Laptop AC DC Power Jack Repair- $65 Parts and Labor

Toshiba Satellite L655 DC Power Jack Repair

2011-12-06T20:06:00.003-06:00

This Toshiba Satellite L655 laptop came in with a very broken power plug. The laptop casing is also cracked so it looks like it took a fall or someone tripped over the ac adapter when it was plugged in. Most of the time we're still able to fix the dc input even though it's been physically damaged.
The L655 notebook needs to be completely taken apart to access the dc socket. It uses a cable style dc jack that plugs into the motherboard.
Once inside the plastic housing that holds the dc jack into place is broken along with the dc jack. We installed a brand new dc jack glued it into place with a special glue. It needs to dry for 24 hours but won't break again assuming the laptop isn't abused.
Despite the damage the dc jack was replaced and the laptop works great again!

Dell Inspiron 1525 PP29L DC Power Jack Repair

2011-12-06T19:57:00.002-06:00

This Dell Inspiron 1525 (PP29L) laptop came in with a very loose dc jack. I couldn't get the laptop to power on by holding the adapter tip but nonetheless very loose. I really like to get then to power up before I do the plug replacement but that's not always the case. The best analogy I can think of is it's almost like a loose tooth. The more you wiggle the worse it will get then eventually break free. If you're experiencing this problem with ANY laptop stop right away. Wiggling the adapter plug to much can damage the motherboard.
The dell 1525 notebook needs to be completely taken apart to access the dc jack. It uses a separate circuit board that attaches to the motherboard. A standard nine pin, barrel style foxconn dc jack is used on this model. It is soldered to that separate board.
When I got down to the circuit board I could see someone had attempted to solder it on their own. It was loosely hanging from the circuit board and looked beat up. In this case we replaced the entire board to ensure a long lasting repair.
Once replaced the laptop powers on and charges the battery again!

Toshiba A505 DC Power Jack Repair

2011-12-01T18:39:00.001-06:00

The Toshiba Satellite A505 series laptops feature the newer Core series cpu. They are much quicker than the previous generation toshiba notebooks (L505, L305, L355, etc.).
Most of the toshiba A505 notebooks come in with the dc jack pushed back inside the laptop or have a very loose connection. Looking at the before and after pics it looks like the laptop was dropped or the power cord tripped over. Normal use won't cause that type of damage to the socket.
They use a cable style dc jack that plugs directly into the motherboard. The a505 needs to be completely taken apart to the motherboard to access the dc plug for replacement. No soldering is required for this model unless you want to change just the dc jack tip and reuse the cable. Due to cost of these jacks I suggest you replace the entire cable assembly.

Dell Inspiron M5030 DC Power Jack Repair

2011-12-01T18:15:00.001-06:00

This Dell Inspiron M5030 laptop came in with a loose power plug connection. When you plug the laptop in to the dc socket it feels very loose and only powers on when you hold it at a certain angle. If this is happening to your laptop you should STOP right away. Doing this runs a chance of ruining the motherboard which is a much more costly repair and a lot of the time not worth it due to cost.
The M5030 notebook uses the standard nine pin circular barrel dc jack that dell has been using for years. The laptop needs to be completely taken apart to access the dc jack. It's also soldered directly to motherboard so it needs to be de-soldered and a new dc plug soldered back on.
After the jack is replaced the laptop powers on and charges the battery again!

Toshiba L455 DC Power Jack Repair

2011-12-01T16:15:00.003-06:00

This toshiba L455 laptop came in with the classic physically broken dc jack on see on many toshiba notebooks. The power plug is pushed back inside the laptop and the power cord won't stay connected properly or at all.
It uses a cable style dc jack that is soldered onto the motherboard but in some cases the dc jack on the end of the cable can be replaced. In other instances the dc connection is fine but the plastic housing that holds the jack into place is what needs to be fixed. In the picture above the jack needed to be glued back into place and the plastic housing fixed.
The laptop needs to be taken apart to the motherboard to access the dc jack and should be performed by a professional.
Once the jack housing is fixed the laptop is put back together and working great!

Toshiba L505-S5990 DC Power Jack Repair

2011-11-28T15:53:00.003-06:00

This Toshiba L505 came in with the power plug pushed back inside the laptop. It uses a cable style dc jack that's plugged into the motherboard. On a lot of these toshiba laptops (L305, L355, A505, A305) the plastic housing that holds the power receptacle into place is also broken. We've seen this many times year after year and have a special glue that can hold the jack into place like new again.
The L505 laptops do need to be almost completely taken apart to access the dc jack and replace it.
We put together a step by step guide on how we take the L505 apart and gain access to the broken power socket. You can watch that video at the link provided here toshiba dc jack repair.
Once the jack is replaced the laptop powers on and charges the battery again!

Sony VPCY2/PCG-51412L DC Power Jack Repair

2011-11-28T15:32:00.003-06:00

This Sony VPCY2 came in with a physically broken and offset power plug. It was pushed back inside the laptop and was most likely a victim of the owner tripping over the cord and dropping the laptop.
The dc jack is a cable style receptacle that plugs into the motherboard vs. being soldered directly to the board. The dc jack is however soldered to the end of the cable so sometimes we just solder a new plug on and reuse the cable assuming it's not damaged.
The VPCY2 does need to be almost all the way taken apart to access the dc jack and these Sony notebooks aren't the easiest to get apart safely.
Once replaced the Sony powers on and works great!

Asus G73S DC Power Jack Repair

2011-11-22T23:49:00.003-06:00

This Asus G73S laptop came in the shop with a physically broken power plug. With a broken connection you can't power the laptop on or charge the battery. As you can see in the picture the center pin is completely gone. Usually this means someone dropped it or tripped over the power cord. Normal use shouldn't cause this kind of damage.
The G73 series needs to be completely taken apart to the motherboard access the dc jack and it uses a six pin (2.5mm) plug. Many gateway laptops and other Asus laptops use this jack.
Once taken apart and have the motherboard out it can be de-soldered and a new jack installed. After the repair it looks and works great!

Toshiba C655 DC Power Jack Repair

2011-11-21T10:30:00.002-06:00

The Toshiba C655 series laptops are the entry level 15" laptop. They use the same cable style dc plug that many other lines of toshiba laptops have been using for the last few years (L305, L355, L505, A305, A505, etc.).
This C655 came in with no power to the laptop when plugged in. The connection did feel a little loose but nothing was physically damaged. The customer reported needing to wiggle the ac adapter tip in just the right way to get it to power up but this had stopped working as well.
The notebook needs to be completely taken apart to access the dc jack and should be performed by a professional in my opinion (of course :)).
Like always we replace the cable style plug instead of trying to repair it. Once the jack is replaced and put back together the laptop works like new again.

