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Ask HN: Why can't I buy a phone charger with a 2-prong wall plug?

1 points by jononomo ↗ HN
Ideally, I would like a multi-charging cable (such as this one: https://www.amazon.com/Charging-USAMS-Multiple-Connectors-Compatible/dp/B07QXVCFD1) but which doesn't have a USB connector at the other end, but rather just has an integrated 2-prong plug.

Why don't phone charging cables that plug directly into an electrical outlet exist?

9 comments

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smoldesu
Why can't you buy the one you linked and then just plug it into a regular charging brick?
jononomo
I don't want to have to keep track of two things. I only want to keep track of one thing. I suppose I could use some kind of superglue to just bond the cable to the brick, but I'd rather just get one that was built that way.

Ideally, I'd like a cable with one 2-prong wall plug at one end and four tails at the other: two USB-c and two lightning.

smoldesu
Just... don't unplug it, then. I genuinely don't understand how this is a problem when the exact solution you're looking for already exists in component form. Sure you could superglue the two pieces together, but then you're wasting your time, storage and eventually your money when one of the two breaks.
amalgamated_inc
Or just glue them shut.

I guess now you have to keep track of the glue.

iforgotpassword
Then what do you do if the connector that plugs into the phone/laptop gets damaged? Throw away the whole charger?
jononomo
I would just like a single high-quality charging cable that isn’t likely to get damaged.
KMnO4
Your house has 120V AC and your phone needs 5V DC (slightly more if it’s a modern USB C phone).

Converting to that voltage requires some electronics. If you’re asking why not just include them in the cable, like laptop chargers —- well you could, but why? It will be just as bulky but if the cable becomes frayed you’ll be generating a lot more ewaste than just getting a new USB cable.

jononomo
I guess maybe I can just permanently attach the brick to the cable in some way so that I only have to keep track of one thing rather than two things.
Aqua_Geek
This was a huge problem with Apple’s laptop chargers several years ago. They would fray at the junction between the power adapter and the cable, resulting in another $129 out of your pocket and more e-waste. Granted, the power brick for a phone is much smaller, but the potential problem is the same.