Since the plastic housing in the micro USB end of my USB cable was falling apart, I decided to open it up to see what's inside. The following will be half a recount of what I did and half instructional directions.
The cable actually uses a very surprising design. The wires aren't soldered onto the micro USB receptacle, but instead there are vampire teeth (because they puncture two holes into the wire) like contacts on the plug that pierce into the wire through the insulation.
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The wires are threaded into this green plastic retainer through each of the 4 holes. Directly above each hole, there is a letter in the recessed triangle area shown below but they are so small that they are invisible to my Note 2's camera.
The letters read from left to right as follows: R W G B - corresponding to Red, White, Green and Black respectively as shown in the above picture.
And here is a closeup of the vampire teeth contacts:
Note that there are only 4 contacts - there isn't one for pin 5 ID, meaning you can't make it an OTG plug.
What I did was ditch the original cable for a 3 metre long one. I just so happened to have a broken 3m Apple Lightning Cable lying around, so I cut the Lightning connector and stripped the white cable by about 1 cm, leaving the individual coloured cables unstripped.
In order to remove the cable anchor, I had to strip it off the original cable like you would with a regular wire (without cutting through the core and pulling the insulation off), cut it lengthwise (horizontally/inline with the micro USB connector) then remove the twisted wire and foil shielding. Then from the inside of the anchor I also had to remove the remnant cable insulation to accommodate for the new cable.
Then in the correct order, I insert the four wires into the green plastic retainer and snap it back against the vampire teeth contacts. To ensure they make good contact, I used a pair of pliers to clamp the green plastic retainer into the dark grey vampire teeth holder with just enough force to not break the plastic (if that made sense). At this stage, plug the cable into the phone and then to a computer to make sure it is making good contact to avoid having to open it up again.
I then re-assembled the metal case (noting the up/down orientation) and crimped the wire anchor securely onto the new cable.
To re-install the two halves of the cable anchor, I used a generous amount of brush-on super glue on anything that needed it, also noting the up/down orientation of the parts. If unsure, assemble the connector without any glue to ensure the correct orientation.
And this is the finished product! It is as close to original as I could make it without using the "traditional cut-both-cables-and-reconnect-Frankestine-style-using-heatshrink" method. As seen here, the cut made to the cable anchor is visible but it seems like a very stable bond.
The plastic casing is almost as if it hadn't been opened before.
Now I have a custom-made 3m micro USB cable that looks like the stock one, but with much more flexibility!
Wow! Thanks for the very informative post. I've been staring at a pile of near dead cables wondering if it would be easy to revive them.
Are you getting a full charge strength through it (using something like GCC to measure)? All the microusb cables I've bought thus far won't carry but maybe 700, if I'm lucky; generally about 400.
-----
I would love to help you, but help yourself first: ask a better question
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
spycedtx said:
Wow! Thanks for the very informative post. I've been staring at a pile of near dead cables wondering if it would be easy to revive them.
Are you getting a full charge strength through it (using something like GCC to measure)? All the microusb cables I've bought thus far won't carry but maybe 700, if I'm lucky; generally about 400.
-----
I would love to help you, but help yourself first: ask a better question
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I suppose I am getting a full charge current. It's the same reading as the stock cable, anyway. 1698 mA is about 1.7 A.
Update: Realistically though, I think it only charges at around 300 mA, which leads to my Note 2 to charge to only 80% in 8 hours. How disappointing. I should've known better than to use a cheap generic cable that was obviously too thin.
Good looking job anyway!
Do you suppose this plug could survive another operation?
looks very good
vantt1 said:
Update: Realistically though, I think it only charges at around 300 mA, which leads to my Note 2 to charge to only 80% in 8 hours. How disappointing. I should've known better than to use a cheap generic cable that was obviously too thin.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The ONLY cable I trust is from monoprice: http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=103&cp_id=10303&cs_id=1030307&p_id=5457&seq=1&format=2 (you can also find it on amazon).
They clearly specify 24AWG rating for power wires (max 3.5A), and 28AWG rating for signal. Plus you get ferrite core filter, which I suspect only wrapped around power wires to filter out any high current spikes and to keep EMI away from signal wires, and gold plated connectors. I have been using these wires at home and in my car for years. For $1.20 (for 3ft) and also in black or white and 1.5ft, 3ft, 6ft, 10ft, and 15ft variation you can't beat it.
vectron said:
The ONLY cable I trust is from monoprice: http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=103&cp_id=10303&cs_id=1030307&p_id=5457&seq=1&format=2 (you can also find it on amazon).
They clearly specify 24AWG rating for power wires (max 3.5A), and 28AWG rating for signal. Plus you get ferrite core filter, which I suspect only wrapped around power wires to filter out any high current spikes and to keep EMI away from signal wires, and gold plated connectors. I have been using these wires at home and in my car for years. For $1.20 (for 3ft) and also in black or white and 1.5ft, 3ft, 6ft, 10ft, and 15ft variation you can't beat it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you tried the 10 or 15ft version?
vantt1 said:
Have you tried the 10 or 15ft version?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, only have 6ft version; found it to be the most ideal length in the car and also at home/work.
With a wire that thick, 15ft will not be a problem since you will have a very small voltage drop.
The problem with ebay and some other cheap amazon cables, they use pc usb wires intended for 500 mA standard.
