My usb on my rover completely came off probably because there was little solder holding the usb in. You guys should definitely put more solder onto it. What should I do, I don’t think I can solder that well:( Am I guaranteed another board?
http://i1182.photobucket.com/albums/x460/Mark_Landergan/Photoon2011-08-21at20302.jpg
Alright so my warranty is sadly over… I would like to try and fix it myself before resorting to spending $48 + shipping on a new board. So where are those holes where i can use an external usb.
THanks
actually I just took an old usb cable hacked it apart and soldered it into place instead of the jack. It works just as good as the jack, but it also gives it a little bit more of a personality.
This actually happened to me as well. I had just Gotten my Robot yesterday (1-2-13). and about two minutes after I tested the Sample WASD Code, It came undone. Since I do have a Fair bit of soldering experience I decided that I would try my hand at the repair. I just took an old UN-used USB cable from a smart phone I have lying around someplace. Cut and stripped back the wires and just followed the traces back a bit until I could scrape off the coating and solder to there, This was much simpler than trying to use the solder pads since unfortunately my Data + pad had come off with the female USB connector. I can upload a picture or two if anyone is interested. I just want to say I love my new rover and I am extremely pleased with the detailed pictures, schematics, sample codes, just everything here is very well documented. I will most definitely be a returning customer.
This just happened to me today. I have very little experience, so if there is a way you can share those photos of how you repaired that … I would greatly appreciate it. I have been studying how the connector broke and the condition of the pins in the back. The schematic sorta makes sense to me, but I am pretty sure I could follow you photos as an example.
I have had to rover for a few years … it is version 1.5 . I really want to fix the onboard USB.
I dont understand how I would use the USB to Serial adapter. How does serial connect to the version 1.5 PCB?
Hi markl,
Please contact RobotShop via the support center with your invoice number or means of finding your account. So long as the Rover is within the warranty period, we would be happy to exchange it. We will certainly add your suggestion to the list of improvements planned for version 2.0. If you are in any way hesitant to solder the connections (they are quite small), we advice waiting for a replacement. Should for whatever reason you be outside the warranty period, there ar holes included on the board so you can use an external USB to serial adapter (you would need to solder the pin headers).
Sincerely,
Hi Markl,
We are sorry to hear the board is outsid ehte warranty period. You would program the board the same way you program the Arduino Mini. Since you can’t use a breadboard, you would need to use jumper wires. USB to Serial boards of interest include: DFRobot FTDI USB to Serial, Arduino Mini USB Extension Boardetc.If you plan to re-solder the USB, disconnect everything from the board and solder the small pins one at a time with just a little solder. Ensure the iron is hot and that the solder does not travel between pins. Check the solder several times (usea magnifying glass if necessary) before connecting it to the computer - your computer’s USB ports may not be protected from a short circuit. The warranty for the board is 60 days and issues like this usually happen within the first few days of having received the product and are quickly exchanged under warranty.
Hope this helps,
Correction: The product should work. The chip is actually a USB to serial (bad product title).
We are happy you are enjoying the rover and looking forward to seeing what you do with it. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the USB breaking off and take note that we would be happy to send you a replacement free of charger (with a return label so you can return the defective one free of charge as well).
How long have you have the rover? We can certainly see if you’re within the 60 day warranty. If not, you can consider a USB to serial adapter.