HP Pavilion G6 DC Jack Repair/Replacement

2011-11-20T22:21:00.002-06:00

The hp G6 is a newer 15.6" Windows 7 laptop. This hp G6 (g6-1b66nr) came in with a physically broken ac/dc plug. The laptop was dropped on the power jack and ruined the connection. It needed to be physically replaced.
The hp G6 uses a cable style dc jack that plugs into the motherboard vs. being soldered directly to the motherboard. The notebook needs to be completely taken apart to access and replace the dc jack.
The fact that this laptop is pretty new the dc jack is still pretty expensive. The G6 doesn't fall under the $65 and requires an additional $30 charge for this expensive dc plug.
With any laptop repair you might have some questions.
How do I know if I have the dc jack problem?

The laptop will not be able to power on with AC power. Sometimes the plug is loose or damaged. If the laptop works while plugged the dc jack is working. It doesn't regulate the battery charging or not.

My HP G6 works on AC but doesn't charge the battery. Is the dc connection bad?

No. If the laptop works on ac power the internal dc jack is doing it's job. If the battery isn't charging it could be a bad battery, bad power cord, or the charging circuitry on the motherboard has failed.

Acer Aspire 5535/MS2254 DC Power Cable Replaced

2011-11-18T22:50:00.002-06:00

This Acer 5535 came in with an extremely loose dc jack. The power cord tip almost falls out when you try to plug it in and won't power on. This is almost always the case of a failed power connection and needs to be replaced.
The 5535 needs to be completely taken apart to access the dc jack. This dc jack is actually plugged into the motherboard via a cable and the center pin is Acers standard 1.65mm.
I will be uploading a video of step by step tear down guide for this model so stay tuned!
The picture shows the power jack after it was removed from the laptop and as you can see it came completely off the cable. You could attempt to solder it back on but we install a brand new jack to make it last as long as possible.
The plastic housing that holds the dc jack into place was broken so it looks like it received some physical damage. The new cable end (yellow part) needed to be glued to hold it in place with a special gel super glue. We can't warrant this type of repair due to the broken plastic.
We do all this for our standard $69 parts and labor rate!

What does a bad dc power jack look like? Here's a dell inspiron 6000 as an example.

2011-11-18T22:01:00.004-06:00

Ever wonder what a bad dc plug looks like? If you've already taken your laptop apart (or not) you can see here in this before and after pic what a bad power jack looks like and what it looks like after we've installed a new one. I used a dell inspiron 6000 as an example but this dc jack has been used for years on popular laptops like D600 (610, 620, 630), D500 (D510, D520, D530), E1701, E1705, 1525, 1526, 6400, 9200, 9300, and many, many others.
This Dell 6000 will power up if you hold the power adapter up but when you let go the laptop shuts completely off (no battery installed).
The two voltage pins on the power connection are actually oxidized and in almost every case (99%) the jack needs to be and should be replaced for it to last for years to come.

Gateway LT2032U DC Power Jack Repair/Replacement

2011-11-18T18:19:00.003-06:00

The Gateway LT2032U is a 10.1" Netbook. It's basically a re branded Acer One laptop (Acer bought Gateway).
This LT2000 series came in with the dc jack pushed back inside the laptop. You can no longer plug the power cord in properly. The power connection is held in by a plastic housing and sticky tape on one side of the power plug. It plugs into the motherboard and isn't directly soldered on. The netbook does need to be almost completely taken apart to access the dc jack.
The picture shown is the laptop torn down the access the dc jack. The plastic housing was broken so it needed to be glued into place with a special gel super glue.
It takes 24 hours to set and then the notebook can be put back together. The laptop now powers on and works great!

Gateway M-6337/SA1 DC Jack Repair/Replacement

2011-10-27T12:00:00.002-05:00

This gateway M-6337/SA1 (M-Series) came in and simply wouldn't power on (powers on off battery). When plugged in the jack didn't seem overly loose but it won't power on unless the ac adapter plug is held in a certain angle.
The M series use the same six pin, 2.5mm dc jack gateway has been using for years until they were bought by Acer. These laptops seem to fall victim to the cold solder joint but can be fixed.
The laptop needs to be completely taken apart to access the dc jack and it is soldered onto the motherboard. The old bad plug needs to be de-soldered and a new dc jack soldered back on.
Once the power connection is replaced the laptop charges the battery and powers off AC.

Dell Latitude E5510 DC Plug Replacement

2011-10-27T11:38:00.002-05:00

The dell E5510 is a 15" widescreen business laptop. It has a core i5 cpu but still uses Windows XP. This is great for business and I'm doing the same thing with my Dell business laptop.
This E5510 came in with a loose dc jack. When plugged in it's very loose and isn't making a good connection with the motherboard.
The e5510 uses a nine pin dc jack that the N5010 and M5010 home dell laptops use.
The laptop needs to be completely taken apart to access the dc jack. It's directly soldered to the board so the old broken jack needs to be de-soldered and a new dc jack soldered back on.
Once replaced the laptop powers on and does a full charge.

Dell Inspiron 1720 DC Jack Repair/Replacement

2011-10-20T15:32:00.003-05:00

The Dell Inspiron is a home purpose laptop with a huge 17" lcd. I don't see a lot of these probably because they don't get used as much as a portable unit (sits on the desk most of the time).
This 1720 came in with a loose dc jack. You can hold the power cord adapter tip in just the right way to get the laptop to work and it feels loose when you use a pen and move it around.
The Inspiron 1720 laptops do need to be completely taken apart to the motherboard to access the dc jack. It also needs to be de-soldered and new power plug soldered back on.
It uses the standard nine pin dc jack dell has been using for quite a while.
Once replaced the laptop powers on!

Dell Vostro 2510 DC Jack Repair/Replacement

2011-10-20T12:26:00.002-05:00

This Dell Vostro came in with a physically broken power jack. The black plastic cylinder in the center of the plug is completely gone leaving nothing to hold the jack into place properly.
The 2510 does need to be completely taken apart to the motherboard to access the dc jack connection.
it uses the standard nine pin jack dell has been using for years and without the proper skills and tools can be very hard to de-solder.
Once replaced the 2510 powers on and charges the battery again.
* If you receive a message at POST that the power cord cannot be identified the data pin (small back solder point) it might not be soldered properly and won't charge the battery.

Asus EEE PC 1005HAB DC Plug Replacement

2011-10-12T16:21:00.002-05:00

The Asus EEE PC laptops are netbooks but they obviously have a dc jack like any other laptop. The power plug is very small on these and requires the old broken piece to be desoldered and a new jack soldered on.
You also need to completely tear the laptop down the motherboard to access the dc jack.
This asus eee pc that came onto my shop had a physically broken power port and the small center pin inside the jack was gone.
It uses a very small five pin dc jack that's soldered onto the motherboard.
Once the power jack is replaced the laptop works great!