I was looking for a high quality USB cord. All of them have been pos (plural form) I just ordered 3...for that price you can't beat it.... Just need a spare charger that gives me a rated 1.8 minimum. I see it's an ongoing problem with the cords and or chargers when it comes to these phones. This really helped. Thanks
Sent from my SGH-T889 using xda app-developers app
It might be possible for me to go down to an electronics shop, buy a long 4 core 24-ish AWG cable and make my own high-current USB cable from my existing cable.
Nice work!
I just don't see how in the world you got the white cover off.
My phone slid onto the floor while charging and I guess landed just right. It bent the end of my oem cable (the only freaking cable I had that would charge "quickly")
It is bent at about a 45 degree angle. It also pulled the white casing apart a little.
Since the cable is pretty much useless now, I decided to try to pry that piece open so I could look inside and see if there was anything I could do to "fix"it.
I have been trying for 30 minutes and I cant get it apart. It won't budge except that it is starting to crack.
I guess I'm just not capable of doing these things.
Sent From My Ginormous Note 2
planetbeen said:
I just don't see how in the world you got the white cover off.
My phone slid onto the floor while charging and I guess landed just right. It bent the end of my oem cable (the only freaking cable I had that would charge "quickly")
It is bent at about a 45 degree angle. It also pulled the white casing apart a little.
Since the cable is pretty much useless now, I decided to try to pry that piece open so I could look inside and see if there was anything I could do to "fix"it.
I have been trying for 30 minutes and I cant get it apart. It won't budge except that it is starting to crack.
I guess I'm just not capable of doing these things.
Sent From My Ginormous Note 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine just so happened to conveniently break along the seam on one side, so I just needed to lift it up. Also, I'd consider myself to be pretty good at taking things apart without breaking them, then reassembling it to look like it hasn't been opened before.
Related
I finally made one.
wanted to do this for a long time.
One of the harder mods i made.
-extremly small solder points.
-should still be water resistant afterwards
-wont charge without data pins connected - but usb should still be usable.
here it is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOSdcRLA-mo
I spend more then 10 hours in total to do this. Was it worth it?
=D hell yeah!
strong electromagnetic field does not damage data on a memory card?
its not long term
yes you can charge like this but with this kind of chargers your phone's life + memory life will reduce because of strong magnetic / electromagnetic field so try use it in emergency only
rucheat said:
yes you can charge like this but with this kind of chargers your phone's life + memory life will reduce because of strong magnetic / electromagnetic field so try use it in emergency only
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i call bull****! sorry to sound like a prick, but i strongly dislike people talking out of there ass about things they don`t know **** about.
This wont damage anything. Infact, this "strong magnetic / electromagnetic field" won`t even reach the phone.
Maybe you read some more about that topic:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inductive_charging
http://www.engadget.com/tag/inductive charging/
Hi puked,
I would be very interested in knowing more about this mod you created. Good work by the way.
I was planning on doing something similar, I wanted to modify the car dock to charge the phone automatically when docked. I was thinking of adding 2 contact points on the back cover which would mate up with springs or some such on the car dock. I hate having to plug cables into the phone when putting the phone into the dock, bluetooth takes care of the audio nicely, just needed to get the charging sorted!
I'm particulary interested in hearing your experience of where you tapped into in the Defy. Did you solder directly to the back of the the USB connector? And you mentioned needing to connect the data pins to invoke charging, can you explain a little more?
hi jurgen,
i should have made some photos during the process of making the mod. Sorry for that -.-
Yeah, I soldered directly to the back of the USB port. Only one wire needed for Vcc.
A pinout can be found here:
http://www.talkandroid.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/pinout-microUSB1.png
this is the micro USB port, when you look into it from the front.
A guide, how to disassemble the phone can be found via youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uSH1UuEOvI
you only need to remove the backcover and the plastic shielding over the USB Port - this is easy.
To be able to reach the pin for soldering, you need to remove the antenna, too.
I drilled a hole into the plastic shielding to lead the cable through. You have to do this; there is no room to lead the cable otherwise.
Put the plastic shield back on, and fixate the cable on it.
to lead this point to the top of the battery, I used adhesive copper-foil.
GND can be taken from different points - I used the slot of the sim-card. lead this point to the top, too.
The receiver i used is from the cover of a palm pre.
The problem I had after I finished the mod: Phone won`t charge. Why? Well - dumb Moto decided the phone will only charge if USB is connected. You have to shorten the Data-Pins.
How did I do this? I got myself some micro USB plugs. remove the pins and dremel/saw it so small, that it fits into the slot completely. Remove the metal shielding and insert one of the pins from underneath (there are small holes, that normaly hold the pins in place). you eventually have to melt the plastic between the holes, so that the metal bridge fits. It should be flat and not stick out. You now have to shorten the pins sticking out on top, so that they are exactly as long as the pins would be.
Sound complicated and is complicated and damn frustrating, cause the whole thing is so tiny. we are talking about maybe 2mm at most.
Afterwards you have to isolate the whole thing. Instead of re-attaching. the metal shield, use some duct tape or similar.
This thing is sturdy if done correctly and easily removable, if you should need the USB Port.
I`m sure there are other possibilities do do make such a plug. This method worked for me.
I`ll make some photos later and post some links to a similar project for the Samsung Galaxy+. I hope it`ll be quite clear afterwards.
If someone wants to do this mod, I suggest you to start with the micro USB plug. Would be very frustrating, if you mod the phone first, and fail making a plug. Without it the whole mod is useless.
