Oct 22 2006
Job No. 3
iPod repair log.
Model:
iPod nano 2GB
Initial Condition:
no activity
owner reports iPod went through washing machine
Action:
Reset iPod
– no activity
Boot to self diagnostic mode
– not booting
Boot to Disk Mode
– not booting
Connected to Mac
– iTunes doesn’t see iPod
– Disk Utility doesn’t see iPod
Tested the components in a working nano (thanks Bianca for a lend of the nano).
Opened nano using a guitar pick
Quite a lot of rust and a white residue that I assume is washing powder.
Disassembled nano for cleaning
– removed main circuit board
– unsoldered battery
Circuit board before cleaning
Scrubbed circuit with toothbrush under running water
Dried circuit with a hair drier
Re-connected circuit board
– iPod starts-up
– screen working
– click-wheel and buttons not working
Connected known working click-wheel
– iPod interface responsive (must be problem with click-wheel)
Disassembled click-wheel
Click-wheel circuit also has rust
Removed the click-wheel circuit from the face plate (it’s attached with double sided tape)
Washed circuit with toothbrush under running water
Dried circuit with a hair drier
Re-connected click-wheel
– iPod software hangs/restarts when “hold” is switched off
Re-examined click-wheel
Click-wheel connector has broken track (top track in photo)
Jumpered track with single strand wire
Re-connected click-wheel
– click-wheel partially functional but iPod hangs/restarts when “play” or “select” is pressed
Re-examined click-wheel connector
– breaks in multiple tracks
– attempted to flow solder over breaks but tracks lifted from ribbon connector
– removed jumper wire
– cut damaged tip off click-wheel ribbon
– scraped plastic shielding of top of click-wheel ribbon to make new end connector (the original end connector had wider pads where the connector pins contacted the ribbon so the new end may not contact with pins correctly)
Re-connected click-wheel
– click-wheel partially functional
– removed and re-seated connector a number of times (over 20) to get pins to match ribbon (trial and error)
– found a position that works
Tested iPod
– screen image is intermittent (getting worse), display is blank white
Examined ribbon connector for screen
– similar damage to click-wheel (perhaps washing powder corroded traces)
– this ribbon connector is too short to cut (and the conductors are quite dense so that probably wouldn’t work anyway)
Painted end of screen connector with conducting silver; used a single bristle from a paint brush (shown below), split the end of the bristle with a razor blade so that it would hold the paint)
Scraped off paint between tracks with a needle to prevent shorting
Re-connected screen
– performance improved but still intermittent
– re-painted ribbon connector and scraped back
Re-connected screen
– performance stable
Re-connected click-wheel (had to be removed to access screen connector; this process takes another 10 tries at seating the connector correctly)
– iPod click-wheel and screen appear to be functioning normally
Tested battery
– appears to charge but iPod shuts down when disconnected from power
Battery cells are sealed with an attached circuit
Battery circuit has some residue
Cleaned circuit with a damp toothbrush
Dried circuit with hair dryer
Re-connected battery (to match original pic below)
Tested iPod
– battery shows full charge (must have been charging ok before)
– iPod operates normally when disconnected from power
Re-assembled nano
– replaced tape over battery wires
– re-fitted iPod back
iPod nano operational
Report:
Numerous faults caused by corrosion and powder residue. All components cleaned, ribbon connectors modified/fixed. iPod is now functional.
iPod software updated to latest version.
Notes:
Performance of repaired parts may not match original items however at present they appear to be doing fine.
Component Summary:
Memory
Battery (working condition unknown)
Logic Board
Screen (connector cable repaired)
Click-wheel (connector cable repaired)
iPod has been returned.