Gateway M-6307 SA1 DC Jack Repair/Replacement

2011-10-12T16:10:00.002-05:00

This Gateway M Series/SA1 laptop came in the classic dc jack problem symptoms. The user can hold the tip of the power cord in just the right way to get the laptop to charge and power on.
The M Series use the standard six pin, 2.5mm dc jack they used for the MX, MT, and ML laptops that were out before the M series.
The laptop needs to be completely taken apart to access the dc plug connection. It also needs to be properly de-soldered and a new power jack soldered back on.
Once the jack is replaced you can power up the laptop on the motherboard level to make sure the jack replacement worked (power button is next to dc jack).
The laptop now powers on and charges the battery!

Asus G51V DC Jack Repair

2011-10-06T18:36:00.002-05:00

This Asus G51 Series laptop came in with absolutely no power. The jack felt loose so it's up for replacement. This is a nice looking gaming laptop but I have seen a few in for repair over the last few months.
This uses the standard six pin, 2.5mm dc jack that companies like gateway have been using for years but recently stopped with their latest generation of laptops.
The G51 needs to be completely taken apart to access the dc jack and it's not the easiest model to get apart.
Once taken apart to motherboard level the jack is bad but a small chip behind the dc jack is burnt. After the replacement it's plugged in and that burnt ship smokes :(. Looks like it would need a motherboard replacement to get it up and running.

Gateway MS2274/NV52 DC Jack Repair/Replacement

2011-10-05T16:15:00.003-05:00

The gateway NV Series laptops are very common ones we're working on these days. Common NV laptops are NV51, 52, 53, 57, 59, and others.
This NV52 came in with a physically broken dc jack. It uses the six pin, 1.65mm dc jack that Acer used for years and since they bought gateway they now use it. It's a little better design than the previous generation gateways (MA, M Series, MT, MX, ML).
The NV laptops do need to be completely taken apart to access the dc jack. It also needs to be de-soldered and a new jack soldered on. These aren't easy to de-solder and you will need the proper tools and know how to get the old dc jack off safely.
Once replaced the laptop powers on!

Acer Aspire 7740 DC Jack Repair/Replacement

2011-10-03T17:43:00.003-05:00

This Acer Aspire 7740 came in with a physically broken dc jack that was rattling around inside the laptop. It's a Windows 7 system so it was probably dropped or the cord was yanked on. It uses the standard six pin, 1.65mm dc jack Acer has been using for years.
The 7740 needs to be completely taken apart to access the dc jack. It also needs to be de-soldered and a new dc plug soldered on. If you don't have the know how and correct tools this job will be impossible.
Once the old jack is replaced the laptop powers on and charges the battery!

Simple hp DV6000 Overheating Fix

2011-10-03T17:08:00.003-05:00

This hp entertainment pc, model dv6000 came in with the fan running constantly. The dv2000, dv6000, and dv9000 all have this overheating problem. The laptop gets very hot and the fan doesn't go off and is very loud and annoying.
The heat can also cause the video card on the motherboard to fail as well as motherboard failure.
For $65 we completely take the dv6000 apart and blow the fan out. Usually people don't blow it out on a regular basis and a lot of dust and build can occur.
We also apply Arctic Silver 5 thermal paste to the CPU and GPU. This will allow for a 10-15 degree drop in temps on top of the fan cleaning.
After the fans have been blown out and thermal paste applied the fan barely makes a sound! Had this service not been performed it was a matter of time before the laptop would need a motherboard replacement.

Dell Inspiron E1505 PP20L DC Jack Repair/Replacement

2011-10-03T14:22:00.003-05:00

This Dell E1505 came in with a physically broken dc jack. It uses the standard nine pin, circular barrel style dc jack dell has been using for years. The e1505 needs to be completely disassembled to reach the dc jack. It's also soldered onto the motherboard so it needs to be properly de-soldered and a new plug soldered on.
These dell jacks can be hard to get de-soldered correctly so only attempt this if you have the proper equipment and know how.
Once the dc jack has been replaced the laptop powers on and charges the battery again!

HP DM4 DC Jack Repair/Replacement

2011-08-29T13:03:00.002-05:00

This hp dm4 laptop came in with a physically broken dc jack. This is a very nice looking sleek laptop that's definitely worth fixing.
Due to the kinda rare, cable style dc jack that plugs into the motherboard it runs $85 for the parts and labor.
The dm4 needs to be taken apart to the motherboard to access the dc jack. The old broken jack was replaced and the laptop powers on again.

MSI MS-1683 DC Jack Replacement

2011-08-15T14:33:00.002-05:00

This MSI MS-1683 came in with a physically broken dc jack. The center pin (2.5mm) was completely gone and needs to be de-soldered off the motherboard and a new dc jack soldered on. The laptop needs to be completely taken apart to the mainboard to get to the power plug.
It uses a standard five pin, 2.5mm dc jack.
This is a new windows 7 laptop and was most likely dropped.
Once taken apart the old jack is de-soldered and a new one soldered back on.

Acer 7741Z DC Jack Repair

2011-08-01T18:44:00.002-05:00

This Acer 7741z came in with a loose dc power jack. The laptop can't power on because it's not getting a good power connection.
The 7741 has a cable style dc jack that plugs into the motherboard.
The laptop also needs to be completely disassembled to reach the dc jack.
A 7741z requires an additional $20 due to the rare cable plug it uses.
After the power connection is replaced the laptop powers on and charges the battery.

Sony Vaio VGN-350E Power Jack Repair

2011-06-23T16:10:00.002-05:00

This sony VGN-350E came with the classic broken dc jack that many sony laptops fall victim too. The small plastic center piece breaks and two small wires are exposed. The jack now feels loose and won't stay connected properly.
The dc jack is located on a cable that's soldered onto a positive and ground wire. The laptop needs to be completely taken apart to the motherboard to gain access to the dc jack. If you can find it you can also replace the entire dc jack/cable.

Dell N5010 15R DC Jack Repair

2011-06-23T14:00:00.003-05:00

The Dell N5010 (15R) is a pretty new unit from Dell. It doesn't use the standard nine pin dc jack dell has been using for years on their 15" laptops. It still has nine pins but the layout is completely different. Looking from the outside it still looks like the old dc jack.
This N5010 had been physically damaged because the dc jack was mangled and completely unusable.
The laptop needs be taken apart all the way down to the motherboard to gain access to the dc jack and will need to be de-soldered and a new jack soldered back on.
Once replaced the N5010 works great!

