My cellphone teardown

[Chuckt]

I have to carry a cell phone at work and I use mind for home as well. They were buy one get one LG Env3 camera phones and they had a 3 megapixel camera on them. My phone fell off of my belt and I didn't hear it because it was in a case and it was also raining. Someone turned my phone into security but it had been run over by something so I took it to my cell phone provider to see if they could repair it and they weren't eager since the screen was cracked. I looked online at fixing my phone but I decided it wasn't worth it. Since my phone is on its way to a recycler, I decided to get one more use out of it and photograph it for sharing. My wife thinks I'm funny for doing this. After taking it apart, I realized I'm better off not fixing it because I wouldn't know how to get the screen off and back on.

LG ENV3 Phone 014.jpg (136.21 KiB) Viewed 9285 times

The keyboard is a membrane that goes over some contact switches.

LG ENV3 Phone 015.jpg (135.21 KiB) Viewed 9285 times

LG ENV3 Phone 016.jpg (137.77 KiB) Viewed 9285 times

As you can see, the contacts are really tiny. The phone had a metal shield over this section of the board and it is really difficult to get off without damaging it because I didn't know what I was doing.

3 Megapixel Camera Socket.JPG (119.63 KiB) Viewed 9285 times

Both of these are sockets. The circle is where the 3 Megapixel camera was. I pulled it out and the rectangle was where the ribbon cable went and it looks like a surface mount socket adapter.

I can't understand how phones can cost $300 or $400 without a plan. Some say they cost $800 or something. I think their cost is just the cost in doing business as I'm not sure the parts alone would cost that much but someone can tell me.

[Chuckt]

Keyboard Phone Contacts.jpg (131.75 KiB) Viewed 9283 times

It is hard to take a picture of this because it is reflective and tiny. I tried. This photo was also reduced.

These are the buttons that sit underneath the membrane keys. The small soldering points on the other side of the board are probably what is soldered to these keys.

[brad]

Thats a pitty that you couldn't repair it.

Did you try looking on ebay for parts?

[Chuckt]

I found instructions online on how to repair it and I found the LCD screen for $40. The problem is that I had not done it before. The problem is getting something that small apart and back together without damaging it. The hardest part was the hinge for me. The risk was buying an expensive part, trying to put it together and hoping it works right the first time without problems. I needed a phone so they deactivated it at the phone store and activated one of our old phones.

My wife is afraid to use the battery because it was run over.

[brad]

Here's a challenge - try and desolder those surface mount chips without damaging them

[Chuckt]

Here's a challenge - try and desolder those surface mount chips without damaging them

Maybe a reflow oven would work? Even if I desoldered them, I'm sure a good amount would be damaged just from the heat.

I cut myself trying to get the shield off of the side of the circuit board with all of the chips. I didn't get seriously cut but I can see how dangerous this type of small work can be.