How to locate quality 21 AWG USB 2.0 extension cables for charging purposes?

[virtuality]

Reference: http://billcprice.com/futureimperfe...-a-tablet-watch-out-for-2828-awg-vs-2824-awg/

Here, lower numbers are better. 21 AWG is even better from 24 AWG. See:

The above image courtesy of Anker (scroll down for the image: http://www.amazon.com/Anker-Lightning-Cable-Connector-Certified/dp/B00KGXOG9C)

FYI, from the Anker brand, which is one of the best reviewwed ones on Amazon for value, the MicroUSB version is not less expensive than the Lightning one.

If one part of my setup is 21 AGW anyways, why not the other part be 21 AWG as well?

The idea is, instead of buying USB to MicroUSB, USB to Lightning cables in various lengths, why not but a single highest quality USB 2 extension cable wired for charging as well, then I can Lego it to the MicroUSB/Lightning cables as needed.

On Amazon you can find cables from the AmazonBasics brand, and like 3 different ones from Belkin, but I don't know the difference.

 

[shortylickens]

Monoprice.com

 

[sweenish]

I bought a pack of Anker cables for the car and around the house. They are a great quality brand.

I have some Monoprice HDMI cables, and they are also great. I imagine that their USB cables are also a good quality.

I would say it's jut not hard to buy quality USB cables.

 

[Apex]

For what it's worth, the cables that come with LG phones (ie. G2, G3) have 20AWG power cables.

I guess that doesn't help too much since you're looking for extension type.

 

[Mike64]

If one part of my setup is 21 AGW anyways, why not the other part be 21 AWG as well?

The idea is, instead of buying USB to MicroUSB, USB to Lightning cables in various lengths, why not but a single highest quality USB 2 extension cable wired for charging as well, then I can Lego it to the MicroUSB/Lightning cables as needed.

On Amazon you can find cables from the AmazonBasics brand, and like 3 different ones from Belkin, but I don't know the difference.

It's not at all easy to find things like this on Amazon, since their search functionality sucks so bad. Realistically, you just have to try lots of different search terms ("heavy duty," "charging cable," "20/21/22/24/whatever ga") along with broader terms like [USB 2.0 extension cable] and then winnow through all the (many, many) irrelevant items the searches will bring up. Even tech-oriented sites don't help much - I've yet to see one that uses the wire gauge as a search term or filter. (So, basically, you just have to use the same search tactics as on Amazon either on specific retailers' sites, or with Google.)

Another issue in terms of looking for a general-purpose extension cable with wires thicker than even 28 gauge, let alone 24 ga, is that the only benefit heavier wires provide is for charging. For ordinary data transmission, there's really just no point in the added expense (from the manufacturer's perspective anyway), and most extension cables seem to be designed primarily for data transmission...

All that being said, I did just dig this one up on Amazon pretty quickly (searching on the expression [heavy duty usb 2.0 extension cable].) The power conductors are "only" 22 ga, but that's better than most: USB 2.0 A-Male to A-Female Extension Cable (10 Feet / 3.0 Meters).

ETA: Another one, with a somewhat confusing description but appearing to have 20ga power conductors, showed up as a "Customers Who Viewed This Item Also Viewed" item: USB2.0 Extension Cable, (20 Ft) USB 2.0 A Male to Female Cable, 20-AWG, Gold Plated, although personally, I don't see the big additional expense being worth the difference between 20ga and 22ga, especially since the added length will increase that cable's resistance to some extent.

 

[lopri]

I am still not understanding what those ratings mean. Does it go like;

Lower the AGW numbers -> Higher quality, lower resistance cables -> Faster and more efficient charging

?

 

[Apex]

I am still not understanding what those ratings mean. Does it go like;

Lower the AGW numbers -> Higher quality, lower resistance cables -> Faster and more efficient charging

?

Lower the gauge the thicker the cable. Thicker cables have lower resistance. For many modern phones, there's a charging rate difference.

 

[virtuality]

@Mike64

Thanks for digging these up for me!

 

[virtuality]

The plot thickens. this is what I have found on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/KabelDirekt-foot-USB-Extension-Cable/dp/B00DI895I4
(Germany, which means quality for most US people)

It is USB 3 but comes at a good price even for a quality USB 2 cable. Maybe the market already moved there.

So, if we don't talk about 2.0 any more, but 3.0/3.1 or USB Type C, then do we still have to worry about AWG ratings aka. wire thickness, or are these standardized in later revisions of the USB standard?

 

[Mike64]

(Germany, which means quality for most US people)

Kabeldirekt is based in Germany, and presumably they hope people will assume the cables are made there, too, but it seemed awfully cheap for a cable manufactured anywhere in Western Europe. I checked out their website and some of their other Amazon listings and as far as I could tell, the website is silent as to country of manufacture. But according to a customer's response to this question about one of their HDMI cables on Amazon, they're made in China, like pretty much every other company's cables these days. Given the price point and their website's silence, I assume all their other cables are made in China, too. I'm inclined to doubt they do post-manufacture QC any better/more than other companies, but who knows?

So, if we don't talk about 2.0 any more, but 3.0/3.1 or USB Type C, then do we still have to worry about AWG ratings aka. wire thickness, or are these standardized in later revisions of the USB standard?

I wasn't/am not really familiar with any of the formal USB specs, but according to this page (which seems accurate enough, if not "authoritative"), the gauge of USB 3.0/etc cables' conductors, including the power conductors, can still vary between 20 ga and 28 ga. So the short answer to your question is "yes, we do still have to worry about AWG ratings."

 

[virtuality]

I'm inclined to doubt they do post-manufacture QC any better/more than other companies, but who knows?

I'm not asking for German made cables, heck, all our gadgets are made in China these days, some Western companies still maintain better quality control. That's what I hope for.

I wasn't/am not really familiar with any of the formal USB specs, but according to this page (which seems accurate enough, if not "authoritative"), the gauge of USB 3.0/etc cables' conductors, including the power conductors, can still vary between 20 ga and 28 ga. So the short answer to your question is "yes, we do still have to worry about AWG ratings."

That's the bad news. Thanks!

 

[Mike64]

some Western companies still maintain better quality control. That's what I hope for.

I guess I'm just not that impressed by "modern" German standards compared to other (US, Taiwanese, Japanese) companies' post-manufacturing QC... But I also don't imagine they're any worse, either, so considering their competitive pricing, I'm certainly not suggesting not buying them over other similarly priced cables...

 

[virtuality]

More on USB type-C (charging as well) cables: http://liliputing.com/2015/11/not-a...equal-a-googler-tells-you-which-to-avoid.html

 

[Raizinman]

I needed some longer extension cables around 8 feet long and went to ebay. I found moderately priced cables. After about the second week of using them I left my phone on charge overnight. In the morning the cable had melted itself into the phone. It required $120 of repairs. Needless to say, I don't buy cheap cables anymore.