Computer Repair in Kalamazoo

Everyone has been through it before. You go to charge your smartphone or your tablet, or even your laptop; you plug in your power adapter, and…. nothing happens. So you unplug it and try again. Still nothing. You wiggle the connector to make sure it’s in all the way. Nope. Your device isn’t charging. ARRRGH! WHY?

The common answer to this dilemma is damaged cords. The typical person doesn’t think of their cords getting damaged by everyday use, but unfortunately it is all too easy for that to happen. How, you may ask?

• Unplugging the cable from the device or the wall by pulling on the cable itself, instead of by the connector end. This can cause internal soldering points to detach and separate from their contacts which can prevent the cable from transmitting power.
• Bending the cable at sharp angles near the connector ends. This can cause the wires inside the cable to break causing the cable not to function.
• Pets. Need I say more?
• Putting strain on the cable while it is plugged into the device. The cables aren’t meant to be weight-bearing.
• Damage to the plug end of the cable. Happens from jamming the cable into the device improperly, getting smashed against other items such as in a book bag, did I mention pets?

So how do you prevent that from happening? You can follow these tips:

1. Wrap/wind the cable carefully. Don’t just shove them in a bag or backpack. Wrap it around your hand in circles or tie it loosely with a tiny rubber band.
2. Avoid sharp bends! Alway leave enough slack to for a loop instead of a sharp turn. Otherwise the cable covering could crack open, exposing the internal wiring. You should NEVER continue to use a cable with exposed wiring.
3. Don’t leave them in bright sunlight for extended periods. The heat can soften the cable covering making it more susceptible to damage. It could also overheat and melt internal components.
4. Don’t walk on or roll over them.
5. Buy reinforced cables. Or DIY. Some things people have come up with is putting the spring of an ink pen around the cable, tying paracord around it, wrapping electrical tape on the ends of the cable, or wrapping embroidery floss or cable protectors around the whole cable.

These tips and tricks are sure to help your chargers, earphones, and cables last longer. Technology can be expensive as it is, without having to continually replace cables and adapters! We want to make your technology easier to enjoy and last longer!

Adonis Pointer is a photographer, a collector of vintage razors, and a certified technology geek! Adonis has been involved in computer technology since well, a LONG time! He has been involved in nearly every aspect of the industry from sales to repair to training to consulting. As the Social Media Manager he writes the majority of the posts on the Geek Easy Computers blog.