JBL Flip 4 USB Port Replacement

Written By: Philip Pang
  • Comments: 32
JBL Flip 4 USB Port Replacement

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

12

Time Required

45 minutes

Introduction

If your speaker is experiencing trouble charging or if the USB port seems loose, electrical connections for power may have been damaged. A USB port replacement may be necessary. This guide walks you through on removing the USB port.

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    • Insert the plastic opening tool in the crack in between the cover and the rubber spine with the power button.

    • Pry off the cover, beginning with the side without the volume and bluetooth buttons.

    • When prying the cover off, the six clips (three along each side of rubber spine) that attach the cover to the speaker will make snapping sounds.

    • Watch out not to damage the clips on the buttons' side, pry open with caution.

    • Pull the cover off with your thumbs.

    Important suggested edit to these instructions - make sure to pry off clips/ridges from BOTH sides before attempting removal of the cover.

    I interpreted these instructions as saying you only needed to pry clips from one side - then peel off cover. Doing this broke a clip from the other side. Bummer. I'd like others to avoid that.

    k9612 -

    If you do break a clip - save it. They are relatively easy to glue back into the cover.

    k9612 -

    My Flip4 had a single long clip on the non-button side that ran the entire length of the rubber spine. The other side (with play/ vol buttons) had three seperate clips (middle and both sides) as mentioned above.

    takentrashout -

    What if my speaker battery dies very fast and makes weird crackling noise, is it counted as faulty battery?

    Jayden Koh -

    Yes. I first thought one of the drivers was defective.

    Paul Sommer -

    What was the fix in the end ?

    Jack Mulcahy -

    I used the flared edge of a metal measuring spoon handle since I didn’t have an opening tool. Worked great! Replacement battery from iFixit is on order. Thanks for the guide!

    Greg -

    My battery was glued. Tried it anyway to remove. Battery exploded!!!!

    Don't go on if the battery is glued.

    darthvader007 -

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    • Remove four 13 mm JIS #0 screws attaching the rubber spine to the speaker, located on both sides of the inside of the speaker.

    • Use the plastic opening tool to release the clips holding the central part of the rubber spine.

    • Pry away one end of the rubber spine with your thumbs and it should come off.

    • Prying off the spine may take some persuading.

    • The speakers are strong magnets. Keep it away from other sensitive electronics.

    Suggested Edit : Be careful when removing the screws that they don't get attracted to the speaker (magnet). They can scratch the speaker.

    k9612 -

    Note : screws don't need to be removed from their “channel” (it’s quite difficult). Just unscrew fully and leave in channel.

    k9612 -

    Note or precaution: Place a piece of cardboard over the speaker or use a plastic/rubber/nonmetalic handled screwdriver when loosening/removing the 13 mm screws. The speaker magnets are so powerful that the end of my metal jewelers phillips screwdriver was pulled into the speaker, tearing the plastic/rubber cone. I destroyed two speakers in the process of replacing the battery. Had to buy the speakers from JBL ($16 each).

    Clark Brown -

    The rubber spine was fixed with glue strips.

    Jaider -

    I have 2 Flip 4's bought approx. a year apart. The older speaker was exactly as described here. The newer speaker does not have the 5 end screws, instead it has a twist to lock end plate. Make sure the top screws that secured the rubber end are removed, as these will prevent end cap twisting. I used rubber gloves to get a grip and twist end cap counter-clockwise to unlock. I found that if you grip end cap too tight it makes it even harder to twist off. Someone may find a better solution, like prising the tags around circumference, but be warned these look flimsy.

    Phil -

    Great guide. Only problem is that the battery on mine was in a neoprene sheath and had swollen. It was a bit of a problem to get out. There didn’t seem to be room to fit something to push it out without damaging wires or the motherboard. At the risk of a fire, I worked it back and forth and pulled with a pair of needle nose pliers. Yes there were sparks and some smoke. I did it outside and knew I was risking the whole thing catching on fire. Luckily it went ok.

