Can the Samsung Galaxy S3 micro-USB port be repaired at home

D

Don Phillipson

Guest
Can the Samsung Galaxy micro-USB port be replaced easily at home?
http://i.imgur.com/uic6h5C.jpg

I finally found out why I kept destroying micro-usb cables and
why, after a few months, they would just fall out of the SIII.

Apparently, the female micro-USB port is physically damaged.
Apparently that female port is, over the period of a few months,
destroying the two little spring tabs on the bottom of the male
micro-USB connectors.

This has happened to so many cables, that it can't be the cables.
I think, very long ago, I had accidentally put in the wrong
male connector to the Samsung Galaxy S3, which may have caused
the problem (I don't know).

Physically, when I look at the female port on the Samsung Galaxy
SIII, I don't *see* any damage, but, it has ruined so many cables
that it has to be damaged somehow.

Anyway, the question becomes:
Have you ever replaced the Samsung Galaxy micro-USB port?
http://i.imgur.com/uic6h5C.jpg
How is it done?
 
"Don Phillipson" <e925@SPAMBLOCK.ncf.ca> wrote in message
news:mgp10v$akj$1@news.albasani.net...
Can the Samsung Galaxy micro-USB port be replaced easily at home?
http://i.imgur.com/uic6h5C.jpg

I finally found out why I kept destroying micro-usb cables and
why, after a few months, they would just fall out of the SIII.

Apparently, the female micro-USB port is physically damaged.
Apparently that female port is, over the period of a few months,
destroying the two little spring tabs on the bottom of the male
micro-USB connectors.

This has happened to so many cables, that it can't be the cables.
I think, very long ago, I had accidentally put in the wrong
male connector to the Samsung Galaxy S3, which may have caused
the problem (I don't know).

Physically, when I look at the female port on the Samsung Galaxy
SIII, I don't *see* any damage, but, it has ruined so many cables
that it has to be damaged somehow.

Anyway, the question becomes:
Have you ever replaced the Samsung Galaxy micro-USB port?
http://i.imgur.com/uic6h5C.jpg
How is it done?
Click to expand...

Very carefully, and with very small tools.
Ask Oren; he's got a small tool.

Or is one.................over?
 
Tony Hwang <dragon40@shaw.ca> wrote in message
P6VXw.286674$Xj5.132962@fx26.iad

Also remote chance but Youtube may have some thing
about taking it apart.
Click to expand...

I found this 1-hour video which shows how to replace the power port:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvIgST4weOE
HOW TO FIX BROKEN SAMSUNG GALAXY S3 USB CHARGING PORT

I'm not sure what's with the black gloves, but they first take the
screws off the inside, then remove what they call the "rear housing."

They then remove the PCB and disconnect the cable connectors.

At time point 5:45, they apply "capton tape" (whatever capton tape is):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=CvIgST4weOE#t=347

They heat the PCB to 220 degrees Celsius and the soldering iron to
650 degrees Fahrenheit with a variety of fluxes and then vacuum off
the solder on the four micro-usb connector taps.

They then flip the PCB and remove the solder on the sides of the
connector. Strangely, at time 19:20, they *add* solder in order to
remove solder!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=CvIgST4weOE#t=1155

They *add* solder again at time 20:15 in order to remove solder!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=CvIgST4weOE#t=1218

At time 20:50, they say you have to apply "alloy" in order not to pull
up the pad on the PCB along with the USB port pins.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=CvIgST4weOE#t=1253

At time 22:05, they add *alloy* to each pin (so it's not solder?).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=CvIgST4weOE#t=1362

Some questions:
1. What is capton tape for?
2. What does the alloy do?
 
Don Phillipson wrote:
Can the Samsung Galaxy micro-USB port be replaced easily at home?
http://i.imgur.com/uic6h5C.jpg

I finally found out why I kept destroying micro-usb cables and
why, after a few months, they would just fall out of the SIII.

Apparently, the female micro-USB port is physically damaged.
Apparently that female port is, over the period of a few months,
destroying the two little spring tabs on the bottom of the male
micro-USB connectors.

This has happened to so many cables, that it can't be the cables.
I think, very long ago, I had accidentally put in the wrong
male connector to the Samsung Galaxy S3, which may have caused
the problem (I don't know).

Physically, when I look at the female port on the Samsung Galaxy
SIII, I don't *see* any damage, but, it has ruined so many cables
that it has to be damaged somehow.

Anyway, the question becomes:
Have you ever replaced the Samsung Galaxy micro-USB port?
http://i.imgur.com/uic6h5C.jpg
How is it done?
Click to expand...
How? if it is not a soldered on part which needs SMD (de)soldering tool
and skills, even at that if you can find same part. More likely it is a
part of a sub board, then you need whole of that. Better idea may be
try to find a dead broken tablet for part you need.

I once repaired LAN port(RJ45) on a laptop(Alienware). It was damaged
when cable was yanked off by accident. I had to take apart whole laptop
to get at it and replacing it was tricky affair. Tablet is much more
smaller. Few times I opened up old iPAD which is very delicate like your
tablet.
 