Gateway NV59 MS2288 DC Jack Repair

2011-06-07T14:53:00.002-05:00

This Gateway NV59 (NV53, 54, 55, 56, etc.) came in with the power jack physically broken. When you look at the dc input the yellow center pin is completely gone and off the motherboard.
It uses the standard six pin, 1.65mm dc jack that Acer has used for years and now gateway uses.
The NV series laptops need to be completely taken apart to the motherboard to reach the dc jack for replacement. It's also soldered onto the motherboard and can be difficult to de-solder properly.
Once the dc jack is replaced the laptop works great.

hp dv4 dc jack replacement

2011-06-02T15:13:00.002-05:00

The customer brought in this hp dv4 saying the cat had tripped over the cord and now the laptop won't work on AC power.
The hp dv4 laptops use a cable style dc jack that plugs into the motherboard vs. being soldered directly to the motherboard. The notebook does need to be completely disassembled to reach the dc jack for replacement.
Once replaced the laptop powers on again on AC power.

Durabook S14Y Power Jack Repair

2011-06-02T14:40:00.002-05:00

This Durabook S14Y laptop is much like a Panasonic Toughbook. It's made to be very durable and has many different uses.
This S14y had a physically broken dc jack that needs to be replaced. It uses the standard five pin, 2.5mm dc jack that many averatec and asus laptops use.
The laptop also needs to be completely taken apart to access the dc jack. Once replaced the laptop powers on and charges the battery.

Dell Inspiron 910 DC Jack Repair

2011-05-31T11:34:00.003-05:00

The dell 910 is a 9" LCD netbook from dell. This 910 came in and won't power on off AC or battery power.
It uses a cable style dc jack that plugs into the motherboard and the dc jack itself is soldered onto that cable.
When taken apart the red voltage wire has come undone from the dc jack. This can happen naturally on it's own or it could have been dropped or mishandled.
In this case you could try to re-solder the wire or replace the entire dc jack cable.
Once replaced the laptop works like new again.

Dell Vostro 1520 Power Plug Replacement

2010-10-20T19:10:00.002-05:00

This dell vostro 1520 notebook came in after it had been dropped. The laptop ran on battery power until that was gone. The dc jack itself was physically broken and needs replacement.
The vostro 1520 uses the standard nine pin, circular barrel dc jack that dell has been using for years.
The dc jack is located on the motherboard and needs to be desoldered properly then a new power jack soldered on.
After a new dc jack is installed the laptop powers up and charges the battery.

hp G71 Power Jack Replacement

2010-10-20T11:22:00.002-05:00

The G71 hp laptops are a 17" inch notebooks with Windows 7 installed.
This G71 came in with the no life whatsoever to the laptop. A small white light should illuminate when plugged in and that was out too.
The g71 uses a cable style that plugs into the motherboard dc jack vs. the traditional soldered onto the motherboard style power jack.
After the cable dc plug is installed the laptop powers on and charges the battery.

Gateway MA8 MT6723 DC Jack Replacement

2010-10-20T10:50:00.002-05:00

This gateway notebook came in with the classic symptom of once being able to hold the back of the power cord when plugged in in just the right position to power on. Usually this is a progressive problem that gets worse over time and the dc jack will need to be replaced.
The MA8 laptops are almost identical to the MA2, MA3, and MA7 series gateway laptops. The difference is the MA8 has upgraded hardware and newer technologies.
Once inside the power jack voltage pin looks oxidized and loose. This dc jack will need to be desoldered and a new jack soldered back on.
After the dc plug is replaced the laptop works like new again.

Acer One D150 DC Jack Repair

2010-10-18T12:50:00.002-05:00

This Acer One D150 laptop came in with the symptom of being able to hold the power cord tip in just the right way to power on/charge.
The Acer D150 differs from the D250 with a smaller length cable and different tip that plugs into the motherboard.
The acer d150 does use a cable style dc jack that plugs into the motherboard vs. a plug thats soldered directly on the motherboard.
After the new power cable is installed the laptop powers up and charges the battery.

5 Myths About Laptop DC Jack Repair/Replacement

2010-10-12T21:32:00.000-05:00

“If you have a dc jack problem the motherboard needs to be replaced”.

This is the number one quote I hear from users looking for dc jack repair. Many computer repair centers and large companies (dell, gateway, acer, Toshiba, etc.) will tell you the only way to fix a dc jack is to replace the entire motherboard. This is very costly and simply untrue. The dc jack can be safely and successfully removed and new power plug installed.

“Can I repair the dc jack myself?”

This is a pretty common question I get asked. It’s not impossible to do this yourself but you need the equipment such as quality soldering iron (and tips), desoldering braid or pump, and a steady hand. I’ve heard people say, “soldering is easy”. Soldering can be easy but desoldering is usually the tricky part for most people. Also knowing where to pry and how to properly remove cables without breaking retention devices is a must. Lots of laptops that people have attempted the repair themselves can’t get the old solder out and or broke the connections on the motherboards for things like touchpads and keyboards.

If the dc jack gets repaired once it will fail again.

This is true and false. A quality dc jack repair can last for the life of the laptop. At the same time it can go bad again. Some laptops have poor design or design flaws that can’t be changed and are likely to reoccur.

Epoxy and epoxy like substances should be used to reinforce the dc jack.

The problem with epoxy is it suffocates surrounding circuitry causing motherboard failures. Components on a motherboard (voltage regulators, capacitors, power filters) heat up due to voltage running through them and should not be covered by epoxy products. Sometimes dc jacks fail due to cold solder joints and epoxy will do nothing to combat that problem except make it harder or impossible to get the dc jack off safely.

All laptops with dc jack problems are repairable.

If your laptop is displaying the dc jack symptoms it might not be the power jack or a symptom could be another different problem. For example, I get inquiries stating the laptop won’t charge the battery. I also find out the laptop does work when plugged in. This means the dc jack is working but something else on the motherboard has failed. Another example would be sometimes when the laptop is disassembled I find out the motherboard is burnt near the voltage pin. This is a pretty common occurrence on gateway laptops and replacing the dc jack won’t help. The entire motherboard would need to be replaced in this case.

Gateway M-6339u DC Input Repair

2010-10-12T18:17:00.004-05:00

This gateway M-6339u (M Series) laptop came in completely lifeless. Holding the power cord tip in any direction wouldn't get the laptop to charge or power on. I see this frequently on gateway models using the standard six pin, 2.5mm tip dc jack.
Once taken apart the dc jack looks and feels solid but due to the cold solder joint problem on these models gets replaced anyway.
After the old dc connector is de-soldered off the motherboard a new power jack is soldered on.
When the laptop is put back together it powers on and charges the battery. Assuming no one has attempted a jack replacement this type of repair comes with a one year warranty.

2010-10-12T17:16:00.003-05:00

This gateway MD7820u laptop came in with a very loose power port and slight burn around the actual dc jack. It's a pretty common model I'm starting to see come in for plug repair.
Now that Acer bought gateway they are using the acer style dc jack. In my opinion it's the same poor quality used by gateway but a different style. It uses a five pin, 1.65mm tip jack that I've been working on for years.
Once disassembled the old dc jack needs to be de-soldered directly off the motherboard and a new power receptacle soldered back on.
After the dc jack is replaced the laptop powers up great and charges the battery.

