USB cable - how not to charge phone ?

[Guest Amun.hidden1]

ok, i often need to synch my phone, either for a file or a program, whatever...thing is i do it often and because of this i already might have aged my battery more than needed.

I will not buy a USB bluetooth and want to use a USB cable for synch.

after looking hard for a software solution (and not finding one) i decided to give it a go and cut one of my USB cables to see if i can leave out the power wires from the cable and keep the data ones...

it did not work :D ...i think i identified the power wire but now not even with all the wires linked back the cable does not function any more...

this is what i found:

1 red - power

2 white - data

3 green - data?

4 black - ground?/power?

does anyone have a solution for a cable that does not charge the phone :) ?...preferably a software one, or at least a solution for my ruined cable ?

Thanks,

A.

[Guest gpcarreon (MVP)]

With the C500/C550 cable, you need a bit of modification. Just dont know if same principles apply with the C600 cable.

http://www.gpcarreon.com/?p=197&page=4

Article is currently in Tagalog (Philippine dialect). No English translation yet but somehow you will have an idea thru the pictures. :)

[Guest awarner [MVP]]

As long as you are not constantly plugging the phone in and out every few minutes you should not have a problem.

[Guest Amun.hidden1]

@ gpcarreon: yes u showed that link before, really appreaciate the blog but that link does not help me until i see something in english :)...btw i dissmantled my cable following those pictures...it did not help much :D

i do not really think there is any difference between the c500, 550, 600 or any other USB cable...is there?

@awarner: i just do not want to worry about it and synch whenever i choose...and charge only when i want it to charge

[Guest gpcarreon (MVP)]

"Cable Modification"

IMPORTANT REMINDER:

This is a do-it-yourself guide. It is advisable to do this on your spare cable. Do everything at your own risk.

1. Using a sharp cutter, open the mini-USB this way

2. Carefully disect thru the plastic until you reach the point where you see the connections inside (sorry no screenshot available yet). There are tiny tiny wires inside so be careful with the dissection.

3. Using this guide...

...look for Pins 4 and 5. Follow the wires and look for the metal part where they terminate.

4. This particular modification uses a 'header' to toggle between a charger-only mode or a sync-cable only mode. If there was a micro switch then toggling will be a lot easier. Note that once a permanent connection between pins 4 and 5 is established, your cable will only function as a charger cable. We do not want that to happen as it is not what we are after in the first place so a 'swtich' in the form of the header will prove beneficial. By default, there is no connection between pins 4 (NC) and 5 (GND).

5. I do not have a screenshot of how pins 4 and 5 are connected to the header but as I understand it, they converge at fins 2 and 3 (need to confirm this); connections not shown as they are covered with the heat-shrink cable.

On the figure below, notice that the blue plastic is at the center. With this setup, the cable will function as a 'charger'. Move it on either side then you get a 'sync-only' cable, charging is disabled.

6. The header is then glued to the black plastic body of the mini-USB. A heat-shrink cable was used to hide the connections.

So, how not to charge? The 'blue thing' should be on both sides (not the center)

Thanks to rickwookie for the cable info, Bragol for modding my cable. :)

[Guest Amun.hidden1]

i am probably hardheaded :D

thank you gpcarreon for the translation but i still do not have the cable working :cry:

the wires in my cable are coordinating with your picture:

1 red (+5)

2 white (-DATA)

3 green (+DATA)

4 black (NC)

5 silver loose wires (GND)

i do understand what to do with the 4 fins in order to get a synch cable from the last picture (connect fin1 w fin2 and fin3 w fin4) but what i do not understand is how to get the 4 fins from the 5 wires above...:) wich one is wich ?

should it be actually red w green and white w black ? and GND left out ?...i already tried this one and other versions, what am i doing wrong ?

please ask rickwookie or Bragol...i lost alot of time for this cable and sliced one of my fingers :x ...do not care about the ruined cable, i just want to get it to synch as i see it can be done :)

Thanks,

A.

[Guest gpcarreon (MVP)]

but what i do not understand is how to get the 4 fins from the 5 wires above...:D wich one is wich ?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The 4 fins are from a 'single row PCB header plug'. They are not extensions of the 5 wires. Headers are like the ones shown below. Only 4 fins (in red mark) can be glued to the plastic body of the mini-USB.

How I wish I can show you the connections inside but I cannot salvage my cable for the demo. We gonna have to wait for new screenshots of the connections to be uploaded. It is hard to imagine things. :)

[Guest Amun.hidden1]

i understand u cannot chop your cable...please ask someone that does know the connections...this is really bugging me now and, as i said, already lost alot of time...wish that it was not in vain ...

appreciate the help,

A.

[Guest jaesz]

i understand u cannot chop your cable...please ask someone that does know the connections...this is really bugging me now and, as i said, already lost alot of time...wish that it was not in vain ...

appreciate the help,

A.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi,

I am trying to hack my cable, but from the instruction I can't tell where 1 and 4 go. Do they connect to any pin on mini usb?