Flexible long soft USB-C to USB-C charging cable

[Axk]

Does it exist?
The cables that I have are 1.5 and 3m and charging with power delivery works fine (at least up to 60W), but the cables are really stiff.
I've another 1m long one which is thinner and a bit softer, but still quite stiff compared to my other USB-A to USB-C cable.
I realize that you need thicker wire for longer cables, but can't they use stranded wire like with soft AC power cables?

[ledtester]

Maybe the USB-C cables sold by Pine64 might work for you:

https://pine64.com/product/usb-type-c-to-usb-type-c-silicone-power-charging-cable-1-meter-length/

Comes in 1.0 and 1.5m lengths.

This USB-C to USC-C silicone cable special designs for Pinecil soldering iron, it has flexible, tangle-free, high-temperature resistance and low resistance property. This cable mainly for power delivery and can be used for PinePhone and Pinebook Pro application.

Specifications:
Material: Silicone sleeve and copper wire
Color: Red (indicates this is a power usage cable)
Temperature heat resistance: up to 350°C
Length: 1.0 meter

At about 3:50 in this video the guy comments on the Pine64 cable (as well as the iron itself):

The Pinecil soldering iron is surprisingly good -- Adrian's Digital Basement
https://youtu.be/k-wo_al9QJU?t=3m50s

[ataradov]

Yes, look for silicone cables. They are available from multiple places. That Pine64 one works fine. There are a lot of others on AliExpress.

The only downside is that they all seem to be red. I have no idea why.

[jmw]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B093GGNRZM

[Axk]

Thanks, everyone!
Found one on Aliexpress, they call it "liquid silicone" for some reason )
https://aliexpress.com/item/1005003890832899.html

[artag]

It's £10 !!


(update .. I just saw that Anker cable at £22 ... :-|)

[ataradov]

It's £10 !!

My memory of them all being read is based on the fact that non-red cables are way overpriced or have some weird design.

The red ones I've got are these https://www.aliexpress.com/item/2251832671818502.html and others from the same store. I have not used them in high power applications though, just normal data transfer.

The Pine64 one is also pretty cheap and that one I used with their soldering iron and it worked fine.

[Monkeh]

The only downside is that they all seem to be red. I have no idea why.

Red ones go faster.

[petl]

How about buying a cheap one and just test it with a USB-C to USB-C continuity tester?

[eti]

It's £10 !!


(update .. I just saw that Anker cable at £22 ... :-|)

At least it would last longer than a crappy Apple lightning cable, the likes of which ALL disintegrate, as mine always have. Garbage sheath.

[tooki]

It's £10 !!


(update .. I just saw that Anker cable at £22 ... :-|)

At least it would last longer than a crappy Apple lightning cable, the likes of which ALL disintegrate, as mine always have. Garbage sheath.

FWIW, more recent ones have held up much better. The first few years of Apple’s PVC-free cables really don’t hold up well, but the ones from the past few years are doing well. Still can’t hold a candle to Anker, though!!

[Axk]

If anyone's interested, the aliexpress cable that I ordered from https://aliexpress.com/item/1005003890832899.html just arrived and it IS flexible and soft and works for 60W PD charging with my laptop (the charger consumes around 60W, so the actual charging power should be somewhat less).
The resistance of the +/- wires both ways on the 2 meter cable is around 180mR, which I suppose is good.
Have no way to test if it's any good if works at all for data transfer.

[blacksheeplogic]

How about buying a cheap one and just test it with a USB-C to USB-C continuity tester?

For 5A the cable will need a 5A eMark, the 3A charger also requires a eMark but I don't think from memory that all 3A do (older chargers).

[petl]

How about buying a cheap one and just test it with a USB-C to USB-C continuity tester?

For 5A the cable will need a 5A eMark, the 3A charger also requires a eMark but I don't think from memory that all 3A do (older chargers).

There is a version available which can read eMarker and tell you this info
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/electr/1360724082

Any ideas on what is in there and how it really performs?

[Halcyon]

https://www.apple.com/au/shop/product/MYQT3FE/A/240w-usb-c-charge-cable-2-m

https://www.apple.com/au/shop/product/HRHR2ZM/A/nimble-powerknit-flex-1m-2m-3m-usb-c-to-usb-c-cables

https://www.apple.com/au/shop/product/HRGX2ZM/A/mophie-240w-usb-c-to-usb-c-charge-cable-3m-black

[shabaz]

I've tried a few, current favorites are:

(1) UGREEN B0BGGNLWX9 which is 60W-capable, and
(2) Anker 643 which is 100W capable.

I've tried the Apple cable (was "forced" to purchase it at an airport, due to forgetting laptop charger) but it's not as soft as the first two.

Comparing the UGREEN and Anker cables, The Anker 643 is noticeably more flexible. It's as floppy as any very flexible test lead. But it is pricey too : ( Max length seems to be 6 feet (I simply use a long figure-8 mains lead too, so together, I can easily have 30 feet locus!). It is also more flexible than those flexible Surface charger cables, for want of another comparison.

Another advantage of Anker 643 is that it is available in colors. I chose a different color just to be able to quickly distinguish the 100W-capable cable from others.

Note: there is also Anker 543 which is frequently discounted on Amazon to less than half the price of the 643 cable, so it looks tempting, but it's not anywhere near as flexible as the 643. The 543 is quite stiff.

[Bryn]

The only downside is that they all seem to be red. I have no idea why.

Red ones go faster.

Why is that though?

That's the same question I ask to myself about cables with gold plating for their connectors... that could be for speed also but I dunno

[bson]

My wife swears by ChubbyCables, enough for me to order one:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0D22VHKBB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

Dunno about their 240W power rating, but I'm fine with half that since I use Apple chargers (even for non-Apple products like the Dell XPS laptop I'm typing this on).

Usually cables like this are USB HS, not SS, just something to be aware of.

[Monkeh]

The only downside is that they all seem to be red. I have no idea why.

Red ones go faster.

Why is that though?

Because we believe it to be so.

[Alex Eisenhut]

IKEA sells braided cables, is that too stiff?