I don't even know why I'm into it, but this guy's vids popped up on my recommendations a few weeks back and now I watch them on the toilet, when eating, going to bed, I can't stop. Such an oddly satisfying channel and the guys got a great personality for this.
I've seen at least one other RUclipsr use this braid method for broken anchor points. I was hoping one day you'd use the method to see how it turns out. You did not disappoint. Excellent job!
That braided wick is only anchored as well as the copper underneath, and there's much less of that than there was before. I would use epoxy in order to greatly increase the bond area between the board and the braid (and thus the connector).
Genius idea using the solder wick!! I was panicking for you... thinking "how the hell is he going it fix that?". Yet again, you went above and beyond!!! Well done Alex!
@@NorthridgeFix I have no idea, personally i always use the TYPE-C-31-M-12 connector, mounted on an open source USB-C daughterboard so a broken usb connector will never an issue on the boards I make!
@@NorthridgeFix My guess... cost. What a terrible design on this keyboard. It would be better to make it non-modular, than to have this weak connector. Nice fix!
How to anchor? Superglue and baking soda - makes it cure faster, also gives it a "plastic" point to it. OR J-B Weld. Even a small amount is good enough, if blended correctly.
In situations like this I usually use epoxy then run the ground connections in. It becomes way more durable and reliable than just using the remaining copper contacts.
I would grind further on the connector front side,not just at solderpoints,and you can put there some low melt solder,or heat it up from bottom to place it in solder that holds the whole connector.
Another great and informative video. Only one question:- What is the temperature that you have your hot air gun set to? Many Thanks. Wayne & Nina 😊😊😊😊😊👍👍👍👍👍
glad you took a look at a custom keyboard, these are expensive and owners will keep them, so repairs are worth it, some of these keyboards are rare and obsolete, so there is no replacement PCBs and will need repairs because of these USB C connectors, some of the newer ones do have a daughter board that usually solved this issue, but still there is alot of these that still use an on board connecter
you can grind the very beginning of the board and scuff the tip of the conector to solder there also. not much solder, just enough so it sticks. it would create at least one more anchor point
Inspirational repair, makes sense that the micro usb had the non connected pad, that must be the data input to the keyboard, which would not normally be needed/doing anything. Usb C is a far nicer plug in my opinion, to easy to get the micro upside down and damage the port
Think deep, after a few years, the new connector worn out. If we use epoxy how are we going to replace it without damaging the board? Note to ponder: Solder is easier to remove without damaging the board as alex did in this video, clean and easy to replace next time.
The root problem still exists in that the usb port is not mechanically secured to the board. A usb cable with a 90 degree connector with strain relief would be ideal. If mine, I would have used small screws to secure the port to the PCB... But what do I know? As always great job Alex of making chicken soup out of chicken ....
I see a lot of cheap devices using surface mounted usb ports, bluetooth headphones, speakers and such, in my opinion there is no reason for these to not be though hole conectors, other than planned obsolence, where they know the pads will rip and the conector will just break off, and seeing this on what i assume is a somewhat expensive keyboard hurts, because without the port it will become e-waste, and it's not viable to go to a shop and pay more for the repair than the value of the device, so you either do it yourself or buy a new one, and discard a 95% working device
I have an Apple keyboard that also is partially broken, some keys no longer work, but this keyboard is completely glued, so problem number one, then the question is, is it a bad cable, or something broken internally, which is another one with a USB-A connection. And I don't have the tools to open it, safely. So I think I have to buy another one. Because I'm not intended to buy an extra iFixit kit.
Great repair technique as usual... But can Alex revert to the older ending jingle (instead of the current one w/kid's voice)? The old one is much better and appropriate IMHO......
This newer one is way more appropriate. How is his daughter saying "better than factory" not a better fit for the repair outro? The motto of his entire channel is "better than factory." Deal with it lol.
