Hi, a device (tablet) came to me with complete utter destruction by the previous "butcher" who sadly tried to fix the USB port. Completely destroyed everything. Here are some pictures of the result:


The microUSB has, from pin 1 to 5 in male: VCC, D-, D+, ID, GND. As you can see, the 3 middle pads are ripped off, and if that wasn't enough, the GND around them is peeled off due to a freaking TRANSFORMER trying to be a repairman for a day. Clearly the previous butcher didn't know anything about this and brute forced the port out of its place, ripping everything in the way.

Anyways... now I am in the fun mission to try to connect the ridiculously small legs of a microUSB B to another pad of the PCB. I can solder GND and VCC as it's still doable, but the 3 middle legs need a bridge cable. My idea was to carve a little route through the structure plastic:



And use enameled cables to go from there to the other side:



But it is a really tough way to handle this, the legs are so tiny and it's really hard to make sure you made a good solid connection to them:



If that wasn't enough, the GND area ripped off around the 3 middle legs in the PCB shorts all them 3 legs as it's impossible not to touch it, so the only way to avoid it is to cover that PCB area with tape... which makes the port higher respect the PCB as the tape rises it a bit, but it's kind of OK.

Any ideas how to handle this massacre?

 

Stick on replacement pads are available to replace lifted traces and pads.

If you are using tape, use Kapton or some other polyimide tape, or PET tape. They are heat resistant, hard to puncture, and very thin. You can also use UV cured solder mask which is what is on the board already and readily available.

 

Stick on replacement pads are available to replace lifted traces and pads.

If you are using tape, use Kapton or some other polyimide tape, or PET tape. They are heat resistant, hard to puncture, and very thin. You can also use UV cured solder mask which is what is on the board already and readily available.

Problem is I am not in this "easy" situation with a path to join to:


but this painfully one, no trace/path, a ripped off pad that only had a through hole connection to the other side:



That, plus there are 3 pads in a row broken, all ultra tiny, not possible to fix. I need an auxiliary route.

 

You can usually solder to the via. But even if you need to use bodge wires you should use the solder mask or proper tape for the insulation.

And, as far as the wire is concerned, magnet wire will work but Kynar wirewrap wire is more common. If you do use magnet wire, make sure it is good quality or the insulating coating may not survive the routing and short to something.

Example of wire wrap wire: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/2255800018481979.html

 

Damn... after 6h of work I finally repaired the damn port. I checked everything: no short circuit between cables, and continuity from the end of the cable to the end of the port inside. So, measured: por 100% fine.

I finally assembled everything, charged the tablet, and now a red LED flashes every 2 seconds. Won't turn on, won't do nothing. That's with the battery connected. Without the battery it does nothing, no LED, no turn on...

I checked GND and VCC while charging and it's getting the usual 5.2V but drops to 0V every 2 seconds as well. Looks like something is protecting the tablet, I am guessing. Constantly cutting the power when charging.
I made sure GND in USB female goes with GND pin, VCC to VCC, etc... I have not mixed the male-female schemes, just in case someone thinks that might have happened.