USB-Power Connector on Ipaq 5550

[MrT]

Today I had a scare on my Ipaq 5550 when I could not get power to it unless I applied pressure to the USB connector on the bottom. The stub with contacts in the Ipaq socket appeared to be slightly leaning away from the contacts side. After cleaning it and pushing it slightly with my fingernail all seemed OK.

However on examining the connector it does appear to be a poor design. I am not sure if the stub with contacts on in the Ipaq socket is a piece of PCB and the contacts are tracks or if it is something stronger. If it is the PCB, it looks very weak and I expect that it could easily break the stub itself or the tracks which make contact.

As I am frequently plugging in different devices, such as cradles, cables and keyboards, I am concerned that this is a likely point of failure.

Does anyone know any more about the construction of this socket and do they have a history of failure? Is it an easily replaceable socket or is it an extension of the main PCB? I don't want to invalidate my warranty by taking it apart to investigate.

(I will also be posting this on HP's own forum)

[Dave]

I presume the connector is still the same as the 3800/2200.

I did have a 3850 drop from the windscreen mount a few years ago when using a Navman sleeve, and this did bend the connector into a 45 degree angle, and when I managed to unhook the connector I couldn't get it to plug back in. After about an hours work with pliers, I manager to get the connector back in, and I did a risky thing of then trying to bend the connector back whilst in the socket, fearing I might snap the board in the iPAQ, I didn't and it did seem to be quite strong.

What happened to me is both connector bent and the board itself. Personally I think the connector was the worst thing that Compaq could have created, but it does open up a lot more things than just being able to charge the Pocket PC, it's a complete data port, and putting it on the back of the iPAQ would have caused problems with sleeves.

The connector is probably the single most point of failure, but you have to make sure somehow that it won't drop, and you should be okay.

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