looking for usb power only cable

[aedipuss]

anyone know of a source for a power only - no data lines - usb "b" cable. i need one to recharge a device without it hooking up to the power source os. all my usb cables have molded ends and it doesn't look very easy to clip the 2 center pins without destroying it.

[edDV]

?

Would something like this work?
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?hl=en&cp=12&gs_id=1t&xhr=t&q=usb+power+supply&g...wAg#checkout=1

Wiki "Powered USB"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powered_USB

[redwudz]

Not sure why a regular USB cable wouldn't work if you need the standard ends. The data pins just wouldn't connect to anything. USB usually supplies 5VDC at about 500ma (1/2AMP) with a computer. But you may have a special setup.

[JimmyS]

You could try cutting about a 2 inch slice in the exterior sheathing along the lengh of the cable. Open the braid and foil shields, exposing the red/black power and white/green data wire pairs, then cut a section out of the data wires.

[redwudz]

You could try cutting about a 2 inch slice in the exterior sheathing along the lengh of the cable. Open the braid and foil shields, exposing the red/black power and white/green data wire pairs, then cut a section out of the data wires.

I like that solution. Then you could use a standard spare USB cable and easily modify it. I would probably check it with a multimeter to make sure you get the right leads as color codes can vary.

[aedipuss]

thanks guys. the power source is another mobile device so the wall socket is out and it's just standard 5v. looks like it's time to use the rusty old mil-spec assembler skills and open up a cable and modify it. i really thought there might be a 2 wire power only cable available given the number of devices that need recharging using usb cables(and not always wanting to mount them).

[edDV]

thanks guys. the power source is another mobile device so the wall socket is out and it's just standard 5v. looks like it's time to use the rusty old mil-spec assembler skills and open up a cable and modify it. i really thought there might be a 2 wire power only cable available given the number of devices that need recharging using usb cables(and not always wanting to mount them).

What other mobile device? If a car there are 12vdc to 5vdc USB rectifiers.

[Constant Gardener]

Another approach would be to use a two-headed USB cable, the kind that comes with portable 2.5" drives. Plug in the thin-wire USB connector to your computer; that's just for power. Use a A-A coupler to connect your A-B cable to the fat-wire USB connector. You now have power without data connection.

[aedipuss]

What other mobile device? If a car there are 12vdc to 5vdc USB rectifiers.

the chain goes like this. mp3 player headphone output to input on car radio transmitter plus the transmitter has usb for power out to mp3 player. unfortunately the transmitter is a smart device so the mp3 player tries forever to make a connection and won't play while hooked up for power and the transmitter is plugged into the single lighter socket. so the choices are make a "dumb" cable so the mp3 player doesn't "see" the transmitter or get a cigarette lighter socket multiplier(which would probably get in the way of the manual gearshift lever). the mp3 player is left in the car all the time so it frequently runs it's battery dry.