Toshiba A355D Power Input Repair

2010-10-12T16:49:00.002-05:00

The A355D Toshiba laptops aren't common ones I work on but are the same as newer toshiba laptops due to the cable style dc jacks (L455, L355, L505, A305).
This A355D laptop had a cable style dc jack that was pushed back inside the laptop. This is the classic symptom for these newer toshibas.
Once torn down the dc jack is fine but the bottom plastic of the laptop that holds the jack into place is broken. This usually happens due to excessive force to the dc socket or lots of plugging and unplugging of the power cord.
Fortunately in this case the plastic is still there and can be glued back into place with a special glue. It takes atleast 24 hours to dry but when done the dc plug is rock solid and can be used like new again.

Dell Inspiron 1545 Notebook DC Connection Replacement

2010-10-12T16:10:00.002-05:00

The dell 1545 laptops are common ones we work on and as the one year dell warranties are up I'm seeing more and more for ac dc connector repair/replacement.
This 1545 came in with the power plug pushed back slightly inside the laptop. Once inside the circuit board wasn't damaged and the dc jack was de-soldered and a new dc jack installed. Sometimes the damage is severe enough the entire circuit board where the receptacle is located needs to be replaced.
Once put back together the laptop powers on and charges the battery.

Compaq CQ60 DC Jack Repair

2010-10-12T10:35:00.002-05:00

This Compaq CQ 60 laptop (CQ50, CQ60, CQ70) came in with the dc jack pushed back inside the laptop. It uses a cable style dc jack that plugs into the motherboard vs. a soldered onto the motherboard power plug.
Once inside I discovered the cable jack was fine but the plastic on the base of the laptop that holds the jack into place was broken. This can be remedied by using a special glue to hold the jack safely into place.
Once dried the jack is rock solid and holds into place nicely.

Acer One D250 DC Jack Repair

2010-10-11T21:24:00.002-05:00

The Acer One series laptops are common ones we work on and now I'm seeing this D250 model. This D250 Acer is different because instead of the traditional soldered onto the motherboard dc jack it uses a cable style dc jack that plugs into the motherboard.
I received two around in the same week and both felt pretty solid and I couldn't wiggle the power cord tip in just the right way to get them to power on. I decided to go for it and install the jack anyway and to my surprise both laptops powered on. The voltage wire had come undone causing a break in the connection.
After the new cable jacks were installed the laptops powered right up!

Averatec 6240 Power Jack Repair/Replacement

2010-10-11T20:54:00.002-05:00

The Averatec 6240/6200 series laptops are pretty common ones we work on and I see them about once a month or so. It uses the same common dc plug that many averatec laptops use such as 3200, 3250, 2200, 7000, and many more.
This particular 6240 had the dc jack pushed back inside the laptop. It uses the standard five pin, 2.5mm averatec dc jack.
The dc jack is located on a small circuit board that can be access when the laptop is completed taken apart. The first step is de-soldering the old broken jack off this separate circuit board. When the jack is off and the contacts clean and properly de-soldered it's ready for a new dc jack.
Once the jack is installed the laptop is put back together and it powers on/charges the battery.

Emachines M6809 DC Jack Repair

2010-10-11T20:50:00.002-05:00

This Emachines M6809 came in with the classic symptom of being able to hold the power cord tip in just the right angle/location to get it to power on. Assuming you have a known working power cord this is a great way to tell if you have the power plug problem.
The emachines M6809 is a six pin, 1.65mm dc jack that similar gateway mx7000 and W series laptops use.
When the emachines laptop was torn down to the motherboard the voltage pin had oxidized and almost looks slightly burnt. Like all repairs the dc jack is de-soldered and removed, then a new dc jack is soldered on.
After the input jack is replaced the laptop powers up!

Dell Inspiron 1545 DC Power Jack Repair

2010-09-23T13:45:00.001-05:00

The dell inspiron 1545 (Inspiron 15 or i1545-004st) is dells entry level laptop. Great price points for the student or budget user. At the time of this writing dell specs out a $399 system with 2.2GHz Celeron, 2GB ram, 250gb hard drive, and 15.6” HD LCD. Add double the ram, hard drive, and faster Pentium dual core cpu for $619.

Due to the attractive price and features this is a laptop I see more often in our shop for dc power jack repair. Some of the main symptoms are people tripping over the cord or dropping the laptop which causes physical damage to the dc jack.

So far I’ve seen a single style of standard nine pin, octagon shaped dell dc jack from Foxconn. This is different than the circular barrel other dells are using including the 1525 Inspirons that are commonly in for dc plug repair.

The best part of this laptops design is that the dc jack is located on a separate circuit board that attaches to the motherboard. If the laptop is dropped and the circuit board is ruined the entire motherboard doesn’t need to be replaced which helps keep costs down.

The cost for a dell inspiron 1545 dc jack repair is $85 which includes parts, labor, and return shipping. If the separate circuit board needs to be replaced due to damage the cost is an additional $75 on top of the $85.

FAQ

How do I know if my dell 1545 needs a dc jack repair?

The dc jack is damaged or connection feels loose. Sometimes holding the tip of the ac adapter in just the right way will get it to power on.

Will I lose the data on my hard drive?

No. The laptop should still work on battery power if it’s charged and Windows most likely won’t be corrupted.

Do you fix or replace the dc jack?

Every laptop that comes into our shop gets a new dc jack installed.

Do I need to send the power cord with the laptop?

Yes. We need to test the power cord you’ll be using with the laptop.

Does the repair come with a warranty?

All dc jack repairs come with a standard one year labor warranty.

Asus Z96F DC Jack Repair

2010-06-10T14:20:00.002-05:00

I received three of these from a school district. They are core duo, 15" widescreen laptops. The use the traditional four pin, 2.5mm dc jack that many hp, gateway, and others use.
They all had the classic symptom of being able to hold the power cord in just the right way to power up. Once taken apart two of the voltage pins were oxidized and all three needed to be replaced.
After dc jack replacement the laptops power on again!

Averatec 3260 DC Jack Repair

2010-05-05T14:38:00.002-05:00

The 3260 is one of many 3200 series averatec laptops. This one came in with the symptom of holding the power cord in just the right way to get it to power up. If you let the power cord go the laptop would instantly shut off like in the video below.
It uses the standard averatec five pin, 2.5mm dc jack.
After the jack was replaced the laptop powers up and charges the battery. The picture shows the cracked and broken dc jack.