@@earlbond2929 by connecting everything to the stiffed solder wick and the solder wick onto that bigger grinded exposed pad….the solder mask you said is not even really solid after cured..can easily scratched away😂
Video liked and channel suscribed.😊 my comment is to bring this case to another level. Convert it to micro usb or usb type c. I usually do it for my ps3 controller
I was definitely unique use of wick; i like it 👍. I've used wick as flexible jumper and ground strap in repairs. I recall a solenoid that popped many times per minute, was mounted on rubber, and fatigue the two power wires ENDLESSLY. I finally used wick and heat shrink last two inches, and it never broke again.
that would require a hefty stain relief, secured to the keyboard casing - not impossible but extremely unlikely to have one at hand, e.g. silicone/nylon braided USB2 cable and a fitting strain relief.
I don't even know why I'm into it, but this guy's vids popped up on my recommendations a few weeks back and now I watch them on the toilet, when eating, going to bed, I can't stop. Such an oddly satisfying channel and the guys got a great personality for this.
I've seen at least one other RUclipsr use this braid method for broken anchor points. I was hoping one day you'd use the method to see how it turns out. You did not disappoint. Excellent job!
He showed this technique a while back (1 or 2 years ago?) when someone suggested it to him.
@@iamperplexed4695 good catch! What was I thinking? hahaha
Not the first time he does this trick for securing missing pads.
@@HazeAnderson The tech from Florida?
Pretty clever..I wouldn't have thought of using braid as an anchor. Have to keep that in mind for the future.
since I accidentally found your channel youtube keeps throwing your videos at me. I don't mind. Great craftsmanship
Good job on fixing it and preventing it going to landfill.
That braided wick is only anchored as well as the copper underneath, and there's much less of that than there was before. I would use epoxy in order to greatly increase the bond area between the board and the braid (and thus the connector).
Yes or at least I would grind more of the copper for the solder to grab onto.
I really gotta hand it to you. The way you used that wick as an anchor point. I've seen you do this a couple times and it really is a brilliant idea.
That really is thinking outside of the box, using braid wick would have never occurred to me. Great job Alex!
Genius idea using the solder wick!! I was panicking for you... thinking "how the hell is he going it fix that?". Yet again, you went above and beyond!!! Well done Alex!
as a designer of motherboards for mechanical keyboards, this one will be extra fun to watch!
Also, I would never dare to put on a SMT receptacle 😬😬
Why SMD and not through hole connector
@@NorthridgeFix I have no idea, personally i always use the TYPE-C-31-M-12 connector, mounted on an open source USB-C daughterboard so a broken usb connector will never an issue on the boards I make!
@@NorthridgeFix My guess... cost. What a terrible design on this keyboard. It would be better to make it non-modular, than to have this weak connector. Nice fix!
Ai03 Daughter board supremacy 💯
I love the way the boss gently smiles when he knows he's done a good job and things work! :)
That was an exciting episode!
Should have titled this NorthridgeFix SUPER TIPS! What a fantastic idea, that right there is why I love NRF!
I've had a miniusb problem on my Corsair K65 keyboard as well, I decided to just solder the wires directly to the motherboard. Great repair as always!
Love seeing some different type of devices, washing machine motherboards, keyboards, weird audio devices, nice!
How to anchor?
Superglue and baking soda - makes it cure faster, also gives it a "plastic" point to it.
OR
J-B Weld. Even a small amount is good enough, if blended correctly.
**SUPER SODA** and **BAKING GLUE!!**
Outstanding and genius improvisation!
smart soldering the pins first so they would connect before the side pads. great job alex.
In situations like this I usually use epoxy then run the ground connections in. It becomes way more durable and reliable than just using the remaining copper contacts.
I like the idea of using solder braid like that.
i have no involvement in electrical repair, but find myself adicted to wtching these minute
Thinking outside the box! Never would have thought of that. Nice work!
If in doubt, pad it out! Inspired piece of ingenuity and improvisation! Love it!
Nice method with the wick!
I never thought to use solder wick to sub as anchor points, thanks for the tip and great job!
