Stupid dog ate my SIM!!!!

[skunkworx]

I left my dumb dog in the house while out working on one of my RC cars, and she chewed off the USB cable for my interlink controller! :arggg: :mad: :Chair

So after restraining myself from stomping a 3 foot mudhole in my dog's @$*%, I took apart the controller to see if I could just attatch a generic cable from Circuit City/BestBuy/Fry's etc...

It has 5 wires attatched; Blk, Blk, Grn, Wht & Red. Is this a common color code for USB cables, or is it just better to see if GreatPlanes will send me a new one?

The only real concern I have is for the big cylinder things over the wires at the end and just before the TX case. I have no clue what these are, so I guess I need some computer gek help! Thanks!

BTW it's the G3.5 interlink controller!

[DebianDog]

One of my dogs got mine but it is still working. I am sure if you contact HobbyCo they will ship you out a new one if you send the old one back. At a cost I am sure. I would try soldering the wires first myself.

[skunkworx]

There's no soldering it. Meant it when I said "she ate it!" That's why I just about buried her without using a shoveI!
I have the USB plug, one of the tube peices and about 6" of wires sticking out of the controller. The rest I won't see for a few days.

Probably just need to send away for the cable. I can solder it in myself. I've already had to replace the left gimbal, so it's cake work. 4 screws and 5 solder blobs later and I have a new controller!

[phrank]

Poor POOCH! LOL.

It is possible to solder a new cable into the controller, A G3 forum member replaced his
by doing the same thing.

http://www.knifeedge.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18272

[skunkworx]

You mean lucky pooch! She's still in one piece! My controller is the one in poor shape.

I just PM'd the guy about help with the repair. I won't be able to get to it until next week anyhow. Out of town for the Big Game this weekend.

I mostly wanted to make sure I grabbed the correct USB cable to splice/solder in. The interlink has 5 wires in it and most of the USB cable only had 4. Wasn't too sure how the extra ground worked on the controller and didn't want to spend the money to fix it twice!

[skunkworx]

So, looks like the dog lucked out. I just used a 2.0 USB cable off my printer and it went in flawlessly. I guess the cyclinder things on the original cable are grounded hence the 5 wires, but on the end of the cable, there are only 4 wires.

My sim now has a white cable on it without the annoying ball things on it. A lot more manageable. Took me about 2 minutes to do it.

The dog almost earned herself a shallow grave in the back yard again the next day by eating my computer power cable and an ipod cable too!!! Good thing for her I could fix those as well!

[phrank]

Dog chewing on a power cable...... eeeek....

Glad to hear the Interlink is happy once again.

[skunkworx]

I just wish it would've dealt her the jolting disciplne instead of me coming home and just about annihilating her on the spot!

If this does happen to you, it is quite easy to fix with just about any 'ol USB cable as long as it's got the Red, Green, White and Black wires in the center. I had to gamble on it working because I've never opened one up let alone understand how the darn things operate anything! I usually just hit the red button and all is better.....and I'm not talking about my Staples Easy Button!!!:arggg: But alas, I got 'er goin, so back to happy crashing!

[scolex]

Man your Lucky you got it going. My 2yr old daught decided to give mine a bath with a spray bottle. Had to use the hair dryier to get mine up and going. LOL I guess we are both lucky !

[widower]

The big cylinder is just an emi suppressor. It's required to reduce emi emissions in order to pass Part 15 of the FCC rules (as seen on the sticker on the back of the box). By removing the suppressor (just a hunk of ferrite), I expect it to still work but you may see some static on a near by tv.

The 5 wires will be 4 signal wires and one wire for the shield of the cable and connector.

[skunkworx]

I figured that's what those were for. I don't seem to get any interference around the house with the new cable, but it would've been nice to replace it with the required one. I'll end up replacing it one of these days, but a regular cable will work in a pinch.

BTW, the dog is doing just fine, for you sympathizers. No harm ever came to her, just a frustrated, and nevertheless, wiser owner. I'm sure I'm not the first person this has happened to, and probably not the last, but maybe it might help others just in case it does.

[KrazyKyle]

Here's a tutorial on USB...

http://www.l-com.com/content/Article.aspx?Type=L&ID=468

[Kindling Maker]

I have a Rabbit back home that like Electrical power cords. She eats thru them the sights surge and she just hopps out like nothing happened. Then We have to find what ever cable she ate, have you ever tried to Rabbit proof a house.