Acer Aspire 4720z broken power jack port

2010-05-05T10:54:00.003-05:00

This Acer aspire 4720z came in with the dc jack pushed back inside the laptop. The 4720 laptops use the same problematic dc jack acer has been using for years so it isn't a surprise.
It uses a six pin, 1.65mm dc jack that's soldered onto the circuit board. Below is a before and after picture of the repair. The jack is replaced and the laptop powers on/charges the battery.

Toshiba A35 Power Jack Repair/Replacement

2010-05-05T09:53:00.002-05:00

This toshiba A35 came in with the classic symptom of powering off when you touched the power cord plug and would only stay on when held in the right direction.
The A35 use s a six pin, 2.5mm dc jack that toshiba P35 also uses among others.
The dc jack was replaced and the laptop powers on and charges.

Gateway MX6450/MA3 DC Jack Replacement/Repair

2010-05-05T09:11:00.002-05:00

This gateway mx6450/MA3 came in with the almost the same symptoms of almost every MA gateway laptop that comes in. The jack feels pretty solid but the laptop simply won't power up. When disassembled the jack looks pretty good and doesn't show any signs of oxidation or failure.
After the jack is replaced the laptop powers up and charges the battery.

Gateway NX570X/MA7 DC Jack Repair

2010-05-04T16:32:00.002-05:00

The gateway MA series laptops are ones I see all the time in the shop. MA2, MA2A, MA3, MA7, and now MA8 are all problematic with the power jacks.
They use a seven pin, 2.5mm dc jack and either 19v, 3.42a or 4.74a power cords/ac adapter.
This MA7 didn't show any signs of life when plugged in and I couldn't get it to power on before the repair.
Once the jack was replaced the laptop fired up at the board level and when put back together.

Gateway AJ2/md7818u dc jack replacement

2010-05-04T15:50:00.002-05:00

This gateway md7818u came in with the dc jack pushed back inside the laptop. The md7818u is one of gateway's media style laptops.
The 7818 uses the same six pin, 1.65mm dc jack that many acers use.
The laptop is fairly easy to get apart and needs to be completely disassembled down to the motherboard to get to the dc jack.
The old jack was de-soldered and a new one soldered on. The laptop powers up and charges again.

Dell Latitude 100L DC Plug Repair

2010-05-04T14:00:00.002-05:00

The dell latitide 100L is a business laptop from dell. It is identical to the inspiron 1150 so it will have the exact power issues as that common model I see.
This 100L showed no signs of life and wouldn't power up before the repair. After I got the laptop apart I could see the dc jack was fine but the power filter next to it was bad. Adding solder to the power filter is like reconnecting the link in a chain. If it's broken it can't power up, but once solder is added the flow of electricity is restored.
The laptop now powers up and charges the battery.

hp dv7 laptop jack replacement

2010-05-04T13:48:00.002-05:00

The dv7 is hp's 17 inch lcd media notebook/laptop/desktop replacement. Features like hdmi, e-sata, and beautiful 17" LCD make it one nice looking and performing laptop. This dv7 came in my shop with no signs of life. Plugging in the power cord and manipulating it in any direction would not get it to power up but the owner reports it worked on battery until that drained.
The dv7 uses a cable style dc jack that plugs into the motherboard vs. the traditional soldered on jacks.
After replacing the jack the laptop powers up and charges the battery!

Dell Inspiron 6000 DC Plug Replacement

2010-05-03T16:57:00.004-05:00

Yet again, another dell inspiron 6000. This is an exteremly common model in here over the last three years. I'm sure dell made thousands and thousands of these popular 15" laptops so that could be part of why I see so many.
This one had the classic hold the power cord in just the right way or it would shut off or not come on in the first place.
It uses the standard circular dell nine pin jack they still use today.
Both of the voltage pins on the jack were oxidized a blackish color and the jack needs to be replaced.
The video below is the symptom of being able to hold the power cord in just the right way to get it to power on. As soon as it's moved the laptop shuts off. I could barely get this one to power up.

Acer Aspire 5330

2010-05-03T15:57:00.002-05:00

This 15.4" acer aspire 5330 laptop came in with the jack pushed back inside the laptop. It uses the typical six pin, 1.65mm dc jack that acer has been using for years.
It's a fairly easy laptop to get apart but the jack isn't easy to de-solder without the proper tools.
After replacing the jack the laptop powers up and charges the battery.

Acer Aspire 5920 Power Plug Repair

2010-05-03T12:55:00.005-05:00

The Aspire 5920 is a 15-inch multimedia Santa Rosa based on Acer’s new gemstone concept. There are many new and interesting aspects to the Aspire such as 3D surround sound system and touch-sensitive media buttons. Featuring an impressive specification, but weighing almost 7 pounds with battery, this notebook is most suitable as a desktop replacement. The 5920G primarily targets gamers and power users with no desire to break the bank.
This 5920 wouldn't power up unless you held the power cord plug in just the right direction. The acer 5920 uses a cable style dc jack that plugs directly into the motherboard. The laptop still needs to be completely disassembled to access the power jack.
After replacing the cable the laptop powers up and charges the battery!

Gateway M-6333 Power Jack Replacement

2010-05-03T12:30:00.002-05:00

The gateway M-6333/SA1/M Series is a laptop we're seeing more and more of. It's about a couple of years old and off the factory gateway one year warranty.
The customer reported the laptop simply doesn't power on. When plugged in the laptop showed no signs of life and wouldn't power up. When I got it disassembled the jack area had some solder already added to it by the customer.
Like every repair we do, the jack needs to be de-soldered and replaced. After replacing the jack the laptop powered up at the board level. After getting it put back together the laptop powers on and charges the battery.

Pomeroy Computing now on Twitter!

2010-05-01T18:30:00.002-05:00

Follow the latest updates and news from Pomeroy Computing on at http://twitter.com/PomeroyCompLLC.

Dell Studio 1737 Power Jack Repair

2010-04-28T11:47:00.002-05:00

The dell studio 1737 is dell's 17 inch media laptop. With a fast intel dual core cpu and 4gb ram it will handle pretty much anything you throw at it besides heavy gaming.
This laptop came in with the dc jack intact but no power at all. Because the jack wasn't loose or broken I ordered the whole circuit board the jack is located on.
It's a fairly easy laptop to get apart and with this separate circuit board, requires no soldering.
After replacing the board the laptop powers up flawlessly.

Dell Vostro 1510 Power Plug Repair

2010-04-27T15:35:00.001-05:00

The dell vostro 1510 laptops are dells solution for small businesses in released in 2008. I like the sleek light look of these.
They still use the traditional nine pin dc jack that has been around for years.
This vostro 1510 came in with a physically broken dc jack. On a good 1510 the jack should look circular and solid. The jack was smashed and frayed inside the laptop. No question on what it needs!
Adding a little solder really helps the jack come out smoothly and applies for lots of different laptops. The silver content is a little higher than previous generations of dells and seems to last longer.
After a new nine pin jack is installed it's cleaned up with some electronics cleaner and ready to re-assemble.
The battery now charges and powers up!

