I am a middle school teacher teaching with VEX IQ 1st GEN brains. Today my second micro USB port broke. It happened before on another brain and when I opened up the brain the little micro USB port was broken off.
What to do??
Can it be fixed?
How can I prevent this moving forward??
If in warranty, call support.vex.com
If out of warranty, and non-competition, it can be fixed by someone proficient in “surface mount” soldering repairs. Not really a project for amateurs.
You can save your brains by installing an extension cable (and leaving it permanently in the brain). Here is a source on this page: VEX IQⓇ Related Products & Organizers - Robosource.net - Robosource.net
Call VEX support. At one point they had a repair fee that was pretty reasonable vs buying a new one. I used it but it was also in the middle of Covid. If they can’t fix it, look on ebay / craigs list / faceslime marketplace and you may be able to find another one. Or use your google skills to find me and we can talk about some of the V1’s I have.
Look at the mag-link USB cables as an option that @kmmohn recommended. They are easy to add and may add some life. DO NOT HOT GLUE THEM IN. Because they also break and if you glue them in you can’t get them out.
