Looking for ideas how to evaluate Lightning cables

[bborisov567]

As an Iphone user i have quite a few lightning cable - from the cheapest chineese ones to the genuine apple ones. I was thinking to find a way to find out is there a difference between them and exactly how bad are the cheapest. The main idea is to measure the voltage drop across the cables. The voltage on the USB Type A end of the cable can be measured easily but it is another story on the lighting end. I ordered one of theese data detection boards in order to have access to the pins on the lighting connector. The problem is that the curcuit in the cable detects that there is no phone connected and no voltage is present on the Vcc pin. Currently i'm looking for a way to trick the cable so that i can connect a resistor or other load and measure the voltage drop across the cable. Any suggestions are welcome.

[TheUnnamedNewbie]

I think assuming a cable is good if it has low voltage drop, or vice-versa, is bad if it does not have the lowest voltage drop, is not really checking the right metric.

That said, lightning is just USB-2.0 so wet noodles would probably handle the signal fine - it's not like high speed thunderbolt/displayport/HDMI2.1 etc...

[james_s]

The important thing to me is durability, cheap cables often break when flexed, so you should rig up something to repeatedly flex samples to failure. Tensile strength is useful too, simulate tripping over a cord and yanking the plug out of the socket. UV and moisture exposure could be useful to test too. Maybe even saltwater corrosion.

[bborisov567]

Sometime ago i had an interesting case with my old OnePlus. For a year i was charging it with cheap no brand type C cable and the battery health percentage was decreasing gradually every month. Eventually the cable got ripped off and i got a new cable. Since than the battery health percentage stayed almost the same. I'm not exactly sure what was going on but definatelly was because of the cable. As far as lighting cable go my expereince has shown the 1$ cables are more rugged than the genuine ones.

[james_s]

Maybe put in a suggestion to the Project Farm youtube channel. He's always looking for new items to test and for the most part I think he does an excellent and very scientific testing methodology.

[tooki]

For what it’s worth, I have yet to have a Lightning cable from Anker fail, same for AmazonBasics ones that are either rebadges or clones of Anker designs. Years later they’re still going strong.

[bluey]

The problem with Lightning connectors is that there are little ICs within the connector. MFi certified cables should work properly for connections to computer. Non-certified ones seem OK for charging.

I struggle to justify the high price of genuine Apple cables given the poor quality cable sheath that degrades over time through contact with fingers.

Have tried loads of alternative cables. Most fail over several months due largely to poor quality plating on the lightning connector, presumed heating and burnout. I suspect dimensions and contact pressure may not be so well controlled in cheap products. So the cheap chinese cables that cost 1/10 of MFi certified ones may last 1/5 of the time. I do like the functionality of cables with LED light on the lightning end indicating live power is available.

Cheap ALDI Bauhn charge/headphone lightning adapter works sometimes. Often seems to require flipping the connector to permit the iPhone to recognise the headset.

Recently got cheap MFi certified cables from Daiso for ¥850.

Wikipedia describes the pinouts but not the chip authentication.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightning_(connector)

On the testing side, I found on Aliexpress that WITRN makes WITRN-X (MFi version) USB tester that permits MFi testing of cables. The official WITRN websigte has no mention of this product. AliExpress bait and switch suggests this product is USD5 but the tester is actually as low as USD56.

Basic hobbyist testing would be feasible with a lightning socket breakout board - problem is the quality of the board connector could affect results as much as a cheap cable. Not sure how to get a high quality lighting socket on a breakout board.

The FNIRSI FNB58 USB tester I have can test USB cables using a constant current reference load. So it could probably test lightning cables with a suitable lighting socket to USB adapter. FNIRSI doesn't appear to sell the required constant current reference load, so still looking for one.

[tooki]

I struggle to justify the high price of genuine Apple cables given the poor quality cable sheath that degrades over time through contact with fingers.

For what it’s worth, they’ve improved a lot. The early Lightning cables were made using Apple’s first generation PVC-free insulation, and it was awful. It seemed to me to expand longitudinally with time (!) and tended to tear, not stretch, so it would eventually just splay open at stress points.

But a number of years ago they switched to some other (still PVC-free) insulation and it seems to be performing well. I haven’t had any trouble with these more recent cables.

With that said, I still mostly use the Anker and Amazon cables. I do sometimes use the Apple cables for travel because they’re so much thinner, though!

[jonpaul]

use online genuine Apple USB, USB lighting cables.

All the copies made in ChiCom are unreliable junk.

Jon

[JeremyC]

use online genuine Apple USB, USB lighting cables.

All the copies made in ChiCom are unreliable junk.

Jon

Agree, and in additions they may spy on you, check the link below
https://www.macrumors.com/2021/09/02/lightning-cable-with-hidden-chip/

[n4u]

U may measure crosstalk between nodes, reflection, noise susceptibility, max current / temperature, diameters etc.

[coppercone2]

a breakout board

[DavidKo]

use online genuine Apple USB, USB lighting cables.

All the copies made in ChiCom are unreliable junk.

Jon

I'm also using IKEA LILLHULT ones (USB-A to lighting) and have no issues with them. They are 1.5m long  compared to Apple ones.

[mzzj]

I think assuming a cable is good if it has low voltage drop, or vice-versa, is bad if it does not have the lowest voltage drop, is not really checking the right metric.

That said, lightning is just USB-2.0 so wet noodles would probably handle the signal fine - it's not like high speed thunderbolt/displayport/HDMI2.1 etc...

I think for most users the only functionality they need from lightning cable is charging.
I have bought probably two dozen lightning cables and it is always because of charching issues. Data transfer once every two years has not been issue.

[tooki]

I'm also using IKEA LILLHULT ones (USB-A to lighting) and have no issues with them. They are 1.5m long  compared to Apple ones.

Apple sells multiple lengths.