xiskillo | # 2201 | 2011-05-31, 16:21 | Report

Very disappointed and do not know what to do ... unfortunately I am one of the users of the N900 to it broke the USB, I take it to nokia service from 10 days ago and today received a message saying that it had to offer the phone.

To my surprise I had given a Nokia E7, that no longer makes Nokia N900, supposedly now this is the flagship of Nokia (for price if it is). But as we all know, this phone is a little **** compared to the possibilities of our N900 and other brands.

Do not know if I can claim to Nokia on this central event, but I am very saddened by the loss of this great N900.

Maybe try to sell cheap and buy me Galaxy S2 | | HTC Sensation with vodafone ..

I'm screwed.

Texrat | # 2202 | 2011-05-31, 16:51 | Report

A little bit of epoxy applied to each side of the connector should do it.

Texrat | # 2203 | 2011-05-31, 16:55 | Report

I appreciate your comments here very much, but that's just a bit disingenuous. The usb port is expected to be used, and breakage in most cases is due to normal use.

http://tabulacrypticum.wordpress.com...-do-something/ (see poll stats)

abill_uk | # 2204 | 2011-05-31, 17:11 | Report

The more i read the more i realise no matter if is already a replacement from Nokia it will still break off because the sides of the port itself is not soldered down enough to withstand even normal use over a period of time then breaks away from the m/b.

I am certain that when soldered down properly it will not break away again but the problem is it has to be done right or the solder will not be strong enough.

The only way for everyone is to modify BEFORE it breaks away and solder down each side of the metal case by scraping away the paint on the board and using a hot iron and flux to make the solder adhere to both board and jacket of usb port making it a solid soldered job rather than a dry jointed one.

Do this and you will never have to solder the rear data pins as the jacket will hold fast and never move to cause a break.

Glue of any kind will only last so long and nothing as good as a soldered mod.

For this modification you do not need to be an smd expert as the usb port is already on the board and the iron used does not have to be so small a tip, much easier mod for the hobbiest BUT once it breaks away taking the data tracks off the board it no longer becomes a simple mod and must be done by a competent solderer.

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Last edited by abill_uk; 2011-05-31 at 17:15.

Texrat | # 2205 | 2011-05-31, 17:31 | Report

Properly applied industrial epoxy will outlast the device.

My concern with re-soldering the tabs has to do with surface preparation. The original connectors were either not tinned, badly tinned, or contaminated. Amateurs handling replacement connectors risk the latter.

abill_uk | # 2206 | 2011-05-31, 17:49 | Report

Industrial epoxy is not normally available to end user unless he has connections but yes your right but not in all cases and remember the usb port itself is very small and you would probably have to ocmpletely cover it over a large area to do the job properly, not good if you ever have a dry joint situation after.

It is very easy to clean and scrape even the port jacket with a sharp hobbiest knife and when you use flux it cleans the metal anyhow as well as the copper on the board, use a hot enough iron and job done finished without the worry of a short circuit as your only soldering the sides and not the pins on the rear, a much easier job to do i promise you.

I never have liked the idea of epoxy because if something goes wrong after and you need access under the epoxy you got one hell of an impossible situation on your hands, when you solder it can always be reversed very easily, that is the difference between both situations Randall.

A preventative fix is such a small job we are talking about here as it only takes maybe 3 or 4 minutes to complete once you got the N900 apart and then re-assemble job done.

I have never seen a Nokia replacement that people say feels a lot stronger when they push the usb plug to socket but i bet you they have soldered in the way i have explained and no way they would expoxy because too many components around the port.

Texrat | # 2207 | 2011-05-31, 17:53 | Report

I can get stuff that's good enough at my local hardware stores.

abill_uk | # 2208 | 2011-05-31, 17:59 | Report

I still do not agree with epoxy as a remedy as you STILL have to take the device apart to do even that so why not do the simple soldering job needed for a preventative fix?.

A thought for you here ok.... the jacket may well stay soldered but what if the plastic inside of the jacket breaks up or you need to replace the port itself for any reason? this expoxy your on about is not possible in that small area to hold indef and to get it off will be a nightmare of a situation.

Texrat | # 2209 | 2011-05-31, 18:20 | Report

I'm not arguing with your point-- but the soldering job is out of the reach of the average user. Many more could manage an epoxy job. And I have used dispensing needles that are small enough to get to the spots without disassembling the N900.

ejasmudar | # 2210 | 2011-05-31, 18:25 | Report

I have just read a few posts in this thread (I plan to cover it more in detail at work tomorrow ), and you're right, I am not at all confident with a soldering iron. So, epoxy is my only choice. Also, disassembling would only be my last choice.

So, my question is, if I use a pin or needle to apply the epoxy to the edges of the usb port without removing the casing, will it be enough? What should I do to prevent gluing the casing shut?