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What are some ways to protect the ends of a USB mini 2.0 charging cable (or other thin insulated wire) tearing up? Anytime the electrical outlet is at a height greater than the device it is attached to, it damages the wire. Note: it is not possible to decrease the height difference.

I have tried reinforcing the wire with tape and all but it's only temporary

I would like a solution - if possible - to increase the life span of the cable by more than a week. When I attempt to reinforce the cable, it only gives it maybe a additional week of life.

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The connection between the wire and the connector is a very high-stress area, so the degree of flex the wire experiences at that point is substantial. Better-quality cables will typically include a rubberized extension along that connection to spread out the load, but if that does not solve your problem, you can make a more substantial reinforcement yourself.

You can use heat shrink wrap tubing to build a longer, more-flexible reinforcement.

If you want to get really fancy, add a pen spring before you shrink wrap it to make a really strong, flexible connection.

If you don't have shrink wrap on hand, you might want to invest in something like this product called Sugru (product search). Sugru is a moldable/shapeable, self-setting material that turns into a strong, flexible, waterproof rubber overnight. It's more expensive than shrink wrap, but you can use it for fixing, modifying, and making many things that are broken or need this type of modification.

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Look at this from another angle, place the device being charged in a holder that keeps your cable from being stressed.

You should be able to mount a holder using double sided tape to almost anything if the device being charged isn't too heavy.

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Buy a longer cable so your device no longer hangs in the air but can be placed on the ground. Micro-USB cables are not designed as structural, load-bearing elements, don't try to use them that way.

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I usually wrap in a small amount of electrical tape right away, before it has a chance to rip.

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  • Have you noticed how long this has lasted? Does it extend the life of the cable by more than a week?
    – L.B.
    Aug 17, 2016 at 17:48
  • It lasts a week I have tried electrical tape but the devices that I charge are tab,power bank and lithium ion batteries which weigh a lot.So it only lasts a week - 10 days top
    – user182647
    Aug 17, 2016 at 19:16
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Most of the problems we have with the cables for our electronic devices are due to the wire jacket (covering) shrinking with use and pulling free from the hard plastic injection-moulded plug.

The tiny plugs do not allow much space for the cable to be inserted and the minimal amount that the manufacturer uses soon pulls free due to wire flexing and twisting. The exposed unprotected thin wires are a weak point and soon fail.

Stop the cable jacket from pulling free of the plug.

As soon as possible (when the wire is new), put a tiny drop of Krazy™ glue (Ethyl Cyanoacrylate) where the wire joins the plug. The liquid will flow around and into the thin gap between the insulation and the plug. Let it set and dry undisturbed completely according to instructions. This strong glue will chemically bond the wire jacket to the plug so that it will not pull free. It will also slightly stiffen the bond. Treat both ends of the new wire.

Application TIP: Let it bond without moving it for at least 5 minutes. Let it dry completely for optimal cable life.

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