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Nano RP2040 - Opps...

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Lee G
(@lee-g)
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Joined: 3 years ago
Posts: 58
Topic starter  

Like a dummy, I broke the usb connector off a Nano RP2040 board, trying to get it off a breadboard. ☹️  Is there anything that can be done to save the board??

(It was brand new!)

LeeG


   
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MadMisha
(@madmisha)
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Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 340
 
Posted by: @lee-g

Like a dummy, I broke the usb connector off a Nano RP2040 board, trying to get it off a breadboard. ☹️  Is there anything that can be done to save the board??

(It was brand new!)

LeeG

There are a few options. If you can locate the traces you could scrape the solder mask away and solder wires to them and your USB jack. Alternately, you could recreate the circuit and go directly to the D- and D+ pins. Both methods would need really small wires. Look under documentation here. The schematic and PCB view would help.


   
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MadMisha
(@madmisha)
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Joined: 4 years ago
Posts: 340
 

I assumed the PCB is what broke. I realized that may not be the case.

If the Connector itself is messed up and the PCB and pads are fine then search ZX62-AB-5PA(31). Digikey has them for $0.83 for cut tape and it does not list a minimum order.

If that is not the case then:

There are 2 test points for D+ and D- on the backside of the connector that you could solder to. Power pins could be soldered to VUSB test points. Pick a ground.


   
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Lee G
(@lee-g)
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Joined: 3 years ago
Posts: 58
Topic starter  

Thanks for the suggestions and info. 

I snapped the connector off of the PCB. The connector itself seems to be intact, except for the five connection pins. One of the solder pads where it was connected to the board was also damaged, otherwise the PCB appears to be OK. I applied +5V to the board from a battery and the LED lights up.

But, I’m afraid these old eyes and shaky hands would not be able to solder anything that fine on the board.

I’m looking into alternative ways to upload a sketch to the board.  

 

Nano RP2040

   
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(@davee)
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Joined: 3 years ago
Posts: 1608
 

Hi @lee-g,

I haven't seen an actual RP2040, but your (slightly indistinct) photo "suggests" that the only soldered joints might have been along the top of the connector.

If the metal body of the connector was not fixed to the board, then it seems inevitable that the leverage of the USB cable will easily rip it off.

Looking at an ESP32 with the same type of connector, the two 'wings' in the middle of the connector are bent down and soldered into plated through holes, thus acting as a support.

I suspect the 'wings' were supposed to be soldered to the pads on the top of the board, which would help if they had been soldered properly. Then, I might have expected these pads to be ripped off the board, like the one at the top left, so were they soldered properly?

Furthermore, I have had a quick look at the PCB details on the Arduino site.

https://store.arduino.cc/nano-rp2040-connect-with-headers , from which the small picture snip below came.

The grey pads labelled M1 ... M6, are from the top paste layer, suggesting they should all solder to the connector casing... but from the look of your photos, I am guessing only M1 and M4 were actually soldered. (I could be misinterpreting the diagram, so please try to compare the Arduino site data with the actual board to verify my suggestion.)

I would have a good look with a magnifying glass to see if the pads were dry jointed or more likely, never soldered at all, to the connector metalwork 'case'.

Then, if you think my interpretation is correct, maybe try a polite discussion with your supplier, if you feel it wasn't assembled properly.

If you (or a friend) want to try soldering it back on, it is probable that the only pad that has been ripped off is mainly for support, so if all the others are soldered, plus any additional precautions to reduce the strain, it will probably work.

However,  you maybe looking at solder paste and possibly, hot air gun job, as in addition to the 5 small pitch pins, the support soldering pads are on the bottom side of the connector. I am sure some people could use an 'old school' soldering iron bit to fix it, but it is not designed to be fixed that way.

Good luck.

image

 


   
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