Has Anyone Attempted an iPad Repair?

[Hellion]

Hi,
The docking/charging port on my iPad 1 has become faulty (wear and tear). I've found the replacement part I need for £30 on eBay a repair guide online.

Obviously I'll need to get some Spluggers? (Is that an American term) and torx driver, but they're cheap.

My question is it difficult to open an iPad?

I've changed the e-ink screen on my Kindle so have some experience.

PS
It's out of warranty

 

[Bob Maxey]

Hi,
The docking/charging port on my iPad 1 has become faulty (wear and tear). I've found the replacement part I need for £30 on eBay a repair guide aniline.

Obviously I'll need to get some Spluggers? (Is that an American term) and torx driver, but they're cheap.

My question is it difficult to open an iPad?

I've changed the e-ink screen on my Kindle so have some experience.

PS
It's out of warranty

Couple of comments from a true expert. No Smiley, it is true. Smiley:

Not sure if the glass cover is heat sealed or not. Some say yes, others say there is some sort of friction fit using a rubber gasket, and another site says there are clips involved. You can determine this by searching for "iPad, disassembly." There are cables to connect the display and switches to the main PCB. If Apple is smart, three different sized connectors will be used. If not, make sure you watch for cables that use the same size connector. They must be properly plugged in and not mixed up, or epic fail. Make sure everything you unplug is replugged when you reassemble.

ESD (Electro-Static Discharge) can be a danger. ESD can wipe out an IC. Even if the device appears to work after your repairs, chips damaged by static can become weakened and normal use can or will eventually destroy the chip. Fine traces inside the chip can be partially destroyed so they cannot handle the voltage and/or amperage. The die and frame connections are exceedingly small and it takes very little to fry a chip; not to mention, the connections in the tiny die inside the package.

The connector is most likely fine pitch. Therefore, make sure you can solder FP components. It takes a steady hand and I have seen more than just a few "professional" types screw up a simple solder job. That said, I have not seen an iPad in pieces and I have not seen the connector in person. Expect trouble soldering a FP connector and expect bridges. They can be repaired but you run the risk of thermal damage to the connector. I have repaired thousands of devices with heat damaged connectors because it does not take much.

Double trouble if you accidentally get solder on a the chip leads. And some bridges are supposed to be there so avoid trying to repair mistakes you only think you made.

Never said it was easy. Smiley.

Make sure you so not short any components when you replace the connector. Very easy to do without knowing you did it. The PCB is highly populated and it is not the place for rank amateurs to be fooling around with. Smiley.

Proper grounding is an absolute must so make sure your soldering iron is grounded and make sure that you are also grounded. Radio shack sells a wrist strap.

Good luck.

 

[iCrank]

Hi,
The docking/charging port on my iPad 1 has become faulty (wear and tear). I've found the replacement part I need for £30 on eBay a repair guide online.

Obviously I'll need to get some Spluggers? (Is that an American term) and torx driver, but they're cheap.

My question is it difficult to open an iPad?

I've changed the e-ink screen on my Kindle so have some experience.

PS
It's out of warranty

I would check amazon for the tools. Make sure you get metal spluggers because those cheap plastic ones break easy. I just replaced my screen the other day and found out that iPad repair is fairly easy. It's difficult to open the screen up at first but be patient.

Sent from my iPad using iPF

 

[Bob Maxey]

I would check amazon for the tools. Make sure you get metal spluggers because those cheap plastic ones break easy. I just replaced my screen the other day and found out that iPad repair is fairly easy. It's difficult to open the screen up at first but be patient.

Sent from my iPad using iPF

So is the screen heat sealed, gasket sealed or clips?

 

[cnacoons77]

My suggestion is the following: 1) Consider saving up for another iPad 2) Take it to Apple and let the professionals do it 3) Did I mention considering saving and buying another iPad? You can get a Apple Certified Refurbished 64gb with 3G 1st Gen for $699. Thats what Im using right now. They install a new battery, new back, and verify its perfection. and being 33% off the new iPad 2 I feel its a great value. This is merely my opinion. Good luck either way you go on this one. Youtube has videos of people taking apart a iPad, looks rough! Good Luck!)

 

[freebirdforever]

Trust me m8, dont try it. I used to do iphone and ipad repairs for work.... Dont touch it with a 10 foot pole unless you really know what your doing

Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using Tapatalk

 

[Bob Maxey]

Trust me m8, dont try it. I used to do iphone and ipad repairs for work.... Dont touch it with a 10 foot pole unless you really know what your doing

Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using Tapatalk

I can repair one.

I have mad soldiering skills and plenty of experience building consumer products.

I would need tools, my trusty ESD safety equipment, a schematic, a source of replacement parts, a way to remove the glass without breaking it, replacement glass because I did break it after all, and time. So much can go wrong; in some cases, you can damage a chip and you will not know it until your iPad croaks. You can unplug something and not know where it goes.

 

[addiosamigo]

To replace the dock connector you'd have to remove the older one and solder a new one, the easiest way would be to get a new motherboard (if there available) otherwise you'd have to buy a replacement like others have suggested.

 

[Bob Maxey]

To replace the dock connector you'd have to remove the older one and solder a new one, the easiest way would be to get a new motherboard (if there available) otherwise you'd have to buy a replacement like others have suggested.

Actually, the connector is a more or less a standard fine pitch connector. It might be designed to Apple's specs, but how it attaches to the PCB is rather simple. If you want to replace the part, you had better be good at fine pitch soldiering. Not one bit as easy as it looks and what I see happening is inadvertent damage to the solder pads on the PCB. VERY easy to lift a pad and then it is over; there is no way repair it unless you have the pads replaced and that is costly.

I say leave the repairs to the experts and save time and cash.

 

[Bob Maxey]

ipad 1 is so easy to remove LCD/Touch you just need tools, dont use plastic, use this one http://www.ipaqrepair.co.uk/images/ipad_opening_tool.jpg start from the HOME button part, dont start from power switch part...after removing LCD/TOUCH http://i00.i.aliimg.com/img/pb/209/830/413/413830209_969.jpg

just unscrew this dock connector 5 screws two up and 2 down, one at the middle.then u can replace now with new one..

http://www.carlias.com/Upload/Ipad Parts/Ipad 1 Parts/Ipddockconnectorflexcab-23154830036.jpg

AND GROUND YOURSELF! Never attempt a repair until you are properly grounded. ESD is always a possibility.

 

[Bob Maxey]

View attachment 10009

View attachment 10010


been doing mobile repair since 2002 in philippines, and now here in UAE!

Bob is right!

Bob is a smart fella, that is for sure. If you ever wanted to know who built your Palm Pilot, RIO MP3 Players, almost every PCMCIA Modem . . . well that would be me. Although, I did have some help. Seen lots of problems caused by ESD. Unfortunately, a little zap of errant static can weaken a chip so it fails before its time and the iPad PCB contains many chips that can be quickly ruined. Some repairs are best left to the experts.

 

[jasper2012]

Where could we found the repair parts?

 

[TheRandomizer]

You can find the iPad repair parts at iFixit.

 

[Midranger4]

If still functional why not an extender for the port?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/30pin-M-F-D...Accessories&hash=item1c257b6314#ht_2974wt_702

 

[john13]

I would check amazon for the tools. Make sure you get metal spluggers because those cheap plastic ones break easy. I just replaced my screen the other day and found out that iPad repair is fairly easy. It's difficult to open the screen up at first but be patient.

Sent from my iPad using iPF