Guides
Which electronics repair tools to buy first, and what to do when a repair sticks
A buying order for a home electronics repair kit, with ESD, multimeter, heat and battery safety, plus what to do about stuck screws, connectors and adhesive.
What to take away
- Buy tools for the repair you are about to do, not for a piece count. Read the repair procedure for your exact model and list the screw profiles, openers and adhesive it names.
- A typical phone battery job in iFixit's iPhone 14 guide uses a pentalobe driver, a tri-point driver, suction handle, opening picks, blunt-nose tweezers, a spudger and a hair dryer. That is a small kit, not a toolbox.
- ESD control is a system. The international standard, IEC 61340-5-1, sets requirements for protecting electronic devices from electrostatic phenomena, and it is about damage to components, not electric shock.
- iFixit says continuity and resistance tests need the circuit switched off, unplugged and with batteries removed, and covers DC voltage only. Editorial suggestion: check the category rating and the leads before price, and leave mains work to qualified people.
- Stop before you add force. A stripped screw, a stuck connector or a stubborn adhesive strip each has a documented next step, and none of them is a bigger tool.
The buying order
The order below is an editorial suggestion that follows risk and cost. Each step is useful on its own, and the later steps assume you have done the earlier ones.
- The repair procedure and the part.Download the manufacturer's service information if it exists, or an iFixit guide for your model. Confirm the part number before you buy anything else. The repair diagnosis guide helps you decide what is actually broken first.
- Precision drivers matched to the screws.iFixit's iPhone 14 battery guide lists a P2 pentalobe and a tri-point Y000. Other devices use Phillips, Torx or JIS heads. Buy the profiles your devices use, and a driver whose tip fits the recess without wobble. iFixit's stripped-screw guide also warns that low-quality tool material can damage screws.
- Opening tools.The same guide lists a suction handle, a set of opening picks, blunt-nose tweezers and a spudger. Editorial suggestion: use plastic picks and a spudger rather than a metal blade near boards and batteries, where a blade can short a contact or puncture a cell.
- Light, a tray and a way to record.A bright lamp, a compartment tray and a phone camera for photographing each layer prevent most reassembly faults. A magnetic project mat appears in iFixit's guide for keeping screws in order.
- ESD protection.See the next section. Buy a grounded mat and wrist strap as a set that includes the cord.
- Safety glasses and cleaning supplies.iFixit lists safety glasses and 90 per cent or higher isopropyl alcohol as optional items in the same guide. iFixit's stripped-screw guide also calls for goggles with a rotary tool. Editorial suggestion: wear glasses whenever you pry, cut or heat.
- A multimeter.Buy it when you have a fault you need to measure, such as a dead battery or a broken charging lead.
- Heat and soldering tools.Last, and only with practice on scrap boards. A hair dryer or heat gun for adhesive comes before a soldering iron.
Prices are left out because they change often and differ by seller. Compare current prices at several UK retailers, and weigh them against the cost of paying a shop, which the smartphone repair routes comparison covers.
Bench set-up and ESD
IEC 61340-5-1:2024 is the international standard for protecting electronic devices from electrostatic phenomena. It sets requirements for an ESD control programme for organisations that handle parts sensitive to discharge at or above 100 V (human body model) and 200 V (charge device model), and it limits the voltage on isolated conductors to below 35 V. The ESD Association states that it is technically equivalent to ANSI/ESD S20.20.
Those standards are written for organisations, so a home bench is not covered by them. Editorial suggestion: copy the principle. Work on a grounded dissipative mat, wear a strap connected to the same ground point, and keep ordinary plastic packaging and foam away from open boards.
ESD control addresses static damage to components. Editorial suggestion: do not treat a wrist strap as protection for yourself. It is not a safety measure for mains voltage or a damaged battery.
The multimeter and its limits
A multimeter does three jobs on a repair bench: continuity, resistance and DC voltage. iFixit's multimeter guide explains continuity as showing whether two points are electrically connected, with a beep and a reading near zero for a complete path, and "1" or "OL" for a break. For continuity and resistance it says to make sure no current is running through the circuit, which means switching the device off, unplugging it and removing any batteries. It covers DC voltage only and calls AC voltage considerably more dangerous.
Know the limits before you buy.
- Category rating.Fluke's summary of the IEC 61010-1 categories lists CAT I as protected electronic equipment and CAT II as single-phase receptacle-connected loads such as appliances and portable tools. CAT III covers fixed installations such as switchgear, and CAT IV the utility connection. Fluke warns that inferior test equipment, without a rating or with one that does not match the task, can explode if used improperly. Editorial suggestion: check the rating printed on the meter and on its leads.
- Leads and technique.HSE guidance note GS38 covers test equipment for low voltage electrical systems and is aimed at electricians, technicians and appliance repairers. It says testing should be done dead where possible, noting that dead tests are often as effective as live measurements.
- What a meter cannot tell you.It shows a number at two points. It does not tell you why the number is wrong, and it does not make a mains-powered or damaged-battery job safe.
