank setup? Brand/model?
Solar Panel is the Lixada L1505 bought from Amazon. It is usually marketed as the Lixada 10W in white, but only produces 3W to 5W on a sunny day.

The power bank would be a Nitecore NB10000.

I went to this setup for backpacking since it is very lightweight. If I needed a wall charger, then a lightweight one is the Anker PowerPort Nano III whih I think is 20W output. None of my devices can take more than 18W, so getting a heavier, more powerful wall charger would do me no good. It has a single USB-C output suitable for my setup, but some people would want at least a dual output wall charger.
Last edited by livesoft on Wed Dec 01, 2021 10:42 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Topic Author
MandyLuna
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Re: Charging Cable Organization

Post by MandyLuna »

I am sorry, I did not mean continuously in the sense that they are never unplugged - just that they are charged nearly daily - all of them.

Currently just have a power strip that looks like a mess of octopus tangles.
dukeblue219
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Re: Charging Cable Organization

Post by dukeblue219 »

Hide the power strip, or get a small power strip that has 2 AC and a half dozen USB ports. Then buy some cable organizers that clip to your desk/counter to hold down the cables.
livesoft
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Re: Charging Cable Organization

Post by livesoft »

MandyLuna wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 10:37 am I am sorry, I did not mean continuously in the sense that they are never unplugged - just that they are charged nearly daily - all of them.

Currently just have a power strip that looks like a mess of octopus tangles.
Get short cables then. There will be less power loss in shorter cables than in longer cables, so charging times might be 5% to 10% faster (shorter). And shorter cables cannot get tangled. Of course, many people do not like short cables because they won't reach to a wall charger, but you have a power strip that is presumably on a table, counter, or other accessible place, so short colored cables should be a blessing.

But having a power brick means you can charge it and then use it to charge a device or two and not be beholden to a specific location where your wall chargers are.
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jebmke
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Re: Charging Cable Organization

Post by jebmke »

Link to Amazon for multi charger cable
[Link formatted by Moderator Misenplace]
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runninginvestor
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Re: Charging Cable Organization

Post by runninginvestor »

I can't attest to the multi-chargers, but that could be an interesting option. Option. I've used cable sleeves before for all of the cords that run behind my computer desk. Which has been nice to keep everything flowing and out of the way of my feet.

Alex Tech 10ft - 1/2 inch Cord Protector Wire Loom Tubing Cable Sleeve Split Sleeving For USB Cable Power Cord Audio Video Cable – Protect Cat From Chewing Cords - Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FW3GTXB/re ... UTF8&psc=1
sureshoe
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Re: Charging Cable Organization

Post by sureshoe »

I wouldn't overthink it. If we're talking a desk or a dresser, first buy short cables. People tend to use 3 or 6 foot defaults, which creates all this extra cord. You can get super cheap velcro ties to keep them together so it doesn't sprawl:

https://www.amazon.com/VELCRO-BRAND-ONE ... ads.org-20
You can cut yourself. Or, buy pre-fabbed straps.

If you want an even cleaner look, buy cable tubes:
https://www.amazon.com/Alex-Tech-10ft-P ... ads.org-20
There are a thousand flavors of that.

Good luck.
MathWizard
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Re: Charging Cable Organization

Post by MathWizard »

I bought three octopus cables, one for the house and one for each of
our cars.

My Pixel needs USB-C, my wife needs a lightning connector, and USB-C
is used to recharge a small portable power bank.

No searching for cables anymore.

Here is an example:

Code: Select all

https://www.brookstone.com/products/octopus-usb-type-c-usb-lightning-micro-usb-compact-charging-cable
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climber2020
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Re: Charging Cable Organization

Post by climber2020 »

MandyLuna wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 9:57 am I've somehow ended up with an assortment of devices that need to be continuously charged - with various connection types - lightning, C, USB etc.

It's a tangled mess.

Do you have any tips or tricks to keep this organized?
Get rid of the devices.

I did this several years ago. I had a vast redundant assortment of electronic gadgets, cameras, prior model cell phones, an iPad, another iPad, etc. Just in case (which means never). Each one of course had its own cable or charger, mostly non-interchangeable with the other devices. I sold or donated all of it except for one current smartphone and one current laptop computer. My electronic clutter is now minimal.
lazydavid
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Re: Charging Cable Organization

Post by lazydavid »

How many devices? I've ordered several of these in the past, one for each office location, to give employees a place to charge their phones if they don't have the appropriate chargers with them. They worked well and were very popular when we were still in the office. Buy the appropriate short cables to go with them and you're golden.
livesoft
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Re: Charging Cable Organization

Post by livesoft »

MathWizard wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 12:08 pm I bought three octopus cables, one for the house and one for each of
our cars.
Octopus or multi-ended cables may be good for lower power devices or charging a single moderate power device at a time, but modern phones can charge at 25W or so and then there are laptops and Nintendos which can charge at ever higher power ratings. An inferior cable can have so much resistance and voltage drop within the length of the cable so that only 70% to 80% of the charge gets to the device being charged and perhaps with a possibility of shorting or melting of some "protection components" in the plugs.

Since microUSB is a low-power standard any device that uses a microUSB jack is a low power device and cables supplied with that device are generally not as capable as better cables for higher-powered devices. I'd used a USB-C to microUSB adapter on a good cable to charge a microUSB device, but not a microUSB cable to charge a USB-C device.

