Hacking Possible Fix for Y USB Cable Problem

[e3xtreme]

Since the Wii U has a very poor USB Power Supply, we could make a connection between the Power Supplies of the 2 USB Ports inside the Wii U without much effort (but opening the Wii U and loosing Warranty)...

So if I'm right the red connection between the USB Ports should solve the problem....
I'm just asking for a second opinion before actually opening my Wii U and making a TUT.

If somebody has already opened his/her Wii U and has sharper pics than mine, there is also a possibility of changing the Supply IC, but I cant read the text on the ICs

 

[driverdis]

Whats the point if you can just use a Y cable. my workaround is to use the front and back USB ports with a Y cable.
I plug the power only usb connector of the Y cable into the front USB port (yes, the front since it still provides power in WiiMode) and the data/power to the back usb port. problem solved without opening up the Wii U and bridging points.
I have 1 port open on the back and am using a Y cable.

 

[e3xtreme]

Y cable is obviously the better solution, but for the more HW-Modding related it is an easy half an hour project without having a cable blocking a port, looking not to good and dont need to get an extra Y cable, just 2 little solder points

 

[petspeed]

What about newer USB3 drives, I haven't seen any Y-cables with mini USB3 connector around anywhere.

 

[driverdis]

What about newer USB3 drives, I haven't seen any Y-cables with mini USB3 connector around anywhere.

This would work. you plug your single plug USB3 cable to this then this to the Wii U, or any other underpowered device you need to use the drive with.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-USB-Female-to-2-USB-A-Male-Power-Y-Cable-Extension-/390175349100

 

[Adr990]

This will give you 10v with 1A, so you will need a resistor duh.
And only one port should be used if you are doing this..

So this is no solution IMO.

What's with these Y cables and the Wii U anyways?

 

[DeadlyFoez]

This will give you 10v with 1A, so you will need a resistor duh.

No, it would NOT give you 10v. I think you have your understanding wrong. The OP's idea would work fine. It would be capable of 1A at 5V.

 

[DeadMan]

it's work, but if yo connect anoother USB device in port you use for got the power it's not work, can't got the need power, maybe a good idea is use active USB hub only for power line for USB dvices ? it's more simple

 

[e3xtreme]

it's work, but if yo connect anoother USB device in port you use for got the power it's not work, can't got the need power

But if you have a less power draining device it doesnt matter at all, moreover the disk needs the power only for a short time while spinning up....

 

[petspeed]

This would work. you plug your single plug USB3 cable to this then this to the Wii U, or any other underpowered device you need to use the drive with.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-USB-Female-to-2-USB-A-Male-Power-Y-Cable-Extension-/390175349100

Thank you for the tip

 

[e3xtreme]

I think this is the best of all Y cables, since it can be used with every USB Disk independent of plug

http://www.ebay.at/itm/USB-DUAL-POW...t=UK_Computing_USB_Cables&hash=item2577687e19

But the modding is the best solution overall I guess...

 

[winmaster]

What about newer USB3 drives, I haven't seen any Y-cables with mini USB3 connector around anywhere.

That's because they are unnecessary. USB3 can supply the necessary power to an external hard disk with only one port.

 

[gundalf]

That's because they are unnecessary. USB3 can supply the necessary power to an external hard disk with only one port.

Well USB 2.0 also gives enough power for 2,5" external hard-disk, as long those are real hard-disks made for external use, and not those cheapo ones which just come with a regular notebook hard-disks.

 

[petspeed]

That's because they are unnecessary. USB3 can supply the necessary power to an external hard disk with only one port.

That doesn't help much when you connect the drive to a USB2.0 port...

 

[Nemesis90]

That doesn't help much when you connect the drive to a USB2.0 port...

It actually does, i can confirm that.

 

[GabeCube]

Or, you know, you could do something even simpler like me, and connect the external hard drive to a powered USB hub that I had lying around from Rock Band and connect that to the Wii U. Works like a charm - using it with a USB 3.0 drive right now, since the end plug is backwards compatible with USB 2.0.

 

[DeadlyFoez]

That doesn't help much when you connect the drive to a USB2.0 port...

When connecting any 'portable' drive (2.5" based drive), to any USB3.0 port, the port will be able to supply enough amps to the drive through a single port no matter if it is a USB2.0 drive or a USB3.0 drive.

That does not matter here though, because the Wii U has USB2.0 ports, so a Y cable may be necessary for any drive, whether it be a USB2.0 or a USB3.0, if the drive needs more than 500mA to operate.

 

[Scuba156]

When connecting any 'portable' drive (2.5" based drive), to any USB3.0 port, the port will be able to supply enough amps to the drive through a single port no matter if it is a USB2.0 drive or a USB3.0 drive.

That does not matter here though, because the Wii U has USB2.0 ports, so a Y cable may be necessary for any drive, whether it be a USB2.0 or a USB3.0, if the drive needs more than 500mA to operate.

I can confirm this. I have a 500gb 2.5 inch external usb 3.0 HDD and while it does work, it unfortunately clicks every few seconds meaning it's under powered. I just picked up a few USB 3.0 Y cables of ebay to test it out

 

[mike333]

I can confirm this. I have a 500gb 2.5 inch external usb 3.0 HDD and while it does work, it unfortunately clicks every few seconds meaning it's under powered. I just picked up a few USB 3.0 Y cables of ebay to test it out

not always
drive clicks might be caused by head offloading

 

[Scuba156]

not always
drive clicks might be caused by head offloading

Not when it clicks every few seconds and starts spinning down and does it for as long as the drive is plugged in