Hp ZE4900 dc jack replacement

2009-11-04T22:13:00.002-06:00

The hp ze4900 isn't common laptop I see like the ZE4400, ZE4500, ZE4600, and others. The only difference is the Ze4900 uses a 1.65mm jack vs. the 2.5mm and stronger jack the others use.
This Ze4900 had a physically broken jack with the center pin missing. They are fairly easy to take apart and de-solder. The ZE4900 had much better traces than the ZE4400 and others which makes it easier to de-solder.
After replacing the jack the laptop can power up and charge again.

hp pavilion dv9000 power jack repair

2009-11-04T22:05:00.002-06:00

The DV9000 laptops are pretty similar the DV6000 and dv2000 laptops that also have power jack probelms.
This DV9000 came in with a bent up dc jack and almost looked burnt. I didn't even try plugging it in due to that and didn't want to fry anything or ruin my ac adapter.
The dv9000 uses a dc jack that is soldered onto a small circuit board that plugs into the motherboard via cable.
You can also buy the small circuit board with the dc jack and fix it that way.
After installing the new dc jack the laptop is working great again.

Sony Vaio PCG-7H1L

2009-11-04T21:53:00.003-06:00

This sony 7H1L came in like lots of sony laptops I see with the physically broken dc jack. The 71HL laptops use a cable dc jack that plugs into the motherboard. I buy a dc jack and de-solder the old broken jack off the cable and solder a new one on for this model.
This laptops dc jack had two little wires sticking out of the middle of the jack due to the plastic breaking. You can usually hold the ac adapter plug in just the right way to get the laptop to power on.
Installing a new dc jack is a success and the laptop powers up and charges the battery.

Toshiba L305D

2009-11-04T21:49:00.003-06:00

This Toshiba L305D came in like some of the L355D laptops I've been seeing lately. The dc jack is pushed back inside the laptop and the power plug can't be used.
When getting the laptop apart I can see the dc jack is a cable style dc jack that plugs into the motherboard vs. being soldered to the motherboard.
A piece of plastic has broken on the dc jack and it can't slide into the plastic pieces attached to the base of the laptop. Sometimes these plastic pieces that hold the dc jack into place also break and need to be glued.
After putting a new jack in it properly fits and the laptop works great.

Acer Aspire 4720Z DC Input Repair

2009-11-03T17:11:00.002-06:00

This Acer aspire 4720z came in with the power jack rattling around inside the laptop. The 4720z uses one of the two common and frail acer dc jacks. About half of the Acer laptops that come on have the physically broken jacks due to the fact they use a frail 1.65mm center pin.
When the laptop was opened up the customer had attempted to add some solder but didn't do any real damage.
After putting a new jack on the laptop powers up and charges the battery again.

Toshiba L335D DC Jack Repair

2009-10-14T13:50:00.002-05:00

I've seen about four of these in the last couple weeks with the same dc jack issue. Most are broken and now inside of the laptop. One of my customers told me his was only a couple of months old:(
The dc jack used is a cable style dc jack that plugs into the motherboard via a cable that has the dc jack soldered onto the end vs. the traditional soldered onto the motherboard jack.
The L355D has two plastic pieces that the dc jack fits in and uses for support. Under normal wear and tear these plastic pieces can break and leave the dc jack stuck inside the laptop. The other symptom is the plastic on the dc jack breaks which results in the same failure.
We fix the jack issue for $65 unless parts are needed which is an additional $20.

Acer Aspire One DC Jack Repair

2009-10-14T13:36:00.002-05:00

I'm starting to see these fairly new laptops in for dc power repair. They are fairly simple laptops to get apart but use the traditional soldered in dc jack. This jack needs to be de-soldered with the proper care like most Acer laptops.
It uses a five pin, 1.65mm dc jack that many Acer laptops use. We offer the repair services for this laptop for $65 parts and labor.
This Acer one came in with the classic symptom of being able to hold the ac adapter plug in just the right way to get it to charge/power on.
After replacing the dc jack the laptop works like new and comes with our standard one year warranty.

Dell Studio 1535 DC Jack Repair

2009-10-09T13:22:00.002-05:00

This dell studio 1535 came in with a physically broken power port. The plastic area was cracked and jack very loose.
When I searched for the correct jack I saw vendors advertising the traditional dc jack that dell has been using for years that I keep stocked at all times. After the laptop was opened up I saw this was no ordinary dell dc jack. The dc jack was a cable style jack that plugs into the motherboard via a cable that has the dc jack soldered on the end.
I searched for a part and could not find one. I called dell and they were insistent the jack was indeed soldered on the motherboard. After being shuffled around to a couple different dell techs they realized it was a cable style dc jack.
I received the dc jack ( Item # K324D) and was able to replace it. The laptop is now working great.

hp dv6000 DC Power Jack Repair

2009-10-06T09:25:00.002-05:00

I usually fix about five of the hp dv6000 laptops a month. They usually have the missing center pin or common loose connection symptoms.
You need to make sure you have the 65 watt version of the jack because the 90 watt version won't work with the jack.
This dv6660se came in with the classic symptom of being able to hold the ac adapter plug in just the right way to get the laptop to power on.
After replacing the dc jack the laptop has a solid connection and powers up/charges the battery.

Acer Extensa 4420 4620 Broken Power Jacks

2009-10-06T08:36:00.003-05:00

I keep seeing more and more of the 4420, 4620, and 4720 Acer Extensa laptops coming in for dc power jack repair.
Almost every single one has a physically damaged or broken off the motherboard power plug. Fortunately they can be repaired for the $65 parts and labor rate.
Today I replaced a jack on a 4420-5963 Acer Extensa and the jack was just starting to come loose.
It uses the traditional six pin, 1.65mm pin dc jack that's been on a lot of Acer laptops over the years.
Replacing the dc jack breathes new life into the laptop and it powers right up. This laptop was manufactured in 08 so it seems to be having a pretty short lifespan.

Dell Latitude D520 DC Jack Repair

2009-05-19T10:52:00.002-05:00

This dell D520 came in with the symptom of only powering on if you held it in just the right way on the ac adapter tip. When it would come on it could not identify the ac adapter type so it wouldn't charge the battery. After taking it apart the data pin was damaged and explains why it woudn't charge the battery.
The d520 is very similar to the D510 laptops with a different color and obviously updated hardware specs. Taking apart was nearly identical to the D510.
The dc jack was very loose and damaged. After replacing the jack the laptop fired up and works great again.

