Peripherals Replacing a broken USB connector/plug

[Calliegirl]

The USB plug/connector (whatever you call it) on my drawing tablet has stopped working. I think one of the wires broke where the cord connects to the usb plug. Can I cut off the old one, and splice on another one?
I can't afford to just toss the tablet and get another one.

 

[Second Summer]

The USB plug/connector (whatever you call it) on my drawing tablet has stopped working. I think one of the wires broke where the cord connects to the usb plug. Can I cut off the old one, and splice on another one?
I can't afford to just toss the tablet and get another one.

Are you saying the plug / cord is damaged? Or that the socket on the drawing tablet is damaged?

Is the cord permanently attached to the tablet? Typically, it can be unplugged, and replaced, if the problem is the plug / cord. You can probably find a new one relatively cheaply on the Internet somewhere. (Maybe Amazon or something like that?)

If the socket on the tablet is damaged, then that sounds a lot worse.

 

[Calliegirl]

It is permanently attached to the tablet. This is the part that is damaged, where the cord connects to the usb connector. I have read of other people who opened the tablet and removed the whole cord and soldered on a new one, but I don't have any soldering equipment, so I was hoping to be able to just splice on a new connector.

 

[beancounter]

I've personally never heard of a USB cord being permanently attached.

Is the device still under warranty?

 

[Calliegirl]

This is the tablet I got, except I bought it through Amazon. You can see where the cord is attached at the top. I can't return/exchange it, I bought it just under a year ago and Amazon only allows returns for 30 days.
HUION P608N - Graphic Tablets - All Products

 

[KLS52]

If you can get a connector cheap enough where it won't matter too much if it doesn't work, I say go for the splice.

 

[beancounter]

This is the tablet I got, except I bought it through Amazon. You can see where the cord is attached at the top. I can't return/exchange it, I bought it just under a year ago and Amazon only allows returns for 30 days.
HUION P608N - Graphic Tablets - All Products

OK, what about a manufacturer warranty? I did a quick check of the site, and it appears they have a warranty, although the link isn't good. You could call the number for a sales agent

 

[Calliegirl]

Would any connector work? I have some USB cords from old phone chargers I no longer have or use.

 

[Andy_T]

I've personally never heard of a USB cord being permanently attached.

Every mouse is designed like that.

I had positive experiences in the past with Kensington (makers of trackballs and similar) when the USB cable broke when it was just under a year old and they sent me a new trackball as replacement (which also developed the same problem a year later, but nevertheless)

You might check if there are some people in your area who repair computers. Soldering is not just "having a soldering iron" IMO but involving some skill, especially with microelectronics.

Try to call Amazon and the provider if they can exchange/repair it.

 

[beancounter]

Every mouse is designed like that.

???????
I can detach/unplug my mouse from my computer.

Obviously the end of the wire that leads directly into the mouse can't be detached, but there is no need to do that as you can easily remove it from the computer and replace it.

Calliegir'ls issue is analogous to a a mouse being permanently attached to the computing device (e.g. PC, laptop, tablet, etc), which is unusual. I have never owned a device in the past 15 years were a wire (of any kind) couldn't be remove and replaced.

 

[Andy_T]

The way I understand it the plug that goes into the computer (the end of the tablet cable) is broken, most likely in the place where the cable meets the final plug.

 

[Andy_T]

You might try the following:

Cut off the tablet cable a bit from the plug, remove the outer cover and take out the cables inside.
Do the same with an old USB cable that you do not need anymore.
Check whether the cables inside have the same colour.
Take a look here, you might get lucky: What is inside the USB? Color Coded Wire?

Connect the similarly coloured cables with something like a terminal connector strip:
Screw terminal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Might work, even though it will most likely not look terrific (until you wrap it in duct tape)

Mind you, I am NOT an electrical expert in any way.

 

[Calliegirl]

The way I understand it the plug that goes into the computer (the end of the tablet cable) is broken, most likely in the place where the cable meets the final plug.

Yes, this is what the problem is. I don't have an extra $40 to just go out and buy a new one which is why I was asking about fixing the plug.

You might try the following:

Cut off the tablet cable a bit from the plug, remove the outer cover and take out the cables inside.
Do the same with an old USB cable that you do not need anymore.
Check whether the cables inside have the same colour.
Take a look here, you might get lucky: What is inside the USB? Color Coded Wire?

Connect the similarly coloured cables with something like a terminal connector strip:
Screw terminal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Might work, even though it will most likely not look terrific (until you wrap it in duct tape)

Mind you, I am NOT an electrical expert in any way.

Thank you, I'll try this.
I'm not too worried about how it looks, I'm fine with it being ugly as long as it works.

 

[beancounter]

Yes, this is what the problem is. I don't have an extra $40 to just go out and buy a new one which is why I was asking about fixing the plug.


Thank you, I'll try this.
I'm not too worried about how it looks, I'm fine with it being ugly as long as it works.

The problem with this solution, is that if it doesn't work, you will void any warranty that the device may have.

I still think the best route is to at least try to get the manufacturer to replace it.

 

[Andy_T]

I still think the best route is to at least try to get the manufacturer to replace it.

Agree, that would also be my first try.

 

[Calliegirl]

The problem with this solution, is that if it doesn't work, you will void any warranty that the device may have.

I still think the best route is to at least try to get the manufacturer to replace it.

I looked on their site and it should have a 1 year warranty, which means I have a week left.
Their customer service hours are 4:30pm - 3:00am pst which is 8:30am - 7:00pm in China.
So I called and I could not understand a word she said, it was very, very broken English and there was a lot of background noise. I don't know what to do now, I don't know anyone who speaks Chinese.

 

[beancounter]

I looked on their site and it should have a 1 year warranty, which means I have a week left.
Their customer service hours are 4:30pm - 3:00am pst which is 8:30am - 7:00pm in China.
So I called and I could not understand a word she said, it was very, very broken English and there was a lot of background noise. I don't know what to do now, I don't know anyone who speaks Chinese.

A local college may have someone who could help. Maybe call up the language department.

 

[Calliegirl]

I sent them an email and a message on Facebook. Hopefully I'll get an answer through one of those two.

 

[Calliegirl]

They answered my Facebook message.

They looked up my order and said the seller wasn't an authorized dealer, so they couldn't do anything and I needed to contact the seller. I tried to contact the seller and was told I needed to contact Amazon regarding any returns. They don't do repairs. So, I contacted Amazon and they said they only do returns for 30 days which ended a long, long time ago. But, after explaining the situation, they agreed to let me return it. They couldn't do an exchange since they aren't the seller. So after I return it, they'll credit my account and I can re-order the tablet. This time I'll get it from an authorized dealer.

That'll be at least 2-3 weeks without my tablet.

 

[KLS52]

But that's good news! You did good! *says the woman who can't go five minutes without her iPhone let alone three weeks*