Editorial suggestion: leave mains supplies, microwave ovens and anything with a visibly damaged battery to a qualified repairer.
Heat, solvent and battery safety
Treat the battery as the main hazard on any phone, tablet or laptop job.
- Discharge first.iFixit's iPhone 14 battery guide says: "For your safety, discharge the battery below 25% before disassembling your device."
- Never jab or force the cell.The same guide warns not to jab the battery with sharp tools, because a punctured battery may leak dangerous chemicals or catch fire. It also says not to lever a stuck battery out forcefully and not to reinstall a damaged or deformed one.
- Control heat.The guide warns never to leave a heat gun in one spot for an extended period.
- Know what a failure looks like.London Fire Brigade warns that when lithium-ion batteries fail they can ignite quickly and produce intense fires that spread rapidly. Its page is about e-bikes and e-scooters, and editorial suggestion: assume the same care applies to phone and laptop packs.
- Swollen or damaged cells.Stop work and follow the swollen phone battery disposal guide.
For soldering, HSE's guidance INDG249 deals with rosin-based solder flux fume. It is written for employers under the COSHH Regulations 2002 and describes local exhaust ventilation as a control. A home bench is not a workplace, but editorial suggestion: if you solder, extract or ventilate the fume. Keep solvents in labelled containers away from heat tools.
When a repair sticks
Each fault below has a documented first move. In every case, stop, photograph the state of the device and write down what you tried.
A screw will not turn. iFixit's stripped-screw guide gives an escalation order. Try slightly smaller or larger drivers, then a flat-head, and stop if the bit does not catch immediately. Next use a rubber band or thin fabric over the head. After that use screw-extracting pliers if the head is accessible, then a dab of superglue on the driver tip, and only as a last resort a rotary tool with a thin cutting disc to cut a slot. The guide calls for safety goggles with the rotary tool, and compressed air afterwards, because loose metal shavings can cause an electrical short. Editorial suggestion: do not use the glue or rotary-tool steps beside a battery or board. Take the device to a repairer.
A cable connector will not release. iFixit's guide to cable connectors says to work carefully, not to force a connector into place and, where a cable has a pull tab, to use it rather than gripping the cable directly. The release method depends on the type:
| Connector | Release method in iFixit's guide |
|---|---|
| Flip-up flap (ZIF) | Flip the flap up with a spudger or fingernail, then slide the cable out. Use the widest tool possible to protect the hinge pins. |
| Ribbon cable that looks like a flap connector but has no flap | Check for a release mechanism and make sure it is not a flap connector, then pull straight out. Forcing a flap connector can permanently damage socket and cable. |
| Press (pop) connector | Pry straight up under the connector's edge, not the socket. Do not pry against small surface-mounted parts. |
| Coaxial (U.FL type) | Slide a thin ESD-safe tool under the metal neck and lift straight up. An angled pry can break the socket off the board. |
Adhesive will not release. In iFixit's iPhone 14 battery guide, a hair dryer or heat gun heats the edges of the rear glass until it is slightly too hot to touch, and a few drops of 90 per cent or higher isopropyl alcohol under the edge of a stuck battery weaken its adhesive after about a minute. There is no universal safe temperature, so follow the procedure for your device.
The device fails after reassembly. Editorial suggestion: do not keep cycling power. Disconnect the battery if the procedure allows, then check in reverse order for trapped cables, partly seated connectors, a missing screw or a forgotten protective film. A wrong screw length in a shallow hole can press on a board or battery, which is why a screw map matters.
If the repair now costs more than the device is worth, or a part has been damaged, compare the options in the repair quote problems guide before spending more.
Sources
- [iFixit
- iPhone 14 battery replacement guide](https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/iPhone+14+Battery+Replacement/152966)
- [iFixit
- how to remove a stripped screw](https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/How+to+Remove+a+Stripped+Screw/13213)
- [iFixit
- recognizing and disconnecting cable connectors](https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Recognizing+&+Disconnecting+Cable+Connectors/25629)
- [iFixit
- how to use a multimeter](https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/How+To+Use+A+Multimeter/25632)
- [IEC webstore
- IEC 61340-5-1:2024 Electrostatics, protection of electronic devices](https://webstore.iec.ch/en/publication/74748)
- [ESD Association
- IEC 61340-5-1:2024](https://www.esda.org/store/standards/product/425/iec-61340-5-12024/)
- [HSE
- GS38, electrical test equipment for use on low voltage electrical systems](https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/gs38.htm)
- [HSE
- INDG249, controlling health risks from rosin-based solder flux fume](https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg249.htm)
- [Fluke
- IEC category ratings, use the right tools for the job](https://www.fluke.com/en-us/learn/blog/safety/iec-category-ratings-use-the-right-tools-for-the-job)
- [London Fire Brigade
- lithium-ion batteries](https://www.london-fire.gov.uk/safety/lithium-batteries/)
In this guide
- OEM vs aftermarket vs salvaged parts: what actually matches and holdsRepair parts comparison covering OEM, aftermarket, refurbished, and salvaged components, with checks for identity, calibration, warranty, condition, and fit.
