iStick 20W - the saga continues

[domesticextremist]

Long time sufferers of my ramblings may remember the problems I had with my iStick 20W charging port being dodgy: iStick 20W won't charge via USB
Well cleaning out the port seemed to work for a few weeks, but then things went downhill and again it would not take a charge properly.
Fearing a flat battery, I put it to one side, unable to toss it in the bin but not sure what to do about it.

After browsing YouTube electronics and electronics repair sites*, I decided to try and replace the USB port.
This was not an easy job and hampered by having inadequate tools and a dearth of appropriate skills, but I learned a lot along the way.
Because I did this over several months, there are no photos or video, so you'll have to put up with a 90s style, TextTube version.

If you are wondering why I bother with fixing up essentially disposable electronics (I do frequently) , bear in mind I'm from the older generation when electronics were expensive and built to last. I hate waste and also as a species we generate 60 million tonnes of e-waste every year, which does not find a eco-friendly end:


Remember this the next time you see a politician on his hind legs, patting himself on the back for banning plastic straws.

*Youtubers who helped immesurably along the way:
Big Clive
Electronics Repair School
My Mate Vince (the most indefatigable fixer in the UK)

[domesticextremist]

1. Getting it apart

The usual speil for getting into iStick 20W (there are Youtube videos around that explain thoroughly):
Remove the bottom plate, loosen the top plate. Carefully remove the black wondow on the front stuck down with double sided tape.
Tip out the buttons, slide out the clear backplate.
Remove top plate and carefully slide out the battery and circuit board assembly.

Again very carefully, desolder the tabs from the battery wires to seperate the battery from the circuit.

You now have a two-circuit board sandwich soldered together with two sets of header pins, witht he USC port inbetween. To get to it you need to desolder the header pins and seperate the two boards.
This is not easy.
It is even harder if all you have is a crappy Amtex 18W iron and one fattish tip.
After many hours of trying, I eventually got them apart, not cleanly, a few connectors got melted and there was still a lot of solder leflt on the pins.
I invested in some rosin flux and desolder braid at this point to help clean things up and give my self a chance of getting thins bacl together.
Also I ordered some microUSB ports from Slowtech.

[domesticextremist]

2. Removing the port

Whilst waiting for parts, I decided to remove the old port.
I will admit to having made a right pigs ear of this, even with flux and braid, getting the thing off was a real swine of a job*.
I did it eventually, but managed to lift two of the pads off the circuit board (thankfully not connected to anything) and damage the track for +5V.

It is possible that the +5V being damaged was my original problem, but I certainly made it much worse.

* the right way to remove it is shown in this video at 2:11:



It is worth watching the whole thing, even if you never solder, it is a thing of beauty

As it turned out, the footprint of the new USB port was different to the old one and my first attempt to solder it on was a mess. I removed it using the method above and can say that it does work.
It takes nerves of steel, but it does work

[domesticextremist]

3. Fixing the centre pin

Wile I had everything in bits, I decided I would fix the well known centre pin issue too, using this excellent guide:
iStick 20 Watt repair guide

I removed all the mastic and replaced the grommt, then epoxied the whole thing back together.
Sadly, I rather over-stressed the epoxy motif and had to spend a few hours filing it carefully back down so that it would fit back into the case without foulding the circuit board.
Having done it this way, I realise it is an almost irreversible repair.
Almost, but not entirely , so I'l have to nurture my threads and hope it lasts.

[domesticextremist]

4. Fitting the new port

My replacement ports finaly arrived from Slowtech, but were different to the one I removed.
Firstly, the solder tabs to secure it to the board point ed down instead of out sideways. This was easilty fixe with persuasion from a pair of thin nosed pliers. Some tiny plastic locating nubbins had to be gently filed away too.
Worse still, the locating feet didn't line up very well with the contacts on the board, but I pressed on.
After several hours, I had one port soldered in wonkily with all of the pins bridged together.
I alomst gave up here, but decided instead that I needed to get a proper soldering iron.

