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jchammons is offline jchammons
2010-02-25 , 22:48
Posts: 17 | Thanked: 1 time | Joined on Dec 2009
#11
Nokia replaced my N900's weak USB port when it broke after a month. Then, I learned and I just filed down the charger's hooks as is mentioned elsewhere on this forum and I haven't had a problem since.

Some forum members were also passing around the authorized Nokia disassembly guide, so it's good to know an experienced person such as yourself has done this successfully. That means there is hope for my meat head and sausage fingers to fix mine should it ever break again.

Thanks!
 
cr0c0 is offline cr0c0
2010-02-25 , 22:57
Posts: 147 | Thanked: 228 times | Joined on Feb 2010 @ Toronto, Canada
#12
Originally Posted by atunguyd View Post
IT might be worth adding one thing to your instructions. Before applying the epoxy wipe the usb connector and surrounding PCB area with an ear bud soaked in ethanol (alcohol) or acetone (nail polish remover). This will remove any flux that may still exist on the board from manufacture and ensure a better bond for the epoxy.
Very good point, I actually hadn't thought of it. It should definitely help. I can't go back and redo mine, it's epoxied for good.

It might also be a good idea to try somehow cover the holes in the USB socket to ensure that epoxy does not get into it and prevent the plug from being inserted cleanly. I have been trying to think of a way to acomplish this. One ide is to use very small pieces of blue-tac (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blu-Tack) since if these get through to the internal connecter they should be harmless and probably come out with the plug next time it is removed.
Alternatively gaffer tape or masking tape would work too. I opted not to bother, and just keep the epoxy mainly in the back of the USB port. Not that you don't have enough room to apply more of it. The way the n900 is designed, the system board has a LOT of room around it where the USB port is located.

I intend to do this mod to my N900 this weekend. As they say prevention is better than cure.
Well, this fix only applies to working N900s. Once the USB port breaks, there's nothing you can do about it.

Originally Posted by Hoxzer View Post
Many of us, especially with no experience in hardware modding have no courage to open their 500 euro phone just to make sure it doesn't break. I rather risk my USB port breaking and then returning it to nokia for repairs than void my warranty. Of course it is different in your case as you didn't have the warranty in the first place.
I understand completely, but I can't be the only one who bought his n900 on the grey market without warranty. And believe me, I was very nervous about taking apart my n900, especially after seeing those guys butcher it in the youtube clip, and having no other instructions to follow.

Then again, I have some experience repairing laptops, so that helped. The main rule to follow is that nothing should take a lot of force to take apart.
 

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TA-t3 is offline TA-t3
2010-02-26 , 17:12
Posts: 3,841 | Thanked: 1,079 times | Joined on Nov 2006
#13
I have a DDP device so I'm without a warranty and thus extremely concerned about a possible future break of the USB port. I'm also an electronics engineer. Despite this, I'm very hesitant to dismantle my N900 so that I could epoxy the USB port. I did watch the original disassembly video that was posted on a gadget site a while back, but I simply don't feel comfortable with disassembling/re-assembling small devices like the N900. Give me an old TV any day though..
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v13 is offline v13
2010-02-26 , 17:37
Posts: 376 | Thanked: 511 times | Joined on Aug 2009 @ Greece
#14
Originally Posted by Toufmag View Post
I put silicon spray on my finger and after on the plug and now it's easy to charge with the usb cable
Can you please explain this a bit more;

You did this instead of using the epoxy; You did this without opening the phone;
 
jerryfreak is offline jerryfreak
2010-02-26 , 18:01
Posts: 427 | Thanked: 160 times | Joined on Nov 2009
#15
can someone link to the 'filing down the usb cable hooks' details?

thanks
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slender is offline slender
2010-02-26 , 18:13
Posts: 2,829 | Thanked: 1,459 times | Joined on Dec 2009 @ Finland
#16
Originally Posted by jerryfreak View Post
can someone link to the 'filing down the usb cable hooks' details?

thanks
http://talk.maemo.org/showpost.php?p...&postcount=188
 

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sophocha is offline sophocha
2010-02-26 , 18:20
Posts: 559 | Thanked: 166 times | Joined on Jan 2010 @ Cyprus
#17
Why not use epoxy between the plastic cover around it and the usb port just for preventative measure?I was thinking about it the other day.This way it will held for longer.
 
cr0c0 is offline cr0c0
2010-02-26 , 18:30
Posts: 147 | Thanked: 228 times | Joined on Feb 2010 @ Toronto, Canada
#18
Originally Posted by sophocha View Post
Why not use epoxy between the plastic cover around it and the usb port just for preventative measure?I was thinking about it the other day.This way it will held for longer.
Because unfortunately that is impossible. You have the case at the bottom, then the system board mounts upside-down into it, with the USB port, camera, etc facing into the plastic casing. You have to remove the system board from the casing in order to access the USB port and the empty space underneath.

Even if you considered filling up that space with epoxy, you need to be careful not to cover up the hole for the LCD screw, while building it up high enough to reach the USB port. And epoxy dries up extremely fast, becoming brittle if you try to remould it. But once it cures, usually within 24h, it can be sanded down as reshaped that way.

If someone can come up with a way to do it though, I'd like to hear it.
Last edited by cr0c0; 2010-02-26 at 18:33.
 
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thorbo is offline thorbo
2010-02-26 , 18:45
Posts: 161 | Thanked: 55 times | Joined on Dec 2006 @ SLO, CA; United States
#19
I actually had a thread on this a month or so ago, but the chief holdup for me was that I would void the warranty in the event that some other issue were to pop up. Now, if this machine makes it past the end of my warranty period (one year, U.S. -- as I understand it), then it is the first thing I will do. Probably that day. Watching the assembly, dis-assembly video shows that technically it is really not all that challenging. Glad to see you have done it, though. Gives me hope when the time comes.
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blue_led is offline blue_led
2010-02-26 , 18:46
Posts: 306 | Thanked: 566 times | Joined on Jan 2010 @ Romania
#20
My solution
i don't want to wait and i fix this in advance . put some epoxy between secondary board and usb socket have placebo efect because secondary board is fixed with dual face adhesive sponge .

Advice . protect camera lens when solder
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Last edited by blue_led; 2010-02-26 at 19:06.
 

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