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Broken Iphone 3g Ribbon Cable Connector
- Thread starter uncletammy
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
So this is the info I was able to find out about replacing the ribbon 3 connector. It's not simple and probably not an option for most:
A fine tip soldering iron and a steady hand holding some quality tweezers A stereo microscope is almost necessary.
If you don't have much soldering experience, I wouldn't attempt it.
1) You'll have to take it apart enough to have plenty or room around the connector to get in with the soldering iron. You do not want the iron to touch anything except the pin that you are working with. I would recommend taking it apart far enough to remove the battery. Soldering is always more successful if the job isn't under power. The soldering iron is conductive, and so is the chrome bezel, so a momentary slip with a powered phone could cause additional damage.
2) Use some solder wick and carefully, without moving the wick or trying to rub the board, remove the solder from the old connector pins. It might help if you have a fine, needle-like tool to gently pop each pin up as you do them all one-by-one. You'll need to exercise great care to ensure that you don't lift any pads from the PCB. If that happens, the board is useless unless someone with VERY good skills makes the fine repair.
3) After all of the solder is removed and the pins are free, gently remove the old connector. It should lift freely, but there may be some gunk holding it down. When the connecter is removed, gently clean the area with alcohol and a cotton swab. Again, be careful of lifting any pads from the board.
4) Using the soldering iron and some fine solder, add a small amount of solder to ONE of the pads before placing the new connector. This will make it easier to start the rest of the job. Place the new connector into position on the board, and carefully heat the pad that you have previously prepped. The solder should hold the connector in place, allowing you to line everything up with one hand.
5) Solder the rest of the pins one-by-one. Take care to keep the solder from bridging across adjacent pins and shorting out your repaired connector.
6) Go back with solder wick and carefully remove some of the solder from each of the newly soldered pins. This will ensure that any hidden shorts that you might have are removed.
7) Clean the new solder with alcohol to remove the potentially corrosive flux. Reassemble the phone, and cross your fingers that it works.
There really aren't any special instructions; you just have to have the skill and the tools to perform the job.
A fine tip soldering iron and a steady hand holding some quality tweezers A stereo microscope is almost necessary.
If you don't have much soldering experience, I wouldn't attempt it.
1) You'll have to take it apart enough to have plenty or room around the connector to get in with the soldering iron. You do not want the iron to touch anything except the pin that you are working with. I would recommend taking it apart far enough to remove the battery. Soldering is always more successful if the job isn't under power. The soldering iron is conductive, and so is the chrome bezel, so a momentary slip with a powered phone could cause additional damage.
2) Use some solder wick and carefully, without moving the wick or trying to rub the board, remove the solder from the old connector pins. It might help if you have a fine, needle-like tool to gently pop each pin up as you do them all one-by-one. You'll need to exercise great care to ensure that you don't lift any pads from the PCB. If that happens, the board is useless unless someone with VERY good skills makes the fine repair.
3) After all of the solder is removed and the pins are free, gently remove the old connector. It should lift freely, but there may be some gunk holding it down. When the connecter is removed, gently clean the area with alcohol and a cotton swab. Again, be careful of lifting any pads from the board.
4) Using the soldering iron and some fine solder, add a small amount of solder to ONE of the pads before placing the new connector. This will make it easier to start the rest of the job. Place the new connector into position on the board, and carefully heat the pad that you have previously prepped. The solder should hold the connector in place, allowing you to line everything up with one hand.
5) Solder the rest of the pins one-by-one. Take care to keep the solder from bridging across adjacent pins and shorting out your repaired connector.
6) Go back with solder wick and carefully remove some of the solder from each of the newly soldered pins. This will ensure that any hidden shorts that you might have are removed.
7) Clean the new solder with alcohol to remove the potentially corrosive flux. Reassemble the phone, and cross your fingers that it works.
There really aren't any special instructions; you just have to have the skill and the tools to perform the job.
I agree with debo3381 that replacing the connector is really difficult
I have received connector few days ago and I did the soldering yesterday
I bought soldering iron and all the tools at radio shack for about $40.
It took me little oven an hour to do the whole thing
at the end everything looks good and my speakers is working again.
I have only one outstanding issue - proximity sensor is still not working - I don't know if there is something wrong with my soldering or something else - I will try to figure this out later.
