18/06/2019

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Mouldedoutside
USB Plug: 4 Steps
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How to Repair a Moulded USB Plug

By 04s2lao (/member/04s2lao/) in USB (/circuits/usb/projects/) 216.667 37 6

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Ok, lets picture the problem, you've bought several USB mice over too small amount of time
because the silly things keep breaking. Your latest mouse keeps cutting out and to get it
working again you need to wiggle the cable around the USB plug. That is what I've been
putting up with.

Because I have to wiggle the cable around the USB end to get it working it was pretty
evident that the problem was one or more broken wires within the USB plug. Hence
the solution was to strip the plug apart, cut out the dodgy cable and re-solder the cable
onto the plug.

Needless to say I wrote this instructable with a nice working mouse! Oh and this is my rst
instructable, so enjoy!

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Step 1: Cut Off & Cut Open

(https://cdn instructables com/FNI/H78S/GELSQM2R/FNIH78SGELSQM2R LARGE jpg

(https://cdn instructables com/FHW/30ZB/GELSQM2Q/FHW30ZBGELSQM2Q LARGE jp

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18/06/2019 How to Repair a Moulded USB Plug: 4 Steps

(https://cdn instructables com/FQZ/KLU6/GELSQM2P/FQZKLU6GELSQM2P LARGE jpg

I know where the problem area is (if you don't know try wiggling the wires and see what
happens) so the rst thing is to chop off the USB plug ready to be worked with.

Next we stand the plug on its side, with the exposed metal part up in the air. The exposed
metal is the bit you want to hold onto so you don't cut your ngers. Now using a stanley
knife or similar to cut one side of the plug. (See the photos!) You want to use a fair amount
of pressure whilst moving downwards with the knife, just please please please be careful
not to cut yourself.

You want to cut until you can part the whole rubber/plastic casing and extract the metal
innards. Hopefully you shouldn't have to cut the other side of the plug.

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Step 2: Get to the Wires & Prepare

(https://cdn instructables com/F2J/2G5F/GELSQM37/F2J2G5FGELSQM37 LARGE jpg

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18/06/2019 How to Repair a Moulded USB Plug: 4 Steps

(https://cdn instructables com/FRU/RY69/GELSQM36/FRURY69GELSQM36 LARGE jpg

(https://cdn instructables com/FUP/BA5I/GELSQM35/FUPBA5IGELSQM35 LARGE jpg

Even though we've battled past the outer casing, there's more moulded rubbish to get past.
For me a bit of brute force is all that was needed your, mileage may vary. Once you've got
the the wires out, cut them away from the white inside piece. The one thing I will suggest is
the idea that the previous wires need to be visible or recorded so we know where to solder!

Now we've done that we need to strip and prepare the wire that's going to be soldered to
the plug. I would suggest the sure of a proper tool here and a lot of patience. Else this step
is just going to end up with a load of broken wires. See the photos for a target.

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Step 3: Tin & Solder

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18/06/2019 How to Repair a Moulded USB Plug: 4 Steps

I'm not going to teach you how to solder here, that is covered in excellent detail elsewhere.
There's no point in doubling up that information.

The st thing to do is to tin the wires, making them much much easier to work with later.
For those who aren't aware tinning is applying a thin coating of solder on the outside of the
wire. Next we need to strip out the gunk currently on the connector, I used de-
soldering wick here but use whatever de-soldering method your happy with.

Next we take the wires and solder them to the connector/plug. Remember which wires go
where!

Once soldered this is the prefect time to test the connections, plug it into your computer. If
it works all good, if not go and nd out why. Your most likely reason will be because of
shorts. Check the joints where we've soldered then check again. Running a at head
screwdriver in-between the joints is also a effective way to make sure there are no shorts.

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Step 4: Put It All Back Together Again

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18/06/2019 How to Repair a Moulded USB Plug: 4 Steps

(https://cdn instructables com/FF1/VJLO/GELSQM44/FF1VJLOGELSQM44 LARGE jpg)

(https://cdn instructables com/FJB/MUZ4/GELSQM43/FJBMUZ4GELSQM43 LARGE jpg)

You stripped the plug apart, now you just need to put it back together again. Its exactly the
same in reverse. Re-assemble the white insides and re-insert them into the metal
container. Next we close up the metal container and tighten the cable grip at the end (a pair
of pliers works really well here) I also highly suggest a glue gun is used to avoid the cable
being ripped straight out the second its put back together.

Once you've got the metal part back together the last step is to put back the rubber/plastic
outer mould. This is best done by placing it around the metal using, a fair amount of hot
glue gun glue in-between the two sides of the cut. Then being pushed straight together.
Let the glue dry then use the Stanley knife to cut off the excess (this is why I used a Hot

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18/06/2019 glue gun.) How to Repair a Moulded USB Plug: 4 Steps

We have now repaired the USB cable, the last job to do is to put it to good use!

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6 Discussions

(/member/SamECrowley/) SamECrowley (/member/SamECrowley/) Question 7 months ago on Step 2

Answer / Upvote
How do you take off the metal casing?

(/member/Icesphere/) Icesphere (/member/Icesphere/) 3 years ago

Reply / Upvote
Sweet, I have a super gaming mouse I love but the manufacturer sent the USB plug in a bent manner
(it was ordered on ebay). So I had to bend the USB end a bunch to get it to work, I was gonna splice
the cords at the end but I wasn't sure what to expect so I Googled it and found this which is really
useful. Thanks for the instructable!

(/member/sivvvae/) sivvvae (/member/sivvvae/) 4 years ago on Introduction

Reply / Upvote
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18/06/2019 i have a ENOR EN-1202-OR usb+cable Howmouseto Repair a Moulded USB Plug: 4 Steps
i do not know what the problem is exaclly it could be severals, even i am not going to just cut the cable
and do something like that, again, just tell me what is it going to help for? im asking because im sorry
but i had not read the whole thing here

(/member/Greasetattoo/) Greasetattoo (/member/Greasetattoo/) 6 years ago on Introduction

Reply / Upvote
Great Instructable!
I have to repair my Seagate USB plug pocket drive.

What I am going to do, rather then dismantle the plug end. Just find me, a usb cord
that I don't use anymore and snip the end off, but leave about 3 inches of cord. Then just connect the
two cords!
1 reply F

(/member/Scott_Tx/) Scott_Tx (/member/Scott_Tx/) 8 years ago on Step 2

Reply / Upvote
Interesting, I've never destroyed a plug to see what the insides were like. I didnt think they'd be
reusable.

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