1. Repair Cost Analysis of 1:1 Chromebook Program at ISD #2897
Stephen Lien
Technology Director
Redwood Area Schools

2. Quick Background District info: 1,116 students, 49% F&R
1,133 Chromebooks (Grades staff)
Tech support staff of two (one Dell certified)
Started in Aug. 2015, grades 4-12
Expanded to grades 2 & 3 Aug. 2016
iPads grades K & 1 Aug. 2017
Acer C720’s, Dell 3120’s, Dell 3180’s

3. And Three Weeks In… 1st Broken Screen
Plurality of repairs are broken screens
Broken plastic, bezels, keyboards, batteries, motherboards
A few total losses

4. Fees & Insurance No deposits, no insurance, no fees
1st Repair was free; Now $20
Tracking all repair data
Cases: InfoCases & Rugged Protection

5. Damages & Costs, 2015-16 2772 Broken Screen $39.57 Replaced Screen
2738
2846
2873
Replaced Screen (another student bit screen - paid for damages)
2679
$34.98
2741
$34.97
2751
Also clear scratch damage to touchpad
2661
2672
3420
Broken Screen, Mainboard, chassis; done on purpose
$300.00
Met w/ Parents; waiting on payment
2870
2847
2911
$32.97
2793
3338
$95.00
3391
2806
Broken case moulding; Chromebook doesn't charge
$100.00
Decomissioned Chromebook; Parent paid $150; $50 refunded for parts
2812
$139.50
Decomissioned Chromebook; Parent invoiced $139.50
2790
2667
3085
2659
Broken Screen; broken hinge cover; broken bezel
$93.67
Replaced screen, front bezel, top cover, hinges, palmrest assembly
3478
3331
Total loss - broken screen, plastic body, hinges
$354.00
Decomissioned Chromebook; Parent invoiced $290.
3458
Broken screen & back cover - fell off chair
$129.95
Screen replaced; back cover replaced
3148
Broken screen & back cover
2807
Broken battery wiring; broken plastic body
$37.95
Replaced battery; glued plastic pieces back in place
Broken screen
Replaced screen; O.A. responsible
2810
3345
Broken left hinge; broken bezel
$59.90
Replaced hinge & bezel; B.O. equally responsible
3385
Broken screen; broken plastic rivets & battery posts
2773
2768
3053
Replaced screen - discovered after Chromebook was returned
3271
Broken top cover; broken bezel; damaged palmrest
Replaced top cover & bezel & palmrest (free) - discovered after EoY CB return
3104
Broken plastic rivets & posts; broken bezel & cover
Replaced top cover & bezel - discovered after EoY CB return
3146
Broken plastic posts; broken bezel & cover
3175
Broken plastic posts; broken hinge
$9.95
Replaced hinge & reglued plastic - discovered after EoY CB return
3210
Broken hinges, bezel, & top cover
Replaced bezel & top cover - discovered after EoY CB return
3260
3314
3281
Broken hinges, bezel, top cover, & palmrest
$105.85
Replaced bezel & top cover & palmrest - discovered after EoY CB return
3334
3112
Broken bezel & screen
$119.95
Replaced bezel & screen - discovered after EoY CB return
3193

6. Damages & Costs, 2015-16 877 Chromebooks
47 cases of damages (not warrantied)
No repeats
29 broken screens
Non-touch cost: $32; Touchscreen cost: $95
$ collected from payments
Two total losses & one unrecovered stolen CB
$2, for repair equipment costs
$803 in unreturned equipment
Net cost: $4,325.55, or $4.93 per CB