I am really a beginner in this things and I would advice you to contact a specialist - they can solder it in few minutes
I have received connector few days ago and I did the soldering yesterday
I bought soldering iron and all the tools at radio shack for about $40.
It took me little oven an hour to do the whole thing
at the end everything looks good and my speakers is working again.
I have only one outstanding issue - proximity sensor is still not working - I don't know if there is something wrong with my soldering or something else - I will try to figure this out later.
I am really a beginner in this things and I would advice you to contact a specialist - they can solder it in few minutes
Can i just ask what the 'proximity sensor' is or does?
Secondly, what is the likelihood that i will have problems with the speaker/proximity sensor now i have a couple of pins missing?
Sorry, lastly, if it does cause a problem is there an easy way to bridge the gap left by these pins? i.e. some sort of electrical/magnetic tape type stuff?!
I apologise for my ignorance.....
The part from DigiKey, much cheaper
http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail&name=OR785CT-ND
http://search.digikey.com/scripts/DkSearch/dksus.dll?Detail&name=OR785CT-ND
Guy's
I have only just joined this forum so don't want to appear to be throwing my weight around in my first post however having read this thread from the start I would like to help you with some very important advice.
I have worked in the electronics industry for many years (mostly in communications) with much of my time spent repairing analogue and digital phones. Surface mount component replacement is very difficult without the correct tools and plenty of experience, it's very easy to rip tracks and pads from the pcb making any repair then impossible. I realise that some one here has already replaced his connector but is still having problems but I would urge all of you to seek a professional to fit this part for you with the correct equipment other wise I fear you may end up having to replace the whole board - a very costly alternative !
In addition to the above those of you who have managed to rip your connector off the board due to not releasing the ribbon (and are lucky enough to still have all the solder pads present) you may well have to replace the flexy pcb as well, this is due to the fact that when the flexy pcb was pulled it may well have fractured one or more of the tracks near to the end if it was bent a lot and this will mean not all the connections are made.
As you look at the inside of the iPhone while holding it in a upright position it is the first 2 connections on the left (one at the top and one at the bottom) of the connector which get sound to the ear piece, as you move to the right the other connections are for the ambient light detector to control brightness and the infra red emitter / detector which is used to sense the proximity of your ear when in a call so they can dissable the touch screen and extinguish the back light.
This flexy pcb is available on eBay, just search for "iPhone light flex" there are loads of hits and they are very cheap.
I hope my first post has not offended anyone and that it has been some help, if I can offer anymore assistance please ask.
Regards
Dave
I have only just joined this forum so don't want to appear to be throwing my weight around in my first post however having read this thread from the start I would like to help you with some very important advice.
I have worked in the electronics industry for many years (mostly in communications) with much of my time spent repairing analogue and digital phones. Surface mount component replacement is very difficult without the correct tools and plenty of experience, it's very easy to rip tracks and pads from the pcb making any repair then impossible. I realise that some one here has already replaced his connector but is still having problems but I would urge all of you to seek a professional to fit this part for you with the correct equipment other wise I fear you may end up having to replace the whole board - a very costly alternative !
In addition to the above those of you who have managed to rip your connector off the board due to not releasing the ribbon (and are lucky enough to still have all the solder pads present) you may well have to replace the flexy pcb as well, this is due to the fact that when the flexy pcb was pulled it may well have fractured one or more of the tracks near to the end if it was bent a lot and this will mean not all the connections are made.
As you look at the inside of the iPhone while holding it in a upright position it is the first 2 connections on the left (one at the top and one at the bottom) of the connector which get sound to the ear piece, as you move to the right the other connections are for the ambient light detector to control brightness and the infra red emitter / detector which is used to sense the proximity of your ear when in a call so they can dissable the touch screen and extinguish the back light.
This flexy pcb is available on eBay, just search for "iPhone light flex" there are loads of hits and they are very cheap.
I hope my first post has not offended anyone and that it has been some help, if I can offer anymore assistance please ask.
Regards
Dave
Hello! I am glad, I am not the only idiot, who succeeded to destroy his phone like this (at least partly).
