If you’re using a surge protector or power strip instead, check that the switch is on. Make sure the fuse isn’t tripped. Go to your fuse box and looked for a switch that’s flipped (not like the others). Depending on your country, the fuse box may be a literal box on the wall of your closet, or it can be a wall plug. You can reset the switch in the fuse box to turn it back on. Try a different outlet. Maybe the one you’re using doesn’t work anymore, so changing to a different outlet may or may not work.
Resetting the connection might help, so why not give it a shot? All you have to do is disconnect the charger from your phone (or whatever it’s charging) and then disconnect it from the power source (the wall or the power adapter). Wait a few seconds, then plug everything back together: the cable to the phone, the cable to the power adapter, and the power adapter back to the wall outlet.
You can also try cleaning the charging tip on the charging cable. You also want to make sure the USB port on your charger isn’t compromised. If it is clogged with lint or other debris, clean it with a Q-Tip or other non-metallic instrument. Make sure it isn’t plugged in so you don’t shock yourself.
If your power adapter works, but your phone isn’t charging, try another charging cable to see if your phone charges. If it does, you’ve successfully isolated the issue to your original charger cable and can either continue to repair it or buy a new one. Look for lights. On some chargers, like Mac and iPhone power adapters, there are lights on the piece that connects to the wall to indicate that it is getting electricity from the wall. In that case, you know nothing is wrong with the wall or that connection. Now you can focus on fixes that concentrate on the charger and cable itself.
Outlet: Connect the probes to the multimeter and set it to AC voltage. Then insert the black probe into the neutral port and the red probe in the hot/positive side of the outlet. The multimeter will let you know what voltage is coming out from the wall. If that outlet works, try the charging cable. Cable: Turn the multimeter’s central knob to resistance (Ohms or Ω). Touch the same pin on either side of the cable with the multimeter’s probes. If you see 0, the cable is fine. An infinity reading means the cable is broken and needs to be fixed or replaced. Adapter: If the outlet and cable are fine, the last thing you want to check is the power brick or power adapter. Set the multimeter again to AC voltage, plug the power adapter into the wall, and check the contacts (in the USB port) that should be conducting electricity. If you don’t see a reading from the multimeter, something is wrong with your power adapter and it should be replaced.
This method only works if you have exposed wire.
Be careful and make sure you purchase the appropriate 3:1 ratio. A 2:1 ratio heat shrink tube is cheaper, but it isn’t strong enough for a charger. Likewise, your heat gun needs to be precise. You don’t want to cast a wide burst of heat that could damage your phone or anything else. Use this method to repair a split or open charging cable.
Make sure it’s a little longer than the split since the heat-shrinking tube will shrink when heated.
You probably want to use pliers so your fingers are safely out of the way. Pliers also have rubber handles so the heat isn’t transferred up the metal to you. When you’re done, allow the charger cable to cool for a few minutes.
Use this method to repair a broken connection in the charger cable head (the area right below the port that you insert in your phone). You can use this method on Android and iPhones, but the cable colors will be a little different. Apple chargers always have red, white, green, and black wires. Android chargers may not have these colors, so soldering the correct wires can be a bit of a challenge. If you aren’t confident in the wires you should solder, buy a new cable instead.
Take your time so you don’t cut more than you need to! You don’t want to cause more damage to the wires.
If the wires are bundled together, use something small and sharp, like a push-pin to separate the wires and cut through any heat-shielding protection.
Since there’s a problem charging your phone, you’ll know that you need to fix the red or black wires.
This is also meant to re-insulate the wires to protect them from heat. You can use smaller heat-shrinking tubes instead if you prefer.