That was a genius idea to repair the connector ground supports that way 👍
very nice job!
so nice to see You smile, after a successful repair 🙂🙂👍👍
this is a great video because you are fixing a laptop and adding a mod that replaces a factory part
That was a fantastic idea with the wick. Brilliant, thanks very much for all your videos. Much appreciated
Very smart solution!
Wow that was great how you improvised. 👏 this was a good one.
Very nice job ! Hope it will stay till next generation
are these good keyboards? the clicking of the buttons is very satisfying sound
I would grind further on the connector front side,not just at solderpoints,and you can put there some low melt solder,or heat it up from bottom to place it in solder that holds the whole connector.
Wonder if the case had to be opened up a bit for the keyboard to fit in with the raised connnector?
Another great and informative video. Only one question:- What is the temperature that you have your hot air gun set to?
Many Thanks.
Wayne & Nina
😊😊😊😊😊👍👍👍👍👍
the braided wick was pretty clever, it's not crazy if it works.
Good fast fix .😊
Brilliant!
glad you took a look at a custom keyboard, these are expensive and owners will keep them, so repairs are worth it, some of these keyboards are rare and obsolete, so there is no replacement PCBs and will need repairs because of these USB C connectors, some of the newer ones do have a daughter board that usually solved this issue, but still there is alot of these that still use an on board connecter
Nice repair method, been soldering for 15 years.... it never ocurred to me to use wick to rebuild solder pads.
Great work
so simple and effective! shocking video very smart thx for sharing
recently i repai my keyboard that fall on the floor and broke one of the conector and pin from de board and i repair very good.
that's an awesome fix
Drill small hole in the board and fit thick copper wire secure with glue perhaps and then solder wire to connector
Multiple layer board though the connector is near the edge, there be traces in the lower layers.
Awesome repair, respect to you Alex
awesome on the fly kb fix
Good job mate 👍
So the 1 ripped pad in the end makes no difference?
Very good job 👏 👍 👌
you can grind the very beginning of the board and scuff the tip of the conector to solder there also. not much solder, just enough so it sticks. it would create at least one more anchor point
I would have used glue or soldering mask . But nice idea to use solder wick.
5 minute epoxy to secure the copper, atleast.
Solder mask would be too brittle for the area because of the stresses. Glue would be okay because it has a little give without being brittle.
Even better will be to drill holes and use through hole connector more stronger than smd
Solder mask? To hold a connector?
This is 1000 times better than factory
You’re the best great job 👏
Inspirational repair, makes sense that the micro usb had the non connected pad, that must be the data input to the keyboard, which would not normally be needed/doing anything. Usb C is a far nicer plug in my opinion, to easy to get the micro upside down and damage the port
You could grand above P17 and soldered there as well to make it more stronger.
Your video always motivate me❤️❤️❤️
*By correcting this inexcusable design flaw Alex takes his mantra of "Better Than Factory" to a higher level.*
superb fix
You did a very good job! I like it. But why not just glueing it?
In most cases, glue has a shear point, and this is a jack for a cable. It was ripped off of the regular mount, glue would not stand a chance.
Excellent 👍
Nice to see Something unusual
Nice job but I think it needed some glue also. One accidental hard tug on the cable would rip it off again.
Brilliant idea 💡
when he brought the wick i was like WTF is he doing after i saw what he did i enjoyed it alot
Why did pulling off the next to the furthest base pin not concern you?
Mashallah.... love from Pakistan
why not use a 2 part epoxy to secure it?
Think deep, after a few years, the new connector worn out. If we use epoxy how are we going to replace it without damaging the board?
Note to ponder: Solder is easier to remove without damaging the board as alex did in this video, clean and easy to replace next time.
epoxy imo was no brainer, the PCB is effectively copper/epoxy and fiberglass.
@@freeuyghurspalestinekashmir removing the expoxy'd connector - cutters for the main part, grind down the metal. It's quite trivial.
@@stanimir4197 that process is the exact opposite of trivial 😆
You could also solder it from the bottom, where the p17 is, couldn't you? Directly to the body of the connector?
how much was the repair? tax included
The root problem still exists in that the usb port is not mechanically secured to the board. A usb cable with a 90 degree connector with strain relief would be ideal.