I can use the touchscreen, I can send text. I cannot view the camera view, but i can make photos and i cannot hear, when i am called.
the iPhone doktors would change the whole logic board. 350 to 499 . thats too much i think. and not necessary maybe.
could someone who succeeded to repair this connector for cable 3 please make some pictures of the "warground" or/and explain how he/she solded the wires?
i could not quite understand the fellows explanantion. (debo)
does the new connector have wires included? or does one have to purchase them too?
greetz
I can use the touchscreen, I can send text. I cannot view the camera view, but i can make photos and i cannot hear, when i am called.
the iPhone doktors would change the whole logic board. 350 to 499 . thats too much i think. and not necessary maybe.
could someone who succeeded to repair this connector for cable 3 please make some pictures of the "warground" or/and explain how he/she solded the wires?
i could not quite understand the fellows explanantion. (debo)
does the new connector have wires included? or does one have to purchase them too?
greetz
You're definitely not the only idiot, i did it too.
You guys realize that you can propably still use the speaker phone for voice.
Not practical for me so i'm letting my girls use it, all they do is text. it's good to know it can be repaired.
I just ordered a new piece also.
You guys realize that you can propably still use the speaker phone for voice.
Not practical for me so i'm letting my girls use it, all they do is text. it's good to know it can be repaired.
I just ordered a new piece also.
Hi,
Just thought I'd let you all know I've just ordered 10 of the connectors thru work (digikey is one of our suppliers) so if any of you are in the UK (I'm in Birmingham) and need your iPhone connector replaced drop me a line and I'll see what I can do (not too sure how long the delivery will take at present as I know they have to come from the US)
Regards
Dave
Just thought I'd let you all know I've just ordered 10 of the connectors thru work (digikey is one of our suppliers) so if any of you are in the UK (I'm in Birmingham) and need your iPhone connector replaced drop me a line and I'll see what I can do (not too sure how long the delivery will take at present as I know they have to come from the US)
Regards
Dave
Arturm:
I'm surprised to hear you had to solder this clip. I had read Debo3381's post about the solder job but assumed this was only if you damaged the pins on the main board. Did your board have all its pins intact? Did this kit you bought replace those pins? I assumed the plastic clip would slide onto the pins that are parallel to the mainboard and then it would function as normal as a ZIF connector for ribbon 3.
Please enlighten me.
Thanks.
EDIT: I found the answers to these questions please see my post a below...
Question for Dave...
Dave, I live in the US, and would not be hesitant to approach a soldering professional if I only knew how to locate one. Any suggestions on locating someone with the proper credentials who is in the business of making repairs for the public?
Thanks!
And to clarify... The tracks are the pins coming up and turning at a right angle from the PCB (printed circuit board) and the pads are the metallic spots on the board to which they attach?
Dave, I live in the US, and would not be hesitant to approach a soldering professional if I only knew how to locate one. Any suggestions on locating someone with the proper credentials who is in the business of making repairs for the public?
Thanks!
And to clarify... The tracks are the pins coming up and turning at a right angle from the PCB (printed circuit board) and the pads are the metallic spots on the board to which they attach?
Confirmation of possible Solder-free Repair
sketes you rock! A US supplier is just what I wanted. Thanks
I had a convo about the clip with technical chat over at Digikey that I would like to share with the community...
(Thanks again skestes)
"
Your request is being processed. A representative will be with you momentarily.
Your Digi-Key representative for this Live-Help session is Jill ext. 1316.
Jill ext. 1316: Welcome to Digi-Key Live-Help. How may I assist you?
ONebulus: Hiya Jill.
Jill ext. 1316: hello ONebulus
ONebulus: I have a technical question about the physical nature of part OR785CT-ND
Jill ext. 1316: ok
ONebulus: I am replacing this part on a device and have seen it in position but I don't entirely understand what I will be receiving when I order this part.
ONebulus: It serves to connect a flat printed cable (FPC) to a printed circuit board (PCB), correct?
Jill ext. 1316: yes
ONebulus: In the device I am repairing the clip itself seemed to be able to be entirely removed safely
ONebulus: No soldering.
ONebulus: There are pins parallel to the PCB that the clip seems to slide onto
ONebulus: Pins that are soldered to the main board, pins that come up and turn at a right angle, pins that the clip then slides onto and allows the FPC to slide into it and then be locked in by the clip's tab.
ONebulus: Am I understanding the nature of this connection?
Jill ext. 1316: correct
ONebulus: OMG wonderful.
ONebulus: Do the pins come with the clip or are they found elsewhere in your online catalog?
ONebulus: The pins that solder to the PCB
Jill ext. 1316: they are included
ONebulus: And if those pins are intact on the device then this clip should be able to simply slide onto them?
