Often when an appliance or accessories for any electric and electronic device fails in your home you face a dilemma as to whether to repair it or get it replaced. It is the same with chargers which fails often. A mobile phone charger failing frequently have nothing to do with the quality of the product as more often than not it is due to improper use and handling that results in such failures.
Irrespective of how the charger gets damaged, the question for repairing or replacing will come to your mind always. However, as per the experts you should not bother for repairing a charger especially if it is an Apple charger. Cables may also get damage which is even riskier to get it repaired.
Types of charging cables
Usually, in the Apple charger cables there are two varieties of connection types used whether it is for the iPhone or the iPad:
- All newer models of iPhone 5 and iPad 4 and onwards connect to a USB charging cable through lightning connector.
- As for the older iPhone 4 and iPad 3 models and earlier, there is a 30-pin connector used in a USB charging cable.
However, if you use any other accessories such as a car charger to work with a 30-pin connector, you have to make sure that you use an Apple approved adapter.
Damaged charger cable
There are several reasons for an apple charger cable to get damaged. It can be due to overuse, misuse, rough handling, improper maintenance and even your damn pet dog chewing the adapter mistaking it to a dog bone. Damaged and frayed charging cables are therefore a very common occurrence.
However, it is not worth the time and money spent on trying to repair these cables. It will seldom work to its full capacity after repairs. Therefore, you will be better off always if you trash it in your green garbage bin and buy a new charger as a replacement. There are several reasons for it such as:
- Typically, it is cheaper to buy a replacement charger than to get the damaged one repaired.
- Trying to get it repaired will be a waste of effort and time.
- If you try to repair then you will hardly find the essential materials such as Sugru and heat shrink tubing in your home for fixing damaged charging cables.
- Electrical tape is a poor and ugly solution.
If you choose a basic Lightning cable for replacement you will get it easily on Amazon for $6 to $7 on Amazon and a new micro USB cable for even cheaper than that. If you are lucky you may sometimes even get a free replacement cable if it breaks or is damaged in any way within the one-year warranty that is usually offered for such cables.
Therefore, replacing your charger cable is the most suitable option as repairing it will not be a long lasting solution. One you get it replaced, make sure you use it sensibly to avoid such a situation in the first place.
