Help! Cable tip broken off in socket

Pharmer · 2023-04-14T19:19:07.993Z

This happened to me and i took it back to the shop that sold me the cable and they removed it. They didnt have to use glue or solder, but im not sure what tool they used to extract, possibly long tweezers but i didnt get a look.
I just wanted to mention this before you bring glue or solder into the jack socket equation, sorry i cant be more specific for the actual method to do it. Took the guy in the shop a couple of minutes

obscurerobot · 2023-04-14T19:59:52.102Z

I would look for something like a #0 wood screw with a 3" shaft. Or a similar machine screw. Important things are for the shaft diameter to be as small as possible, the thread end needs to be pointy, and the threads should be designed to cut, not fit into machined threads.

Then try to gently screw the screw into the hole in the tip, then pull. If that doesn’t work, possibly heat the tip of the screw with a lighter first so you can dig a bit deeper into the remaining plastic without causing it to swell too much. Then after giving plenty of cooling time, give it a pull.

There is a fair amount of friction to overcome if the tip is jammed at the end of a jack.

prscrptn · 2023-04-14T20:29:43.262Z

you should be able to remove the nut on the 1/4” jack to give you extra room and a bit of play on the jack. A pair of needle nose pliers should be small enough to grab the tip, If not you should be able to access the jack by removing one of the side panels and using a small screwdriver.

NightlyClosures · 2023-04-14T20:31:32.718Z

Would a magnet work?

DaveMech · 2023-04-14T21:17:54.407Z

Had this once and a friend of mine gave the tip (pun not intended) to simply use a long screw. Think I used a 4mm diameter screw.

Like @obscurerobot says.

Worked like a charm.

ccr · 2023-04-14T21:25:18.037Z

Same here. Managed to extract a TRS tip from a mixer using a screw a couple of years ago.

avantronica · 2023-04-14T22:37:45.747Z

There are a myriad of TRS sockets - behringer probably have their own designs, so you’ll likely find pcb shots online

what i’m getting to is that i have just bought some REAN(Neutrik) TRS sockets and the springs are all accessible from a view of the board, all you’d need to do would be to pry the spring up as much as a tip would before it springs back into the dip - this might give you the ability to tip out the tip - you’d probably have to pry all the tips up a few mm - it all depends on teh socket design and whether they have switched inputs, some will be easier than others, but you can get enclosed ones with nothing on the outside to play with

It’s a relatively painless thing to look at and seek advice on - i.e. once an technician looks at it your warranty would be no different than if you did so yourself, and keep iun mind anyway that these boxes are designed to eurorack, so they are going to be in/out of case anyway

it shouldn’t be any cost if you have a modest adventurous spirit, no need to do it if it looks like it might be tricky, but worth a look inside surely

here’s a breakout panel for a Behringer Neutron rear panel PCB

you can see it has easily accessible sprung contacts and they’re quite ‘aggressive’ looking in terms of the clamping angle, i’m pretty sure the ones i have are flatter and maybe easier to overcome - hard to tell from a photo - but nonetheless, all you’d need to do would be to gently pry those three prongs up (without deforming it, i.e. only a mm or two higher than it rests on a jack) - then without that clamping prong holding it within the end region it should tumble out

It may be different in the K2 wrt parts or layout, but it’s not a job requiring much more than patience and some ingenuity

springs

djenzyme · 2023-04-14T22:59:40.630Z

Wow, theres a lot to think about. I’m really not very confident with electronics but I guess it won’t hurt to take it apart and just have a look. I’m a bit worried about the tip moving as its being removed, like if it takes on an impossible angle so it won’t ever come out.

I’ve already decided if I do get the thing out, I’m going to just leave a headphone adapter permanently plugged into it. Makes me wonder if it was a faulty lead or if the socket is too tight or something.

djenzyme · 2023-04-14T23:01:52.676Z

Picture of the broken lead….