    Q Switch -

    Great guide! I have a model with the twist-off caps (not 5 screws) with helpful, though subtle, lock/unlock icons on the plastic. Only other problem was replacing the white neoprene battery retainer cover (2 screws). One screw slipped off my screwdriver and fell into the unit - probably stuck to a speaker magnet now. But it doesn't seem to be affecting the sound. iFixit is the best!!

    Jen Morris -

    Una duda tienen la tapa que lleva al principio la bici en la parte de afuera

    Alexis Jesus -

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    • Remove the four 9mm Phillips #1 screws holding the gray USB port.

    • Loosen the USB cover's gray casing using your hands.

    Minor point: the colour of the USB port and casing is whatever colour the speaker is. Mine was red so never had a gray USB port or casing.

    Yuri Silkin -

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    • Remove the five 9mm Phillips #1 screws to remove the endcap.

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    • Pull the wire coated with dark gray foam out from the space where it is tucked and move it out of the way.

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    • Unhook the white plug attached to the small circuit board hanging from the gray micro USB casing using the ESD Safe Blunt Nose Tweezers.

    • Move the plug out of the way by pulling it through the gap in the large circuit board to get to the next plug behind it.

    JBL has upped their “security” I see. On mine, this plug is glued in place and the ribbon cable nearby is completely covered in tape so I can’t unhook it.

    Melinda Rabenstein -

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    • Unhook the other smaller white plug behind the previous plug from the same small hanging circuit board using the tweezers.

    Whit is the this function this plug

    BMW Racing Malaysia -

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    • Pull the gray USB port out of the speaker.

    • Do not yank on this component as it is still attached by wires.

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    • Unhook the small white plug attached to the main circuit board that is holding the USB port to the speaker.

    • Remove the USB port component from the speaker.

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    • Remove three 9mm Phillips #1 screws holding the two small circuit boards to the USB port component.

    • Pry off the top small circuit board with the plastic opening tool.

    • You will have to use some force to remove this board as it is glued down.

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    • Peel back the black adhesive on the bottom side of the component with the tweezers and remove the wires underneath.

    • Remove the first small circuit board and attached wires.

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    • Remove the second circuit board by pulling on it with your hands.

    • You may need to pull hard on this small circuit board as it is also glued in some places.

    Well presented. Needed. Wire pin descriptions. Thanks

    Nard Curedlard -

Conclusion

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

Author

Philip Pang

Member since: 08/10/18

1285 Reputation

11 comments

Hi, I need to replace this circuit board where the charging port mounts.

While trying to remove damaged micro usb port, I damaged the tiny wires from the circuit board.

I tried to find this online but no luck so far.

Do you know the code for this PCB?

Thank you,

alex garcia -

hi, where can i buy new circuit board for micro usb charging port?

joseph celerio -

please i need 1… thank you.

joseph celerio -

I have a question on the small circuit board (charge port), one of the female port on it is for power (+5v), but what is another one? Is it D+, D- ?

P.S. I’ve measure that port with micro usb connected to power source, turns out there has no voltage measured, but the bigger one does has 5v measured.

Thanks!

馮會鈞 -

https://www.ebay.com/itm/184156589848

Just ordered one of these. Told it’ll be delivered by August 1st.

Ryan Crammer -

Would be so great if you could tell us where we could obtain a replacement USB port that INCLUDES the little circuit board. All replacement parts I have found are the port itself and not the port including the little circuit board and plugs.

Brett Strydom -

Hi I discovered water on the inside of the on button rubber layer how do I access it?

Benedict Fong -

Thanks. Brought this speaker back to life. Reconnecting the wires was a little bit of a challenge but got it done in the end.

Dave Swindells -

Hello, great guide thanks! Although I am not quite sure what to buy as a connector. I found two different part available the TL and GG on Aliexpress for instance, does anyone know the difference? Does it matter?

jeremykung -

Does anyone know what the values are on the 2 capacitors on the USB board? I took readings on mine and there's nothing.

A BIT -