Author Topic: CM Novatech missing internal power/USN cable. Fix?  (Read 2147 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline surfmonkey

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 9
  • Location: Los Angeles
CM Novatech missing internal power/USN cable. Fix?
« on: Thu, 22 September 2016, 11:10:07 »
Hola, I really didnt know where else to put this thread. I have come into a Novatouch TKL, but the internal cable that mounts to the PCB, and then to the case for the micro USB is plain old missing. Cooler Master does not want to sell me a cable, and wont fix it because I already opened it up. Does anyone have a pinout diagram, or another way to source the cable?  ...Or possibly any other solution?


Offline suicidal_orange

  • * Global Moderator
  • Posts: 4771
  • Location: England
Re: CM Novatech missing internal power/USN cable. Fix?
« Reply #1 on: Fri, 23 September 2016, 02:23:41 »
Looking at pics it uses the standrd USB wire colours but they're not in the right order, so that's not helpful!

You'll need a friendly owner with an expired warranty and a continuity tester (multimeter or LED and battery) to open it up and check which colour connects to which pin in the USB socket.


If you own the stuff and need guidance how to do this please post :thumb:
120/100g linear Zealio R1  
GMK Hyperfuse
'Split everything' perfection  
MX Clear
SA Hack'd by Geeks     
EasyAVR mod

Offline tjcaustin

  • King Klaxon
  • * Maker
  • Posts: 3557
  • Location: Dallas-ish
  • King of All Klaxon Sciences and Cable Makery
    • Buy stuff
Re: CM Novatech missing internal power/USN cable. Fix?
« Reply #2 on: Fri, 23 September 2016, 03:05:05 »
Not the best picture, but  -

That looks from left to right to be:
drain/data -/data +/GND/+5VDC

It might have GND and the drain wire transposed, but that's what the glimpse of those wires looks to me.

If I remember my novatouch innards correctly, the molex for both ends is the same as what filco uses for its cables, which is easy enough to source on mouser/digikey.

Offline SKD

  • * Vendor
  • Posts: 152
  • Location: England
Re: CM Novatech missing internal power/USN cable. Fix?
« Reply #3 on: Fri, 23 September 2016, 04:37:13 »
I just got a Novatouch yesterday, warranty gone. I can open mine up and prod a multimeter around if you need, just tell me where to stick it cos I haven't a clue  :))

Offline suicidal_orange

  • * Global Moderator
  • Posts: 4771
  • Location: England
Re: CM Novatech missing internal power/USN cable. Fix?
« Reply #4 on: Fri, 23 September 2016, 12:59:05 »
I just got a Novatouch yesterday, warranty gone. I can open mine up and prod a multimeter around if you need, just tell me where to stick it cos I haven't a clue  :))

Perfect :))

We need to confirm where the pins in the USB socket (the one that goes in the computer) connect to on the big connector in the top right of tj's pic (thanks tj, best to be sure) so you'll need diode mode on the multimeter.  If your probes are small enough to fit in great, if not you might need a pin, small paperclip or similar.  Or if you have an old motherboard you could go to the connections on the back of that...
120/100g linear Zealio R1  
GMK Hyperfuse
'Split everything' perfection  
MX Clear
SA Hack'd by Geeks     
EasyAVR mod

Offline surfmonkey

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 9
  • Location: Los Angeles
Re: CM Novatech missing internal power/USN cable. Fix?
« Reply #5 on: Fri, 23 September 2016, 18:55:14 »
Wow! You guys are awesome!

Are both internal connectors (CS1 and CS2) wired to use the same USB jack? I can work out the soldering needed (or just buy a filco cable if thats really all thats needed), but am not the brightest when it comes to figuring the pinout order to get the cable right.

Offline OfTheWild

  • * Esteemed Elder
  • Posts: 1308
  • Location: Cary, NC
  • Make things. Have fun.
    • Studios of the Wild
Re: CM Novatech missing internal power/USN cable. Fix?
« Reply #6 on: Fri, 23 September 2016, 21:18:30 »
I feel like as many as there are that just rip these boards apart for the switch plungers... I'm sure someone would just give you a new cable. Heck, find me a good price on one and I'll give you the whole board minus the plungers and rubber.
-Dana

Offline SKD

  • * Vendor
  • Posts: 152
  • Location: England
Re: CM Novatech missing internal power/USN cable. Fix?
« Reply #7 on: Sun, 25 September 2016, 11:53:25 »
« Last Edit: Sun, 25 September 2016, 11:57:40 by SKD »

Offline suicidal_orange

  • * Global Moderator
  • Posts: 4771
  • Location: England
Re: CM Novatech missing internal power/USN cable. Fix?
« Reply #8 on: Sun, 25 September 2016, 14:34:14 »
I found this reddit post https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/comments/3nzeyn/modification_microusb_pinout_for_novatouch/

Has this photo. Should be all you need?

Show Image


Indeed, that will do nicely.  Matches tj's guess too :thumb:

Standard colours in a strange order but with each colour being used as what it normally is - was it really that hard to wire it up to match a standard CM?!
120/100g linear Zealio R1  
GMK Hyperfuse
'Split everything' perfection  
MX Clear
SA Hack'd by Geeks     
EasyAVR mod