Anyone else having issues with micro usb jacks easily coming off?

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larry

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hello everybody!

Just curious if anyone else has been having issues with the USB micro jacks coming from the teensy pcb board?

I have 4 units that have all separated from the PCB and are not repairable. The thing I find odd is i have over 20+ micro most all with micro USB connectors and I've never had this issue. I'm really careful with my equipment. I have even been using the same knock off 328 micro pro for what seems like a good 3 years now and that connector is holding strong even after 100's and 100's of uses and removals of cables. I use my more expensive units far less so im really confused why i keep running into this issue.

I really like my teensy 3's but with all 4 unit's down and 3 of the 4 are unable to be connected from below as the points from the D- & D+ easily pulled up even with extremely low temp. So i have only 1 usable unit after starting out with 4 :(

I don't want this to seem like a upset post or im bashing the unit. As i really enjoy working with them. Maybe I got a bad batch or something?

Hopefully i am the only with this issue.

much love <3

Larry
 
strangely, I had the usb jack come off a 3.1 this week, and it was previously unused (my own old stock). I tried to recover using a usb breakout and soldering to the small d+ and d- dot pads, but these pulled up, like yours, so now unusable.

Luckily, the 3.2 pads look much better...
 
mortonkopf said:
strangely, I had the usb jack come off a 3.1 this week, and it was previously unused (my own old stock). I tried to recover using a usb breakout and soldering to the small d+ and d- dot pads, but these pulled up, like yours, so now unusable.

Luckily, the 3.2 pads look much better...
Click to expand...

I feel slight better i'm not the only one having issues but i guess that does not make the issue any better for all the people who bought them.

I wonder is there is anything we can do? I'm kinda a poor self taught student and I can no longer afford to spend alot of money due to my current situation. Might seem silly by 80.00 in wasted controlled is alot of money for me. I can't do a single thing with them other then whatever was written in it even was a fully working program.

Are there any other ways to program this unit other then the micro USB or the D- / D+ ? I send a email to tech support and they gave me a very brief explantnation on how to hook up to the D- / D+ which absolutely won't work with the extremely small connection points that seem to lift off with the slightest heat. I'd like to think i'm a extremely good with a soldering station, Never really have issues and i can by hand do 0402 SMD parts, so I don't think it was me or my equipment that was at fault.

Forgot to mention I lost a Teensy LC today do to this again :/ While trying to convert some 3.1 code to hopefully work on the LC to save the project deadline. Starting to get pretty frustrated as I have a project due today and i'm completely out of Teensy based controlled. And non of my Arduino are strong enough or have 1/2 the needed items to run the teensy 3.1 software.


Is there a DIY option for the Teensy chip? maybe i can just design my own very very simple board with a super sturdy usb connection.

Good to see your still around mortonkopf, what's new with you? I know you got some cool LED stuff on the works. I'm current working on LED matrix's also doing a embedded linux Glediator setup :D
 
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larry said:
I send a email to tech support and they gave me a very brief explantnation on how to hook up to the D- / D+ which absolutely won't work with the extremely small connection points that seem to lift off with the slightest heat. I'd like to think i'm a extremely good with a soldering station, Never really have issues and i can by hand do 0402 SMD parts, so I don't think it was me or my equipment that was at fault.
Click to expand...
 
Yes, an OSH board that glued the connector down.
OSH promptly replaced the board for free.

My mistake was applying just a wee bit too much vertical force. Connectors with sturdy tabs soldered thru-hole are much preferred but cost board space on the other layers.
 
Paul,

Is there anything that can be done? Other then buying a new unit or a upgraded 3.2 which I hope solves this issue.

The lower cost teensy LC has nice large pads compared to the micro tiny dot used in the more expensive model 3.1. Seems like plenty of space was left for a larger connection point or even the use of pads like the LC. But we only got a useless easy to pull up tiny connection.

I kinda feel like i'm not the only one having this issue. As mortonkopf started he had a completely unused new teensy 3 break off. I've also had this issue with a brand new out of the package LC.

Kinda sucks to have 4 nice micro's that are 100% useless to me.
 
The USB connector on Teensy 3.2 is the same as Teensy 3.1. Whatever it happening mechanically in your application that's causing upward bending force on the connector is very likely to damage Teensy 3.2 the same way.

Perhaps you should consider using this cable:

http://www.pjrc.com/store/cable_usb_panel_micro.html

You can plug this into the Teensy, and then securely mount it to a strong panel. It's extremely durable. If you're using Teensy in some sort of application where the cable is being pulled with upward force, you probably need something like this to make the final product resist those forces.

I know this probably isn't the answer you want, but the plain simple truth is these SMT micro-B connectors are not very strong for force applied in anything but the on-axis pull/push of the cable. Upward bending force will break the connector off the Teensy. Switching to Teensy 3.2 is not going to solve your problem. The only long-term solution is more careful handling of the cable, or securing the cable so you don't end up pulling the wrong way, or something like this panel cable (securely mounted to a panel).

Teensy 3.2 does have much larger pads to access the D+ and D- signals. But before you buy any more Teensy boards, you'd do well to think of a way to manage your USB cables to prevent more problems.
 
PaulStoffregen said:
The USB connector on Teensy 3.2 is the same as Teensy 3.1. Whatever it happening mechanically in your application that's causing upward bending force on the connector is very likely to damage Teensy 3.2 the same way.

Perhaps you should consider using this cable:

http://www.pjrc.com/store/cable_usb_panel_micro.html

You can plug this into the Teensy, and then securely mount it to a strong panel. It's extremely durable. If you're using Teensy in some sort of application where the cable is being pulled with upward force, you probably need something like this to make the final product resist those forces.

I know this probably isn't the answer you want, but the plain simple truth is these SMT micro-B connectors are not very strong for force applied in anything but the on-axis pull/push of the cable. Upward bending force will break the connector off the Teensy. Switching to Teensy 3.2 is not going to solve your problem. The only long-term solution is more careful handling of the cable, or securing the cable so you don't end up pulling the wrong way, or something like this panel cable (securely mounted to a panel).

Teensy 3.2 does have much larger pads to access the D+ and D- signals. But before you buy any more Teensy boards, you'd do well to think of a way to manage your USB cables to prevent more problems.
Click to expand...


I do use the adapters in my project box enclosures and my LED matrix frames. They work great. And i do sugguest them to anyone needing to extend a connection to a outside location they work great. I even have a few mounted in my car hooked up to my Android indash.

The problem i guess im having is ive not had this issues with the 20+ ish micro's which also share that same type of SMD micro usb jack with no issues. And to be honest got far more use and abuse. I've even used them in LED hoops and LED poi without a single break. In my smart hoops that were on sale last year never seen one broken micro usb jack and i sold around 100 unit.

I wonder if there may be a better way for you guys to possibly secure the usb jack? Please don't take this comment the wrong way as it's just a suggestion from a hobbyist not a professional pcb builder. Just know truly love the Teensy and all the work that has gone into it.
 
Paul,

Do you know the location so i can maybe hardwire D- & D+ just had my last unit's D- rip off it was even got glued :/ Really not have any luck with any of my 3.1's. I have a project due in the mail by the end of day and of course this happens on my last 3.1 and the code im using won't run on my LC's

:/
 
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