Database Users

self repair universal

Hi, I broke my universal last night :.(
I was using a charger that came with my gps, and it fell 30cm off the bed table and hit the floor, striking the charger cable. The gps charger is longer, so without the rubber collar to absorb the shock, the usb plug twisted inside, and broke the usb connector off the motherboard.
pics: http://boldra.com/images/universal/
I use my universal very heavily, so I want to get it fixed as soon as possible. I've done simple repairs on laptops and phones before, including soldering on a power connector in a dropped vaio. How would people rate the difficulty of this one?
The first issue will be to get hold of a suitable screwdriver, but I'll also have to source a new usb connector.
Has anyone got any experience or tips they could share?
Thanks!
Boldra

Boldra said:
Hi, I broke my universal last night :.(
I was using a charger that came with my gps, and it fell 30cm off the bed table and hit the floor, striking the charger cable. The gps charger is longer, so without the rubber collar to absorb the shock, the usb plug twisted inside, and broke the usb connector off the motherboard.
pics: http://boldra.com/images/universal/
I use my universal very heavily, so I want to get it fixed as soon as possible. I've done simple repairs on laptops and phones before, including soldering on a power connector in a dropped vaio. How would people rate the difficulty of this one?
The first issue will be to get hold of a suitable screwdriver, but I'll also have to source a new usb connector.
Has anyone got any experience or tips they could share?
Thanks!
Boldra
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi first of all, based on my experience with opening universal - when you start opening PLEASE READ OPENING INSTRUCTIONS on FTP - there is PDF file for this. And second one - try ty find a cheam MP3 player with same USB connector - you will never belive what is inside of those tousands MP3 players - I even find inside one a DiskOnChip for universal

Thanks, they look like two very good tips! I was actually going to check out the second hand shop for old cameras with mini-usb connectors, but mp3 players sound like a good idea too.
Boldra

I had the same problem. I fixed it myself too. I just used the USB connector that was broken off and soldered it back.
I don't think a new connector is going to be needed. More likely your biggest problem will be broken off tracks on the motherboard.

Thanks Patrick, I love the net! I've never personally met anyone with the same device, but now here I am talking to someone who's actually had exactly the same problem!
I've now opened the case up (after downloading the beautiful maintenance manual), and it looks like there are indeed a couple of bits of the mobo broken off and stuck to the connector.
I've had a look with a magnifying glass, and it looks like the 4th connector in particular is going to be difficult to match up. I've been checking out the USB spec, and, if I'm reading it right, this connector is only used for a usb hub. I think on the universal it's not actually connected to anything. Really, I'll just be pretty happy if I can just get connectors 1 & 5 joined up again, so I can recharge!
The other thing I'm worrying about is how I can firmly attach the connector back onto the board so that it doesn't easily break off again. I'm considering a drop of superglue to fix the usb connector onto the mobo before starting the soldering. How did you solve this problem? Are you relying entirely on solder to take the load?
Boldra

Boldra said:
The other thing I'm worrying about is how I can firmly attach the connector back onto the board so that it doesn't easily break off again. I'm considering a drop of superglue to fix the usb connector onto the mobo before starting the soldering. How did you solve this problem? Are you relying entirely on solder to take the load?
Boldra
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't even think about it !!! If you put some glue there you can say goodbye to your device if it brokes again you cannot protect device from this - is more cheap to repair him again

You should put this warning up:
Warning, HORROR pictures ...
must be over 21 to watch ...

Boldra said:
Thanks Patrick, I love the net! I've never personally met anyone with the same device, but now here I am talking to someone who's actually had exactly the same problem!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you search the forum here you will notice there are hordes of people with the same problem. It's safe to say this is a design flaw of the Universal.
Boldra said:
I'll just be pretty happy if I can just get connectors 1 & 5 joined up again, so I can recharge!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Same here. I stopped messing with it when it started charging again. It doesn't connect through USB anymore, but I can do that via bluetooth as well.
Boldra said:
The other thing I'm worrying about is how I can firmly attach the connector back onto the board so that it doesn't easily break off again.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I put some extra solder on the large pads on the side. I have a feeling that that helped put it on the board more sturdy. I also changed the way I use the Universal. Before I would use it with the charge cable atached so the battery would stay full. Now I never move it around when the cable is attached. So now when the Universal is charging, the first thing I do is take the charge cable out and then open the unit and switch it on.

superglue will not work. you must solder it back on.
from those pics it's impossible to estimate the damage.
open it up and take some new pics.

Who can fix these thigs in the London area?

Last night, the USB socket on my Wizard broke.
I plugged in the USB cable to sync/charge and noticed that the orange led didn't come on, so I unplugged the cable and the USB socket came with it, out through the casing. I gently gripped the protruding socket and removed the cable, not the socket rattles around a bit on the inside of the case and doesn't work.
I assume it just needs resoldering. Is there anywhere in/near London that can do that while I wait?

