FP1(U): USB connector / part number and order information

Hey! Did you somehow fix it? I think i have to replace my USB connector as well. My phone fell down to the floor while still being connected with a charger and now I have to adjust pressure from the bottom in order to recharge it. So I think changing this might fix the issue. I would be happy to hear how you proceeded with your usb connector and what issues you had to deal with…

Hello madde,

I tried to resolder the pins to the PCB, but I was not able to scratch off enough solder-stop to connect the connector pins to the tracks.
Then I tried to wire the connector pins directly to the components from wich I think the pins connect. I could solder wires to the connector, but the other components are reaaaaly small that was unsuccesful as well.

The black rectangular componet just below the connector is by the way a proximity sensor to lock your phone display when you hold your phone at your cheeck while doing a call. I removed this component during my attemps to fix the phone, but then the screen did not lock anymore. This component was absolutely impossible to be removed with a standard soldering device, because it has not touchable pins.

I’m not an absolute beginner w hen it comes to soldering, but neither perfectly experienced and equipped with tools. I think that fixing this board might be possible for a professional repair shop.

I eventually ordered a new PCB, which was about 120€ after shipment costs etc. I broke that again after a couple of weeks, also by dropping the phone while it was connected to the charger and catching it on the cable by reflex. I’ll now stay at charging the phone like in the attached picture. Since the charger connector does anyway not fit to the badly designed phone cover, I always have everything I need :smile:

I need to position the phone like in the picture, and when I shortly tip on the upper part of the phone, it starts charging. USB connection does not work for me, and for moving files from the phone I now need to use a cloud service (copy.com works fine for me).

This all is quite inconvenient, but is works fine I don’t want to buy my third PCB that I’m afraid to break again. But when I will do that at some point, I will add a drop of super glue between the pins of the USB connector.

Best Regards,
Ulminpoika

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I’d love to find a cheap solution for this!

Have the cable loading problem as well and USB does not connect at all any more to my computer.

How can I send recorded audio files to a computer? I did not find any ‘sending’ with or uploading button in the app. Does somebody has a solution to this?

Best,
Wi

bluetooth file transfer (presuming your computer has bluetooth)? Various apps for this, e.g. Airdroid - I would be surprised if they doesn’t find this kind of audio file formats.

Or send them as e-mail attachments if there are just a few of them.

You need to locate your files in the file manager of the phone. (They should be in the folder “Recordings”.)

I hope my reply can help you even if your post is a bit old now!
It happens the same to me. The USB connector did not work anymore and it charged only in that position.
I’ve opened the phone and discovered that the PCB tracks soldered to the three central USB pins were broken (but you can still have some contact pushing the pins downward pushing the connector like you did).
I solved this way (with the help of a professional microscope and the help of my solder-wizard Fabio M.:
We have:

  • removed the connector by unsoldering the remaining two lateral pins and the four ground pins.
  • Cleaned the PCB from soldering tin
  • I ordered a new USB connector from Farnell (the old one was probably usable but I preferred to buy a new one for less that 2 euros)
  • the old PCB tracks were not usable anymore so he has soldered three small wires on the central pins and then soldered them to the three resistors to the left of the connector (see picture).
  • remount everything and I got it! My Fairphone was back!

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Hey @Nicedears!

Could you please post the ordering code for the farnell-connector?

best regards!

Hi Nicedears, excellent work. But as the previous poster has said, would be very usefull if you could post the code for the component on Farnell. They have a bewildering array of components on sale there. Thanks.

Nice, thanks, but unfortunately this is beyond my skills and two repair companies refused to do this as well. I guess new motherboard is the only option for me… :frowning:

Maybe you find someone here on the forum, who lives near you and can help. If you want to try it, you can open a new thread (use the button “Reply as linked Topic” next to a post) in the Repair category of the forum. :sunny:

I moved a post to a new topic: If I replace my motherboard, do I need to make a backup?

I can’t see information about the part needed for this repair in this thread, despite the title stating the opposite. Google gave me this:
http://uk.farnell.com/fci/10104110-0001lf/micro-usb-2-0-type-b-receptacle/dp/2293753

Can someone confirm that this is the part?

for reference, i’m adding a picture of my FP1 USB connector:

notes:

  • red arrow points to where the USB socket connections have lifted off
  • green arrow points to the circuit board connection pads
  • blue arrow shows the USB connector pulled out of the circuit board
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I have done exactly this too :frowning: Is very annoying to have to prop your phone just right to get it to charge :frowning: Hurry up FP2… (and please have a stronger connector)

I have the same problem, for the second time now, and without dropping the phone, just by using the USB connector. Very annoying indeed…

I’ll try to find someone to repair it here.

Well, in this case you should definitely qualify for a warranty repair. Contact Fairphone support and describe the problem, I think you will be offered a free repair immediately. Geht auch auf deutsch.

Has the part number that Peter_A posted ever been confirmed? A friend of mine needs to buy a usb connector for his FP1(U). A little stone got stuck into his connector and when he poked it out, he somehow damaged the connector. Now he gets a too high voltage warning whenever he turns his phone on and the battery doesn’t load anymore. In a repairshop they told him that they have to change the usb, but that they don’t have spare parts for chinese phones. So it would be great for him to buy the right connector and bring it to the repair shop, because a new mainboard would be too expensive…

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I fear my USB-connector is also broken (but to check it by disassembling still stands at my plan)

My question: does anybody know, if FP itself does FIX broken USB-connectors or do they only replace the motherboard (which would not a very sustainable way to go) if FPs are sent in for repair?

What a pitty, that FP did not solve the quite early stated weak point (see quote below) of the USB connector strength…it was dedicated to break sooner or later…
Cheers, Robert

Findings of the restart project about an early FP1 prototype (Oct 3, 2013)

“In addition to this, we have identified another possible weak point in
the microUSB connector, which looks as if it is held just by the
soldering (there might be glue as well). The problem is that the stress
of the insertion/ejection of the USB connector will be dealt with
entirely with the soldering points, which could reduce its durability.
One alternative design for a future model could involve putting it on a
small cable and connector so it can be replaced and won’t damage the
main board if broken.”

Edit: Maybe @anon90052001 can provide us with an information about this?
For reasons of transparency you could also feed us with some numbers of infected / sent-in FP1 with a broken USB-connetor?
(Although I know it would not count as advertisement for FP, but anyway all FP1s are already sold and you for sure included this for the FP2 in “lessons learned from developing two fairphones”, right?)

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Hi urs_lesse, tride that - and nope, the only offer is to sell me a new mainboard. And as it is out of stock both for the FP1 and for the FP1U right now, I’m not even sure if that would be possible.

Anyway: I am NOT willing to spent more than 120 Euros (incl. shipping) for a new mainboard - with the perspective of having to do so again every other year! A part from the considerable costs, this is not really sustainable considering the raw materials a mainboard is made from…

I’m still trying to find someone here in my region who would dare to give soldering a try.

I am deeply dissappointed about Fairphone policies on dealing with this obviously well known predetermined breaking point. My FP experience will end here.

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Sorry to hear. And sorry for creating false hopes, I certainly won’t do so again.