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11
AskMatrix - - (+10|-0)
It's 2026. Why can't we design power cords that don't degrade?(self)
33 commentsbyx0x7

Do you all remember barrel plugs on laptops. They would often degrade. Either the cable side or the device side of the connection or both. That was the most annoying part of barrel plugs. They would last 8 years and then stop working consistently.

In theory if you are going to design something new, you are going to take the most annoying part of the past technology and solve that problem. If the existing technology is perfect in every way except that one area, it would be silly to solve other problems.

We've had a couple generations of plug solutions come about since then, and we still have the same problem. And the timeline of these thing is shorter than the 8 years it took to degrade a barrel plug.

So why haven't we solved this?

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[-]Drewski5(+5|0)

If you've got a refrigerator that's 30 years old there's a good chance it's still running, but the ones today break after the warranty runs out. Just more enshittification to keep us constantly buying things.

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[-]P-38lightning1(+1|0)

Funny you should mention refrigerators.

About 45 years ago I got a Sears Kenmore mini-fridge for college.

My mom still has it in her basement and it still works fine.

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[-]newJiminy0(+1|-1)

It was probably just used for a couple years while you were in College. Sitting in basement unused since then. A fridge can last forever with maintenance.

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[-]P-38lightning1(+1|0)

It's been plugged in and in use the entire time.

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[-]newJiminy-2(0|-2)

Doubt that

Let's use an old college mini fridge and keep it plugged in for 45 years in the basement wasting electricity.

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[-]P-38lightning2(+2|0)

OK, I guess.

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[-]newJiminy-2(0|-2)

Sorry I'm just good at catching bullshitters, can't help myself sometimes.

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[-]x0x71(+1|0)

You doubt that people use electricity?

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[-]newJiminy-3(0|-3)

I could just tell in his story here he has an old mini fridge that still works and thinks that's surprising but it's cuz it rarely ever gets used unlike a fridge that's on 24/7.

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[-]JasonCarswell4(+4|0)

Just because you can't imagine it doesn't mean other people don't do things differently than you.
Calling them liars on flimsy hunches only makes you suss.

Most memorable, my grandparents had a bunch of old fridges and freezers that still worked - plugged in 24/7/52/365/40+, in many areas of their property for various uses. My grandfather kept film in one by his development lab, one in his wood working shop, a fridge in his garage (which was frozen half the year) - and one by the garden, outside. My grandmother had one upstairs and some downstairs. Akin to many European families I know, some with more.

What bothered me most was not that they had so many or used so much ejuice, but the age of all the perishable items they stored.

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[-]newJiminy-2(0|-2)

No they didn't. You misremember things from childhood. Your grandparents didn't keep multiple old fridges and freezers going 24/7. They said they still worked once and your little kid mind internalized it. Sorry.

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[-]leog1(0|0)

A fridge that is rarely opened is going to be less likely to break as it will be able to maintain its temperature much easier and with less starting of the compressor. I have had a fridge in my garage for years now that I definitely don't need plugged in because I never use it, but I keep running in case idk I need overflow.

As for the op comment about plugs. Im sooo happy about the adoption of USB c ... the only frustrating part for me is the different standards used in them. Some can transmit display for example others barely will slow charge.

But the manufacturers are not making products that last. And if someone does then they are cloned and undercut by mass manufacturing. It's greed and theft and ultimately sad.

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[-]RickSanchez2(+2|0)

China makes power cords/plugs cheap, so if after 8 years you can just buy a new one for $6USD.

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[-]x0x71(+1|0)

They still get bad on the device end. About half the people I know have iphones that are finiky with charging no matter the cable they use. My very favorited rooted chromebook is about to give up the ghost because it can't charge consistently. I have to use my desktop some times.

Which brings me to my idea. The plug used on desktops I've never seen run down. Of course desktops don't deal with a lot of movement, strain, or plugging and unplugging. But I do wonder if a miniaturized version would hold up well. The key is it's stabilized with a stiff rubberized male end and plastic housing female end. Something that would really hold it firm with no play.

The capacity for movement is what kills these plugs.

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[-]newJiminy0(0|0)

Dust gets The iPhone tell your friend to blow into it like it's an old school Nintendo. It's funny my nieces iPhone wasn't working, didn't believe me, took it to an Apple Store, they just blew into it with contact cleaner spray.

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[-]x0x71(+1|0)

That works, but only for so long. In that case it's pocket lint.

But the other few issues is the female side eventually gets more play in it and can't keep the pads aligned. Or the detent starts pushing the plug out instead of pulling it in. Or micro-sparking corrodes or erodes the contacts.