Maybe someone knows if it is possible to change something in software (CM7), so that the damn phone will charge without the pins connected. I still hope, this is possible, but didn`t get any feedback to this question as of yet.
Thank you for the very detailed response and the links.
I'll look into the links later, the shorting plug sounds like a pain to get right! Hopefully, as you say, there is a software setting/workaround that can bypass this.
Very interesting project!!! Impressive! One question that comes up: How long does it take to fully charge the battery?
Hi puked,
that's awesome work, congratulations for getting it working!
I did the same thing to my defy a couple of months ago, but I had less success unfortunately. I soldered it in and, like you, I noticed it did not charge when power was applied to the port. I eventually figured out that the pins need to be shorted, so did so, and have managed to nearly get it working.
The problem is, it only works if i take the coil out of the back and push it onto the touchstone base so there is little to no air gap. If it's even slightly off centre, the charging constantly restarts and it doesn't work. I haven't managed to get it to work with the coil in the case. I haven't installed the magnets/steel discs, as I wanted to get it working reliably first.
I wanted to ask, did you find it had to be perfectly centred for it to work? Did gluing the magnets in help here? Did you do anything special with the metal sheild behind the coil?
Craig
puked said:
i should have made some photos during the process of making the mod. Sorry for that -.-
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Puked,
Can you please take the battery cover of your phone and make a picture of the inside? This might help me to see if I will try to make this mod myself....
Thank you.
Hi Puked
First of all Thanks and Congratulations for making it work. Awaiting photos before I touch the screw drivers
Hi and sorry for not responding for such a long time. I´m very busy at the moment, sorry :/
I promise i will make some more photos this evening and update this post with them.
To answer Craigms questions:
I cut the "metal shield, so that it fits - it`s a bit to wide to fit in without shortening. I diden`t use the little round metal plates from the palm cover (these are no magnets), instead i used sheeting from a tin.
To find the best spot on the touchstone, i used wires to link cover and phone, so that i could move the cover around. when i found the optimal place on the touchstone, i attached the sheeting and fixated it.
I also had to dremel down the plastic inside the battery cover so that it fits and closes without pressure.
Notice: The first touchstones seem to be faulty - they have problems even with the original HP phones.
I have problems aligning the phone as well, sometimes. But that only happens, if battery drops below ~30% - that rarely happens since I modded my phone.
Edit:
pictures:
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Nice work. I've actually just finished a Touchstone Car-Cradle for my Defy.
My problem is the shorting of the data pins... damn those tiny plug .
Puked, you wrote that one doesn't need the metal shielding of the plug but in the picture you've posted there is a metal shield around the plug... Without the shield it seemed to me, that the plug is too lose and the data pins have no connection. On the other hand, with shield it's really hard to remove the plug from the defy... in fact there's currently one stuck in the USB port :|.
Having destroyed three plugs with my oversized soldering iron, I now need to wait for new ones before I can continue :/.
Could you please post a picture of the micro-USB plug alone? So I can maybe follow your lead
Yeah - the plug is a pain in the ass. If I would have known, that the phone wont charge without them connected, I could have solved this problem in a different way.
best thing to do would be to solder 2 more cables to the data pins and shortem them via battery cover - similar how I did it with Vcc and ground - just with data.
You are indeed right - there is a metal shielding. I made a new plug. Will make photos later.
btw. I still believe (hope) that one could make the phone charge without the pins shortened via software.
So after ending up on my third cable, I've decided to attempt a fix for the problem. The issue that I've had is the end flexing to much/often ending in broken solder joints at the micro USB connection. To alleviate this I performed the following...
1. Carefully drill o hole in the top of the connector shell above the n. This hole needs only be large enough to allow air to escape.
2. Drill second hole below n on connector, slightly larger to accept end of mixing nozzle from 5 min epoxy.
3. Insert end off mixing tube into second hole and fill case to capacity. Allow to partially set and trim overflow/excess with razor knife or similar tool.
After doing this the circuit board and connector in the end of the cable are potted in epoxy and can no longer flex at the solder joint.
Hopefully this will end the problem. Be aware that this WILL cancel any warranty on the cable!! There will be obvious holes in the plastic, although they will be filled with epoxy if done correctly.
Pics to follow...
Sent from my NookColor using xda premium
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The epoxy I used...as a bonus the connector is now water resistant
The holes I drilled..could be placed on bottom or side...just be careful not to go too far and wreck the PCB or wires
The placement of the mixer tube...I did this with the connector flat on the table and the syringe straight up and down so as to get good injection.
Sent from my NookColor using xda premium
Edit:
A few hours down the road..epoxy has fully cured...zero flex on the connector now..like its set in concrete. Cable is functioning perfectly. Noticed that some resinmust have forced into the jacketing of the cable...really stiff for a half inch or so directly from the plastic end shell...additional stress relief?
Next up, I will attempt to repair the last cable I had...the one that the end DIDN'T break all the way off.
Sent from my NookColor using xda premium
Please do report back. I have a dead cable on my desk right now. Where did you get the epoxy?
Sent from my NookColor using xda premium
Local hardware store...having trouble finding the other cable...think the wife may have tossed it...
The one I did the fix on is holding up well. Maybe to well. I'm almost thinking about opening my NC up and putting a blob of epoxy on the internal connector...all the stress is on it now.
Edit: update on second cable...
Its a no go. Apparently there must have been damage to the chips inside the end. All I can get is the red led out of it. Wish I had a good magnifying set to see the part numbers...this thing doesn't look that hard to duplicate, other than getting a hold of that 12 pin end.
