Yet Another Cycling Forum

General Category => The Knowledge => Topic started by: jamesld8 on 02 July, 2015, 07:54:14 am

Title: Shortening USB cables
Post by: jamesld8 on 02 July, 2015, 07:54:14 am
Can USB cables, used as power charger leads, be cut short and successfully rejoined? (  Have a 1.8m lead when actually just need 50 cm, but has a `good` mini USB low profile end to fit in back Garmin on handlebars,)

ta
Title: Re: Shortening USB cables
Post by: Polar Bear on 02 July, 2015, 08:04:20 am
I got a short cable with my garmin 200.   They are readily available.   
Title: Re: Shortening USB cables
Post by: tiermat on 02 July, 2015, 08:06:29 am
As both Oranj and PB have said, I wouldn't bother.  Just go to Maplin, or your local market and buy a shorter one.
Title: Re: Shortening USB cables
Post by: jamesld8 on 02 July, 2015, 08:23:24 am
As both Oranj and PB have said, I wouldn't bother.  Just go to Maplin, or your local market and buy a shorter one.

OK, off to Hereford Maplin some day  ;D ---it`s just that the head angle on longer cable (TomTom charge cable) has a particularly `nice` short mini USB that sits nicely into Garmin when on bars---short Garmin cable with straight mini USB ain`t a good fit when Garmin on bars; have looked at online stuff and so difficult see exactly what`s what
Title: Re: Shortening USB cables
Post by: tiermat on 02 July, 2015, 08:26:05 am
Hence why I suggest going to a bricks'n'mortar, rather than buying online.

Take the Garmin with you and try as many as you can until you find the right one.

If you are lucky enough to have a RS trade cunter nearby, try them, too.
Title: Re: Shortening USB cables
Post by: robgul on 02 July, 2015, 10:09:33 am
Depending which Garmin you have some USB cables have "shoulders" that are too wide to fit in the slot under the rubber cover (I have an Edge Touring, I think the 500 and 800 are the same) - for my Powermonkey specific connector I resorted to filing down the plastic plug to fit - no problem with it at all.

Rob
Title: Re: Shortening USB cables
Post by: Vince on 02 July, 2015, 10:22:52 am
If you like the long cable so much, shorten it by taking the excess and securing it in a hank with cable ties.
Title: Re: Shortening USB cables
Post by: Kim on 02 July, 2015, 03:21:54 pm
Yes, but it is a faff and the resulting join never looks great. Much easier just to buy a shorter cable

This.

You can get the connectors and attempt to do it properly.  The male 'A' connector should be reasonably easy to solder, unlike the smaller ones.  But you're still left with working out a good way to 'pot' it.  Sugru, maybe.

I'd just buy a shorter cable.