Jill ext. 1316: correct
ONebulus: I am all warm and tingly inside. =)
ONebulus: Thanks for your time and expertise Jill.
Jill ext. 1316: you are welcome
Jill ext. 1316: have a great day
Jill ext. 1316: Thank you for visiting. Please feel free to contact us at anytime.
Thank you for contacting Digi-Key Live Help! You may now close any windows you do not need and continue browsing on the Digi-Key website."
Sorry for the long post but for me that was a huge ray of sunshine. The customer registration portion of Digikey is very simple I am going to go order mine now!
sketes you rock! A US supplier is just what I wanted. Thanks
I had a convo about the clip with technical chat over at Digikey that I would like to share with the community...
(Thanks again skestes)
"
Your request is being processed. A representative will be with you momentarily.
Your Digi-Key representative for this Live-Help session is Jill ext. 1316.
Jill ext. 1316: Welcome to Digi-Key Live-Help. How may I assist you?
ONebulus: Hiya Jill.
Jill ext. 1316: hello ONebulus
ONebulus: I have a technical question about the physical nature of part OR785CT-ND
Jill ext. 1316: ok
ONebulus: I am replacing this part on a device and have seen it in position but I don't entirely understand what I will be receiving when I order this part.
ONebulus: It serves to connect a flat printed cable (FPC) to a printed circuit board (PCB), correct?
Jill ext. 1316: yes
ONebulus: In the device I am repairing the clip itself seemed to be able to be entirely removed safely
ONebulus: No soldering.
ONebulus: There are pins parallel to the PCB that the clip seems to slide onto
ONebulus: Pins that are soldered to the main board, pins that come up and turn at a right angle, pins that the clip then slides onto and allows the FPC to slide into it and then be locked in by the clip's tab.
ONebulus: Am I understanding the nature of this connection?
Jill ext. 1316: correct
ONebulus: OMG wonderful.
ONebulus: Do the pins come with the clip or are they found elsewhere in your online catalog?
ONebulus: The pins that solder to the PCB
Jill ext. 1316: they are included
ONebulus: And if those pins are intact on the device then this clip should be able to simply slide onto them?
Jill ext. 1316: correct
ONebulus: I am all warm and tingly inside. =)
ONebulus: Thanks for your time and expertise Jill.
Jill ext. 1316: you are welcome
Jill ext. 1316: have a great day
Jill ext. 1316: Thank you for visiting. Please feel free to contact us at anytime.
Thank you for contacting Digi-Key Live Help! You may now close any windows you do not need and continue browsing on the Digi-Key website."
Sorry for the long post but for me that was a huge ray of sunshine. The customer registration portion of Digikey is very simple I am going to go order mine now!
jill seemed to be a little bit "reserviert" )
so, i do not have to solder the connector, i could probabnly just slide it on the right position? sounds too good to be true. suddenly i am "all warm and tingly inside"!!!
can somebody send one or two to germany? of course i would pay per paypal or so.
)so, i do not have to solder the connector, i could probabnly just slide it on the right position? sounds too good to be true. suddenly i am "all warm and tingly inside"!!!
can somebody send one or two to germany? of course i would pay per paypal or so.
I thought I'd chime in... Jill above is sort of wrong, the connector is not attached to the board, it is being held down by the pins that are soldered to the pads, so as it turns out soldering is required
I bought this connector on ebay by doing a search for "iphone 3g fpc" or
this
There were two listings that had instructions, one was $14.99 and the other was $14.89. I e-mailed the guy with the $14.99 to get a copy of the instructions, and they were the exact ones posted here (doh).
So I bought the one that was $15.89 here because it said the instructions were original. I was actually really surprised when I got them, they had little pictures and diagrams drawn on MSPaint, which proved really helpful and different from the repair posted above. If you want i can try and type them up. The repair took about an hour and a half. When I was done, everything worked as good as new, (whew).
Good luck! if you have any questions feel free to get in touch with me.
I bought this connector on ebay by doing a search for "iphone 3g fpc" or
this
There were two listings that had instructions, one was $14.99 and the other was $14.89. I e-mailed the guy with the $14.99 to get a copy of the instructions, and they were the exact ones posted here (doh).