7. Damages & Costs, 2016-17 2877 Broken screen $29.95 Replaced screen
2917
Broken battery; broken SSD; broken plastic pieces
$62.95
Replaced battery & SSD
3301
$95.00
2811
2764
2770
3930
2774
Keyboard was damaged
$39.95
Replaced keyboard and palmrest
3493
2884
Broken battery due to side-impact to Chromebook
$37.95
Replaced battery
3473
$92.89
2741
Replaced screen (Media Center unit - checked out to J.D.)
3434
3814
3176
3131
Broken top cover
Replaced top cover
3119
2888
2733
3053
Broken top cover & bezel; broken plastic rivets
$59.90
Replaced top cover & bezel; glued rivets
3057
Replaced screen, Glue
2820
2878
Damaged battery - Broken cable
3949
3278
Broken hinge lower LHS
$34.90
Installed spare hinge and LCD bezel; should have been 2nd time damage
3099
Battery failed - damaged from a fall
$47.75
Replaced battery, glue battery posts & rivets
Replaced screen; paid $30 on 5/19/17
2879
3159
Broken screen, top cover, and bezel
$124.90
Replaced screen, top cover, and bezel
2747
3078
Broken top cover & bezel
Replaced top cover & bezel
3142
$34.95
3422
Bad keyboard from spilled beverage
Replaced keyboard & palmrest
3465
$64.00
3300
3191
Damage to returned CB
Replaced screen; student claims broken screen wasn't his; culprit unknown
3498
Ruined LCD Assembly
$123.90
Replaced LCD Assembly; glued broken posts
3273
Replaced Screen
2994
Bad keyboard - cat peed on Chromebook
$45.95
3310
Broken Screen, top cover, & bezel
Replaced screen, top cover, & bezel
3134
2809
2890
2793
Checked out from MC; CB wont' charge
$80.30
CB has wet rag mark
3467
Broken hinge & plastic
$9.95
Replaced hinge, glued broken plastic parts
Replaced Screen; paid $30 on 3/20/17
Broken top cover; returned temporarily; needs fixing
Paid $60 on 9/8/17
3511
Sticky keys on keyboard from spilled beverage
2921
Broken wiring on battery
3112
Frayed & torn video cable
$19.95
Replaced video cable; damage to rivets & plastic repaired w/ glue; paid?
Cracked bezel & loose hinge
$0.00
Cracks and breaks were glued back together
3326
Device won't power on; broken motherboard
Decommissioned Chromebook; parent invoiced $80.30; paid $80 on 5/7/17
2851
3510
3270
Significant damage, inc MB, top cover, bezel
$168.90
Replaced motherboard, top cover, bezel
3164
Broken top cover & bezel; broken motherboard
2781
3162
Hyperextended screen; broken top cover & bezel
$20.00
Replaced top cover & bezel;
2810
Chromebook won't power on; broken MB
$80.00
Decommissioned Chromebook; parent invoiced $80
3141
$109.00
2911
Battery dislodged from impact, broke SSD chip
$15.95
Replaced SSD chip; paid $15.95 on 4/04/2017
3282
PWR key didn't work; damaged top cover & bezel
Replaced top cover & bezel; odd nail-sized holes in PWR & Window keys
Loose right-side hinge
$24.95
Glued brass inserts, retorqued screws; replaced bezel; paid $24.95 on 4/14/17
3286
3351
$79.99
3280
Loose hinges; damaged top cover, bezel, palmrest
$105.85
Replaced top cover, bezel, & palmrest
2748
3068
3225
$119.00
Replaced motherboard
3519
Case and body damage to CB; battery didn’t work
$102.85
Replaced battery, top cover & bezel
3311
3974
3400
Severely damaged CB, and no rubber on casing
$276.89
Replaced top cover, bezel, screen, MB, and casing
3058
$79.95
2869
$32.95
3527
$133.70
2861
3193
Replaced motherboard, fixed rivets & posts; received payment but not form
CB thrown; broken top cover, bezel, hinge
$53.75
Replaced top cover & bezel; Says friend threw CB over the weekend
3188
CB thrown; broken top cover, bezel
Replaced top cover & bezel; Says 3 yr old nephew threw CB
3133
3971
2971
Replaced screen; staff Chromebook; paid $80 on 5/8/2017
3368
Replaced screen; staff Chromebook
3426
Broken hinge
Replaced hinge
3338
Dropped CB; broken top cover & bezel
$31.25
Repaired bezel; replaced top cover; 2nd time
2883
2798
3418
3932
3765
3478
Replaced screen w/ inoperable touchscreen to minimize replacement cost
2795
3492
Broken battery, top cover, & bezel
$93.70
Replaced battery, top cover, & bezel; glued rivets & posts
3146
CB stepped on; broken touchscreen, top cover, bezel
Replaced touchscreen, top cover, & bezel; 2nd time; worked 14 hrs 5/23-5/24
No image on screen, only backlight; broken plastic
$69.00
Replaced screen; glued plastic; 2nd time
2786
CB didn't boot; Damaged SSD from impact w/ battery
Replaced SSD with pulled part; readhered battery w/ mounting tape
3330
Battery won't charge, hinge & case damage to CB
Glued hinge & broken plastic; replaced battery
Replaced screen; 2nd time; paid 5/18/2017
3135
Damaged CB; broken battery, top cover, bezel
Replaced battery; will replace top cover & bezel
3111
Damaged CB; broken top cover and bezel
Will replace top cover & bezel
3980
PWR key broken, due to broken retainer clip
Damaged CB; broken video cable & KB/Palmrest
$65.10
Replaced keyboard & palmrest and video cable; will work off, 7.5 hrs, 9/8/17
CB knocked off ledge; broken top cover & palmrest
$77.20
Replaced top cover and keyboard & palmrest; T/C w/ dad on
3187
Broken hinge covers on bezel
$22.50
Replaced bezel - discovered after EoY CB return
Replaced top cover - discovered after EoY CB return
3154
Broken touchscreen, top cover, & bezel
Replaced touchscreen, top cover, & bezel
3217
3313
Broken bezel & screen
$102.45
Replaced bezel & screen - discovered after EoY CB return
3361
Replaced top cover & bezel - discovered after EoY CB return
3084
Broken top deck
Replaced top deck - discovered after EoY CB return
3092
3104
Broken top cover, bezel, & top deck
$99.70
Replaced top cover, bezel, & top deck - discovered after EoY CB return; pd 6/13/17
3199
Replaced screen - discovered after EoY CB return
3205
Replaced top cover, bezel, & top deck - discovered after EoY CB return
3276
3059
Broken Top Cover & Bezel
Replaced TC & Bezel
3475
Replaced TC & bezel
3409
Glued rivets; replaced TC & bezel
3443
Bedbug infestation in CB
Full ammonia bath; LCD water stained & replaced
New TC & bezel; bkn touchscn (not replaced)
3468
New TC & bezel; glued rivets
Replaced screen; paid $80 on 10/23/2017
3993
Replaced screen; returned to library, but unknown who it was checked out to

