Work this one out.. 5c not charging but not usual suspects

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Level 1

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Work this one out.. 5c not charging but not usual suspects

This is my girlfriends daughter's iPhone 5c, was a new handset from Apple end of last year but near the end of previous year warranty so isn't in warranty. Phone has never been abused and is mint.

One day it just stopped charging. Plugged it into another Apple charger, nothing. Searched online and assumed power socket was faulty. Took the phone to a repair shop and they said it charged ok on their charger. Got home, nothing went back to the shop.. They tried their charger and it would very slowly charge. They tried it on OE chargers, other makes etc and nothing! They also tried two new charging ports in the phone and it was still the same, they said the battery was not to blame. It would only charge on this one specific charger which is a cheap dedicated charger. So bought this cheap charger and the phone would charge after a very long time and the battery drains in a couple of hours to nothing. Fast forward to last night when she broke this dedicated charger (keeps breaking where she pulls the lead not the plug!)

This charger that will work is 0.1amp. isn't that low?

now now last week I ordered a new battery to try that, just fitted it and nothing! Still the same.

The charger it works in must be the key here. I looked inside the cable and it's just two wires so I'm wondering if it's something to do with the data part of the lightning cable effecting it charging some how.

the amount of cables she has gone through is amazing, every one is kinked near the lighting connector and looks like she stands the phone on the cable when charging and also pulls it out by the cable. Obviously she doesn't do any of that as you can imagine a teenage girl wouldn't!

ofcourse now I can't even charge it on this other charger because she's broken that too!

I'm now wondering with the fact it only charged with this two wire charger whether a previous broken cable has shoffer something in the phone and caused damage that way? It's something to do with the difference between a dated cable and just this dedicated charging cable showing up the issue. If this phone shop hadn't had the dedicated charger it'd never started charging before.

The shop have washed their hands of it and said they have never known an issue like it!

iPhone 5c, iOS 8.1.3

Posted on May 2, 2015 4:19 AM

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Answer 1

Drew Reece

Level 6

10,660 points

May 2, 2015 5:15 AM in response to jameswrx

You have tried a new cable? It's unclear how many you have that are damaged but a damaged cable can cause shorting which will prevent charging. If the cable is used for an extended period it could damage a charger or phone.

If you can get it working you may want to coat the lead in sugru.

https://sugru.com/about

It could give it extra support around the lightning connector, or you could create a larger connector to allow her to remove it without tugging on the wire - a sure way to destroy Apple cables.

I think you should probably take it to Apple, they will be able to tell you what is failing or charge you for a replacement which may be a better option than assuming what parts have failed. If you can't get it working with 'known good' leads & chargers all you can do is assume the phone is faulty (possibly the battery or port is damaged). You can purchase replacement parts & try fitting them yourself but it is often better to get it exchanged with one from Apple.

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Answer 2

jameswrx Author

Level 1

0 points

May 2, 2015 7:43 AM in response to Drew Reece

Yes, tried many cables as we have 3 other iPhones in the family.

Further research has led me to the U2 IC chip on the logic board (think that's what it was called) but I've tried a 'specialist repairer' and they won't attempt the repair. Having watched it undertaken I can see why.

I'm convinced the damage she's done to numerous data leads (breaking right by the Lightning connector) has shorted something out. It's interesting how a dedicated charging cable will charge it, yet the OE usb data lead won't allow it to charge. We always assumed it was the charger part, but it's obviously something to do with the lead itself as the only one that will charge it is this dedicated charger lead which is just two wires inside the lead. Only trouble is the battery drains in a couple of hours so it's not even a solution to keep it going otherwise I could just solder a lightning connector into the now broken dedicated charge lead.

looks like it's scrap really as people want £200+ for a new logic board. Happy days!

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Answer 3

Drew Reece

Level 6

10,660 points

May 3, 2015 4:25 PM in response to jameswrx

jameswrx wrote:

Yes, tried many cables as we have 3 other iPhones in the family.

Further research has led me to the U2 IC chip on the logic board (think that's what it was called) but I've tried a 'specialist repairer' and they won't attempt the repair. Having watched it undertaken I can see why.

I'm convinced the damage she's done to numerous data leads (breaking right by the Lightning connector) has shorted something out. It's interesting how a dedicated charging cable will charge it, yet the OE usb data lead won't allow it to charge. We always assumed it was the charger part, but it's obviously something to do with the lead itself as the only one that will charge it is this dedicated charger lead which is just two wires inside the lead. Only trouble is the battery drains in a couple of hours so it's not even a solution to keep it going otherwise I could just solder a lightning connector into the now broken dedicated charge lead.

looks like it's scrap really as people want £200+ for a new logic board. Happy days!

Get Apple care if you purchase another for a child. It seems to me that they will eventually destroy phones despite being explained how to use & look after them (accidents happen). The Apple care also reduces the cost of a replacement if they manage to do something that is not under warranty (like water damage).

I don't really understand what you mean by a dedicated lightning lead, however the inner cables can have different resistance values which can cause a lower output charger to fail to provide enough current to a device. Apple products should work with Apple chargers & leads but only 'Made for iOS' devices should work from third parties. I expect you may have several of those anyway.

Apple doesn't do any in house repairs to theses devices, they all get shipped back to a factory & get rebuilt. If you can get a replacement from a store for a reasonable fee it would be better than trusting any third party repair IMO.

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