Sent from my NookColor using xda premium
k8108 said:
... I have a dead cable on my desk right now. ...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Take it to B&N and swap it out.
Yep, I have to agree. Get a new on from B&N. The traces on the PCB in the end connector are beyond most peoples skills to fix. They are damn small.
As I stated above..this fix has completely solidified my cables end...but it is putting more stress on the receptacle in the nook itself. I'm starting to think that the cable design is no accident..the cable is cheaper for B&N to replace than the cost for replacing/fixing the NC itself.
Sent from my NookColor using xda premium
MISRy said:
Take it to B&N and swap it out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm on my 5th or more cord right now. I tried taking them to my local BN, but no go. I have to call and get a new one sent to me. I got the extended warranty on my NC, thank goodness! So I will just keep calling away when my cord breaks. They never give me a hard time about replacing them.
Sent from my NookColor using xda premium
I used my charger from my blackberry..it worked in a pinch until i got my replacement B&N cable...I don't think it ever fully charged but it was enough to get me by
deadbot1 said:
[...] As I stated above..this fix has completely solidified my cables end...but it is putting more stress on the receptacle in the nook itself. I'm starting to think that the cable design is no accident..the cable is cheaper for B&N to replace than the cost for replacing/fixing the NC itself.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've purchased some Sugru and plan to try reinforcing my NC charge cables. I tested it on another connector, and it provides a strong yet flexible shroud. It might be a good middle ground. I'll be able to test this weekend.
Good luck. The problem( for me at least) has never been the cable, but rather the solder joint where the micro USB joins to the tiny PCB in the end( the circuit with the leds for the n logo). That seems to be the major stress point. All my fix does is prevent that joint from flexing. It does this by supporting both the connector and the PCB at the same time.
I'm not sure about using sugru inside that same area. I don't know if it is electrically inert or not. MOST epoxy resins are, especially the clear ones.
Sent from my NookColor using xda premium
I'm hoping using Sugru over the joint where the cable inserts into the 'n' LED housing will reduce that flexing without making it too rigid. A bit more to widen up the cable housing where it inserts into the NC to stabilize the plug and reduce flex on the device.
Then again, a sample of one means nothing. I just hope to keep it working longer.
Your caution about merely transferring the strain to the internal connector is appreciated!
bobstro said:
I'm hoping using Sugru over the joint where the cable inserts into the 'n' LED housing will reduce that flexing without making it too rigid. A bit more to widen up the cable housing where it inserts into the NC to stabilize the plug and reduce flex on the device.
Then again, a sample of one means nothing. I just hope to keep it working longer.
Your caution about merely transferring the strain to the internal connector is appreciated!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Anything touching the metal at the end of the plug will stop it from fully inserting into the charging port. I think the epoxy method is the best way to help the cable. Another alternative would be a charging dock that doesn't allow the cable to be pulled down but this would preclude the option of using the nook while charging.
I have lost 3 cables now...
Well, so far so good. My "fixed" cable seems to be holding up just fine. Still have my concerns about overstressing the connector on the nook itself...but so far no issues. Guess if it breaks ill just have to upgrade to a more expensive toy.
Sent from my NookColor using xda premium
Thanks for this post. the nook charger is kind of stupid expensive for what it is. I saw a thing once that you could adhere to a device and it would hold the cable out away from the dock. Can't find it now (that i'm actually looking for it) but it seems like it would take stress off the dock and weak parts of the cable.
I've been thinking and looking at it more. I'm toying with modifying the connector end so that it will sort of go over the nook body, giving no area for flexing the internal connector. Instead of a plug in it would end up being the plug in the center, with stabilizers over the top and against the back. Still figuring out how to make it. Sugru doesn't seem strong enough. Maybe ill do a modified paper mache using epoxy as the binder.
Will post pics and process when I get it figured out. Suggestions welcome!
Sent from my NookColor using xda premium
I'd try InstaMorph or some steel filled epoxy putty, although the latter might be too rigid. InstaMorph is nice because you can reuse it.
Is not posible just to use a normal USB to microUSB cable with the Nook Charger... i mean, just replace the USB cable?
A 'normal' microUSB cable will charge at a low rate compared to the stock NC cable and suitable power supply.
bbqncigars said:
A 'normal' microUSB cable will charge at a low rate compared to the stock NC cable and suitable power supply.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks.... didn't know that. My kids have gone thru three on their two nooks, and mine finally broke. Any good sources for a high rate cable? Bought one for my son an B&N before for like$25.... ridiculous!
Sent from my SPH-D700 using xda premium
So I bought THIS DOCK off eBay, and if you're looking for one, this is the one to get since it's a US seller who is only charging $1 more for it than the one you have to wait 2+ weeks for coming out of China:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/160860164735?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649
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Images above borrowed from the eBay auction page, they are not my own images
If you can't find this one months or years after it disappears from eBay, you're looking for something similar to a Charging & Syncing Docking Station Dock Cradle for ASUS Google Nexus 7. All in all, it's a good dock, I felt it leaned a little forward prior to installing a case on the N7, but some people may want that for their uses - I personally have it mounted on my charging valet in my bedroom, so it is a little above my waist when looking at it on the dock, in which case I'd like it to lean a little further back compared to the intended usage of placing it on your desk at work so that it's nearly at eye level.