Tony Hwang wrote:
Don Phillipson wrote:
Can the Samsung Galaxy micro-USB port be replaced easily at home?
http://i.imgur.com/uic6h5C.jpg

I finally found out why I kept destroying micro-usb cables and
why, after a few months, they would just fall out of the SIII.

Apparently, the female micro-USB port is physically damaged.
Apparently that female port is, over the period of a few months,
destroying the two little spring tabs on the bottom of the male
micro-USB connectors.

This has happened to so many cables, that it can't be the cables.
I think, very long ago, I had accidentally put in the wrong
male connector to the Samsung Galaxy S3, which may have caused
the problem (I don't know).

Physically, when I look at the female port on the Samsung Galaxy
SIII, I don't *see* any damage, but, it has ruined so many cables
that it has to be damaged somehow.

Anyway, the question becomes:
Have you ever replaced the Samsung Galaxy micro-USB port?
http://i.imgur.com/uic6h5C.jpg
How is it done?

How? if it is not a soldered on part which needs SMD (de)soldering tool
and skills, even at that if you can find same part. More likely it is a
part of a sub board, then you need whole of that. Better idea may be
try to find a dead broken tablet for part you need.

I once repaired LAN port(RJ45) on a laptop(Alienware). It was damaged
when cable was yanked off by accident. I had to take apart whole laptop
to get at it and replacing it was tricky affair. Tablet is much more
smaller. Few times I opened up old iPAD which is very delicate like your
tablet.
Also remote chance but Youtube may have some thing about taking it apart.
Click to expand...
 
On Thu, 16 Apr 2015 19:02:55 +0000 (UTC), Don Phillipson
<e925@SPAMBLOCK.ncf.ca> wrote:

Can the Samsung Galaxy micro-USB port be replaced easily at home?
http://i.imgur.com/uic6h5C.jpg

I finally found out why I kept destroying micro-usb cables and
why, after a few months, they would just fall out of the SIII.

Apparently, the female micro-USB port is physically damaged.
Apparently that female port is, over the period of a few months,
destroying the two little spring tabs on the bottom of the male
micro-USB connectors.

This has happened to so many cables, that it can't be the cables.
I think, very long ago, I had accidentally put in the wrong
male connector to the Samsung Galaxy S3, which may have caused
the problem (I don't know).

Physically, when I look at the female port on the Samsung Galaxy
SIII, I don't *see* any damage, but, it has ruined so many cables
that it has to be damaged somehow.

Anyway, the question becomes:
Have you ever replaced the Samsung Galaxy micro-USB port?
http://i.imgur.com/uic6h5C.jpg
How is it done?
Click to expand...
Have not done it on an S3, but I believe the same port is used on the
blackberry playbook. Yes, they can be replaced. No, it is not easy.
You don't solder the connections, but you solder the connector to the
board. The connections are spring contacts that contact the board. I
won't attempt them any more - my eyes are not good enough. I did a
Playbook - took 3 tries and 3 connectors.
 
clare@snyder.on.ca wrote in message
p2s0jadeuknfib38a1f4tjjveqmdq03q1f@4ax.com

If that's the case it's a no-brainer. Easily fixed. On the Blackberry
it is on the main board - a real fussy job to replace.
Click to expand...

It's soldered to the main PCB on the Samsung Galaxy SIII also.
 
"(PeteCresswell)" <x@y.Invalid> wrote in message
62r0jad682fa7mcs9rht62ud23r8odnpki@4ax.com

> I should add that, in my case, no soldering was involved.

You're lucky. The Samsung Galaxy SIII is soldered on.
 
Followups set to sci.electronics.repair.

In sci.electronics.repair Don Phillipson <e925@spamblock.ncf.ca> wrote:
Some questions:
1. What is capton tape for?
Click to expand...

Kapton. Looks like it's being used as a heat shield, to keep other
solder joints on the board from melting, while the USB connector is
being desoldered. In other applications, it's used as insulation. It
is available in a variety of thicknesses and widths. Any electronics
assembly shop probably has some kicking around.

Matt Roberds
 
On Thu, 16 Apr 2015 19:02:55 +0000 (UTC), Don Phillipson
<e925@SPAMBLOCK.ncf.ca> wrote:

Can the Samsung Galaxy micro-USB port be replaced easily at home?
http://i.imgur.com/uic6h5C.jpg
Click to expand...

Yes. I've successfully done two S3 connector replacements. They were
*NOT* easy. If you haven't used a hot air SMT desoldering machine,
you are likely to wreck it unless you practice on some other old cell
phone.

