DIY test bed: Micro USB electrical measurements’ and cables evaluation

[Kiriakos GR]

 

Yes I am the father of this idea, my DIY test bed as you can see in the pictures this is a combination of simple parts.

This design it is actually a female micro USB plug and this terminates to a regular USB female connector.
In a way this is an adapter micro B USB to USB A.

List of serving testing applications:
a)   Ripple measurements’ at the end point (power block & USB cable in use).
b)   Min/Max of DC volts measurements (with or with out load).
c)   First USB A plug it can be also used for cable continuity testing other than input of dedicated USB DC load with fixed range 1A or 2A.
d)   Second double USB plug this serving as dedicated cables short, when a USB cable this is plugged to it, and micro USB this is also plugged in, circuit test points them can be used for plain resistance measurements, this is useful for USB cables evaluation (copper quality, damaged soldering over connectors, damaged wire core).
 
My new gadget this gives me now the help which I needed so to evaluate all above parameters.
And therefore as you can possibly predict, several and significant in quality material will be shared from the pages of ITTSB blog in the upcoming months.

[Kiriakos GR]

First set of measurements’ regarding performance of two meters long cables and their capability in transferring 1.6A, shown that REMAX cable, supposedly a 2.4A cable, this is not a true performer.

 According to my tests, one regular USB cable for printers, this specified as 28AWG for data and  24AWG pair for power, this outperform REMAX cable.

Actual measurements’ shown USB cable for printer this having new mini USB plug at it end, managed to transfer 1640mA compared to REMAX which this transferred 1470mA.
In Electricians language, what we seek here this is measuring power loss due cable resistance.

There is a justified assumption, that not all cable manufactures’ using pure copper in their cables, some using recycled metals and them are a mixture of metals.
Cables made by pure copper naturally they outperform in comparison with low grade copper cables.

Theoretically in cables length of one meter long, in most cables you can hardly notice performance differences, but in a two meters long cable, power loss due the cable, this become more obvious and it can easily be measured.

In real life, unfortunately most cables manufactures they follow the cheap root and they use recycled copper in most cheap Smartphone cables.       
 
I got second hand smart phone, I was forced buying new accessories from eBay.
A supposedly genuine Samsung USB 3.0 charging cable, this shown poor performer even by is just one meter long.
This managed to transfer as Max 1400mA and charging stabilized around 1350mA.
By assuming having this cable in two meters length, such a cable it would disappoint by this delivering less than 1000mA.

Therefore here we are, with hard evidence at hand, REMAX cables are not superior that regular quality USB cables made by honest manufacturers.
At length of two meters, they do offer less performance.
Therefore we do have here a fake marketing claim regarding 2.4A perforce cable.

Now my advice to all, while REMAX this is not a real company, they never answer emails, they are a middle man cooperating by several factories.
Even so their cables are not that bad.
But they come out extremely overpriced due greed of retail sellers within China.
You better do an in-depth pricing research as most REMAX cables could be available at next corner computers store from your own home.
Do not buy blindly from eBay, Chinese sellers they have form a price control lobby, about keeping prices high, eBay is not the same as it was seven years ago.
It’s not a land of buying opportunities any more.