Do you re-use the power (supply) cable?

[trog100]

i have loads of kettle plugs i just leave the old one connected and add the new one to by stash..

trog

 

[Nuke Dukem]

The one time I remember replacing a power cable was when the cable that I was currently using melted and kind of caught fire. Luckily I was around to prevent a house fire.

I have a ton of these cables around, but as luck would have it I had apparently blindly chosen to use the thinnest, crappiest one of the bunch, paying absolutely no attention to what it looked like. Upon later investigation it seemed like the inside contacts on the cable were bad, so that's most likely what caused it to burn.

I always reuse power cords, just after that incident I pay attention to what they actually look like before plugging them in

 

[xtreemchaos]

i reuse if its in good order ive 3 meter one ive been using through 4 or 5 of my own builds its a gray thick one where my sockets are is good 7ft away from my gaming rigg and i dont like using multy socket EX when powering the rigg.

 

[freeagent]

Yeah.. the main reason I don't use the new ones is because they feel like they are dipped in plastic. Just so cheap. And if they cheaped out on the jacket, what else did they cheap out on? How much of that strand is really copper and how much is aluminum lol.. probably no alu, but still.. feels so cheap.

 

[Bill_Bright]

This is really an odd question - but not really.

It really is not the age that matters but the condition. And for sure, the condition may depend on the quality when new.

There are some really cheap cables I won't use, even if brand new. Then I have some that are at least 20 years old I won't hesitate to keep using.

While the size of the conductors (wires inside) matter, it is really the insulation that matters most. Is it still flexible? Or stiff? Is it cracked and/or brittle - especially where it enters the connector? Has it been exposed to the weather or sun?

If in doubt, throw it out.

I didn't and won't take the survey because the only options given are absolute, and too limited.

I would pick, "None of the above" or "Depends on condition".

 

[Devon68]

Depending on the cable but some might be better quality even if they are older than the cheap stuff made today.

 

[trog100]

back in the day these things were made to mostly power 3 KW electric kettles.. based in this principle old ones are probably better than new ones..

trog

 

[elghinnarisa]

Pretty sure I automatically rotate to a new one. Whenever I buy something that comes with a new cord I generally use the new one and discard the old one. Simply because I do not need any more cables in my boxes.
We have recycle boxes for cables at work so I just bring them with me there and throw them in the pile, at least they get used to something else instead of sitting at home with me for 20 years in a ever growing pile of cables.

I never had the though of not using a old cable that looked to be in good condition though, never really crossed my mind.

 

[Bill_Bright]

I'm the opposite. I use the old because it is already straightened out and ready to go. Then I toss the new one, because it is already in a nice, compact, tied up bundle, in a storage bin labeled "AC Power Cables". When the bin gets full, they get recycled. We have a nice electronics recycling center in my area that pays me for the copper while keeping it (and other hazardous waste) out of the landfills. A win-win.

 

[bep1995]

Hello !! I know this is an old thread, but I want to ask something, if anyone knows.

How many matting cycles those 3 pin ac power cables have ?? I've searched everywhere but I couldn't find an answer.

I have a seasonic gx 750 with the original ac cable for one year now. I unplugged an plugged in again like 6-7 times and I don't want to damage the socket. If it will become loose in a future and a new cable fix it, that's ok, but don't want to ruin the psu.

Are the matting cycles more than 30-40 for example ?? Does anyone knows ??

Can the psu's power socket got damage from that reason, in first place ??

Thanks in advance !!

 

[Icon Charlie]

I use the thickest cable and that seems to be one of the older ones, most new PSU cables are thin compared to it.

Agreed. Again this is what I have seen as well as companies are cutting corners everywhere. If the cable is not broken, if it was me I would use it.

 

[ir_cow]

Don't reuse cables! the pin configuration are often different on the PSU end even if it fits. Companies have gotten better of either leaving it the same for multiple generations or tell customers its okay. But if no information exist, besides doing a voltage test yourself, don't reuse them.

I killed a SATA drive using resusing Seasonic Gold on Seasonic plat.

 

[Solaris17]

Don't reuse cables! the pin configuration are often different on the PSU end even if it fits. Companies have gotten better of either leaving it the same for multiple generations or tell customers its okay. But if no information exist, besides doing a voltage test yourself, don't reuse them.

I killed a SATA drive using resusing Seasonic Gold on Seasonic plat.

He's talking about the one from the wall to the PSU.

As for me, If my new PSU comes with a thicket gauge I switch to it. I continue to use that one unless a larger one comes along.

 

[caroline!]

Hello !! I know this is an old thread, but I want to ask something, if anyone knows.

How many matting cycles those 3 pin ac power cables have ?? I've searched everywhere but I couldn't find an answer.

I have a seasonic gx 750 with the original ac cable for one year now. I unplugged an plugged in again like 6-7 times and I don't want to damage the socket. If it will become loose in a future and a new cable fix it, that's ok, but don't want to ruin the psu.