If mine, I would have used small screws to secure the port to the PCB... But what do I know?
As always great job Alex of making chicken soup out of chicken ....
Came in for repair.
Surprised you didn't UV resin over the pads to the solder mask.
why dont manufacturers put a glob of glue over those connectors? would prevent alot of damage, no?
Nice, add some glue for more tighter
Replying to @warunakaranga6791: will finish your sentence **FOR** you: "and reliable connection" Did i finish your sentence right?
Clever.
Nice job.
حرايفي ، nice work
I've been fabricating circuit boards for years. Your best option is to scratch the middle and let the metal bottom of the port get soldered down.
So solder braid has other uses.
I see a lot of cheap devices using surface mounted usb ports, bluetooth headphones, speakers and such, in my opinion there is no reason for these to not be though hole conectors, other than planned obsolence, where they know the pads will rip and the conector will just break off, and seeing this on what i assume is a somewhat expensive keyboard hurts, because without the port it will become e-waste, and it's not viable to go to a shop and pay more for the repair than the value of the device, so you either do it yourself or buy a new one, and discard a 95% working device
Wick needs to be fairly thick, no matter how wide it is, to be able to pick up solder. The pad strips are best for everything else.
That was the thickest wick on the market 😆
Hi, you could give advice to customer to use 2k epoxy to glue it on. Maybe it would hold
What a mess that was.. thanks for sharing.
Braider than factory! 😏
it would be more immersive if you hade dramatic music when you say " will it work?" good for tension and dramatic effect!!
I have an Apple keyboard that also is partially broken, some keys no longer work, but this keyboard is completely glued, so problem number one, then the question is, is it a bad cable, or something broken internally, which is another one with a USB-A connection. And I don't have the tools to open it, safely. So I think I have to buy another one. Because I'm not intended to buy an extra iFixit kit.
Great repair technique as usual...
But can Alex revert to the older ending jingle (instead of the current one w/kid's voice)? The old one is much better and appropriate IMHO......
This newer one is way more appropriate. How is his daughter saying "better than factory" not a better fit for the repair outro?
The motto of his entire channel is "better than factory." Deal with it lol.
I think UV Green Glue should be applied to make it very solid. 😅😅😅😅😅😅
That is a lot weaker compared to this metal sturdy mount LOL
@@LeeMooEez There is only limited pads to the metal mount right? How it is more stronger? 😆😆😆😆
@@earlbond2929 by connecting everything to the stiffed solder wick and the solder wick onto that bigger grinded exposed pad….the solder mask you said is not even really solid after cured..can easily scratched away😂
The UV mask is only used to cover bare copper and prevent oxidation or as insulator. It is not a glue.
that's smart ...
Video liked and channel suscribed.😊 my comment is to bring this case to another level. Convert it to micro usb or usb type c. I usually do it for my ps3 controller
Interesting to use a soldering wick this way so next time are you going to buy thinner width soldering wick to do pad repairs?
I was definitely unique use of wick; i like it 👍. I've used wick as flexible jumper and ground strap in repairs. I recall a solenoid that popped many times per minute, was mounted on rubber, and fatigue the two power wires ENDLESSLY. I finally used wick and heat shrink last two inches, and it never broke again.
in such case I directly solder the USB cable to the device
that would require a hefty stain relief, secured to the keyboard casing - not impossible but extremely unlikely to have one at hand, e.g. silicone/nylon braided USB2 cable and a fitting strain relief.
@@stanimir4197 cable attachment, a million options..
Awesome!!
Maybe you could've drilled two holes for those two plastic legs instead of snipping them off? There is nothing on the PCB in that area.
Wouldn't super glue be easier?
i am surprised nobody sells sticky-backed pads or metallic paint for fixing broken pads.
Business opportunity for YOU
you can tie it down the the bord with a small zip tie or rope
Or duct tape!
Add a pigtail?
more stronger = apply hot glue around the connector while a cable plugged in when put back the cover.