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Author Topic: Could techflex be used to make iphone cables less flimsy  (Read 9230 times)

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Offline vegeta_ban

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Could techflex be used to make iphone cables less flimsy
« on: August 07, 2013, 12:49:13 AM »
It seems that every time I get one of the iphone/ipad cables it starts falling apart after a couple months. I carry it around to charge my phone as I use it heavily, in looking at the DIY xlr threads I saw people use the techflex stuff, could that be used to help protect the flimsy iphone cables?
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Re: Could techflex be used to make iphone cables less flimsy
« Reply #1 on: August 07, 2013, 10:00:07 AM »
Sure.  You just need the right diameter that will fit over the smaller end connector, or the slitted "wrap around the cable" variety which doesn't need to be slipped over the connector.  I've never used that version.
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Re: Could techflex be used to make iphone cables less flimsy
« Reply #2 on: August 07, 2013, 03:58:47 PM »
Don't your problems happen at the connector?  I'm not really seeing where the techflex would help there.  Maybe if you applied some shrinkwrap around the connector itself for stress relief, so that when you shrink it up the shrink grabs the base of the cable where it enters the connector too.

Stupid question I know, but when you pull to disconnect, do you pull from the cable or the connector itself.  If you pull from the cable, you're deffinitely shortening the life of your cables.

Offline Church-Audio

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Re: Could techflex be used to make iphone cables less flimsy
« Reply #3 on: August 07, 2013, 05:32:06 PM »
My daughter has gone thru 2 cables already... We got a new cable from another vendor and its been very reliable. I will look it up I assume we are talking about the micro connector correct? for the iphone 5?
update :The company that made the new cable my daughter has is called "Rocketfish" This company normally makes low end products but this cable is well made with very good quality material. This cable should last quite some time it was $18 here in Canada available at Futureshop.ca
The main problem with the apple cable is the outer jacket is very thin unlike the iphone 4 cable for my phone that uses the larger connector.  That cable is much better quality. I would not be surprised if there was not a class action lawsuit against apple for this crappy cable.
« Last Edit: August 07, 2013, 08:19:18 PM by Church-Audio »
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Re: Could techflex be used to make iphone cables less flimsy
« Reply #4 on: August 07, 2013, 07:42:50 PM »
My daughter has gone thru 2 cables already... We got a new cable from another vendor and its been very reliable. I will look it up I assume we are talking about the micro connector correct? for the iphone 5?

I'm on my second one of those lightning cables. The problem I had was the contact terminals on one side actually came off the insulating material. The original is actually still usable since they can be installed either way. I keep the damaged one at the office as a spare so it worked out okay.
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Offline OOK

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Re: Could techflex be used to make iphone cables less flimsy
« Reply #5 on: August 07, 2013, 07:58:58 PM »
My daughter has gone thru 2 cables already... We got a new cable from another vendor and its been very reliable. I will look it up I assume we are talking about the micro connector correct? for the iphone 5?

Monoprice sells a IPhone 5 cables cheap.... we are talking 12$us... cheap.  they also sell varied lengths.  I plan on buying a 3' and a 10'.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=108&cp_id=10831#1083111
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Offline vegeta_ban

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Re: Could techflex be used to make iphone cables less flimsy
« Reply #6 on: August 08, 2013, 06:04:28 AM »
thanks that helps a lot.
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Offline Church-Audio

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Re: Could techflex be used to make iphone cables less flimsy
« Reply #7 on: August 08, 2013, 05:34:49 PM »
thanks that helps a lot.
Fixing that cable with techflex might extend the life if you can manage to put heatshrink over the techflex towards the little connector. But really you are just postponing the inevitable. The problem is the shield wire is too flimsy and this is what often fails on these cables. It then can and sometimes does short out against one or more of the internal wires inside the shield.

