Xiaomi Redmi 5A has long been one of the most popular budget devices, but time takes its toll. Often users are faced with the need to replace a failed battery or restore a broken body. The main obstacle to self-repair is a monolithic structure, where the back cover is tightly glued to the frame.
Unlike older models with latches, it uses an aggressive adhesive compound that requires careful handling. Wrong actions can damage the plumes, cracks in the display or even bloat the battery. In this article, we will discuss in detail the dismantling process, the necessary tools and precautions that will save your gadget from final failure.
Before you start, it is important to understand that the Redmi 5A does not forgive rough mechanical stresses. The plastic of the body is fragile, and the internal components are very tightly arranged. The success of the operation depends on patience, the availability of specialized tools and strict adherence to the sequence of actions described below.
Tools and workplace preparation required
You can't do a good job without the right tools, and using knives, needles, or kitchen blades is a direct route to damage internal plumes or cutting your hands, and you'll need a specialized mobile repair kit that you can buy from any radio store.
- 🔥 Thermophen or powerful hair dryer for everyday life: necessary to soften the glue around the perimeter of the body.
- 🛠 Medical scalpels or thin metal blades: for the primary lid tweaking.
- 💳 Plastic cards or mediators: for safe uncoupling of the cover without scratches.
- 🧴 Alcohol isopropyl or special liquid B-7000: glue-cleaner.
Organize the workspace so that all tools are at hand. The surface of the table should be clean, flat and preferably covered with an antistatic mat or ordinary white fabric. White fabric can clearly see small screws and details that are easy to lose.
Pay special attention to lighting. A cold light bulb will help you see the small plumes and connectors. Before you start working, be sure to turn off the device. If the screen does not respond, press the power button for 10-15 seconds until the indicator is fully vibrating and quenching.
⚠️ Warning: Do not use a regular household hair dryer in maximum heating mode for too long - this can melt the plastic elements of the housing or damage the display matrix on the back.
☑️ Preparation for the dismantling of Xiaomi Redmi 5A
The process of heating and primary opening of the body
The most critical step is to soften the adhesive layer, and the adhesive used by Xiaomi holds the lid tight at room temperature, and your task is to heat the perimeter of the device evenly without overheating the centerpiece where the battery and the processor are located.
Turn on the thermophen or dryer at a medium power (about 100-150 degrees Celsius). Direct the jet of hot air strictly along the perimeter of the rear panel. Keep the heat source at a distance of 3-5 cm from the surface. The heating time is from 2 to 4 minutes, periodically checking the temperature of the plastic with your finger.
Once the body is warm to the touch (but not hot to avoid getting burned), you can start creating a gap. Take a thin scalpel blade or a sucker (if there are no cracks on the lid). Carefully, with minimal effort, try to plug the lid in the bottom corner, closer to the charging connector.
If you feel a lot of resistance, don't push. Reheat. Try to pull the lid off by force, and the plastic will burst or crack the display module, which in this model is glued to the frame very close to the edges.
Nuances of suction work
Separation of the cover and access to the insides
Once the blade has entered the gap between the frame and the lid, lock it and take a plastic card. Slowly guide the map along the perimeter, cutting the softened adhesive layer. The movements should be smooth, without jerking.
Be careful at the top of the smartphone, where there may be an antenna module or button plumes under the lid, do not enter the tool deeper than 3-4 mm, so as not to touch the internal components. Plastic should be removed easily if the glue is warmed enough.
When the map goes all over the perimeter, the lid should come off. Don't pull it upwards! In Redmi 5A, sometimes there are models where the plug of the power button or the speaker can be glued to the lid. First, visually examine the gap.
- 👁️ Check the perimeter for any remaining glue.
- 🔌 Check if the vibrator or speaker is glued to the cover.
- 👐 Carefully lift the lid with your fingers, checking the freedom of movement.
Once the lid is removed, you will have access to the battery, motherboard and connectors, and you can now proceed with further repairs or replacements, and be sure to remove the remnants of the old glue from the frame so that the new part sits flat.
| Tool. | Appointment | Risks of improper use |
|---|---|---|
| thermophen | Softening glue | Battery overheating, plastic deformation |
| Metal spatula | Primary subdivine | Train damage, short circuit. |
| Plastic card | Cover compartment | Minimum risk, safe for electronics |
| Tweezers | Extracting fine detail | Battery puncture (fire hazard!) |
Replacement of the battery and work with plumes
Inside the Xiaomi Redmi 5A smartphone, the battery is mounted on double-sided tape. You can't use metal objects to extract it, which can penetrate the cell shell.
Use a plastic blade, or at least a thin line, and stretch the line behind the battery and the sawing movements, and separate it from the body, and you can actually drip some isopropyl alcohol under the battery to dissolve the glue.
When you install a new battery, make sure that the plume connector is straight into the circuit board connector. It should snap with a slight, barely audible click. Don't press the battery itself, the only impact should be on the connector.
⚠️ Warning: It is strictly forbidden to bend the battery or pierce its body.Even microscopic damage to the internal structure can lead to thermal runaway and fire a few hours after assembly.
If you change the whole body, make sure that all rubber plugs and speaker grids are moved from the old lid, often missing in new, cheap cases and need to be re-adhesived yourself.
Assembly of the device and fixing of the cover
The assembly is done in reverse order, but with the important addition of applying a new adhesive compound, the old adhesive will no longer provide tightness and density of the attachment, use a special adhesive B-7000 or T-7000, or ready-made adhesive frames.
Apply a thin strip of glue around the frame of the case. Avoid getting glue on the camera, speaker and connectors. Let the glue dry for 1-2 minutes to "Velcro", then gently apply the cover.
Tightly press the edges around the perimeter. For better fixation, you can use stationery gums, stretching them across and along the smartphone, or put the device under a light load (for example, under a stack of books) for 15-20 minutes.
After assembly, take your time to turn on the device. Let the glue be fully polymerized within 2-4 hours. Early on and heating of the processor can soften the fresh glue, and the cover will move back.
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Use rubber stationery rings to fix the lid during glue drying. Stretching 2-3 cross-rings to ensure uniform pressure across the edges of the case.
Typical errors and troubleshooting
A common problem with assembly is that the buttons or touchscreen are not working, which means that the plumes have been damaged or not fully inserted into the connectors. Disassemble the device again and check all connections using a magnifying glass.
If the smartphone doesn't turn on after assembly, but charges (the indicator burns), you may have damaged the charging plume or the connector itself when you sloppyly work with the blade. In the Redmi 5A, the charging connector is soldered on the lower board, which connects to the main plume.
Another mistake is using superglue (cyanacrylate), which dries instantly but becomes brittle and can evaporate, settling on the lenses of cameras and speakers, disabling them. Use only elastic adhesives.
- 🚫 Don’t use superglue – it corrodes plastic and spoils optics.
- 🔍 Check the plumes for microcracks before installation.
- 🧹 Clean the surfaces of dust before gluing alcohol.
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The main secret of successful assembly is not to rush with the application of glue and carefully check the operation of all modules until the final fixation of the lid.