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tl;dr: What are the requirements for a PD capable USB-C cable and plug?

As the USB-C plug/jack of my Dell charger is mechanically broken, I want to replace it.

So far, my naive attempt to simply replace the broken plug with one from a 4 pole USB-C to USB-A cable (see image below, connecting black-black, white-white, red-red, blue-green) has failed. It only yields +5 V (red against black), but it seems that no Power Delivery magic happens and the laptop does not charge.

I assume that the cable is not suitable for high power (maybe intended to only charge a 5 V USB-C device). Maybe the wiring is wrong. I wonder if the Dell cable/plug is somehow active - I have hoped that the PD logic would happen in the charger itself.

Also I struggle to find appropriate documentation. This is the best I can find.

What would be the requirements for a USB-C plug which can be used for Power Delivery? Also, how can I find out which PD version a device or a charger supports?

Failed attempt at replacing a broken USB-C plug

2 Answers 2

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USB C is a dense pinout connector and Power Delivery requires more than just the "standard" USB 2.0 pins of Data+, Data-, 5V and GND.

From EE: How does a USB C port provide the power to charge laptops? you can see that the CC1/CC2 pins beside the D+/D- pins are used to communicate for USB PD.

enter image description here

This is the main reason why Power Delivery does not work for Type A ports, because they lack the communications lines necessary for negotiation and as a result revert to the "old" power level being selected by specific resistances across the USB data lines trick.

You need to find out if these pins are wired up in your new connector, if they are not then Power Delivery using that connector will be impossible.

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The cable with the plug you want to connect is not a suitable replacement. It is a loose USB-C 2.0 cable with a power line and a D + D- line without the PD (Power Delivery) function.

You must use the appropriate plug. Search alliexpres under the name "Welding wire type USB C to Type-C PD plug 100W 20V 5A Quick Charge connector Fast Charging Cable power Data adapter With case"

Source of Aliexpres photo : screenshot

An exemplary connection diagram :

screenshot

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  • I had a look at that product at Ali. If I understand this answer correctly, with that order you'll receive two tips/plugs. You're specifically interested in the "usb PD side" plug? (You'll cut the end of the old charger, and wire the new plug (usb PD side plug) to blue/black/white/red as shown in the exemplary diagram)
    – eugenevd
    Jul 17, 2022 at 10:46
  • i.stack.imgur.com/lbebr.jpg is labelled nonsensically. USB-PD and USB-C are not mutually exclusive designations. They're mutually inclusive. Dec 5, 2023 at 16:31

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