iPhone Charge Cord Repair

Why would you try to repair it?
Those Apple USB wires cost about $1 on ebay and many other places.

I'd at least try taking it back to Apple. I did at my store and they hooked me up. I have seen this happen on several friends cords, so they may know they have an issue and not bat an eye. Worth a shot. If yours did like mine, torn insulation, don't think it can be repaired. Mine got so bad it was cutting in and out charging as well. Good luck, walk in puppy dog eyes......

on your next cord don't wrap it around two fingers when you getting ready to store it...just a guess. Well I saw that I was taking cord plugged into my USB to 110 connector and wrapping it up, really stresses the cord making it turn right back on itself.

Resist said:

Because I hate wasting a cable that still works and just needs the outer cover repaired at the tear.

Click to expand...

Understood. I waited till it started acting up. Problem is don't see how you can get heat shrink into place. Not sure the liquid tape would work in that application. it dries somewhat rubbery. break out some epoxy?????

BWT for what it is worth, its admirable to not just add to the city dump and buy another because it is frayed. I wish more people would fix things.

Or, or, or, ask the apple store manager to cut a hella deal on a replacement cord, then keep this as a spare or one you can leave at a different place so you don't have to always pack it. I mean if you got 10-25% thats better than nothing. Tell him you would even go for a used one that wasn't frayed (from a return, etc). never know what he might can do for ya.

Good luck.

Resist said:

I know I hate it when people throw things away that can be repaired. The auto industry does that now by replacing whole components instead of just replacing the broken part in the component.

But if I can't fix it, then I guess I could try my local Apple store, even though I bought my iPhone at the AT&T store a year and a half ago. Guess I have nothing to lose.

Click to expand...

same here, bought iPhone at AT&T, but they helped me out. The guys at the Apple store really impressed me. No wonder they are ranked so highly. Good luck.

Resist said:

Because I hate wasting a cable that still works and just needs the outer cover repaired at the tear. All it needs is some sore of shrink wrap around that area. But the only shrink wrap I know about, has to have the wire inserted into it.

Click to expand...

Its up to you but try to repair a damaged wire that costs less than a $1?
Is it worth taking a risk damaging your device with a faulty wire like that?

Applejuiced said:

Its up to you but try to repair a damaged wire that costs less than a $1?
Is it worth taking a risk damaging your device with a faulty wire like that?

Click to expand...

OK, I think we all know that cable is not a dollar, so why say that?. If that is the case I want to buy one from you for $2 so you can make 100% profit

He never said it was not working. It is fraying and will eventually break and not work. So no way can repairing a frayed covering damage the device.

bludodge said:

OK, I think we all know that cable is not a dollar, so why say that?. If that is the case I want to buy one from you for $2 so you can make 100% profit

He never said it was not working. It is fraying and will eventually break and not work. So no way can repairing a frayed covering damage the device.

Click to expand...

Here you go:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias=aps&field-keywords=iphone+usb+cable
http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?LH_BIN=..._sc=1&_sop=15&_sticky=1&_trksid=p3286.c0.m489

Resist said:

The cable still works, only the outer insulation is torn almost all the way around the area next to the USB shrink wrap. If I absolutely had to, I could use electrical tape to wrap it up with. It wouldn't look pretty, but it would work.

Click to expand...

I understand, happened to a few of my wires also.
But once the wire is exposed it could cause problems and it will eventually stop charging the device.

Applejuiced said:

I understand, happened to a few of my wires also.
But once the wire is exposed it could cause problems and it will eventually stop charging the device.

Click to expand...

Right under they plastic rubber, is the shielding wires (which a lot of cords have). These are not the wire power goes through, or data. I think your good if you can catch it before it breaks deeper.

Similar problem on my 3GS, coming up on a year,but it's at the iPhone end of the cable.

I could take it back, but I just ordered one at Meritline.com.

The problem is the poor design - need to put stress relief at the ends, like the Meritline cable does. Come on Apple, you can do better.

Prettier Electrical Tape Fix

I bought some white electrical tape and the did wrap in 2 layers. The first sits on the main (skinny) part of the cord abutting the shoulder (the pen is pointing at the shoulder in the 1st pic). Once that is wrapped so that it is about the same diameter as the fatter stub, I wrapped the whole business with more tape. This made the connections stiff and hopefully they'll not be damaged any further. When I get a new cable like this I think I'll probably do the tape protection right away and not wait for it to get damaged.

Great advice everybody

I have purchased several iPhone charging cords but within a few months (if not weeks) they become weak and their wires are visable. Once that happens, they become much easier to bend which creates even more damage.
Seriously, I have bought so many, it's beyond funny. The non OEM are extremely cheap. Meritline is a great place to get gadgets that you don't use very often. I bought an iPhone repair kit. It worked perfectly.
Bottom line... I'm sick of buying cheap cables and having to toss them soon after. I have started to keep my cords, hoping some kind of quick fix would be available on some site like Instructables. I like that site because they give step by step directions- much needed for people like myself.
I appreciate the last reply and will try doing the same thing. I have problems working in small places or with small parts but it couldn't hurt!

Resist said:

I ended up using black electrical tape to repair my cord, so much for a clean repair. It ended up not looking to bad though, pretty much like what shrink wrap would have looked, just not as tight.

Still hard to believe Apple hasn't had more people having this same issue. Two people in my house having the same problem with each of their iPhone cords, seems like more than a coincident to me. I compared my iPhone charging cord to an iPod charging cord and the iPod cord seemed more sturdy, as in less flexible/rubbery. A more sturdy cord would have less chance of tearing at the plug ends. Ah, but what do I know.

Click to expand...

If, as you say, the problem is at the USB Plug end. Why not just get a new USB Plug (from any component outlet) and fit it yourself? As far as the connections are concerned, these can be determined from the old plug.

There have been numerous threads regarding the "problem" of fraying cords. Generally speaking, it's the fault of the user where the cord has regularly been been wound up, close to the plug. The cord used in these connectors usually has a PVC sleeve which is not very flexible and not really meant to be "wiggled" about. The secret is to avoid kinking the leads.

I don't think there's much of a way to repair it, but there is a way to prevent it if you buy a new one.
All you have to do is take apart and old spring-loaded pen, remove the spring, and wrap it around the end of the cord. This will prevent the cord from getting too bent to the point of ripping at the end.

This is just ridiculous. It isn't throwing an entire component away, its a cord. You are risking fire.

But seriously, why is using electrical tape such a big deal? THAT'S WHAT IT'S USED FOR, HELLO! And it doesn't look THAT freakin bad if you buy white.

See its best to go to the dealer, hope he can help you. I too agree with many others... Its just a cord...replace it or get it repaired only if you think it can work...