[Tutorial] Fix looseness from microUSB port

This tutorial helped You?

  • Yes, its working great now.

    Votes: 74 46.3%
  • Yes, but it stills a little loose.

    Votes: 49 30.6%
  • No, it didn't help, it is loose.

    Votes: 37 23.1%

  • Total voters
    160
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Istvan_86

Senior Member
Apr 9, 2011
700
93
Madrid
Many many thanks I have this problem in my old Xperia Arc, I expect to don´t need your TUT in my HOX but if I have this problem again I know where I should come.
 

blingmaster

Senior Member
Jul 24, 2010
50
8
Texas
Used a sewing needle like one of the other users recommended and it worked great. Had an obscene amount of white cotton that was packed into the Micro USB port that only the needle would get out. The toothpick seemed to keep leaving pieces of itself in the port that I had to use the needle to get out. (I did take out the battery before using the sewing needle) I also had to use the magnifying glass to see what I was doing (40+) but this little howto fixed my Atrix 4G. I also fixed my headphone jack with the sewing needle, it was also packed with the same cotton/lint.
Thanks a million!
 
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Dima_2005

Senior Member
Dec 4, 2007
292
70
I had just the same problem with my U8800, cable was almost not even sticking inside.
I already thought about that, but you just like read my mind by posting this :)

Anyways, it almost fixed it, it's still a bit loose, but actually depends on the cable. I've got a few cheap cables, which fit the best actually :)
 

AmateurX

New member
Apr 5, 2011
1
0
This is a great idea! Didn't even consider lint would be causing fit problems.

Do you think compressed air would work?

Sent from my ADR6300 using Tapatalk 2
 

noobieAndro

Senior Member
Sep 17, 2012
54
7
hmm a very useful post. no wonder why my usb cable doesnt fit well. it has lots of dusts. tnx for the tips. used a plastic material since wood and metal might leave or damage the delicate parts

Sent from my GT-S5360 using xda app-developers app
 
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androidusb

New member
Dec 15, 2012
2
0
Could this be the reason my phone is charging only if I connect the usb cable at a very certain angle (have to use couple of books to arrange this setting)...

Mine is the same.. Mine includes clear duct tape, two rubber bands, a bottle of hair gel for added weight, and my microwave.. If this doesnt sound like a fire waiting to happen, I dont know what does lol.
 

telmosousa

Senior Member
Jul 27, 2011
194
92
If usb cable isn't making good contact it can be this problema, you can do de procedure without worrie, worst can't get.
 

kneecaps2k

Member
Sep 19, 2012
5
2
London
I have found that the best cables are the ones that come with the same brand of phone. Nothing fits like the HTC cables on my HTC phone. Same for Samsung on my Samsung handset.

Sent from my HTC Sensation using Tapatalk 2
 

telmosousa

Senior Member
Jul 27, 2011
194
92
I have found that the best cables are the ones that come with the same brand of phone. Nothing fits like the HTC cables on my HTC phone. Same for Samsung on my Samsung handset.

Sent from my HTC Sensation using Tapatalk 2

That's a little strange since all microUSB ports and connectors are supposed to be equal :D Maybe one is more used then the other and gave you that impression.

I can tell you more, I've a microUSB cable that I buyed when I was on vacation and it fits better then my original u8800 cable, actualy it fits equal but isn't so loose, I think it is of the use that I give it, it's rarely used, while the other is used everyday to charge the phone.
 
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pelrun

New member
Jan 9, 2013
4
2
MicroUSB plugs are actually fairly fragile - far more fragile than the old MiniUSB ones were. One of the major reasons that MicroUSB replaced MiniUSB was that for MiniUSB the sockets used to wear out (i.e. the one in your phone!) rather than the plug. MicroUSB moved all the fragile parts across to the plug so that *when* things wore out, it would be the cheap cable that would need replacing rather than the expensive phone.

i.e. if your microusb socket isn't full of fluff and you are still having problems, throw away the cable and get a new one.
 

OakyTree

Member
Jun 14, 2012
37
1
Sweet guide, I wish I'd known this before I dealt with a loose micro port on my old phone for a year.
 

GameKing95

Member
Jul 30, 2012
13
2
Charging wire

Could this be the reason my phone is charging only if I connect the usb cable at a very certain angle (have to use couple of books to arrange this setting)...

It could also be caused if the charging cable is damaged
I had a similar problem changed cable worked fine
 
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ehnemehnemu

Member
Mar 4, 2012
44
12
It's working again!

I was having trouble with my damn usb port on my HTC Desire HD for over a year now, I was looking for solutions before, but I probably didn't have the right keywords, so I gave up..
Now I tried this and much like others, I had my doubts whether it'd do anything else than destroy your phone. I know that the DHD is catching dust every here and there under the surface, but I had a look into the port and it looked clean, I even blew into the port (old videogame cartridge trick ;) ) but no change.