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[-]newJiminy0(0|0)

Very uncommon but at some point it's not evil capitalism and corporations using planned obsolescence, it's materials do factually break down from wear and tear and have to be replaced or fixed.

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[-]JasonCarswell1(+1|0)

They could make the cases of diamonds. But they won't.

Wear and tear IS ALWAYS factored into the product design, just as much as material pricing.

Thus planned or "unplanned" obsolescence is always a part of corporate design.

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[-]newJiminy0(0|0)

Diamonds are kinda expensive. What do you mean diamond cases?

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[-]JasonCarswell1(+1|0)

Diamonds are just a semi-precious stone with markets propped up and controlled by Jewish mobs.
Diamonds are hard and can be synthetically made.

It's never by accident. It's about trade-offs and compromises for pros and cons - not winning and losing. They chose whether to use titanium or aluminum or whatever in the cases and guts of devices.

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[-]newJiminy1(0|0)

Ummm ok well the Jewish control is reality so the prices are high so no diamond cases are not a viable option.

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[-]JasonCarswell2(+1|0)

Unless you synthetically make them.
Or you could make a titanium case encrusted with diamonds.

Either case is ridiculously expensive - thus proving my point:
Materials are selected for price and durability so they've already determined how much they can fail.

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[-]newJiminy1(0|0)

I know Mogami cables cost most because they have the best materials. Can be like a hundred dollars compared to ten dollar cheap ones. Might be worth it.

A diamond case wouldn't help an iPhones connection port not get dust in it which really is all that's happening here. And it'd make the iPhone cost thousands more. Your idea here is great for brainstorming but has to be discarded.

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[-]x0x71(+1|0)

I guess I exclusively know very rare people.

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[-]newJiminy-1(0|-1)

Or just exaggerate to try to make points online but that's more likely as it's very common. Or maybe you know a lot of young inexperienced people?

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[-]x0x71(+1|0)

It really is impossible for you to fathom that different people have different experiences than you.

Why would people's age matter. I know people of all ages. And a lot of them have phones with near broke charging ports. Myself over multiple phones, my siblings, friends, coworkers. All of them have had broken charging ports.

Do you know like 3 people, and if none of those three people have had a broken charging port, or didn't tell you, then a broken or degrading port is impossible?

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[-]newJiminy-2(0|-2)

Age matters cuz obviously less experience can lead to making these simple mistakes. Your charging ports aren't broken just full of dust, very common. Don't get offended because someone explained things calmly to you. Sorry if you went to the Apple Store and paid them to just blow out the dust.

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[-]x0x72(+1|0)

Yeah. Like the simple mistake of thinking there is only one failure mode for a power port.

Don't get offended at someone explaining that they are aware of additional things beyond the one thing you know. One factoid doesn't exclude the existence of all other knowledge or experience.

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[-]newJiminy-1(0|-2)

Can tell you're offended. I'm sorry. Not even worth arguing about. I'm right tho. 😎 but I'm right about something that doesn't matter. You'll learn on your own how to blow out dust . And you'll never come back to admit I was right but that's fine.

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[-]Tom_Bombadil2(+2|0)

We've had a couple generations of plug solutions come about since then, and we still have the same problem. And the timeline of these thing is shorter than the 8 years it took to degrade a barrel plug.

What's the application of the barrel plug?

Is it designed for thousands of repetitive cycles of plugging/unplugging, or is it designed for occasional removal?

Most barrel plugs are designed for occasional insertion, and the have cheaper strain relief features and much cheaper less flexible wiring components, but USB cords are designed for thousands of physically rigorous insertion cycles, but they are massively produced in cost efficient bulk production cycles.

Many of the older power supply connections have been upgraded to USB-C.

Also, those older barrel laptop connections could take a severe beating. They were stepped on, and had office chairs roll over them, and were forced into ackward desk environments and bent at extreme angles, etc.

Also, 8 years is the span of time between 4th grade and 12th grade. So, this non trivial span of time is also a relative eternity.

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[-]newJiminy-1(0|-1)

Never had a "barrel plug" fail I use those for music equipment. But if you're plugging and unplugging these cheap plastic pieces a lot I can see wear and tear could mess up the connections. Not a problem to worry about, buy new one for a couple bucks.

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[-]JasonCarswell2(+2|0)

It's not just the barrel plug. It's the other part that got loose too. Like throwing a hotdog down a hallway.

It takes two chords to tangle/tango.

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[-]newJiminy-1(0|-1)

You can make these yourself too with a soldering iron like I was doing that with guitar cables.

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