Changing Motorola connector to a mini-USB

[Guest Alkeli]

So my connector is now completely broken. With the charger plugged in, I can wiggle the connector inside around so it HAS to be repaired if I'm ever gonna use that connector again. But, what I want to do is replace the whole connector with a mini-usb port, like the ones found in digital cameras. All I really need to do is check the oem motorola usb cable with a multimeter to find out which wire connects to what on the computer's usb port and go from there.

But, I also want the usb connector to charge the phone. I know it won't be the right voltage but I can cram a resistor in there, or, hopefully it will just charge like it does when hooked up to the normal oem usb connector (I think it charged from my computer, don't remember... doesn't it?) Anyways, if it does charge when hooked up to the computer, then nevermind because this will just work, but, if it doesn't, then I need to know if the charger is smart in anyway. Meaning, does it know when the battery is fully charged and switch to a trickle charge mode? Or is that all does internally in the phone.

Anyone have any comments/suggestions/help on this?

Thanks,

[Guest Alkeli]

So I've dismantled the phone and sure enough, the 3 end connections for the charger are broken completely off of the board, and the rest of the solder points for the data pins have broken loose.

So can someone tell me if plugging into the USB port charges your phone from the PC? I don't remember if it does or not... (It only ever worked twice for me when I first got it.) If it can't charge when plugged in via USB cable, then I might just resolder the oem connector and cover it all with JB Weld so it doesn't move again.

Someone must still be plugging into the USB and can answer me. I really want to put this back together so I can charge up my phone and keep using it.

[Guest nakedbob]

So I've dismantled the phone and sure enough, the 3 end connections for the charger are broken completely off of the board, and the rest of the solder points for the data pins have broken loose.

So can someone tell me if plugging into the USB port charges your phone from the PC? I don't remember if it does or not... (It only ever worked twice for me when I first got it.) If it can't charge when plugged in via USB cable, then I might just resolder the oem connector and cover it all with JB Weld so it doesn't move again.

Someone must still be plugging into the USB and can answer me. I really want to put this back together so I can charge up my phone and keep using it.

Yes. The phone does charge itself when plugged into USB.

[Guest Alkeli]

Ya I just found that out like an hour ago when I got home. I managed to re-solder all the connections except one. all 3 power contacts were broken right off the board and all the data contacts were loose. I wasn't able to get the middle power contact re-soldered because there was nothing left to solder, it was gone, so I soldered the 2 outside contacts back on and touched on all the data contacts to re-solder them and hoped it would still charge. Well, it still charges so I guess the middle contact isn't that important. And, now it connects to my PC again with no problems, and even charges from the USB.

I'm kinda dissapointed in the design of the connector on the phone and how easily it breaks. I surrounded the connector with this super hard epoxy stuff that someone told me to use so it should be rock solid now. Although I've found that the culprit is in fact the data usb cable because you have to push so hard to plug it in. I'm going to try to find a way to make it click in easier. I wish I would have just gone ahead and installed a mini-usb plug now, but if it breaks again, that's what I'll be doing.