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Questions tagged [cables]

Hacks related to the storage or usage of cables.

Hacks related to the or usage of electrical and data cables.

Questions regarding the use of specific cables for different applications are likely to be off topic here but may be welcomed at the Electronic Engineering SE.

See also: and

32 questions
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8 answers

How do I stop my earphones from getting tangled

I usually keep my phone's earphones in my pocket, or in my bag, and no matter how neatly I try to fold them they always get tangled when I take them out, which irritates me. How would I prevent this from happening in the future?
Joachin Joseph
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4 answers

How can I keep cables from falling off of desks when unplugged?

I'm sure that this is a common cable management problem: you have a bunch of cables running up to your desk that when you unplug you don't want to fall off but instead remain in an easily accessible position for future replugging? Bonus points…
Yatharth Agarwal
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16
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6 answers

removing corrosion on the contacts of an Apple USB-to-Lightning cable

After keeping my iPhone data/charging cable in the car for too long, I have the problem described here which is that the tiny contacts on the "lightning" end of the cable have become corroded, and the cable no longer works. I'm not even sure what…
jez
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14
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6 answers

How do you stop headphone wires from breaking?

Headphones rarely last more than a few years before the wires snap due to the constant movement they have to endure. Is there a way to stop me having to get out the soldering iron, or worse, buy a new pair?
Deep
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13
votes
2 answers

Prevent cables and wires from twisting

My desktop computer has lots of wires behind it. Some wires are tangled. How can I keep these wires from tangling? I don't want to put the cables together & tie them using a string or something like that, because I need to unplug/plug existing…
Kushan Randima
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9
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6 answers

How to strip coating off of wires without a wire stripper

I am getting into robotics, and when I was building something, there were a bunch of wires that were too thin to get stripped by my wire stripper. I also tried sanding down the wire with sandpaper and stripping it with a Swiss Army Knife. The…
michaelpri
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3 answers

How do I stop my cables from getting tangled inside my box?

I've a box of different cables, but they're always get tangled. Any ideas how to store bunch of cables without getting tangled?
kenorb
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9
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4 answers

How to prevent cables getting intertwined

I have a problem that hopefully one of you wizards could address. When I pack up my work laptop at work everyday I pack the laptop first, then the power cable, then the mouse (with a cable). I do not roll up the cables properly (maybe I should).…
Dean
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9
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4 answers

Prevent cables of kitchen appliances from breaking when you coil them

I usually store electric appliances by coiling up their cables. Unfortunately this causes the cable jacket and insulation to break long before any other part of the machine, rendering a perfectly fine appliance unusable. Below are two recent…
user26382
8
votes
7 answers

Is it possible to make stiff cables and wires flexible again?

I have a few videogame controller cords for some old videogame consoles that got very stiff over the years. I suspect it's due to aging rubber or something of the sorts. Is it possible to make these cords and cables more flexible, perhaps by using…
julealgon
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8
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3 answers

How can I keep my desktop computer's cables neat?

I have a tower computer case standing on the floor under my desk, with lots of peripherals both below the desk and above the desk. We're talking router, switch, IP telephony adapter, power strips, telephones (yes, plural), external hard disks, a…
user
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6
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5 answers

How to make an ethernet cable with a broken clip usable?

The red marked part of my Ethernet Cable is broken and the plug won't stay inside of the port, so is there a workaround for that problem? Note: Buying a new cable is no workaround! :D
Tomblarom
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6
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1 answer

How can I hide a cable from a lamp in my room

In my room I have got a lamp and have a frustrating cable hanging against the wall. How can I hide the cable?
Thomas Vos
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5
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2 answers

Using binder clips to hold cables

I'm looking to use binder clips to hold cables from falling behind my desk, and I have seen life hacks on this. The one thing I have not found is how to select the right one for the job. The surface I would be attaching the clip to is 1.8cm or just…
Termanater13
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Cable organisation when travelling

When I travel, usually by air, I still haven't found a good way to organise all my cables. I tend to have both an iPod, a cell phone, some rechargeable head phones, maybe a laptop, an electric razor, and possibly some other electronic devices. This…
holroy
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