Recharging Cords

[rpcrowe]

It seems like every electronic item I have needs its own proprietary charging cord. I am sure that other members have the same problem of having a plethora of different charging cords with no identification on the cord.I just got another charging cord for my new (used) Fuji XP60 camera...

Many cords look quite similar such as the cords from my older I-Phone and those from my wife's newer I-Phone along with the cord from my Barnes and noble nook.

How do other members keep the cords identified. If the cord has a transformer which has the item name identified, that is no problem. What is a problem is the plain charging cord or cord and transformer with no identification except voltage information. I am considering ID tags or using the plastic labels from a label writer .

Any better ideas?

[Shadowman]

Piece of masking tape with the device name written on it.

[Mike Buckley]

Piece of masking tape with the device name written on it.

Essentially the same for me.

[CP140]

Stay away from the masking tape... after some time it will leave a gooey sticky mess of adhesive on the cord itself.

Try using a proper labelling device (Brother P-Touch or similar) or something similar. As an aside, label each cord with name, email, telephone number... that way when you leave it plugged into the socket in the hotel room, some nice kind soul might contact you and let you know they have it and offer to return it to you....

...don't ask...

[Mike Buckley]

...don't ask...

You're off the hook for now, but the temptation will eventually get the best of me.

[IzzieK]

Buy a packet of label tag from craft store. There must be about 50 in a pack. They have a lot space to write on them whatever you like to put on it for identification. Sometimes cords can be of two sets, one for putting the battery on and the other the cord itself. The square contraption I use my labeller but for the cord itself I use the label tag so that when they got separated I still can find what matches which later on. Lately I have been really careful and put each sets inside a ziplock bag and label the bag with those write on ones so all I have to do is refer to them by what it says on the outside of the ziplock bag.

[Manfred M]

A lot of the smaller devices that use USB cords to charge; tablets and newer phones are the primarly examples (nicely said, any device that you can charge from the USB port on your computer) effectively have a common power supply, as defined by the USB standard. These chargers are universally interchangable at the wall and all you need to do is use the correct plug that fits into your phone. At any time I will likely have a Samsung phone plugged into my ASUS or Samsung or Blackberry or .... charger.

Cameras and laptops, unfortunately are not as generic and the plugs and power supplies may or may not be compatible (one has to look at the plug that goes into your device, as well as the output voltage / current supply). Fortunately for me, older HP, Toshiba and ASUS plugs are identical and the power output is too; so I have no issues plugging any of these computers into a common power supply. The ASUS plug is in my office, the Toshiba in the kitchen and the HP in my bedroom and my laptops can be recharged in any of these three rooms.