Soldering micro -usb there is a simple solution that can save you time and money: replace the micro-USB port with a soldering iron.
Replace the micro-USB port with a soldering iron
The micro-USB port is a common component on many devices these days, but what happens when it goes bad? Repairing or replacing a micro-USB port can be a difficult and expensive task. However, there is a simple solution that can save you time and money: replace the micro-USB port with a soldering iron.
This tutorial explains how to modify or end Micro-USB (or USB-C, mini, etc.) ports if they stop working correctly. – All you need is some soldering equipment and spare wire!
Soldering Micro-usb basic equipment and guide:
Soldering iron
-Soldering irons are relatively cheap and easy to use, and they can be used to fix a wide variety of problems.
-The soldering iron has a pointed end that is heated and used to melt the solder
Something to clean your Soldering iron tip
-One method I use for crafting is brass wool.
-The brass wool can effectively clean the soldering iron’s tip- The brass wool has high thermal conductivity and can quickly remove the dirt and oxide on the soldering iron’s tip- The brass wool is durable and can be used for a long time- The brass wool is an environmentally friendly cleaning tool, it does not produce chemical pollutants
–
Solder
– As the temperature of a melting vat drops, that’s beneficial.
Something to hold your PCB still
– A vise or blu-tack on a desk will suffice.
Solder is a metal alloy that is melted by a soldering iron to create a joint or connection between two metal parts
Replacement port
– This piece can be salvaged from a defective device using the de- soldering process detailed below.
A short piece of solid core wire
– Although copper is ideal, I use a diode’s clipped lead.
short piece of solid core wire
Soldering Micro-usb Optional Extras :
Solvent to clean flux
– Optional but strongly recommended if you have it.
–Removes flux residue quickly and easily
Solder wick / Braid
– Optional but may be useful when putting a new port on.
Solder wick is made of braided copper wire, which makes it easy to use and handle
Multimeter
Measures voltage, current, and resistance
– Optional but recommended.
Measures voltage, current, and resistance
An old USB cable to cut up for checking continuity
To remove the port, we must first identify the joints that require heating and then plan the wire route that will channel heat and melt them all at once:
STEP 1 Making a plan
- Convenient SMD ports may have two to six female headers on one side (and in this case a header overhead) and four to five Molex pins.
- With a little length of wire, try to figure out a method to connect all of these hot places, in this case by bending a C shape.
Note: Pads underneath the main body of the cable jack will gradually melt if nearby hot spots are heated, but the setup process could take longer than normal.
STEP 2 Forming the wire
- Twist a length of wire roughly until it’s semi Twisted Length=Wire (Semi) Turned Partially.
- Bend it to the shape you envisioned in step one.
Step 3: Tinning Joints and Attaching the Wire
- Apply a generous amount of solder to each joint.
- Place the wire in the proper location.
- Connect the wire to each solder blob.
Note: It isn’t important to have clean joints or bridging pins! As soon as it disappears, it’ll be out of your mind.
Step 4: Removing the Port
Apply light pressure to the connector by pressing its edge toward the board.
If your socket connectors have inner fix pins or locator pins that are inserted deep inside the circuit board, tweezers may be needed to pull upward instead of pushing with the iron.
Note: It took me 3 seconds with my iron running at 30 watts of PD using a USB-C power wall, which is not ideal, provided that it has a higher wattage, or if I tweak my settings to a higher wattage.
Step 5: Cleaning Up
- With a clean iron, drag the tip across the mechanical connection pads, taking solder with it.
By dragging the tip of a clean iron on the set of solder pads, you’ll take solder along with it.
Prime the wire or sponge to the tip to clean the solder off.
Repeat this process until the fitted sheets and neutral fabrics are clean.
Allow the solvent to clean anything left behind. – Recommended or optional, but must contain solvent.
Make sure to leave a little solder on the data pin pads!
If you have solder wick/braid to hand this will make this much faster and cleaner.
note: If you are desoldering a port to be re-used, make sure to clean the solder off the bottom of the body too.\
Step 6: Attaching the New Port
We’ll now put in the new port and fit it in:
- Place the connector on the board -Connector pins typically come with locator locations, so check their appearance to be sure.
- Secure the connector in place temporarily – Optional, I did this without but it may have helped. (this could be done with the use of adhesive tape, blu-tac, or pressing with tweezers)
- Sight out any loose objects or frays in the wires with some solder.
Step 7: Connecting the Data Pins and Inspecting
It is the most crucial step and takes some care because if it fails the connector may need to be removed from the board as well as (if not) placed back on again (if you are fortunate to already have a mechanical puller/thread).
- Be as careful as possible when you’re cleaning up the tip so as to prevent any leftover solder fouling it. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT
- Gently put pressure on the data pins until the solder makes its way to the wires below, and then joins them.
- Make sure that all of the pins in the circuit are soldered on securely and have no solder bridges between them.
If your pins are detached, you can attempt to detach the solder by swiping the blade across it, if this does not work solder braid/cord will be required.
If you have no bridge and lack wick, you can desolder the port, normally by reflowing the pads and being able to swap the iron tip without any solder on it.
Step 8: Testing Continuity
If your tester isn’t calibrated and there isn’t an internal one, be careful not to remove pins. That’s optional but recommended if using a meter.
We will compare every single pin connection to make sure it is properly routed to the internals of the connector and not a bridge.
- Externally separate the old cable from the fundamental wires.
- Cut away the old USB wire using the tip of a blade to expose the internal ones.
- Connect the electrical cable to the electrical outlet.
- Select a pin and investigate its trajectory to the point where it can be studied on the board (point b)—such as a component lead, an impedance cable end, or a special test point.
- Figure out which wire corresponds to the pin, and check that they are connected to the multimeter. This may generally be accomplished by google-searching “<port> pinout”, in this case “micro usb pinout.”
- Repeat this activity for the other connectors, and scrutinize the wire below it for continuity of the right wire and no bridges to the other pins.
Step 9: Finished! (mostly)
We hope that you now have a fully functional cable for connecting the appliance to your circuit board!
If I could have just an old connector to hand, it would be the ideal time to clean up the mercury that drifted from it when I connected it (I had no opportunity to clean up as I did it).
I hope that this article guide was of practical use for you! 🧡
The tools for soldering is also very affordable, so it is a great option for anyone who needs to replace a micro-USB port.
check the youtube video link for this article at: https://youtu.be/GfM30uMYOD0