Sourcing replacement USB3 connector - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / repair

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2021, 09:05:48 pm
content: I've got another project here that has been deceptively difficult. This is a HP small form factor PC, not sure of the exact model because there's an asset tag over the label which I don't want to remove but it's a relatively new i7. One of the front panel USB connectors has been broken by some monkey (doctor) impatiently jamming a plug in there the wrong way around and now the contacts are all mangled and it will need to be replaced. This connector is soldered directly to the motherboard and to complicate matters it is designed so that the front 2/3 of the connector sits into a cutout in the PCB to reduce the height. The only marking I can see on these is "tconn 170213" which has come up dry but perhaps my google-fu is failing me. I did find what I believe is the company that made these but I don't see anything quite like it in their offerings. Anyone got any leads? Otherwise I guess my only real option is trying to source a defective motherboard to cannibalize, perhaps some HP laptops of a similar era used the same connectors.Pictures are of an identical intact connector because it's more readily visible than the broken one.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 10, 2021, 09:15:49 pm
content: Your pictures have no details whatsoever. Is it TH or has SMT pins? How pins are arranged, etc? What is laptop/motherboard model?

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 10, 2021, 09:23:17 pm
content: Might be thishttps://www.aliexpress.com/item/32787595468.html

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2021, 11:17:47 pm
content: Sorry, the pictures provide as much detail as I can get without completely disassembling the machine which is next on my list of stuff to do with it. I was hoping the number printed on it might help, or that somebody who has been through this before will have found something that fits.That connector you linked is closer than anything else I've found, I will investigate it further, thanks.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 10, 2021, 11:19:34 pm
content: Number printed on connector is most likely is a lot code or something like that.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 10, 2021, 11:27:24 pm
content: The same thing with cheaper price and with drawinghttps://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001456713135.htmlBTW you should strongly avoid operating it with shorted USB pins. Even when off but with battery attached. There is a quite high chance of destroying CPU or chipset if there is a separate one.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 11, 2021, 01:18:28 am
content: Well I'm not operating it like that but the machine was powered up and operating when it broke, I have no idea how long it spent in that state before it was brought to me. There is no battery, this is a SFF desktop machine.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 11, 2021, 06:30:36 pm
content: Check digi-key, they carry a ton of USB connectors, including the shorty ones like you need.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 11, 2021, 06:32:37 pm
content: Quote from: tooki on January 11, 2021, 06:30:36 pmI did check, but I wasn't getting anywhere with the parametric search. I was hoping somebody might be familiar with the specific connector and could point me to a part number but it's looking like I'm going to have to remove it from the board and take some measurements.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 11, 2021, 06:36:59 pm
content: Quote from: tooki on January 11, 2021, 06:30:36 pmAnd there is like 95% chance you won't find it at usual distros.

author: nali
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 11, 2021, 06:41:23 pm
content: Well it'll probably be one of thesehttps://www.t-conn.com/en/product/series/USB/USB-3xpossibly 18-30330-1A03-0Note that from looking at some of the drawings the "170213" looks to be a date code which explains why it's not coming up in a search.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 11, 2021, 08:07:28 pm
content: Quote from: wraper on January 11, 2021, 06:36:59 pmBut if you don't check, the 5% chance gets reduced to 0%.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2021, 05:14:42 am
content: Well I'll take the PC apart this weekend if I have a chance and desolder the connector so I can get a better look.