8. Damages & Costs, 2016-17 1,113 Chromebooks
129 cases of unwarrantied damages
26 repeat offenders
53 broken screens ($30 / $79)
$1, collected
One more total loss; one more stolen
$11, for repair equipment
$700 in unreturned equipment costs
Net cost: $11,145.00, or $10.01 per CB

9. Damages & Costs, 2017-18 Changes were necessary 1,176 Chromebooks
37 cases of damages (thru 2/1/18)
9 repeat offenders; $1, collected
15 broken screens
18 decommissioned; three more “stolen”
$2, for repair equipment
Sub. Net Cost: $3,946.04
Est. Net Cost: $5,919.06, or $5.03 per CB

10. Self-Repairing Worth It?
Cost vs Time
Potential fast turn around
vs Inconsistent turnaround
Avoid fun with vendors
Impossible to answer – What works for you?

11. Build Quality It’s improving More shock-absorbent Some modularity
Detachable battery cable
Separated audio jack
Wish list: SSD Card
Screws
Hinges
Acer C720
4 screws, 0.5 g
13 g
Dell 3120
6 screws, 0.6 g
21 g
Dell 3180
6 screws, 1.2 g
33.5 g
Acer
C720
Dell
3120
Dell
3180

12. Part 2: Chromebook Repairs
Context: Using Acer C720’s & Dell ’s
Most Common Problems:
Broken screens
Broken bezels & top covers on the Dell 3120’s
Logic boards
Broken battery wiring on the C720’s
Spilled beverages / keyboard & trackpad issues
96% of damages are with Chromebooks taken home (59% of Chromebooks total)

13. Broken Screens Fairly easy to replace Helpful tools to have:
Precision screwdriver set
Metal spudger / wedge / opener
Exacto-knife (for 3120’s)
Double-sided tape (5mm)
$33 for plain / $79 for touch (agpartseducation.com)
~20 minutes per repair

14. Bezels & Top Covers (Dell 3120)
Annoying to replace
Helpful tools to have:
Include broken screen tools
Gorilla Glue
Heat gun (more on that later)
Try to glue / heat when possible
$59.90 for the set
~30 minutes per repair

15. Logic Boards Rabbit holes to hell Symptoms may include:
$109 for 2GB / $129 for 4GB
1 - 4 hrs to diagnose & repair
First use restore USB & RMA shim
Just need a screwdriver
Blank display
“Chrome OS is missing or damaged”
Keyboard doesn’t work
Touchpad doesn’t work
Touchscreen stops working
Audio doesn’t work
Wi-Fi doesn’t work
Battery won’t charge
Battery reported as missing
System reboots randomly
System crash at shutdown
System overheating
Broken audio / USB / HDMI port
Etc.

16. Bad Batteries Easy to replace $38 for Acer / $48 for Dell
20 minutes to diagnose & replace
Do need to test the charger & motherboard
Does the problem follow the battery?
Common problem: broken wiring
Solution: Mounting tape

17. Keyboard Issues Time-consuming to replace $38 for Acer / $46 for Dell
45 minutes to replace
3180: KB separates from top deck!
Touchpads are removable & transferable
15 minutes to swap
Don’t cut grounding pads!

18. Other Amazing Tools Heat Gun Soldering Iron Magnifying Lamp
Good tweezers
Solvents & Cleaners
Sharpie!

19. Is It All Worth It? Depends on the district
Weigh time & cost of In-House vs Outsourcing
Screens & batteries  quick turnaround
Casing & circuit boards  slows you down