When I got the Cruzerlite case for the N7, the dock wasn't going to work at ALL. The MicroUSB charging port wouldn't even come close to mating up to the connector on the stand, and would put the N7 at a horrible viewing angle even if it did, leaning like 20+ degrees forward instead of 10 degrees backwards! So time to get to work on this lovely Labor Day, here's what you'll need to modify the dock:
Eyeglass Phillips Screwdriver
Small Flathead Screwdriver
Needle-Nose Pliers
Electrical Tape
X-Acto Knife
Crazy Glue / CA Glue (for hobbies and crafts) / Hot Glue Gun and Glue Sticks
Protective Eyewear
Sanding Apparatus (I used a belt sander, but if you don't have one, use a Dremel or good old fashioned hand sand paper)
Finishing Sand Paper (400 grit and up)
USB charging plug out in the garage or wherever you'll be doing this so you can test the connections
Time and Patience
I'm going to apologize in advance for not taking pics of the modifications. I'm awful at this, but since I do custom stuff like this for a living, it really isn't in my nature to take pics all the way through doing custom work, so I'm sorry but the descriptions will have to hold up for now! This is what it will look like when you're done though, I'll show that first:
Before you ask, the wallpaper was something custom I worked up, and isn't available for download, sorry.... using trademarked logos is something I don't mind doing for my personal device because no one can complain about it, providing it for others isn't cool though!
And here's what you need to do to get it to look like that:
Start by pealing off the little rubber pads adhered to the bottom of the dock, they conceal the small Phillips head screws to disassemble it.
Remove the screws and don't lose them!
Make sure you have the cable disconnected from the wall outlet and start picking at the hot glue stuck to the inside of the dock, but BE CAREFUL not to damage any wires in the process! Once you get it started on the very outside with the Flathead screwdriver, just peal the rest of it up by hand, slowly. You'll want to remove the glue from around the LED and the MicroUSB connector.
Once the glue is off, the MicroUSB connector will pop out with some force to the top of it - just push down with your thumb and it should break through the melted plastic that was tacking it in place from underneath.
Completely remove the USB cable from the docking station and set aside, now the seat back of the dock is clear to sand without the MicroUSB connector in the way!
START SANDING, however you have planned. Do this evenly and make sure you are starting with knocking down the high spot on the top of the seat back of the dock. Yes, read that again, and then continue with this description. The "seat" of the dock is "L" shaped, if you will. The bottom of the L needs no sanding, just the top of it, on the face of the L. You want it to lean like an italicized L would look, or maybe a J for you visual learners. Again, sorry for no pics of the progress.
Do a little at a time and check your progress - clean your hands, pick up the tablet that should have been far enough away from the sanding process, and while looking from underneath the dock, see if you can visually line up the charging port on the N7 with the slit that the MicroUSB connector used to protrude from. Not yet? Keep sanding! Man, I feel bad if you're doing this by hand, I ground the crap out of the dock to get it where I wanted it....
One thing that you may encounter if you're using a belt sander or even a Dremel is that you'll start to sand through the material on the very top corners, or at least get to an outline of the molded plastic from the inside. That's okay, it actually turned out interesting for me when I finished, and you'll see why. Just be careful not to sand right through it and leave a gaping hole, it isn't easy to do, but it's not hard if you're not paying attention to what you're sanding, and stopping every few seconds to see the progress.
After you've got it perfect, whatever that means to you, hit it with the high numbered sand paper to smooth it all down and finish it up, I used 400 because that gives plastic a really nice feel, in my opinion.
Wash the dock down and your hands as well, and rub it all over to get off all the loose sanded plastic. Dry with a paper towel and blow dry before continuing.
Now line up the charging port to where the MicroUSB connector once resided, and while holding the N7 with the case on it in place, see if that's the right angle you want it in, mine has a nice gangsta lean to it, and that's what I was going for.
If you sanded too much, you may want to use some heavy duty glue to repair it from the inside. I did just to strengthen it and since I sanded it down a little too much on one side (the belt sander will do that, quickly!), I actually created a second window from the front for the blue LED to shine through by using glue on the inside! You'll see what I mean below in pics.
Now that you've visually got the port lined up with where the connector will go, we need to mate the two together. Start by cutting the MicroUSB connector slit open even more than it once was. You need to widen that opening because the MicroUSB plug will need to sit higher than it did previously, as the case will raise the N7 off the base of the dock about 1/8th of an inch.
Where the plug used to sit, you'll see from the inside that it looks thinner at the very base of the opening. Using the X-Acto Knife, cut perpendicularly to the hole on the very left and right of it, making an "H" on from the outside, where the horizontal bar on the letter H is the exisiting MicroUSB plug slit. Once you cut deep enough, you can use the Needle-Nose Pliers to break off the thin tabs. You will now have enough room for the entire base of the MicroUSB plug to feed through (see macro pictures of the plug below for reference to see how much the hole is widened and how high the plug sits in comparison to before).
Before you even TOUCH the MicroUSB cable after removing it in step 5, let's tape it up so you avoid any accidents. Grab the electrical tape and carefully wrap all the bare wires and the base of the MicroUSB plug. Be very gentle with the wires, they are VERY fragile and will break if you use force in tearing the electrical tape - trust me, I know.... I had to repair a loose wire because of it! Don't use too much on the base of the plug though, the more you use, the more you'll have to shave down with the X-Acto Knife to widen the opening for the plug to fit through. Don't use too much on the cables because it won't bend easily later.
