Is An Extension USB Cable OK?

**Dragoneer** · 08-11-2010, 04:26 PM

As the most of you are probably irked by how short the USB cable is and wish for a longer one, right? Well, I'm on the same boat.

However, I'm posting this because I'm paranoid and would like to get some feedbacks from you.

A friend of mine, who is also a Droid X owner, uses a 16-foot-long Belkins USB extension cable and uses the original Motorola charging kit at both ends of the extended cable. I totally like the idea, but is it safe? Would that do any harm to our Droids?

**Jenag** · 08-11-2010, 04:38 PM

It's ok, i have like a 9 foot extension cable hooked up to the charging cable and it works just fine. Also tested it with supplied charger, and a 3rd party wall to usb charger, and it works for both.

**CarbonOak** · 08-11-2010, 04:48 PM

Just curious: What in the world would you be doing to need a 16 ft USB cable? I guess to walk around the living room using the phone while it's charging? Hehe

**DaRkL3AD3R** · 08-11-2010, 04:53 PM

I bought 3 3rd party 15' usb cables. I can easily say 15' is overkill, but I didn't care cuz it was $5 each.

However....

After using the 3rd party cable on both my phone and my fiance's phone, we find that using the Motorola 3' cable is hit or miss. Sometimes we hook it up and it doesn't recognize that its plugged in. Sometimes it takes a soft reset to fix it. Sometimes just plugging in the 15' cable solves the problem.

Alls I'm saying is our phones have started acting up since we used a 3rd party cable. Tread softly when using after market USB cables...

**Dragoneer** · 08-11-2010, 05:21 PM

Originally Posted by Jenag

It's ok, i have like a 9 foot extension cable hooked up to the charging cable and it works just fine. Also tested it with supplied charger, and a 3rd party wall to usb charger, and it works for both.

Thanks, your feedback is greatly appreciated.

Originally Posted by CarbonOak

Just curious: What in the world would you be doing to need a 16 ft USB cable? I guess to walk around the living room using the phone while it's charging? Hehe

LOL! It wasn't me! (pointing finger at my friend)

Originally Posted by DaRkL3AD3R

I bought 3 3rd party 15' usb cables. I can easily say 15' is overkill, but I didn't care cuz it was $5 each.

However....

After using the 3rd party cable on both my phone and my fiance's phone, we find that using the Motorola 3' cable is hit or miss. Sometimes we hook it up and it doesn't recognize that its plugged in. Sometimes it takes a soft reset to fix it. Sometimes just plugging in the 15' cable solves the problem.

Alls I'm saying is our phones have started acting up since we used a 3rd party cable. Tread softly when using after market USB cables...

Thanks for your detailed feedback. Hmm, I guess I'll buy an after market USB cable. Just to be safe than sorry.

**sleeping giant** · 08-11-2010, 06:47 PM

i use the usb cable that is used as an extension for a wireless usb adapter.. works perfectly fine for me

**jdbower** · 08-11-2010, 06:57 PM

The primary thing to worry about is that the longer it is and the cheaper it is the more of a voltage drop you'll get. Eventually you won't be able to charge with it because it will be out of spec, but higher quality cables have thicker gauge wires and better connectors so your risk is lower (and reputable cable companies won't sell you a cable that's too long whereas fly-by-night outfits will sell you whatever gets you to part with your money).

Low quality cables with thin wires also run the risk of overheating under high power draw, when charging your phone (especially with a nearly dead battery) check to see if the cable gets warm. USB is low voltage and low current so it's doubtful there will be an issue, but still...

Dark's issue seems to have been a cheap connector that may not have been to spec, but that's just speculation. Personally I don't like extensions and would rather a long cable, but in Dark's case an extension at the computer (and using the Motorola cable at the phone) may have saved him.