Replacing USB Mini Port on Streetpilot i3

hierge · Occasional Visitor Joined: Sep 06, 2007 Posts: 2

Someone plugged in another USB Mini cord with a plug designed for a cell phone and not for the Streetpilot because the supplied cord kept slipping out of the cigarette lighter with alarming frequency. Unfortunately, when the unit was on the floor it got stepped on and bent. It will no longer power up and the USB port needs to be replaced.

Can anyone advise me here on how difficult a repair job this is and steps involved?

Thanks!

mikealder · Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 7:20 am Post subject:

Welcome to the forum, this question was asked a while ago, there are some instructions detailing how to take the device apart with pictures See Here - you will need a very fine tipped soldering iron to change the surface mounted socket, although it is not impossible - Mike

hierge · Occasional Visitor Joined: Sep 06, 2007 Posts: 2

mikealder · Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 7:07 pm Post subject:

Take the device appart and have a good look at the damaged socket, it might even be worth taking a trip to a local Maplins store with the defective Garmin and let them advise on a suitable iron, soldering to SMT mounted components is not that easy, but it can be done, a very fine tip with a decent amount of heat power behind it is best.

You need to be able to get the local area hot enough to melt solder and flow without damaging the adjacent components, often the mistake is made to use a soldering iron with too smaller wattage, this results in excessive heating to the surrounding PCB - Mike

welshgasman · Regular Visitor Joined: Apr 17, 2006 Posts: 122

FWIW , Garmin wanted about £75 to repair my neighbours. It was I that asked the question a while back. They felt that the £75 would be better spent towards a newer unit like a Nuvi. They still use it, but only on batteries and cannot update the maps.

The soldering skill required was well out of my league. :-)

PaulB2005 · Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 11:13 pm Post subject:

welshgasman · Regular Visitor Joined: Apr 17, 2006 Posts: 122

Well there is a card in theirs, and I have the relevant card adapter and reader. Perhaps I can update the maps for them in that case.

PaulB2005 · Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2007 11:39 pm Post subject:

Then you can. When you update the maps remove the card (or better still buy a new card) and then plug it into the PC with the adapter. Then when the software asks where you want the maps sent to, choose the card instead of the i3. Once complete put the card into the i3. Job done.

welshgasman · Regular Visitor Joined: Apr 17, 2006 Posts: 122

I *thought* that you had to have the original card?, as any other cards would not work?

	PocketGPS
	Web