Now, if you're handy enough, you can hold the N7 and the dock with one hand and feed the plug up through the dock with the other, if not, get some help holding it up. Be careful not to break the plug or bend it too much while test fitting it!!! Once fitted, plug in the cable and see if your N7 is charging - if not, you need to feed the plug up higher and most likely shave down the sides of the hole to feed more of it up to reach the dock. Now's a good time to check the viewing angle as well, making sure you're okay with it!
Optionally, you can stop here before hard mounting the MicroUSB plug and prep and paint your dock, I recommend using texture black spray paint if you want to, but I didn't care that much to do it.... Think about what you want to do with it now, once you continue, you can't paint it effectively.
Holding the N7 to the dock and the charging port securely fixed to it and verifying once more it charges the device, tack some glue to the inside to hold the port in place. The reason I use CA Glue is because with the accelerator, it takes 10 seconds for it to go from a liquid to ROCK SOLID, speeding up the time I need to hold something firmly together for it to stay glued together.
Carefully remove the N7 from the dock, making sure it didn't break the tacked glue (if it did, repeat the process clearing out the glue you just tacked), and smother the inside of the dock with glue to seal that sucker in there for good.
Depending on what glue you used, you may even want to apply some glue to the top, by where the MicroUSB plug sits on the base to strengthen it even further - if you're only using hot glue with this, don't even think about it!
Optionally, you'll want to glue back the blue LED, but before you do, you can put some electrical tape over the hole to dampen the brightness of that damn beacon of a light! Why the Chinese think we need such a bright light to tell us that these docks have power, I'll never know....
Keeping the cable connected to the power supply to ensure the blue LED stays lit, carefully bend the wires and reinstall the base with screws.
Put the rubber feet back on the dock once the screws are all snug, and your dock has been modified!
Optionally, cover the bottom with industrial strength Velcro and mount it to the place you're going to keep the dock positioned. I do that to all my docking stations, the one for my Harmony 1000 remote, my cell phone, everything. There's just something so appealing about being able to grab the device with one and and pulling straight up without having to hold the dock or base with the other hand to keep it from coming with the device! Trust me, you'll thank me later....
Oh, yeah, one more thing, and this isn't really optional.... You want to throw out the 1.0A wall plug that came with this and find yourself a 2.0 - 2.1A wall plug to charge your tablet. Newer devices require more power to charge them faster, some, charge at ALL, so ditch that 1.0A one because it isn't designed for your tablet. You can find the right one by using the one that came with the device, just not using the USB cable since this one is attached to the dock, but don't use the cheap 1.0A one that comes with this dock!
Here are more images as I promised:
If this has helped you in any way, please don't forget to say thanks! I wasn't planning on doing this write up but after seeing some of the ones done on here for other simple little things (that DIY DVD Case / Tablet Stand is awesome!), I figured I'd try and help if possible. I'm not looking to boost my ego or anything here, but as you can see, it took me a white writing up these 25 steps!
Enjoy and let me know if I need to be more clear on any of the steps! I'm always open to criticism of my write ups, just be kind and don't get crazy, I'm here to help but need to know what you need help with first.... Also, PLEASE don't click reply to this post and quote this whole thing, it wastes a lot of space and reproduces this whole post for no reason - if you need to quote something from what I said, quote just what you need! Also, we will laugh at you for quoting the whole post.... Thanks!
The back story ->
I have an old Nokia Wireless Charging Car Dock and love it. SO much so that I made it work with my sammy devices using a heat gun to bend some of the plastic. Coming into the new devices and wireless standards, I wanted to keep with the same trend and update/ upgrade. Got ahold of the Samsung Wireless charger and had no reason to upgrade the nokia since the charging was the same. In comes the Samsung Wireless Fast Charger and wanting it in the truck. So, I went to work on a teardown of all my gear (again) and here is the insides for you folks. I included the Platinum 12v Car Qualcomm Fast Charger 2.0 since it is what I am using in there with it.
I have a Note5 and an S6 Edge+ so I can verify it IS faster.
I can't see, I'm blind, lol.
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HOW TO TEARDOWN -
Using a regular + screwdriver, you can move the rubber on both sides of the rubber on the bottom of the charger. There are just 2 screws there.
Once they are unscrewed, flip over the charger and turn the top part of the charger counter clockwise. It should then lift right off.
Now that the top is removed, there are 5 screws holding the middle section to the base. Remove them.
Base should now easily lift away from the middle section.
Flip over the middle section and you have an additional 5 screws to remove.
Now to fully remove the electronics from the unit. You would need a Heat Gun and a Soldering iron if you planned on keeping it in a warrantable state. Otherwise, just use a heat gun and a pair of wire cutters.
I used the heat gun to remove the coil from the frame as well as the ribbon cable LED daughter board. Then using the cutters, cut the section where the LED was out as to not have desolder the coil.
DONE.
As for the car charger, I used a knife and some pressure on the seams. "POP' in 4 places and I was done. Desoldered the 2 grounds and 1 positive. Soldered up some red and black 14gauge lead wires and I am off to install in the truck.
I didn't put the Nokia modification up since I doubt there is any interest. Basically I gutted it, Used a heat gun and bent the arms in a manner that would hold my devices and allow for the thicker electronics. Then used some moldable plastic (polymorph) to make a BASE for the electronics to screw into / secure it. I had already added a Ram Ball mount to it so reassembly and plugging it back in were all that was needed. - Overly simplified explanation -
Ready2Mosh said:
I can't see, I'm blind, lol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Check the 3rd post. I just 'dumped' the pictures here and will reorganize later.
