Electronics > Repair
Replace USB-C port on Thinkpad
Peabody:
--- Quote from: u666sa on December 10, 2024, 08:05:11 am ---The question here is this. Do you have a microscope?
If yes, then you'd have all other expensive tools and you are capable of doing this job.
If the answer is no, then you are not qualified to do this job.
--- End quote ---
Of course I'm not qualified. I'm not qualified for most of the things I do in electronics.
wraper:
--- Quote from: Koray on December 10, 2024, 02:38:36 pm ---Glue under the port can be seen in this example:
--- End quote ---
That's some stupid design I haven't stumbled upon. Adding copper polygon and soldering connector body to that is way more robust and does not need additional process of applying adhesive. BTW Lenovo (I didn't pay attention to that when reading initial post) likes to use low melting point solder and underfilling components which you need to be aware if dealing with those. Otherwise you may heat things too much and solder will melt and squeeze out from underfilled components if they happen to be nearby or if you preheat the board as normal. So I don't suggest using preheater unless you have an issue, it may screw up things when dealing with Lenovo boards. Those who do component level repairs hate them.
Peabody:
Well it may turn out that I am both unqualified and a dumbass. Before ordering the replacement port, I took another look into the port, with good light and a magnifier this time, to see if I could see anything bent or broken on the contacts. It all looked ok. But I decided to shave down a toothpick and dig around in there to see if there was anything there that shouldn't be.
That exercise was "productive". So I did the same with the plugs on both of my power supplies, and that was productive too, but less so. Anyway, powering through that port now seems to work ok. Even wiggled the plug a bit, with no problems.
The port is not as tight as the second USB-C port, so I may end up having to replace it after all. But for now it seems to work well enough.
Should have done this before posting, but I've learned a lot about hot air rework. Also, it seems to me that using USB-C for power isn't really a good idea for devices that are big enough to use a barrel jack. But it looks like that's how it's going to be.
u666sa:
--- Quote from: Peabody on December 12, 2024, 03:36:26 pm ---The port is not as tight as the second USB-C port
--- End quote ---
You can carefully bend it into shape with a set of small pliers.
Koray:
Lucky you! I tried cleaning the port, there was some shiny tiny piece of debris, but didn't change the behaviour. Then I checked the port with lupe and one side structural foot had cracked solder, I replensihed all four, tightened the port with pliers, but still not good. When I move the jack left and right power goes down. No bent pins or similar issues. The actual port is tiny and there are the tiniest SMD elements nearby so resoldering a new one seems even more scary. Will look around the city to see if there is a pro that can do the job.
K.
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