Computers & Electronics

Extending 2.5 Inch External Hard Drive Cable

  • Last Updated:
  • Jun 30th, 2017 11:23 pm
Deal Fanatic
May 25, 2005
6697 posts
266 upvotes
St. Catharines

Extending 2.5 Inch External Hard Drive Cable

I need to extend 2.5 inch external USB 3.0 powered hard drive cable and in the past I've not had issues but that was with a USB 2.0 external hard drives. This drive is USB 3.0 and I read on the internet this not possible. I read that a six foot cable length will cause to much of voltage drop and not allow the drive to function. Does anyone have any experience with this?
4 replies
Deal Expert
User avatar
Jun 27, 2004
15215 posts
4404 upvotes
Vancouver.bc.ca
What if you get a splitter cable, so you can plug the spare end into a USB charger, to power the HDD?
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Deal Expert
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Feb 24, 2003
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Toronto
I have used three and six foot cables; however, only the six foot cables did not work unless the cables were used with powered peripherals.

I have never seen a six foot USB 3.0 cable with a second USB connection for power.
Sr. Member
Jan 12, 2017
626 posts
239 upvotes
It's not necessarily the power loss so much as the integrity of the signal, without amplification. Longer lenghts induce more RF and external noise, one of the reasons most USB 3 cables are thicker.
Deal Fanatic
May 25, 2005
6697 posts
266 upvotes
St. Catharines
audit13 wrote: I have used three and six foot cables; however, only the six foot cables did not work unless the cables were used with powered peripherals.

I have never seen a six foot USB 3.0 cable with a second USB connection for power.
I don't think even with a secondary USB connection it would avoid the voltage drop. I have used longer cables before with success but even a three foot cable would be an improvement from the tiny orignal cable they provided.

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