The 12v charger and the 120v charger have the same output specs with the exception of the 12v output on the car charger. Have had this setup working for over a week now without fail or issue/. The second one is for a 'STEALTH' install on a piece of vehicle trim. When I am navigating, or using Torque app, I keep the device in the Car dock under the rearview. Just driving around, I set it behind my shifter where I put another charging pad under it. Just waiting for my Micro Suction tape to use as a pad so it doesn't move around.
Great pics, sounds like something id do but my Grand Cherokee has nowhere "extra" i could place my ohone onto a hidden qi charger.
You know they make much smaller dash cams right? (Sorry, had to).
farfromovin said:
Great pics, sounds like something id do but my Grand Cherokee has nowhere "extra" i could place my ohone onto a hidden qi charger.
You know they make much smaller dash cams right? (Sorry, had to).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I know with the dash cam. It is multi purpose. I like for people to know they are being video'd, especially LEO. then I remove it and use it for other activities.
Thank you for posting this! It inspired me to try taking my wireless charger apart and intergrating it into my car.
Unfortunately I only had the "regular" (non-fast) Samsung wireless charger for my Note 5 and didn't get very far. When I removed the silicone and stickers on the back and front, I couldn't find any screws!
I think I saw the regular Samsung wireless charger in one of your pictures, have you tried taking it apart and do you have any tips?
Thanks again for posting this, the pictures and instructions made a very nice tutorial
(attached below are pictures of my wireless charger without silicone/stickers)
Not joking here. I just sold that unit yesterday. Have you tried looking in that single cylindrical hole on the bottom? Or try holding the unit in between both hands and turning opposite directions?
skygear said:
Not joking here. I just sold that unit yesterday. Have you tried looking in that single cylindrical hole on the bottom? Or try holding the unit in between both hands and turning opposite directions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wow, talk about bad timing. Thanks for the suggestions.
I checked the small hole in the bottom, and there is no screw there either, just a nice view of the board beneath.
I also tried twisting the unit in opposite directions and nothing seems to move. I could try putting it in a vise but it was already difficult to grasp the bottom to twist, I'm not sure if I'd be able to get any more leverage.
If you don't mind me asking, how much did you get for the regular wireless charger? I've been thinking how nice it would be to have the fast charging version anyway, now there might be an additional benefit of being able to open it easily.
Sold it to a buddy for 20, he wanted a fast charger too so I sold that to him for 25 and a cable. ~$45 and a handshake.
I got a deal from a retailer that was hesitant on getting them in stock. I put in on 4 of them and paid less than $100USD for them all combined.
If your device supports the fast charging wirelessly, I would recommend in the investment. Check amazon, bestbuy, and all the normal big box places for "black friday/cyber monday" weekend deals.
Worst case with your current one, pry it open or use a dremmel.
THOUGHT on the vise. Put it horizontal instead of vertical. That way the cylindrical disk will split as you tighten it. All the internals should be fine. Or do it in that manner to gain access to a spot where a flat head will have purchase for prying.
You can buy raw charging boards without a case on amazon for like 12 bucks.
Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk
david_b01 said:
You can buy raw charging boards without a case on amazon for like 12 bucks.
Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The samsung fast wireless boards? Got a link for that?
Couldn't figure out search parameters that yielded me that.
0micron said:
Wow, talk about bad timing. Thanks for the suggestions.
I checked the small hole in the bottom, and there is no screw there either, just a nice view of the board beneath.
I also tried twisting the unit in opposite directions and nothing seems to move. I could try putting it in a vise but it was already difficult to grasp the bottom to twist, I'm not sure if I'd be able to get any more leverage.
If you don't mind me asking, how much did you get for the regular wireless charger? I've been thinking how nice it would be to have the fast charging version anyway, now there might be an additional benefit of being able to open it easily.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi! Sorry for revive this... Any luck opening it? I´m in the same boat here
The LEDs are driving me crazy at night. Just fixed the Fast charger thanks to this thread, but the regular one is resisting haha
EP-PG920I teardown
If it's the newer pad, you do twist to open. I took apart for the same reason. I have a S7 Edge and no point in using a fast charger on my night stand.
The top twist counter clockwise. Attached is a photo with the notch.
Once open, there are 4 screws on the inside and then the bottom comes off.
There are 2 bulbs and access is not great but you can get to them and eliminate or black out.
If you have any other questions, let me know. I have the newer pad, the newer fast charge pad and the new fast charging stand.
Ungie said:
If it's the newer pad, you do twist to open. I took apart for the same reason. I have a S7 Edge and no point in using a fast charger on my night stand.
The top twist counter clockwise. Attached is a photo with the notch.
Once open, there are 4 screws on the inside and then the bottom comes off.
There are 2 bulbs and access is not great but you can get to them and eliminate or black out.
If you have any other questions, let me know. I have the newer pad, the newer fast charge pad and the new fast charging stand.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Its really hard isnt it? can´t easily turn it counter clockwise.. its slippery and hard.
Any tip?
Thanks again!
anyone already try new wireless charging solution by Nillkin?
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seems very good to me :good:
http://nillkin.org/accessories/chargers/nillkin-magic-tags-type-c-wireless-charging-receiver
If you have to connect something to charge, what's the difference between this and just connecting it normally without losing DASH charging?
maybe you just come home and put your phone on to wireless charging dock instead desk. And you dont care how long it will take to charge. I was on wireless charging on my previos phone (Nexus5) and it was perfect for me it feels good forget about charging.
