Go720 charging problem

[user#1]

Hey all,

I searched the forum before posting but did not find a solution to the exact same problem
I have had my go720 for ~1 1/2 years now. I I plug the car charger into the unit, it will not start charging. If I back it off a millimeter or so, the green charge light will flicker for a moment but then go off. With some trial and error, I found a particular position that works but it requires me to to push the charging plug with a little force to the side and keep it there. So to do that, I have folded a small piece of paper and put between the plug and the side of the depression in the tomtom unit so it holds it pushed to the side while it is in the charging socket.
It does not seem to me like a wiring problem, but is the socket getting loose or what? Do I need to open the unit and examine the charging connections
I really appreciate the help

 

[mikealder]

It sounds very much like the socket is on the way out, they can be resoldered to the PCB but they are sufrace mount components and unless you have the required skills and tools to effect such a repair you will probably do more damage than good - Mike

 

[user#1]

Thank you, so what do you recommend?

 

[paspossible]

Before going gong-ho and opening the unit, a few things to try. How's the docking station doing? Get a hold of a Blackberry/Motorola phone home charger and see if it work. If the plug is the same, the charger will do the trick. This is an industry-standard plug.

My sister had similar problem and it was the car charger's plug who was defective. A replacement was $10CAN for an aftermarket adapter.

 

[calmant224]

If the light flicker can be a charging connector or the power supply .If is the power supply only a Professional Repair Center can do it .
If is the charging connector lose or the pins inside the connector are lose or damage you need to Change the connector.
The light must all the time on if the charger is plug.
Try to send it to a tomtom repair service .
Try this one : Sat nav repairs, TomTom repair, Tom Tom repairs, TomTom repairs, Garmin repair

 

[canderson]

I have experienced this problem personally. Based upon experience with one of my own products, I assumed that it would be the USB connector inside the unit itself. Yanking the cord (or dropping the unit from the mount and having it yanked that way) is a quick way to loosen it from the board.

Disassembled my unit, and was surprised to see not only the circuit traces all happy, but the four mounting lugs on the USB connector solidly connected to the board - all solder intact.

Turns out it WAS my power cable. The cable in my other car exhibited no such problems. I reformed the connector on the power cable and it worked better for a bit, but obviously the contacts inside were no longer servicing the USB connector on the unit. Cut off the R/A connector and soldered on another one. Problem solved.

In my case, I had to press the connector toward the rear of the unit to get decent contact - before I replaced it, that is.

 

[affinity]

Yes, I just posted in the battery thread. My unit is the same as canderson -- I'm going to get the USB connector replaced. With my unit "exploded" I could get a good connection with the USB to charge my battery, but my battery has never lasted as long as it should so I'll be replacing that too.