Baby Monitor Teardown

ID: 1172

Description: This hand-me-down baby monitor has a busted...

Steps:

1. Here is the baby monitor in all its glory.
2. Start by turning the device speaker-side down.
3. Remove the flathead screw securing the battery cover using a flathead screwdriver.
4. Remove the battery cover after fully disengaging the screw.

5. Remove the batteries from the compartment.
6. Remove the five phillips screw holding the casing together using a phillips #1 screwdriver.
7. The fifth screw is hidden beneath the battery cover, toward the center of the monitor and is recessed deep into the casing.

8. CAUTION: Do not yank the casing apart!!!
9. Gently pry from the bottom and work a finger along the side and until monitor pops in half.
10. The speaker cabling is soldered to the main board and the speaker is stuck in the front casing with adhesive.
11. Lay the two halves as shown.

12. Remove the two screws securing the main board.

13. Pry lightly around the edge of the main board between the board and the casing to help free the board. Fingernails, a spudger, or plastic opening tools can be used for this task.
14. DO NOT TRY TO REMOVE THE MAIN BOARD COMPLETELY!!! There are soldered items that need to be dealt with. Follow along closely.
15. Gently, and I mean gently, pull up on the LED assembly to loosen the main board from the rear casing.
16. Any resistance should indicate that the board needs to be loosened from the casing, around the edges, more before proceeding.

17. PROCEED WITH CAUTION!!! The antenna cable and the battery contacts are soldered onto the board.
18. Your monitor should look like this, with a small gap between the main board and the rear casing.
19. The next step will merely free the volume control dial from the casing and NOT free the main board from the casing.
20. To remove the main board from the casing, you MUST desolder the antenna cable and two battery contacts from the board.

21. Create about a 30 degree angle between the rear casing and your workspace, lifting the casing by the top end. I used 3 decks of playing cards to prop up the casing from my workspace.
22. Lift the main board from the rear casing at the bottom, making sure the volume dial clears the screw retainer post. DO NOT COMPLETELY REMOVE MAIN BOARD!
23. Once free, set the main board back down on the casing.
24. You are now free to desolder any of the contacts that need repair. In my situation, I will be examining the volume dial and will not need to desolder.
25. Good luck!