Fortunately Chairman Mao's dolarama is churning them out quite cheaply these day.
I went for this style, recommended (with reservations) by Big Clive:




I got one from a UK seller on Ebay for £24. It was 'Katsu' brand and came with a correct UK plug, correctly fused at 3A and the earth wire on the transformer was securely attached.
I'm satisified that it is at least as electrically safe as my older one and temp controlled soldering is a joy compared to using the crappy Maplin's bought one I had before.
I also got a 'helping hands' thingy, which wasn't quite as much help as I had hoped, the ball joints don't stay put as well as I would like, but it has an illuminated magnifying glass and is still a lot better than chasing a loose board round the bench with solder in one hand and a hot iron in the other.

[domesticextremist]

5. Fitting the new port again

Ok, so now suitably armed with tools and better knowledge, it's time to try again.
First I removed my bodged port using the method in step 3, and cleaned away the solder with braid and flux.
Then adjusted the new, new micro USB port to fit its intended environment.
Then I scraped away some solder resist in the right place for the attachment lugs.

I now soldered on the port using just the lugs. One lug at a time so I can adjust the position to get the pins aligned with the pads on the board.
Once in place, add more solder to the side edges of the port to hold it securely in place.

Finally, with a fine tip, solder the pins to the pads as best as possible.
I also added some jumper wire to the +6V pin to fix the broken track and attached to a exposed piece of board scraped away the other side of the break.
I also bridged the vround pint to the port casing to make sure there was a good connection to 0V.

I Cleaned up once more and closely inspected the work which looked OK.
Then I reattached the top circuit board to the header pins.

With some trepidation I attached a charge only cable and a USB power bank and hey presto, the screen lit up!
Obviously no charging happened as the battery was not connected, but at least I knew I hadn't killed it.

Attached the battery and 510 connector and it now charges and vapes.

Woohoo.

The new port is a very tight fit for the cable comapred to the one it replaced, but I did use a metric buttload of lead based solder to hold it in place, so hopefully it won't crack off as it beds in.

[domesticextremist]

Now fully assembled and charged to near full capacity, I'm vaping on my beloved iStick 20 once more.
Very pleased to have this legendary out and about vaping device back in service again.

A year ago I wouldn't have dreamed of trying a repair like this, but thanks to YouTube university, a little outlay on the right tools and a fair amount of perspicacity, I can now bask in the satisfaction of a fix well made.

Next on the list is to mod it to take a replaceable battery, so that when the old one finally goes (though it shows no sign of doing so) I can just pop a fresh one in.
I'll try and take photos when I do that one.
Thanks for reading.

[DaveJ]

That's a *Two Thumbs Up* from me.

I agree with ya about the e-waste/throwaway society thing, and it is good to be able to fix something that most would just dump. But I just can't get a grip on that sort of fine soldering and associated work.

Well done you!



++ And a pretty decent write up of it all too!

[domesticextremist]

Jan 9, 2019 5:38:23 GMT DaveJ said:

But I just can't get a grip on that sort of fine soldering and associated work.

Much sweating, swearing, soldering iron burns and eventually you'll get the hang of it.
Having the right tools helps enormously and these days they are quite cheap.

[pacman]

Well done. I too hate all the waste and I still recoil all my stock coils for the same reason.

[DaveJ]

Jan 9, 2019 6:26:01 GMT domesticextremist said:

..
Much sweating, swearing, soldering iron burns and eventually you'll get the hang of it.

Oh, I've got the sweating, swearing and burns down pat! Its the other part that eludes me ...



Although I've recently had some success with a blowtorch vs some sizable (car battery type sizable) soldered anderson style connectors.


Which is not to take anything away from your most excellent fine detail work on your iStick.

[charliehorse]

Jan 9, 2019 4:59:32 GMT domesticextremist said:

Now fully assembled and charged to near full capacity, I'm vaping on my beloved iStick 20 once more.
Very pleased to have this legendary out and about vaping device back in service again.

A year ago I wouldn't have dreamed of trying a repair like this, but thanks to YouTube university, a little outlay on the right tools and a fair amount of perspicacity, I can now bask in the satisfaction of a fix well made.

Next on the list is to mod it to take a replaceable battery, so that when the old one finally goes (though it shows no sign of doing so) I can just pop a fresh one in.
I'll try and take photos when I do that one.
Thanks for reading.

Great stuff and looking forward to seeing the replaceable battery mod