USB 2.0 to USM micro splice

[Jordan]

I am trying to make a wire with USB MINI on one end and standard fat USB 2.0 on the other.

I have extra USB micro car chargers and extra USB mini/USB 2.0 cables) and I am going to splice these 2 together.

Basically what I mean is to create a wire with USB micro (for my droid) on one end and a regular fat USB 2.0 on the other (for my PC). Please notice there is a distinction between USB micro (droid and many bluetooth headsets have this) and USB mini (Many cell phones and chargers).

So I cut the end off my car charger and did the same with a USB mini cable. I am throwing out the end that goes into the cigarette lighter and with the other wire I am throwing out the end that goes into the USM mini. So I am left with 2 halves. One half with USB micro and the other half with regular USB.

SO I went to splice together but I noticed that the regular USB cable has 4 wires and the USB micro only has 2 wires.

Does anyone know how to splice these together? :mad:

USB mini has 2 wires (Green and pink)
USB 2.0 has 4 wires (Green, white, black and red)

 

[RHochstenbach]

Welcome to HWF :)

If it only has two wires, this means it could only be used for either powering devices OR transferring data, but not both. Because of the presence of the green wire (which is usually the data+ wire), you can assume it's data-only.
The only option I can suggest is getting a different USB MINI cable, because the one you're having right now is not suitable to transfer power.

You can verify this with a multimeter. Attach one lead to the metal part of the plug itself, and then use the other lead on any of the 2 wires to check if they are connected to the plug.

 

[Jordan]

Thanks RH!

I am going to take your advice and use a different USB cable. I assume that I will be looking for a cable with 4 wires on the inside. If so, how will I know if the cable I am getting will have 4 wires?

Also, it is interesting what you said about the green wire being data since the cable with only 2 wires (the USB micro cable) was previously a car charger (cigarette lighter) cable that I cut. Why would a car charger
cable use a data wire since you are only using those for a charge? I am in the US. Is it possible that the color codes are different here? How much is a basic multi-meter, it is about time I get one of those.

Thanks again for you help.
Jordan

 

[RHochstenbach]

Also, it is interesting what you said about the green wire being data since the cable with only 2 wires (the USB micro cable) was previously a car charger (cigarette lighter) cable that I cut.

In that case it are indeed power wires, and can be used. So if you can get hold of a multi-meter, see which wire corresponds to the metal plug. That one should be connected to the black ground wire. The other one should be connected to the red + wire.

How much is a basic multi-meter, it is about time I get one of those.

I'm not sure about the prices, you might be able to have it measured at a local Radioshack, so you won't have to purchase a multi-meter :)