PSA: Don't Use Cheap Apple Lightning knockoff Cables

1pt21

Enlightened
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Dec 24, 2007
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513
Location
NJ
Got this cable from DX or one of those 3 for $10 sites (who cares, probably all come from the same place).

Worked fine for over a month, then came to the phone to find this!

5803131c-cd07-4cc4-8d24-94c4668efb06.jpg


f7187766-7864-41aa-9891-34d587003d67.jpg


43d6a4b2-2443-4fce-9a50-f68e17bd3a75.jpg


Looks like it got pretty hot (yes, it did damage the phone as well :().

The last pic shows the generic next to a genuine. Until they come out with high quality knockoffs I'd highly recommend everyone with an 'i' device utilizing the Lightning Cable to stick with apple cables, as much as that sucks with their inflated prices and propriety accessories.

I was always one of those "eh it won't happen to me types"... Lesson learned....... The hard way!

I hope this thread helps someone out there save their phone and/or prevent a possible fire, I realize that USB is only 5V but this definitely caused some type of internal short or damage inside of the phone as well.
 

zipplet

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Dec 11, 2006
Messages
1,139
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Ireland
Nasty! USB may only be 5V but with a 1A charger it will deliver 5W into a short. 5W is definitely enough to cause that amount of damage. I recently chucked out a couple of cheap/knockoff 30-pin apple cables for this reason.
 

markr6

Flashaholic
Joined
Jul 16, 2012
Messages
9,258
Yeah I've heard bad reviews from some knockoffs. The funny thing is my OEM Apple cable failed pretty quick, under a year. Not sure what the problem was but it just stopped working. I was always careful with it too just sitting in on the counter and never coiling it up or being rough.

FYI - I purchased an Amazon Basics cable as a replacement and seems good so far after a few months.
 

Monocrom

Flashaholic
Joined
Aug 27, 2006
Messages
19,831
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NYC
Ouch!

Though it was DX. You can hire the village-idiot to do a variety of simple tasks for you. He can even be fun to deal with at times. But everyone knows you don't rely on him for anything remotely important.
 

Norm

Retired Administrator
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Jun 13, 2006
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9,512
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Australia
Let's get the story straight Cheap Apple Knock off chargers, they might be for Apple phones but in no way are these chargers made by Apple.

Norm.
Sorry to hear ,but could have been much much worse!! there has been reported deaths from cheap apple chargers,one i recall in China ,to a point apple actually did something about this(how successfully i dont know)

Here is an old link with the iphone 4s and previous plug

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2422748,00.asp
 
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mvyrmnd

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Sep 4, 2009
Messages
3,391
Location
Australia
Lightning cables have chips for authentication and negotiation built into them. Knockoffs do not. As the OP has discovered, use at your own risk, and don't expect any warranty support either.
 

ven

Flashaholic
Joined
Oct 17, 2013
Messages
22,533
Location
Manchester UK
Let's get the story straight Cheap Apple Knock off chargers, they might be for Apple phones but in no way are these chargers made by Apple.

Norm.


Yes sorry norm i wasn't very clear:rolleyes: ,the cheap apple chargers were referring to knock offs,my bad :thumbsdowand apologies for my poor description and for any confusion.
Thanks for the edit:thumbsup:
 
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