All my chargers/charger ports break. What am I doing wrong?

[AC Question]

I got my LG V10 about a month ago, and today when I plugged my charger in, it wouldn't charge. It had worked perfectly fine for a month before this, and I had taken great care to make sure I was inserting the charger gently every time and didn't drop or pull the cord at extreme angles while plugged in. So what am I doing wrong??

I'm particularly concerned because this happened to both the phones I owned before this; my Samsung Galaxy S5 charger port started acting up about a year in, not charging unless I propped up the charger at just the right angle. Six months later, it completely stopped charging no matter what I did, so I had to resort to taking the battery out to charge it with an external battery charger every time. Same thing with the Galaxy S3 I had before that.

Do you know of any common problems/mistakes people make when plugging in micro-USB chargers that causes chargers and/or charging ports to break? I always lay the cord down on the table, but it's still at a slight downward angle, and I can tell the charger is bent a slight bit as a result - is that the problem? Would it help if I post a video of my plugging in the charger? Please help! I can't keep going on like this!

 

[nahoku]

Sadly, the only thing I can think of is rough handling... especially since it's happened on several phones and brand names. Given, the mini usb connector is quite fragile with very small leads connected to small solder pads on the circuit board, it's not hard to break a solder connection. Once a solder connection breaks, the user tends to have to put some kind of pressure, up, down, or sideways at some angle on the connector to force the joint to make contact so the phone will charge.

When I connect my charging cable to a device, I always take extreme care to go in slow and straight. When I disconnect, I don't just pull on the connector, I brace my fingers against the device and push on the device while holding on to the connector body so the connector is actually pushed out of the device. This is so there is an even leverage on the connector body as it's being removed. If you are simply pulling/holding on to the connector body and pulling it out as you remove the connector, without bracing your fingers on the device edge and pushing it out, you can tweak the connector inside the device itself and possibly break a solder joint.

As careful as you might be, you still might not be as careful as you think.

 

[redhothawain]

Oh hey I'm in Hawaii too (I'm the one who first asked the question, under anonymous.

Thanks for the advice - I'm really careful putting it in, but I'll try that bracing thing while removing

 

[DrWMJ]

I had a similar experience with my Lumia Icon; usb failed after 6 months. I am trying with my V10 not to use the usb at all; only wireless charging and data transfer. So far, so good.

 

[nahoku]

Oh hey I'm in Hawaii too (I'm the one who first asked the question, under anonymous.

Thanks for the advice - I'm really careful putting it in, but I'll try that bracing thing while removing

E Komo Mai! Good luck, I hope no more broken connectors for you.

 

[ShieAyla]

Ok, so my LG does the same thing. DESTROYS chargers! And I think I've figured it out. I do use my phone a lot while plugged in, and the port is NEVER stable to begin with, so I honestly shouldn't move it at all while charging.
2 options you have that have worked for me? 1 is the magnetic charger. There's a piece that goes into your phone one time and then, requiring a special USB cord (yea, bummer but they're not too expensive), will connect magnetically to your phone. 2nd is that my problem seems to be, consistently, that the THIN metal piece, right below the metal prongs on the inside of the charger? Bends OUT! Not even enough to visually SEE sometimes. Yet none the less, if I use something to GENTLY squeeze that area (something like needlenose pliers or scissors), inward, and sometimes along the entire M connector (that goes INTO the phone) on the charging cord, and THAT seems to do the trick!
Tip; do NOT bend TOO FAR! Sometimes you won't even be able to TELL you bent it. TRY IT before squeezing more! And ALWAYS UNPLUG IT FIRST!

 

[vl1969]

I don't know. I had a note 2 for over 3 years and I charge it every night, and in the car and it is still in perfect working order

 

[JoshBennett127]

I have had my LG V10 for almost 2 years now, and I can't keep a working charger for over a month. My wife has the same problem with her V10. I have never had the problem until I had gotten the V10. Every phone I have had I have never had to replace the charger. With the V10 I buy a new charger almost every month. I have tried multiple brands and none last. I know it's not how I handle the cables, I am extremely careful. Especially since I have to replace them so often, I try to be as careful as I can to get it to last. I am very upset with the LG V10 and definitely want to switch phones as soon as I can.

 

[wess580]

I think it's the v10 I have this problem to but so far my note 4 cable been holding up 2months now I can not tell you why its happening but am glad I'm not the only one I use to tease my wife about her cables now I can't smh

 

[kwd57]

Are you using a good quality Quick Charge 2.0 charger?

What brand are you using?

 

[wess580]

Samsung after my v10 cable stopped working even though I have no signs of wear and tear

 

[lateck2]

Interesting, I have had no problems. Although my son did have an issue on his V10.
My suggestion is to buy and use quality cables and use some care when connecting them.
Also limit your use of the phone (picking it up) while charging.

Lateck,

 

[kwd57]

After reading these posts, I am a little lost.

Is it the phone port, the charger port, the cable, or the charger itself that is failing?

I have been using USB chargers and cables since they first came out and have never had any stop working.