So I bought the one that was $15.89 here because it said the instructions were original. I was actually really surprised when I got them, they had little pictures and diagrams drawn on MSPaint, which proved really helpful and different from the repair posted above. If you want i can try and type them up. The repair took about an hour and a half. When I was done, everything worked as good as new, (whew).
Good luck! if you have any questions feel free to get in touch with me.
Just joined this thread, I hope I'm welcome as one of the idiots who ripped ribbon 3 when replacing the smashed screen...
I think I need to replace the connector, Davew22, any chance I can buy one off you? I'm in London.
kr
Mathew
I think I need to replace the connector, Davew22, any chance I can buy one off you? I'm in London.
kr
Mathew
yes, this would be great!
could you please post the instruction, or do your own? it would be also very nice if you could show your soldering equipment too.
Should the FPC sit below or above the pins in the ZIF connector? Or should it sit between one layer of pins and another?
I damaged my ZIF connector with some cack-handed exploratory surgery, as explained in this other thread, but it seems the knowledgeable people are posting in here...
I damaged my ZIF connector with some cack-handed exploratory surgery, as explained in this other thread, but it seems the knowledgeable people are posting in here...
I believe that it should sit between both the layers. When I damaged mine, the leftest most side of it was broken off, and none of the pins were damaged whatsoever except that the leftest top one was a little bit higher than the others. I tried to keep pressure upon it as I slid connector 3 into place to ensure that the tracks met, but that didn't work, so I think that you may have to replace the connector.
Your symptoms are also different than mine, my earpiece and light sensor did not work, unlike yours where the iphone doesn't function with the connector plugged into place. This leads me to believe that either the FPC is in wrong (should be inbetween, as noted above) or that one of the pins is crossing with another pin, or that there's something else going on.
It's hard to tell with the picture, but I think that it's probably even harder to tell with just plan eyesight ha.
I'll try and write up some of the instructions as well when I get home from work. Definitely try this auction though if you want instructions : http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=160372710576&ssPageName=ADME:B:EF:US:1123
I, too, am a cable #3 damager.
My earphone works, but the light and proximity sensors do not. I'm trying to decide if it's worth the risk to open 'er up and try again. Knowing my luck, I'll end up making it worse by trying to fix the last piece.
What do you guys think? Is it worth it?
My earphone works, but the light and proximity sensors do not. I'm trying to decide if it's worth the risk to open 'er up and try again. Knowing my luck, I'll end up making it worse by trying to fix the last piece.
What do you guys think? Is it worth it?
have they arrived yet?
Hi, Dave,
just wondering nif the connectors have arrives yet, and if you'v managed to actually cobnnct one? I'd be interested in buying one off you, if you still have one available. Thanks! BTW I dind't break it off. I bought an "as is" phone, that works faily well, if it wasn'f for this connector. Its basicalt totally rippef off, some of the little wired are still on there, but most have dissapeared. No idea if this little connector will replace all of the dissappeared wiring. Just think it might be fun trying.
Any suggestions out there? micro soldering should be a challenge, no?
Hi, Dave,
just wondering nif the connectors have arrives yet, and if you'v managed to actually cobnnct one? I'd be interested in buying one off you, if you still have one available. Thanks! BTW I dind't break it off. I bought an "as is" phone, that works faily well, if it wasn'f for this connector. Its basicalt totally rippef off, some of the little wired are still on there, but most have dissapeared. No idea if this little connector will replace all of the dissappeared wiring. Just think it might be fun trying.
Any suggestions out there? micro soldering should be a challenge, no?
ruined iphone during repair
Just to let you guys know, I gave it a shot but in the process ruined the phone. It doesn't start anymore. At one point it pretended to start up and showed a white screen.
But now that's gone.
The soldering is indeed very tricky...
Just to let you guys know, I gave it a shot but in the process ruined the phone. It doesn't start anymore. At one point it pretended to start up and showed a white screen.
But now that's gone.
The soldering is indeed very tricky...
Thank you for the warning! Thats very nice.
Maybe we should change the whole logicboard,
i wunder if a 3GS LB would fit into a 3G case?
Maybe we should change the whole logicboard,
i wunder if a 3GS LB would fit into a 3G case?
Now that a bit of time has gone by, has anyone successfully replaced this connector? I'm in the same boat as you guys, slightly broken connector, but earpiece and proximity sensor not working. I can get the part from DigiKey, but if soldering is required then I'm pretty well screwed. Please confirm. Thanks.