So then I tried your little tip.. and I kept catching new dust with my needle! Just watch my attached image, it's incredible! ;)
Also, my port works perfectly now, before it was falling off at slightest touch, even the wrong angle and it wouldn't connect. Now it's easily snapping in and staying there.
God, thank you so much :)
 

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telmosousa

Senior Member
Jul 27, 2011
194
92
I was having trouble with my damn usb port for over a year now, I was looking for solutions before, but I probably didn't have the right keywords, so I gave up..
Now I tried this and much like others, I had my doubts whether it'd do anything else than destroy your phone. I know that the DHD is catching dust every here and there under the surface, but I had a look into the port and it looked clean, I even blew into the port (old videogame cartridge trick ;) ) but no change.

So then I tried your little tip.. and I kept catching new dust with my needle! Just watch my attached image, it's incredible! ;)
Also, my port works perfectly now, before it was falling off at slightest touch, even the wrong angle and it wouldn't connect. Now it's easily snapping in and staying there.
God, thank you so much :)

Damn, you had a very dirty usb port.. :D I'm very glad because my tutorial helped you in this nice way.
 

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  • 66
    A while ago I noticed that my micro USB cable does not fit well on my U8800 and when I picked up my phone the cable the cable always fall out without doing any force. After reading various sites, to decide what would be the best way and after I did it I'm now leaving here how to solve this problem. In my case it was dust and lint that accumulated because of taking the phone in pocket, etc..


    Tutorial

    You should use a toothpick, previously buffed with a fine sandpaper like the image below. You can use other objects, but with the toothpick you can do it without turning off the phone because it isn't a electrical conductor and you can also sharpen the tip very easily.
    palito.png


    You should clean the area paint in blue below:
    blueusbport.png


    After this you should give special attention to areas in microusb port marked in red below which is where bolts fits and attach the cable to the port. You should try to clean as much as possible the dust that has entrenched there.
    reddots.png


    In my case after 5 minutes of hard work this was the result:
    tempdd.jpg
    Picture missing!!! A lot of dust!

    I used the lamp on my bedside table for a better look inside the door. Those black things are dust that came out of there now do not have any slack in the port works at 100% and I can move the phone without any problem.

    How to fix female conector by flipswitch5point
    Tried this, didn't get any dust :/ but what when I was cleaning it I saw the two little holes in the female side of the port that the clips for the male end are supposed to latch in. Turns out my male end was suffering from... impotence? Lol. I took a needle and adjusted the clips on the cable and it holds fine now. Just posting this for anyone else who's suffering looseness not caused by dust.
    5
    Excellent. Thank you. Allow me to add my experimentation.

    All power off, battery out.
    In selecting the cable, it appears that there are three things to take into consideration when it comes to the male microUSB connector.

    The length of the exterior actual male plug sleeve. Some are shorter, and do not sit completely in the female.
    The difference in length I have seen is usually sub-millimeter, so do not expect to find a meter long male plug versus a standard.

    The two retaining pins. They can be stamped from the outer metal, or inserted as a separate part. You can tell this easily by looking the male plug from the side. The retaining clips should not be shaped sheet metal, and should not be able see through under the hump or V of the clip. The clip can also have the back end or hook side worn off.

    Finally the internal connectors. I noticed some that skimp on the width and the height of the V of the connectors inside the male connectors. If they are thinner width, they will be weaker, and flatten out much faster than one that is thicker. The second part to this is that the hump on connectors that are thin also tend to be not as high therefore less pressure for the connection.

    To fix these problems -
    plug length - This can be remedied by minor shaving of the plastic around the male plug, but best to get a new one that is longer.

    low retention clip. If it is stamped sheet metal versus the insert, it is actually easier to fix. Grab the clip and gently bend it up a millimeter or so.

    Worn off retention clip. I have tried to put solder on it and reshape but the danger of the solder popping off and frying too many things is too high.

    Low connection line. Use two needles to create a higher V or hump. First try to push head on the bottom of the hump with a single needle, or use one needle to hold the tip down and press in the V groove with the other to raise it.

    Thin connection line. There is nothing you can do about it.

    There is one more thing I have seen in cheap knock offs. The female plug connection plates worn off. This is where the connection lines press against, and rub each time it is inserted or extracted. The only two way I know to fix this is to clean and run solder to build the surface up, or replace whole plug. Unless you do a lot of surface mount repairs, forget it.

    Final cleaning tip. When I tried the fine idea of sharpened toothpick by telmosousa, I had some technical difficulties. This is most likely because of my senility. To get any material out I had to scrape it to the side of the female plug, then press against the female housing and drag it out that way.
    I took a metal needle, thinnest I could find and tapped the head with a hammer. The sharp end of needle bent just ever so slightly into a J. This allowed me to drag out the material from the plugs much easier.

    Again, thanks telmosousa.
    3
    If your cable (still) falls out, bite slightly on the plug.

    You're welcome.

    :cyclops: icanhaznewspost?
    2
    Thanks!!

    Inviato dal mio HTC EVO 3D X515m usando Tapatalk
    1
    Could this be the reason my phone is charging only if I connect the usb cable at a very certain angle (have to use couple of books to arrange this setting)...