USB Hub Hack for Raspberry Pi and BeagleBone

What:

This instructable shows you how to prevent a USB Hub from supplying power to your Raspberry Pi or BeagleBone.

Why:

Both Raspberry Pi and BeagleBone have problems when a USB hub supplies power. For example , the hub connected USB devices do not work. You only want the HUB to power and connect the USB devices, not to connect HUB power to the Pi or BeagleBone host USB port power.

How:

This instructable shows you how to modify a GearHead 4 port USB 2.0 hub (Model: UH5500ESP) so that it does not supply power to your Pi or BeagleBone.

The method I used , which only requires a pocket knife and a pair of wire cutters, is to open up the hub , find the host USB power line and cut it.

Every hub is different, so this can be very easy or impossible. For the GearHead 4 port USB 2.0 hub, the job took less than 5 minutes.

Step 1: Open GearHead Hub Case , Then Cut

I used a pocket knife at the corners of the hub case and gently pried the front plate off.

There are wires from the circuit board inside to the switch on the front plate so be careful .

Locate where USB cable attaches to circuit board , in the picture above , on the far left end of the circuit board.

Find the red wire and cut the wire cleanly.

That's it !

You may want to tape the cut wire end to prevent any shorts before snapping the case together.