IMG_00513264×2448 2.63 MB

bambrose · 2023-04-15T08:02:06.963Z

Yeah this is the way
I had the same issue with an Octatrack years ago
Held the machine above my head
Used a small screwdriver to depress the back spring and the tip fell out

Bunker · 2023-04-15T10:15:41.891Z

djenzyme:

Makes me wonder if it was a faulty lead or if the socket is too tight or something.

The jack sockets on the B eurorack clones are quite tight but no more than a bunch of other stuff I’ve got…thinking of the MPC Live 2…so I think it’s more likely to be the plug on the lead.

Bunker · 2023-04-15T10:45:32.990Z

Here’s a shot of the socket board in my Neutron which will be similar to your K2. You can see the closed nature of the Jack socket. The sprung fingers of the Jack socket are visible and the end one is what’s holding the tip in the socket. You could try and lift the fingers and t the tip out that way but be careful not to force or bend them or else you’ll end up with a bad connection. It’s easy enough to access the board, simply remove the screws in the faceplate and lift it away. You could remove the socket board if it’s easier to work with it out of the case?

image4032×3024 2.84 MB

Bunker · 2023-04-15T10:45:59.866Z

image4032×3024 3.36 MB

If you insert a good jack plug part way into the socket while you’ve got it opened up you’ll see how far the fingers open up. You’ll need to open each finger to the same extent to get the tip back past the fingers internally. They are sprung tho so holding them open just enough shouldn’t cause any issues

MX · 2023-04-15T11:44:30.222Z

Try this, carefully.

avantronica · 2023-04-15T12:16:33.785Z

A dot of epoxy on the exposed tip end of the broken cable may be the simplest method - you know the socket will guide the exposed end correctly to mate with the tip and the glue won’t get anywhere if it’s a good consistency and not too much is used - then push it in, wait a few hours, bring it all back out - bonus might be a working cable, but go easy on the glue . quick setting epoxy is a couple of dollars (and handy in any case)

djenzyme · 2023-04-15T13:33:12.616Z

Thanks for all the input, you guys have been so helpful!

I just took the plunge and opened up the K2, and managed to fix it! Had to lift the metal clips with a screwdriver so the actual socket is a bit loose now as the last clip wouldn’t bend back down properly. The most difficult part was just getting the ribbon connector apart, I have pretty shaky hands so I was worried about breaking something.

Again thanks for the tips and advice, I would probably have screwed it up without you!

Later that day…

shigginpit · 2023-04-15T13:35:06.909Z

Snap ring pliers expand when gripped, check Amazon for a bargain and an appropriate nose shape.

Matco Tools

13" EXTERNAL SNAP RING PLIERS STRAIGHT NOSE 0.090" PRS237 | Matco Tools

0.090" tip snap ring plier from SPRS49 and SPRS12S

Conversely, while this may help if you don’t want to open the machine, I would feel the least expensive and most immediate solution is open the machine and gently pry back the third spring clip, as previously suggested.

As I now see that you just did, congratulations.

avantronica · 2023-04-15T15:10:04.165Z

djenzyme:

as the last clip wouldn’t bend back down

Avoiding this aspect was touched on at least twice - but all is not lost, you ought to be able to tease/bend it into a better position when you have the time to do so

it would involve trying to depress the centre of the sloping part into the void beneath whilst restraining the free end - it ought to be doable so you get better contact, but not so strong that it breaks future jacks

patience and a gentle touch is all that’s needed, metal is predictable

djenzyme · 2023-04-15T16:35:46.232Z

TBH I’m happy with it as it is, a plugged jack isn’t completely loose and I’m pretty sure I’ve had other gear that felt the same as standard. I only lifted the clip a little, but it stayed at that height instead of springing back down once the tip was out. Of course, if it becomes too loose I’ll open it up again.

BLKrbbt · 2023-04-15T16:39:30.747Z

This thread had thrills and chills…

So happy it had a happy ending.