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Offline F.O.Bean

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Re: Could techflex be used to make iphone cables less flimsy
« Reply #8 on: August 14, 2013, 07:25:00 PM »
I just take very good care of my iPod cables and they have lasted me years. I keep them wrapped up with Velcro when they're not in use and they seem to last just fine. My oldest iPod cable is five years old!
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Re: Could techflex be used to make iphone cables less flimsy
« Reply #9 on: August 14, 2013, 07:54:44 PM »
I just take very good care of my iPod cables and they have lasted me years. I keep them wrapped up with Velcro when they're not in use and they seem to last just fine. My oldest iPod cable is five years old!
Bean the old cables are built very much differently than the new ones.. The new ones are very flimsy. I too have old Iphone / ipod cables that have lasted for years. I even have a first gen iphod 5 gig I still use for when I exercise. Actually the weight of the ipod helps my work out lol. The original was firewire.. The cable is like a xlr cable in thickness.
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Offline Mescolito

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Re: Could techflex be used to make iphone cables less flimsy
« Reply #10 on: August 29, 2013, 03:29:16 PM »
Techflex can Definitely make the cable less "flimsy." Although, I don't believe it will make them less prone to breakage (I've had issues where the cable meets the connector) unless you use heat-shrink tubing as suggested (over the connectors as well). 

I'll try to attach a pic of a couple of cables that I covered with Techflex (Flexo PET) 1/8" in different colors.  I finished one with heat-shrink (black) at each end of the Techflex, and the other has printed heat-shrink over the connectors.

1/8" Techflex Flexo PET fits easily over the small "Lightning" end of the USB-Lightning cable, but will not fit over the USB end, so if you're trying to cover a USB-30 Pin cable, it won't work.

Hope this helps.

Offline Church-Audio

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Re: Could techflex be used to make iphone cables less flimsy
« Reply #11 on: August 30, 2013, 07:20:25 AM »
Techflex can Definitely make the cable less "flimsy." Although, I don't believe it will make them less prone to breakage (I've had issues where the cable meets the connector) unless you use heat-shrink tubing as suggested (over the connectors as well). 

I'll try to attach a pic of a couple of cables that I covered with Techflex (Flexo PET) 1/8" in different colors.  I finished one with heat-shrink (black) at each end of the Techflex, and the other has printed heat-shrink over the connectors.

1/8" Techflex Flexo PET fits easily over the small "Lightning" end of the USB-Lightning cable, but will not fit over the USB end, so if you're trying to cover a USB-30 Pin cable, it won't work.

Hope this helps.

These look good. What I do with cable and techflex on both ends I add a tiny bit of epoxy and work it into the fiber at the ends of the cable then heatshrink over top of that. Makes for a pretty strong cable. But again this cable is so shit-tastic that you look at it the wrong way and it breaks.
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Offline tgakidis

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Re: Could techflex be used to make iphone cables less flimsy
« Reply #12 on: September 03, 2013, 11:22:44 AM »

These look good. What I do with cable and techflex on both ends I add a tiny bit of epoxy and work it into the fiber at the ends of the cable then heatshrink over top of that. Makes for a pretty strong cable.

I use hot glue.  Easier to remove or modify, if needed, then epoxy.
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Re: Could techflex be used to make iphone cables less flimsy
« Reply #13 on: September 04, 2013, 08:05:06 AM »
Techflex can Definitely make the cable less "flimsy." Although, I don't believe it will make them less prone to breakage (I've had issues where the cable meets the connector) unless you use heat-shrink tubing as suggested (over the connectors as well). 

I'll try to attach a pic of a couple of cables that I covered with Techflex (Flexo PET) 1/8" in different colors.  I finished one with heat-shrink (black) at each end of the Techflex, and the other has printed heat-shrink over the connectors.

1/8" Techflex Flexo PET fits easily over the small "Lightning" end of the USB-Lightning cable, but will not fit over the USB end, so if you're trying to cover a USB-30 Pin cable, it won't work.

Hope this helps.

These look good. What I do with cable and techflex on both ends I add a tiny bit of epoxy and work it into the fiber at the ends of the cable then heatshrink over top of that. Makes for a pretty strong cable. But again this cable is so shit-tastic that you look at it the wrong way and it breaks.


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