Raspberry Pi Zero - OTG Hack - Add a Fullsize Connector

Hey Thrifty Nation!

What do you do when you don't have an OTG adapter for your new raspberry pi zero?

You could order on online... but who wants to wait for shipping?

I figured out a solution!, an you probably have the stuff laying right around your house.

If the video above is not working for you, click on the link below

https://youtu.be/l0Wp9AfILYE

Step 1: Tools

To do this Thrifty Tip

You will need:

• USB extension cable
• Wire Strippers
• Soldering Iron
• Solder

Step 2:

Once you cut your USB extension cable, you will find a red (VCC), black(GROUND), green(DATA+) and white(DATA-) wire.

Go ahead and strip the ends off of those wires and solder them to the pads in the following pinout.

Step 3: Solder Time!

On the back side of the Raspberry Pi Zero you will find solder pads that are labeled.

What we are looking for are:

PP1 - That is where you solder the RED wire

PP6 - That is where you solder the BLACK wire

PP22 - That is where you solder the GREEN wire

PP23 - That is where you solder the WHITE wire

So now that you have your cable soldered securely its time to boot it up and test it out!

Step 4: Done! (bonus Points)

I hope you've enjoyed this Thrifty Tip!

And for bonus points you could add some hot glue to give the wires some strain relief while you are awaiting your OTG adapter to arrive in the mail.

Looking for more?

Here are a few items from my workbench:

Tenma Temperature Controlled Soldering Iron

Breadboard w/jumpers

12v Power Supply

Thanks! and please subscribe to my youtube channel.

http://www.youtube.com/c/Thethriftyworkshops

Check out www.thethriftyworkshop.com

Comments

[IAmTheBear]

Didn’t work for me the first time i tried, but found out it was because PP23 Also was connected to the little Hole thingy on the side.

[dpeach]

Thank you. This helps me add a USB joystick/button controller for a RetroPie installation.

[rpotts2]

How is that OTG? Aren't the pin 4 & 5 within the microsd connector supposed to be together in order to initiate device mode?

[thriftyworkshop]

instead of using an otg cable, you can solder the end of a usb extension cable to the pads to have full-size usb I used an old mini usb otg cable that I have tons of them but no micro usb otg cables yet but mainly you just need a female usb port like what you find on an otg cable or usb extension. THEN you don't have to wait for shipping for a micro usb cable to arrive to start using your pi zero, there were no stores around here that sell a micro usb otg cable.

[rpotts2]

Shoot! I just tossed what I thought were 3 bad dongles I could have used.

[rpotts2]

Still good info to know though...

[mrgw98]

do you mind adding pictures of the soldering points?

[thriftyworkshop]

Hey mrgw98, I was just wondering if that pic I added helped you out?

[thriftyworkshop]

Sure. There is a picture added of the bottom side of the board and the pads are labelled eg PP1 PP6 PP22 PP23