Id personally recommend doing it yourself, or even taking it to just a small independent home electronics company. its not too difficult

help pls, phone not charging ( not battery point)do i take phone apart?

need help please people.
my phone hasnt been charging properly for a few days now, to get it charging now i have to get one of my missis hair bands and wrap it round my phone and then round the usb cable so it stays in , although today it doesnt want to charge at all now .
ive noticed that the connection in the phone is loose and you can move it round a litle bit,
now the bit i need help with , is do i take the phone apart and try to fix it.?. im thinking of doing this but unsure about taking phone apart ( dont think my phone is under warrenty anymore,) and im guessing the usb connection on the phone is fixed onto a board.
is it worth me trying that or should i just take it to a repair shop ?

take a dry toothbrush, give the usb port a good scrub. dirt often builds up in the bottom of the port and stops the usb plug pushing deep enough to get a good contact.
Have a good inspect of the usb port, bright light and magnifier is good, see if you can see buildup, or a bent connector, or somesuch.
Also look at the usb plug on the cable, its uncommon but not unknown for the metal outer enclosure to open slightly, and make for a weak contact.
Sometimes a cable simply doesn't fit well for no obvious reason, , i have a generic cheap ebay cable that will only work when angled up or down, like yours, but looks perfectly fine, and feels to fit the socket, while the HTC cable works perfectly, so i know its not the port.
If it all looks good, then chances are you have a dodgy connection from the usb port to the mainboard, which will get worse every time you wiggle and bend the cable to get it to work. In this case, you COULD try a repair, but there have been reports on here of some repair shops pronouncing it too fiddly to replace teh usb port, and a new mainboard would be the only other option.
edit - just reread your post and seen that you can wiggle the port. Broken solder, gotta be. Its not an easy solder, so if your a dab hand, then go for it, if not, see above.

Hi iainbp, heresandyboy had this same trouble in http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=903977 from post 16.
It looks tricky!
Just a thought though, I recently bought a cheap phone charger with multiple interchangeable heads for different phones. The microUSB one became difficult to charge with and it took me a while to realise that the metal bit at the end had detached from its plastic casing, and when I plugged it into the phone it just got pushed back into the casing. (got my money back)
Possible with yours?

Replacement for HTC incredible PCB Connector

A few month's ago I'd ordered a LCD screen replacement for my incredible, and so when I got back from work o immediately took out the LCD from the package and started taking out my old broken. For me it was my first time experience replacing an LCD phone screen, anyways back to what I was going to say was when I unplugged the connector for the screen and the motherboard itself, after attempt to plug the connectors back together; the display connector plugged in perfect while the connector for the motherboard didn't do so well. The white piece that covers the PCB Connector, it tears a little bit off and I'd tried to power on the phone, meanwhile it didn't I tried again and things got worst. So I search online for a PCB Connector and see one, so I decided to and try to rip off the PCB Connector and plan to order the PCB Connector. So the part to attempt ripping off the PCB Connector didn't go so well, and stop there before things got worst. Any suggestions how I can replace that? I can't just leave my phone in my room and have to cover in dust. I need my phone back, how can I fix these? I know this thread seems long but I tries but it details for you guys.

USB connector not sitting snuggly in the USB port?

Occasionally since I got the phoone I've noticed that the audiobooks I've listened to have suddenly stopped, and prompting me to press play again; it always seemed to happen when I had a hand in my pocket, so I probably just assumed I had touched the screen or something. It was annoying, but I just continued on.
Then late last week after it happened while I was at my desktop and just moving the phone, I investigated a bit more closely.
I found that I could wiggled the headphone USB dongle, and the fit was not as solid as you'd expect (of course, I hadn't really checked this earlier, just putting in and taking out USB connectors up to this point). As I wiggled it, the audio would stop as if my headphones were disconnected and reconnected. Which must've been what had happened before.
Then I checked with my charging cord. Same kind of fit, I could wiggle the connector a few degrees. Enough for me to raise some concern about it being a faulty USB port, or it having somehow gotten loose in the shell.
This is probably RMA worthy, I'm guessing. The question is what will OP do? Replace the whole phone? Repair it (repair what exactly, I'm wondering)? I've not dealt with their support before, and I couldn't really find any suitable thing under their repair service categories.
Could some people check how snug their USB connector fit is and report back to me, so I could find out if this isn't how it's supposed to be?

First check your USB port for lint. I typically use a needle to clean mine out (Don't short any of the pins if using a metal needle). Lint will prevent the cable from fully seating and cause it to feel loose.

OhioYJ said:
First check your USB port for lint. I typically use a needle to clean mine out (Don't short any of the pins if using a metal needle). Lint will prevent the cable from fully seating and cause it to feel loose.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The USB port is totally clean. Couldn't even spot any dust particles under a bright light.

I know the 3.5mm headphone jack isn't technically rated for as many cycles as a USB C connector but I still feel it held up to abuse like being in a pocket better than any type of USB connector.