Can anyone help me with some issues I am having charging my Samsung Note 2?

[jackjoe1234]

Issues Charging

Hello,

For the last 2 years I've been using a Samsung Note 2 (due for an upgrade now), and I've had no issues with it in terms of charging and so forth. However, for the last two days, my phone only charges sometimes after I restart it, or it would charge while turned off but randomly turns itself on. Today I am trying to charge my phone, and it's just not charging. I've tried 3 different plugs/wires.

When I put the charger into/out of the phone it will say "USB port connected/disconnected" or something along the lines of that.

 

[STARGATE]

Re: Issues Charging

Hello jackjoe!
Have you checked the battery?
If you don't have an extra battery to test the phone, take the battery out and plug the phone, turn it on.
If it turns on and works without a problem, your battery might be at fault.

Let us know how it goes.

 

[jackjoe1234]

Re: Issues Charging

Hello,

It was being a bit weird, it would say connected when unplugged, and disconnected when plugged in. I put it into my PC and it installed a driver, and that issue was sorted. I then tried the instructions you've given me, and it doesn't seem to turn on when there isn't a battery in it. I thought the USB port had a problem but it seems to connect, and the connected/disconnected issue has gone away since the driver update.

Update 1: I turned off the phone, unplugged/plugged it in about 3 times and now it's charging... I'm not sure what's wrong and I need a full battery before even leaving the house today. I'm thinking of upgrading to possibly a Note 4/Nexus 6/iPhone 6+, today or Monday but I still need this phone to work properly.

Update 2: Stopped charging while turned off... It's currently on 15%, I was thinking about draining it but I doubt that will help. Looks like I'm out of a phone until Monday.

 

[Rukbat]

Re: Issues Charging

After 2 years, if you've been mistreating the battery (almost everyone does - see Battery University - How to Prolong Lithium-based Batteries), the battery is probably at the end of its life. The good news is that a good Note 2 battery is about $16 (Amazon.com: Anker® 3100mAh Li-ion Battery For Samsung Galaxy Note 2/II, GT-N7100, SCH-I605(Verizon), SCH-R950(U.S. Cellular), SGH-I317(AT&T), SGH-T889(T-Mobile), SPH-L900(Sprint), fits Samsung EB595675LA: Cell Phones & Accessories)

 

[jackjoe1234]

Re: Issues Charging

My battery did drain once or twice this week. Will the store be able to tell me if it's the battery? I'll be going past there in a few hours, I could order my upgrade too, and buy a new battery if need be since I still need the stuff off of my phone.

Update: I switched chargers, it turned itself on and continued charging. It's currently 80%. I'm wondering if the chargers could also be the issue...

 

[rusty502]

Re: Issues Charging

Another possibility is a dirty or defective micro USB port, maybe a bent pin? A couple of years of plugging and unplugging can take its toll.

 

[jackjoe1234]

Re: Issues Charging

Yeah, I have a feeling it's either the pin or battery, not sure which one. At this present time I can't open the phone up to check. If I can get it to somehow reach 100% or so by Monday, then I can take off the stuff I want, upgrade, and fix it later. I have to go to the store with someone on Monday, so I'm being asked to hold off until then, so we can get all issues sorted at once.

 

[jackjoe1234]

Re: Issues Charging

Update:

Went to the store yesterday to upgrade my phone, I chose the Samsung Note 4, almost went with the iPhone 6+, kinda forgotten about it. May consider it since I have to wait a week for my phone after being told I'd get it today.

Anywho, back on topic. I still need this phone, or at least to survive by next week. They said there was no point them taking it, the company would just wipe my phone clean and overcharge me at a price that's almost the same as a new handset. He said try a stand alone store. I think it may be the USB port, because I've figured out I can get it to charge if I wiggle it a little bit. It's extremely annoying, because I then after to lean it against a little diary and I can't really use my phone for a quick reply/email because moving it will cause it to stop charging. I was going to open up the phone myself, I was in the middle of taking out the screws, had 1 more left, had a friend that said "I'll do it for you while you finish your work". He destroyed the screw and I can't get the darn thing out of the phone...

I'm guessing that it may be scratched, maybe not since I can't see it. I was advised to use something flat and push the USB port up, or down through the bottom of the phone, but I don't want to destroy it or make it worse than it already is.

 

[jackjoe1234]

Re: Issues Charging

Seems to have the same issue again, I'm going to guess it has loose pins, which I can't replace at the moment.

I'll have to put up with it I guess. I was betting on my Note 4, but after it being 4 weeks late. I'm being told I now have to get a Black One (I wanted white), and have to wait 10 more days OR wait 6 weeks for a white one. So in total I have to wait 5 weeks for a black Note 4 I don't want, or 10 for a white. Awesome contract upgrade.

 

[Rukbat]

Re: Issues Charging

I think it may be the USB port, because I've figured out I can get it to charge if I wiggle it a little bit.

Absolutely. That's the way that problem is diagnosed. If positioning the cord just right makes it charge, one or more pins aren't soldered any more. It's about as certain as having blood dripping out of your finger diagnoses a break in your skin.

The screw CAN be removed (there are tiny screw extractors, but you also need a tiny drill press and a good magnifier [and, needless to say, good eyes]), but resoldering a microUSB connector isn't gor someone who hasn't destroyed a few trial boards before.

See if you cand a local source of an external charger for that battery (you can on Amazon, but even paying the extra I don't think you can get better than 2 day shipping which, if you ordered now, would probably mean Tuesday delivery) and charge it externally. If there's a local shop that would do that kind of work for you (we used to when I owned my stores), they can get the screw out (even a 2" diagonal cutter could probably work it out) and resolder the connector without wiping the phone (but you have no recourse if they steal your data and you told them not to wipe it - which is why most shops wipe every phone as the first step in the repair). Cost? If you're friendly with a shop, or they want to be nice to you, maybe $25. (If we weren't busy, I'd tell the customer to give the tech something for his time. If he hadn't been working on that phone, he'd be out front having a smoke or inside surfing the internet, so it didn't cost me more than about 2 cents worth of solder. Back 10 years ago, a tech would be happy with $5 and thrilled with $10.)

 

[spagman]

Re: Issues Charging

The note 2 has the daughter board for usb.... It's not directly on the main motherboard.
You can watch a YouTube video and replace it in 15 minutes.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317