Are the matting cycles more than 30-40 for example ?? Does anyone knows ??

Can the psu's power socket got damage from that reason, in first place ??

Thanks in advance !!

30-40? nah, way more than that
The inlet's pins are pretty solid and will only damage if you exceed its current rating, which isn't possible with PC PSUs. If the cable is good then the coupler will have stiff contacts that won't become loose, though cheap cables often have bad contacts that are too loose or small to mate with some inlets, they're not built to standard properly. I have a cable that's like that and it's terrible quality.

I also have a death cable that comes with 3 coupler pins but instead of leaving the earth pin without a wire they've connected it to the neutral side of the coupler in question. Thing is, the AC plug can fit in two ways so you don't know which of the pins will be hitting the live contact, so there's a 50% chance the case becomes live, if you touch it barefoot RIP. Whoever thought it was a good idea is beyond dumb.
If there's no earthing just leave the pin alone dude.

I've used the same PSU cable for 10+ years until now, because it won't fit my new PSU that has a C20 inlet. I can still use it for a lot more things though. If I repair something it's cheaper to use a C17/18 pair rather than its earthed counterpart, as there's no earthing where I live, same goes if I repair a PSU, I have a box of inlets and cables for repairs.

 

[bep1995]

@ir_cow
I don't talk about reusing a cable, I'm talking about how many times can i unplug and plug in again the main AC power cord that connects the psu to the wall socket before damaging (if it can) the psu socket.


@caroline!
Thank you for the info. I'm not sure if i understood your second paragraph. I live in Greece (EU) and we have different plugs. Here some photos I've found on google pic1 pic2 pic3

The pic3 is the power strip that i use now. The wall socket, the power strip and the psu cable are all earthed

The cable seems to have good quality and its not loose in any way, its very stiff.

If the the matting cycles are more than 40, for example i will say 100 or 150, then i'm fine !! 10-15 plugs-unplugs per year, for 10 years warranty !!

 

[ir_cow]

Oh if its the power cable to the PSU, usually not a problem. Just have the right Amp rating on it.

 

[johnspack]

Think I've used one or 2 that were a good 30 years old. I save everything! God I've been using computers a long time.....

 

[AsRock]

Never replaced them, in fact all mine are in their original boxes haha, the ones i use one is a angled which works great with the torrent case and the other is even old but is about 2-3 thicker much better quality than any new ones of today.

NAD AV's has really thick cables and believe that's were most of mine came from, real heavy duty ones.

 

[freeagent]

The PSU cable I am using right now is actually from a ~2000ish 20" Sony Trinitron Wega type monitor. God I loved that thing. I would probably be using it today lol..

85lbs of visual pleasure.. and the power cable is mighty girthy.. it will drive my Monitor Audio sub no problem.

The screen did the fade to white and it was sadness

 

[sLowEnd]

Yeah, for the past 2 decades I've been using a few thickass 14AWG ones that are probably older than I am. Got them from a box of cables I purchased in a garage sale back in the early 2000s. I reckon the cables are from the mid 1980s.

 

[Bill_Bright]

I have found in most cases, the newer the cable, the more cheaply it is made. So almost all immediately end up in my recycle cables bin.

If, when inserted, it doesn't wiggle in the sockets, and if there are no cuts or cracks (or bite marks) in the insulation, it is completely serviceable - assuming it is no smaller than 18AWG (though I prefer the larger 16AWG).

 

[Shrek]

I rather like flexible cables, not because they are thin but for the soft plastic used; so I tend to stick with using those, no matter how old so long as not damaged.

 

[bonehead123]

I have & am using some power cords from back in the DOS days, and have an ever-growing collection of new(er) ones in my parts box too, hehehe

Once I collect a few moar, I may just strip most them down & sell the wire parts to the metal recycling place outside of town, at least that way, someone else can start collecting them !

 

[caroline!]

@ir_cow
I don't talk about reusing a cable, I'm talking about how many times can i unplug and plug in again the main AC power cord that connects the psu to the wall socket before damaging (if it can) the psu socket.


@caroline!
Thank you for the info. I'm not sure if i understood your second paragraph. I live in Greece (EU) and we have different plugs. Here some photos I've found on google pic1 pic2 pic3

The pic3 is the power strip that i use now. The wall socket, the power strip and the psu cable are all earthed

The cable seems to have good quality and its not loose in any way, its very stiff.

If the the matting cycles are more than 40, for example i will say 100 or 150, then i'm fine !! 10-15 plugs-unplugs per year, for 10 years warranty !!

Only one of the images loads but here's what we use. Only the finest commie tech, and the small one is European, think they use them for small appliances there.

Since there's no ground it can be plugged in two ways so in the PSU side you don't know which of the contacts in the coupler becomes live, thus if you short any pin to the ground there's a chance the PSU, case and everything becomes live and shocks you.

 

[Shrek]

I believe the power supply transformer means the output floats.