Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

4

Time Required

                          30 minutes

Sections

1

  • Garmin Edge 800 USB not connecting to PC
  • 4 steps

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Introduction

This problem typically starts occurring after the USB port has been exposed to moisture. It first manifests as problem with connection to PC, but later worsens and the device always boots up to a diagnostic screen.

First step should be to clean the USB contacts from the outside. If that doesn’t help, you will need to open the device and clean the contacts inside.

In this guide I will show you what is causing this malfunction and how to fix this problem.

What you need

Step 1

              Open the device
  • Disassemble your Garmin until you have the bottom half of the case like in the picture (if you’re not sure how, look at youtube for a video on how to replace battery)
  • It requires the correct size of Torx for the screws
  • The main circuit board and battery is easily disconnected from the little board which is part of the bottom half of the case
  • You may keep the processor board and LCD together

Disassemble your Garmin until you have the bottom half of the case like in the picture (if you’re not sure how, look at youtube for a video on how to replace battery)

It requires the correct size of Torx for the screws

The main circuit board and battery is easily disconnected from the little board which is part of the bottom half of the case

You may keep the processor board and LCD together

1024

Step 2

              Remove small circuit board
  • Desolder the 2 speaker wires from the circuit board (take a photo before you do so)
  • Scrape away the sealant and remove the small circuit board with the USB port and SD card from the bottom half of the case
  • In next step you will work only with the small USB / SD circuit board

Desolder the 2 speaker wires from the circuit board (take a photo before you do so)

Scrape away the sealant and remove the small circuit board with the USB port and SD card from the bottom half of the case

In next step you will work only with the small USB / SD circuit board

Step 3

              Fix the cause of the problem
  • The actual cause why the USB stops working is that the tiny pins on the back side of the USB plug corrode
  • As the wires corrode, they enlarge their volume, causing short between the wires
  • I found it when I noticed in the service screen that the USB input voltage measured only about 3V
  • To remove the corroded metal causing the short, take a sharp tool (could be sharp pointed tweezers or a needle) and scrape away the oxidized material from between the leads, as indicated by red lines in the picture
  • brass wire brush or steel wool could also be helpful
  • Apply plastidip on the pins to protect them from environment and to prevent them from creating short again

The actual cause why the USB stops working is that the tiny pins on the back side of the USB plug corrode

As the wires corrode, they enlarge their volume, causing short between the wires

I found it when I noticed in the service screen that the USB input voltage measured only about 3V

To remove the corroded metal causing the short, take a sharp tool (could be sharp pointed tweezers or a needle) and scrape away the oxidized material from between the leads, as indicated by red lines in the picture

brass wire brush or steel wool could also be helpful

Apply plastidip on the pins to protect them from environment and to prevent them from creating short again

Step 4

              Reassembly
  • After you put the USB / SD circuit board back into the bottom half of case, seal it with something like plastidip or silicone sealant.
  • Resolder the speaker wires
  • Clean the connectors with 100% alcohol or lighter fluid (naphta) to ensure good contact
  • Then reassemble the whole unit
  • Be gentle when tightening the torx screws, as the thread in plastic is quite easy to strip with too much torque (If you’re curious how I know it, look closely at the pictures :)

After you put the USB / SD circuit board back into the bottom half of case, seal it with something like plastidip or silicone sealant.

Resolder the speaker wires

Clean the connectors with 100% alcohol or lighter fluid (naphta) to ensure good contact

Then reassemble the whole unit

Be gentle when tightening the torx screws, as the thread in plastic is quite easy to strip with too much torque (If you’re curious how I know it, look closely at the pictures :)

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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                                                                                      3 other people completed this guide.

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                    Ondrej Pok

Member since: 01/12/2016

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juliengontier - Jun 29, 2018

Reply

Thankyou so much! It worked for me

Trak Walker - May 5, 2020

Reply

2020-05-05: Is the surface of the Edge 800 glass LCD screen damaged if touched? After re-assembling, the touch screen is non-responsive. The back-light comes on, but nothing else. I did try the system re-set procedure.

John Clarke - Sep 12, 2021

Hi Trak

probably a bit late now, but it is quiet easy to touch the plastic looking contact that runs around the led screen and that contact the thinner rubber like strips that go around the glass in the cover. Look for a finger print particularly next to the ribbon contector. Clear the plastic & rubber strips with isopropoyl alcohol and be careful when re-attaching the ribbon. That should fix it

Regards

John

lucian stănescu - Aug 28, 2020

Reply

didn’t solve my problem. do you think the usb-connector could have been damaged beyond repair and needs to be replaced? thanks

Velolion - Feb 12, 2021

Reply

I accomplished this repair easily without desoldering the speaker, and recommend omitting those steps. There was no evidence of water intrusion or corrosion on my Edge 800, but I did run a fine-tipped awl between the USB leads lightly as directly, which really seemed to only remove a little of conformal coating. But when I reassembled everything my data USB connection was working again (charging had never stopped working), so either there was something there between the leads that was completely invisible to me, or maybe one of the connectors in the unit just needed to be reseated. Did a battery replacement at the same time (got the battery kit from newpower99.com).