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Electronics => Beginners => Topic started by: avenger07 on May 11, 2013, 06:52:21 am

Title: Connector Stuck (flat flex)
Post by: avenger07 on May 11, 2013, 06:52:21 am
I am in the middle of a repair on a Samsung monitor but I cannot get the connectors to release on these flat flex cables.  Has anyone encountered this before or know of a solution to get these off?  Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Title: Re: Connector Stuck (flat flex)
Post by: Fsck on May 11, 2013, 07:01:32 am
pull the black tab part up (relative to the picture's perspective) from the most outermost edge, it will rotate to a position orthogonal to the plane of the board.
Title: Re: Connector Stuck (flat flex)
Post by: avenger07 on May 11, 2013, 07:12:10 am
There are no black tabs so I am not sure what you are referring to.
Title: Re: Connector Stuck (flat flex)
Post by: Fsck on May 11, 2013, 07:14:00 am
the darkish part of the plug that's near the white line on the cable
Title: Re: Connector Stuck (flat flex)
Post by: avenger07 on May 11, 2013, 07:20:07 am
Thank you.  I will try this in the morning.
Title: Re: Connector Stuck (flat flex)
Post by: digsys on May 11, 2013, 08:23:22 am
It's hard to tell from the photo, but sometimes they need to be pulled BACK first (towards the line). It's safer to try that
first, because if you try to pop one of those types straight UP first, you'll break the tiny tabs on the ends.
IF it is the first type, it just won't move, no harm.
Title: Re: Connector Stuck (flat flex)
Post by: Psi on May 11, 2013, 08:29:40 am
They look like hinged connectors to me but yeah its a little hard to tell.

It's possible they are just friction lock.
Title: Re: Connector Stuck (flat flex)
Post by: SeanB on May 11, 2013, 09:51:55 am
Pull towards the cable gently, then you will find it clips loose enough to slide the cable out by holding the tab on the cable ( not the cable itself) and gently pulling. To put back just slide it in to the loose connector and gently push the dark tab back into position until it locks.
Title: Re: Connector Stuck (flat flex)
Post by: KJDS on May 11, 2013, 10:03:36 am
whilst the above advise is all good, the one essential is that those little black tabs are often more delicate than a delicate thing. Be very gentle with them.
Title: Re: Connector Stuck (flat flex)
Post by: avenger07 on May 11, 2013, 07:36:01 pm
whilst the above advise is all good, the one essential is that those little black tabs are often more delicate than a delicate thing. Be very gentle with them.

I have tried this and it doesn't seem to move at all.  When my camera is charged I will take another picture in better lighting
Title: Re: Connector Stuck (flat flex)
Post by: Zapro on May 11, 2013, 07:49:41 pm
I know these connectors. They are hinged.

The brown part needs to be lifted straight up, and it will hinge up and away from the cable.

Place a fingernail between the brown part and the cable at each end, and pull up, it needs a significant pull to unlatch. As long as you pull up on both ends, you should be safe.

But please remind, these connectors are VERY FRAGILE, and i cannot count how many times i've had to clean up the mess, left by unknowingly people who has broken these connectors. A plus is that the pull-up kind of connector on the picture is one of the most durable ones. The ones you pull on the brown part in the direction of the cable, are MUCH more fragile, and I even manage to break the sometimes when i fuck up.

// Per.
Title: Re: Connector Stuck (flat flex)
Post by: avenger07 on May 11, 2013, 09:31:11 pm
Thanks for the help everyone.  Pulling up on the connector worked.  Yay!!!