geekhack
geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: ChwyNiblet on Thu, 13 December 2012, 23:21:42
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I posted this on [Hard] but I thought you guys might be a little more knowledgeable.
Okay, so to make a long story short my Ducky mechanical keyboard has been having issues working due to the mini USB cable port on the keyboard's PCB. When a usb cord is connected into the keyboard it would not turn on. Apparently this is a known issue with these keyboards and seeing as my keyboard's warranty is out, I decided to do some investigating, which led me to this.
(http://i.imgur.com/TSHG2l.jpg)
Now I'm wondering if you guys think its possible to try to resolder the mini USB connector back onto the board or do you think I messed up the traces on the PCB too badly.
(http://i.imgur.com/H7sDll.jpg)
(http://i.imgur.com/9SyHGl.jpg)
I'm thinking that I should start looking for a new mechanical keyboard. What are your thoughts?
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Nope, it's a single-sided PCB and looks like you ripped out the traces, so you're SOL. How the hell did you manage to rip out the whole top layer in that area?
You can sort of salvage the functionality of it if you soldered the USB cable leads directly on the controller traces, but that won't be an easy thing to do.
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I guess it came up when I desoldered the leads. Well I guess it would just be cheaper to get a new keyboard then to send it to someone to get it fixed huh?
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If you go for another Ducky, probably not. if you aim for one of the cheaper boards, like a QFR, then it could well be cheaper to get the existing one fixed. But you'd need to get some quotes first.
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FWIW I do believe this board to be repairable. You will have to figure out where those traces you broke actually go, and solder a lead from there directly to the USB connector. I don't think this would be a project for a novice, but an experienced person could maybe get it done pretty quick. It'd be somewhat easier, I believe, to convert it to non-detachable cable at thin point.
I see ground and the connector to that jumper should be pretty easy. The others: Who knows?
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it's repairable, but it won't be pretty. the easiest way will be to epoxy the USB port to the PCB, and then solder the leads with a new trace. you can scratch the coating off the top of the trace, just be careful(er). looks like you'll need a new USB port though, that one is toast.
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FWIW I do believe this board to be repairable. You will have to figure out where those traces you broke actually go, and solder a lead from there directly to the USB connector. I don't think this would be a project for a novice, but an experienced person could maybe get it done pretty quick. It'd be somewhat easier, I believe, to convert it to non-detachable cable at thin point.
I see ground and the connector to that jumper should be pretty easy. The others: Who knows?
it's repairable, but it won't be pretty. the easiest way will be to epoxy the USB port to the PCB, and then solder the leads with a new trace. you can scratch the coating off the top of the trace, just be careful(er). looks like you'll need a new USB port though, that one is toast.
What these two said. If you don't want to mess with attaching to an existing trace, you can just strip down some wires and solder the new non-detachable cable directly onto the pins they lead to (implying they lead to pins I guess that is). I would just epoxy a cable onto a pcb and solder the connections as needed, it might seem daunting but it will keep the board operational.