And while one doesn't have to be an electrical engineer to understand Volts, Amps, Watts, USB-A, USB-C, microUSB, PowerDelivery, QuickCharge, etc is helps to have more than passing knowledge of what all these things mean. Otherwise you might end up using a 3W charger that would take 6 times longer to charge your phone than if you used an 18W charger.
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sully45
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Re: Charging Cable Organization

Post by sully45 »

Best thing I did last year was buy a six port charge hub, all six ports are usb-A. Then I bought short USB-A to X cables of each type and plugged them in. Now I have a 'charging hub' in one area of my house for charging every device. I also put a AA/AAA NIMH batter charger there.

At least the mess is all in one place.
MathWizard
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Re: Charging Cable Organization

Post by MathWizard »

livesoft wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 12:22 pm
MathWizard wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 12:08 pm I bought three octopus cables, one for the house and one for each of
our cars.
Octopus or multi-ended cables may be good for lower power devices or charging a single moderate power device at a time, but modern phones can charge at 25W or so and then there are laptops and Nintendos which can charge at ever higher power ratings. An inferior cable can have so much resistance and voltage drop within the length of the cable so that only 70% to 80% of the charge gets to the device being charged and perhaps with a possibility of shorting or melting of some "protection components" in the plugs.

Since microUSB is a low-power standard any device that uses a microUSB jack is a low power device and cables supplied with that device are generally not as capable as better cables for higher-powered devices. I'd used a USB-C to microUSB adapter on a good cable to charge a microUSB device, but not a microUSB cable to charge a USB-C device.

And while one doesn't have to be an electrical engineer to understand Volts, Amps, Watts, USB-A, USB-C, microUSB, PowerDelivery, QuickCharge, etc is helps to have more than passing knowledge of what all these things mean. Otherwise you might end up using a 3W charger that would take 6 times longer to charge your phone than if you used an 18W charger.
I agree that a quick chargers are useful.

We have quick chargers, and use them occasionally, but I prefer to slow charge.
We keep our phones a long time, and I believe that slow charging is easier on the phone battery.

If you change phones every 2-3 years, I don't think that quick charge would significantly affect the battery, but we tend to
keep phone 5-6 years.

The battery on my 7 year old iphone 5s still works fine, though it is relegated to being a music player since my
service provider dropped 3G, and it no longer gets security updates.
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Re: Charging Cable Organization

Post by nisiprius »

I find retractable charging cables--well, they are general USB cables--to be a godsend. They probably provide a lower-quality connection, in some sense, than regular cables, but I've never noticed any problem. (They don't get detectably warm while charging at 2.4 amps, for example). I feel sure they are not as durable as regular cables, but I've been using them for about three years now and only one of them showed signs of unreliability--wouldn't charge unless I wiggled it--which went away when I tried a new cable.

And they are getting darned cheap. (Except for Apple-certified Lightning cables). Being cheap and compact I can afford to keep both a bunch to take on a trip that just stay in a zipper envelope, without any need to remove the regular ones at home. For trips I also carry a six-port Anker charger, and a four-port USB charger that plugs into an automobile 12V power point.

Two specific kinds that I have used. They work. I haven't tried to measure charging speed or data rates or anything like that.

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Katietsu
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Re: Charging Cable Organization

Post by Katietsu »

I have purchased a couple of charging type stations for gifts that I know have been well used. I am thinking of buying a set of these cable holders from Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1017087417

Google words like cable holder or charging organizer and see if any fit your needs.
tashnewbie
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Re: Charging Cable Organization

Post by tashnewbie »

MathWizard wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 2:26 pm I agree that a quick chargers are useful.

We have quick chargers, and use them occasionally, but I prefer to slow charge.
We keep our phones a long time, and I believe that slow charging is easier on the phone battery.

If you change phones every 2-3 years, I don't think that quick charge would significantly affect the battery, but we tend to
keep phone 5-6 years.

The battery on my 7 year old iphone 5s still works fine, though it is relegated to being a music player since my
service provider dropped 3G, and it no longer gets security updates.
I just recently got a new iPhone that supports fast charging, and your post made me curious about whether fast charging is harmful to a battery's life and longevity.

I'm admittedly no expert and did a quick search. It appears fast charging doesn't negatively affect battery life or longevity.

Phone technology including battery management technology has probably come a long way in the past decade.

I replaced a 7-year old iPhone 6 that had pretty bad battery life (probably due to user error).

At the end of the day, batteries can be replaced for probably ~$100.

A couple hits I found about fast charging's effects on batteries:

link
link

YMMV.
Lou Sevens
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Re: Charging Cable Organization

Post by Lou Sevens »

I don't have a hub as of yet but found that some things I have are still USB-A, some USB-C etc. it becomes maddening sometimes if I am going away a day or two. Sometimes I put the similar ones in small ziploc bags so I don't mix them up. I had gotten a few bose things which seem to be USB-C to USB-A .
delamer
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Re: Charging Cable Organization

Post by delamer »

A centrally-located charging station works well for us.

This is the one we chose: https://www.sharperimage.com/view/produ ... ion/206895
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BuddyJet
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Re: Charging Cable Organization

Post by BuddyJet »

jebmke wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 11:01 am Link to Amazon for multi charger cable
[Link formatted by Moderator Misenplace]
+1 on the multi head cable. Amazon offers many to choose from.

I travel with one to minimize what I have to carry and when I grab the cable, I know it will charge my device.
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anon_investor
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Re: Charging Cable Organization

Post by anon_investor »

MandyLuna wrote: Wed Dec 01, 2021 9:57 am I've somehow ended up with an assortment of devices that need to be continuously charged - with various connection types - lightning, C, USB etc.

It's a tangled mess.

Do you have any tips or tricks to keep this organized?
I bought a 100 count of velcro ties, and use them to organize all my wires. Like these:
https://www.amazon.com/VELCRO-Brand-Reu ... B001E1Y5O6
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