Over the last year I have purchased some useful USB-rechargeable devices (flashlights, bike lights, battery packs, etc...), and all have come with USB cables for charging. I have re-learned recently that many of the "recharging cables" don't have full USB connectivity - they will charge but not communicate. Because I hate throwing anything away if I can find a use, I started marking cables as they "came in" with yellow Testers (plastic model paint). More reliably, I have found that for a few dollars on Amazon (and only slightly more at my local Target, Walmart, and hardware store) I can purchase very good "cloth" covered USB cables - search for variations of "USB Cable 6ft 3Pack USB A Male to Micro USB", per cable price of $3-5. The cables are available in colors, so I can differentiate USB cables from iPhone cables. Whether for RF, audio, or data, cables and connectors have finite life, so I have learned to check them, and "retire", aka "cut off an end", cables/connectors that become frayed, bent, cat-chewed, or otherwise unreliable. While this won't solve all problems, having reliable cables has made a difference for me.