I thought that I'd miss wireless charging, especially since I invested in Qi chargers in the house and cars but I found dash charge to be a LOT more convenient.
Same here. I thought I would miss qi charging, but I've been okay without it. I bought a couple USB-C docks for my nightstand and work desk. I'm not using dash charge on them but it charges quickly enough without it.
Purchased one of these and it arrived today. It's a bit picky with detection on my two upright wireless charging docks requiring it be sat at an angle, but it does work. Flat docks may work better. Charging time is assumed slower but I don't have an exact number. Last thing to note is the angled USB-C plug, you won't be able to pull it out without giving the ribbon cable some slack by moving the pad downward, so if you're using a case over the pad you may need to remove it on occasion as needed.
Azbulldog said:
Purchased one of these and it arrived today. It's a bit picky with detection on my two upright wireless charging docks requiring it be sat at an angle, but it does work. Flat docks may work better. Charging time is assumed slower but I don't have an exact number. Last thing to note is the angled USB-C plug, you won't be able to pull it out without giving the ribbon cable some slack by moving the pad downward, so if you're using a case over the pad you may need to remove it on occasion as needed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
want to order one tonight. i noticed the tag has adhesive. is it strong? id hate to gunk up the back of my phone.
cameron1292 said:
want to order one tonight. i noticed the tag has adhesive. is it strong? id hate to gunk up the back of my phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is only one small strip (2cm x 0.5cm) of some sort of 3M adhesive. I haven't bothered taking the protective layer off to try it since it will be underneath a case and I anticipate having to move it to access the USB port anyways as I mentioned.
Azbulldog said:
There is only one small strip (2cm x 0.5cm) of some sort of 3M adhesive. I haven't bothered taking the protective layer off to try it since it will be underneath a case and I anticipate having to move it to access the USB port anyways as I mentioned.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ok cool so it stays stable under the case without the adhesive. just ordered one. dash is great but the convenience of dropping my phone on a pad at night is great
Usability
Could you put this inside a case, and leave it in? Theoretically leaving the phone as a wireless charging device.
The question is: Would this work through a case? Would efficiency be decreased?
adiwakar said:
Could you put this inside a case, and leave it in? Theoretically leaving the phone as a wireless charging device.
The question is: Would this work through a case? Would efficiency be decreased?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Depends on the case.I'll be putting mine between the phone and case. Its trial and error with thickness .though the manufacturer says i think like .2mm I'll leave it in all the time.kind of like a dust cover too
Azbulldog said:
Purchased one of these and it arrived today. It's a bit picky with detection on my two upright wireless charging docks requiring it be sat at an angle, but it does work. Flat docks may work better. Charging time is assumed slower but I don't have an exact number. Last thing to note is the angled USB-C plug, you won't be able to pull it out without giving the ribbon cable some slack by moving the pad downward, so if you're using a case over the pad you may need to remove it on occasion as needed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I got my hands on an ordinary flat charging pad and the phone properly charges positioned pretty much anywhere on the pad.
adiwakar said:
Could you put this inside a case, and leave it in? Theoretically leaving the phone as a wireless charging device.
The question is: Would this work through a case? Would efficiency be decreased?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cases typically aren't thick enough to prevent the system from charging unless the distance and position of the coils is already at its limit, like with my upright charging docks which were made with smaller phones in mind. Nicer and newer chargers will have multiple coils for better coverage. Case materials like metal however will prevent all charging through them, which is why wireless charging and NFC has been excluded from many recent phones. Increasing distance does decrease the efficiency but probably not to a significant amount in this scenario.
Certain cases will have tighter tolerances for fitting this device underneath than others. I would say the pad gets about as thick as a US quarter in the middle. You also need enough space around the USB port for the plug and ribbon cable. I will try the stock OnePlus 3 sandstone case once it arrives, but my current $3 clear vinyl case is fine, just a bit wobbly when laying on a flat surface.
Are you able to use the USB type c cable when you have the adapter installed?
borijess said:
Are you able to use the USB type c cable when you have the adapter installed?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You'll have to unplug it
got my adapter on Thursday.Got married Sunday and was out of town and in hotels for a few days so i got some good testing time with this. it works great. im using it with an anker qi charger. i have it behind a rubber case and i have no problems with it. it charges slow obviously but its stupid easy and at least with the anker qi charger there is a big sweet spot.
I must be missing something but this thing seems to me to be a power pack that you plug in via the sub port, however small.
Eggstones said:
I must be missing something but this thing seems to me to be a power pack that you plug in via the sub port, however small.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's a Qi compliant inductive coil for wireless charging
Ahhh. I though this small metal strip was all you needed. Should have paid more attention to it.
Just wanted to confirm that this wireless charging pad fits fine underneath the official Sandstone case from OnePlus. You will still have to remove the case to remove the plug to access the USB C slot, but other than that it works just fine.
Complete utter rubbish based on what it actually does:
1. Charges at only ~650 mAh rate (slow to hell, my USB PC & Laptop & Tiny client is faster then this, I can get up to 1400mAh with my set up(s) if not using DASH charge).
2. Can not plug OTG-USB, connect to a PC at will or use DASH charge if not removed.
3. Not all protective cases are ok with this external QI pad.
Based only on these 3, it's a complete fail...... and so on... until it is a complete and utter fail yet again.
Verdict: a total waste of money.