Buy one of the replacement connectors:
<www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=samsung+galaxy+s3+usbconnector>
Cover the area of the connector with an aluminum foil heat shield,
leaving a hole only where you want to solder. Find a small diameter
tubular nozzle. Adjust the temperature and air flow so that it
desolders properly on a practice PCB. Keep the air flow low so that
you don't spread the heat over too wide an area. Keep the nozzle
moving to avoid burning a hole in the PCB or melting something. The
connector should just fall out. Clean up the pads with liquid flux
and a small soldering iron. Do NOT use solder braid or a solder
sucker as these will rip up the traces on the PCB. If one of the
traces lifts off the PCB, you're screwed, so be careful.

To replace, slop some solder paste on the pads, locate the connector,
apply the hot air SMT tool again, and it should reflow. Don't be too
picky about centering the connector on the pads, as surface tension
will do that for you once the solder melts.

Here are some vidios on how it's done:
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ov-HACi975w>
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvIgST4weOE>
etc... there are more.

However, if you rip up the PCB, you can still salvage the phone by
charging the battery in an external battery charger. One phone I
tried to fix and failed had too many broken traces and I could not
replace the connector. So, the owner juggles batteries, which is a
PITA, but better than spending $$$$ on a new phone. When her contract
was over in a few months, she gets a new phone, so the battery shuffle
was worthwhile.

Or, you can do a bit of butchering and bypass the charging port.
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BeP65ZKpgHA>

--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558
 
Per (PeteCresswell):
>I am on my third or fourth USB port on my Samsung Note.

I should add that, in my case, no soldering was involved. Just
disconnecting/reconnecting a ribbon connector and a
micro-something-or-other plug.

The replacement "Port" was actually a little board all by itself: remove
the old board, put in the new board, button it all up.
--
Pete Cresswell
 
On Thu, 16 Apr 2015 22:15:14 -0400, "(PeteCresswell)" <x@y.Invalid>
wrote:

Per (PeteCresswell):
I am on my third or fourth USB port on my Samsung Note.

I should add that, in my case, no soldering was involved. Just
disconnecting/reconnecting a ribbon connector and a
micro-something-or-other plug.

The replacement "Port" was actually a little board all by itself: remove
the old board, put in the new board, button it all up.
Click to expand...
If that's the case it's a no-brainer. Easily fixed. On the Blackberry
it is on the main board - a real fussy job to replace.
 
Per Don Phillipson:
Can the Samsung Galaxy micro-USB port be replaced easily at home?
http://i.imgur.com/uic6h5C.jpg
Click to expand...

Define "Easily".... -)

I am on my third or fourth USB port on my Samsung Note.

After wasting $100 discovering that it was essentially without warranty
(you have to be using in the right part of the world relative to where
it was intended to be sold in order to get warranty service) I bit the
bullet and decided to try it myself.

Search YouTube and I'll bet you find a detailed instructional vid for
your Galaxy.

My replacement ports cost me less than nine bucks each - including
shipping all the way from Guandong, China.

First on probably took me at least an hour - just being really, really
careful.

Next two or three were probably 30-45 minutes.
--
Pete Cresswell
 
Don Phillipson <e925@SPAMBLOCK.ncf.ca> wrote:

Can the Samsung Galaxy micro-USB port be replaced easily at home?
http://i.imgur.com/uic6h5C.jpg

I finally found out why I kept destroying micro-usb cables and
why, after a few months, they would just fall out of the SIII.

Apparently, the female micro-USB port is physically damaged.
Apparently that female port is, over the period of a few months,
destroying the two little spring tabs on the bottom of the male
micro-USB connectors.

This has happened to so many cables, that it can't be the cables.
I think, very long ago, I had accidentally put in the wrong
male connector to the Samsung Galaxy S3, which may have caused
the problem (I don't know).

Physically, when I look at the female port on the Samsung Galaxy
SIII, I don't *see* any damage, but, it has ruined so many cables
that it has to be damaged somehow.

Anyway, the question becomes:
Have you ever replaced the Samsung Galaxy micro-USB port?
http://i.imgur.com/uic6h5C.jpg
How is it done?
Click to expand...

I have bypassed the need to replace one on an S4 by buying one of
those Chinese QI chargers that comes with a receiver that fits in the
back of the phone. They look like this <http://tinyurl.com/knt2unf>
combined with one of these <http://tinyurl.com/muayhzc>. Of course, if
you need the USB data connection my suggestion is useless. If you
decide to try it do some Googling first. They often look alike but
they are not all equally effective and some charging pads come with
the receiver but most don't.
 
Adding a spot of lead based solder makes desoldering lead-free much easier.



<mroberds@att.net> wrote in message news:mgpv8d$1gp$1@dont-email.me...
Followups set to sci.electronics.repair.

In sci.electronics.repair Don Phillipson <e925@spamblock.ncf.ca> wrote:
Some questions:
1. What is capton tape for?

Kapton. Looks like it's being used as a heat shield, to keep other
solder joints on the board from melting, while the USB connector is
being desoldered. In other applications, it's used as insulation. It
is available in a variety of thicknesses and widths. Any electronics
assembly shop probably has some kicking around.

Matt Roberds
Click to expand...
 
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