Compaq CQ50 DC Jack Repair

2009-05-14T12:32:00.003-05:00

This Compaq CQ-50 (CQ60, CQ70) came in after being dropped on the dc jack. It seemed a little loose but that can be normal for a laptop that uses a cable style dc jack that plugs into the motherboard instead of being soldered directly on.
Unfortunately the cheapest I can get the jack for is $40 and that's how much extra the overall cost is. The laptops I fix for $65 I get the parts for $1-$5.
It's similar in design to the dv6000 which is the previous generation laptop.
The jack itself is similar to the dc jacks dell uses and the ac adapter tip looks identical.
During the fall the ac adapter was also broken and needed to be replaced.

Acer Travelmate 4070 DC Jack Repair

2009-05-14T12:24:00.002-05:00

This Acer 4070 came in with a physically broken dc jack. The center pin was gone and rattling around inside the laptop.
It's the travelmate version of the Aspire 3000 laptops. The only difference I can find is an ergonomic keyboard vs. the standard keyboard on an Acer 3000.
It uses the six pin, 1.65mm dc jack that most Acer laptops use new and old.
The laptop is easy to get apart and the power jack came out smoothly as usual.
After replacing the power port it works like new again.

Gateway W350A T Series

2009-05-14T12:18:00.002-05:00

This is a fairly new Vista laptop (seeing more and more vista laptops) with a bad dc jack. When plugged in the laptop would do nothing. No amount of wiggling would get it to power on at all. Usually this means the customer has broken the contact or it was dropped.
It still uses the same six pin, 2.5mm dc jack that gateway has been using for the last few years and is the most common dc jack I use.
It was easy to get apart, just like most of the MT and MX series laptops.
The dc jack was replaced with a new power plug and the laptop powers on/charges the battery again.

Dell XPS M1330 DC Jack Repair

2009-05-14T12:13:00.002-05:00

This was the first dell xps m1330 I've seen in for dc jack repair in my shop. It came on with the classic power jack symptom of being able to hold the adapter plug in just the right way to make it charge/power on.
It's a really nice looking laptop with a 13.3" LCD, bluetooth, very portable, and fast processor.
Taking it apart was fairly easy and it uses the same nine pin dc jack dell has been using for years.
The jack itself felt loose when plugging it in so I replaced it. I got it back together and the laptop would not power up off AC. The jack was properly giving voltage to the motherboard but the power filter ( a small chip located near the dc jack) was also bad and needed some solder added.
Once the power filter was re-soldered the laptop powers on fine and charges the battery.

Gateway MT6705 MA7

2009-01-12T11:29:00.005-06:00

This laptop came in with the symptom of only running on battery and not off recognizing the ac adapter.
The MT6000 and MX6000 laptops have been coming in at a rapid rate lately and we're doing about thirty a month.
The center pin on the dc jack is flush to the dc jack and when we replace the dc jack we add a recessed dc jack made from a different manufacturer for less future problems. Using a recessed center pin dc jack causes lees tension on the jack.
The list below is the MX6000 series laptops we can repair for the $65 parts and labor rate.

6010GZ, 6018GH, 6018GZ, 6020GZ, 6021GZ, 6022GZ, 6023GP, 6510GZ, 6518GZ, 6520GZ, 6525GP, 6531GZ, MX6025, MX6025H, MX6027, MX6027H, MX6028, MX6030, MX6121, MX6123, MX6124, MX6124H, MX6128, MX6135, MX6420, MX6421, MX6423, MX6424, MX6424H, MX6425, MX6428, MX6436, MX6437, MX6438, MX6440, MX6440H, MX6442, MX6450, MX6455, MX6625, MX6627, MX6627H, MX6629, MX6629H, MX6631, MX6633, MX6633H, MX6640B, MX6650, MX6650H, MX6708, MX6708H, MX6710, MX6750, MX6912, MX6951, MX6951H

The list below is the MT6000 series laptops we can repair for the $65 parts and labor rate.

MT6000 MT6400 MT6451 MT6452 MT6456 MT6457 MT6700 MT6704 MT6704H MT6705 MT6706 MT6707 MT6708 MT6709 MT6709H MT6800 MT6821 MT6828 MT6828H MT6830 MT6831 MT6832B MT6833B MT6835J MT6836J MT6839B

ML6000, ML6219, ML6226, ML6226B, ML6228, ML6228H, ML6230, ML6232, ML6701, ML6703, ML6704, ML6704H, ML6705, ML6714, ML6720, ML6721, ML6725

Dell Latitude 110L

2009-01-10T19:21:00.002-06:00

This dell 110L came in with the classic being able to hold the ac adapter plug in just the right way to make it charge. It was already attempted by the customer but nothing was damaged.
It's not the most common model we work but is identical to the more popular dell 1200, 1000, and 2200 laptops.
It uses a six pin, 2.5mm dc jack.
Taking these laptops apart is pretty easy and after the dc jack was replaced it powers on and charges great.

Acer 5570z

2009-01-10T17:23:00.002-06:00

These past few months I've been doing tons of Acer dc power jack repairs. One of the most common seems to be the 5570z, Aspire 3680, 5050, 2480, and 3050 series.
All of these laptops use the same chassis design and are basically the same laptops with different hardware specs and features.
They all have one thing in common too. Every one that comes in has a physically broken dc jack. Not one is loose and not making a good connection like traditional dc jack problems. It seems Acer has made a lemon with a very weak dc jack.
Fortunately they use a five pin, 1.65mm dc jack that falls under our $65 parts and labor repair.

Dell Inspiron E1505 Power Plug

2008-12-24T15:31:00.002-06:00

This dell came in with the standard symptoms of not charging the battery or working on AC power.
It's becoming a more popular dell laptop were seeing as of late along with the E1405, E1705, E1401, E1501, and E1701. I believe this line of dell laptops is the predecessor to the Inspiron 6000 and 6400 series.
This uses the standard nine pin dc jack that dell has been using for the last four to five years.
Before opening the laptop I could hold the ac adapter plug at an upward angle and the laptop would power on. As soon as I let go the laptop would instantly power off.
You need to completely take apart this laptop to get to the dc jack.
When the laptop was all torn down I noticed a small burn mark next to a small chip on the motherboard called the power filter. I cleaned the area with electronic cleaner and re-soldered the power filter chip.
The power plug tested fine with a volt-meter and felt pretty solid so it wasn't replaced.
After re-assembling the laptop it powers on fine and the bad power filter was the culprit.

Dell Inspiron 1521 Power Problems

2008-12-24T15:21:00.002-06:00

The 1521 is one of dells latest home laptops. It has since been replaced by the 1525 but uses the same dc jack as other dell laptops from the past four years.
It features a nice 15.4" widescreen, up to 4gb ram, AMD turion dual core cpu, optional integrated bluetooth, and much more.
This 1521 came in with a physically broken dc jack plug. It's very new and probably not susceptible to becoming loose as of yet.
It uses the standard nine pin dc jack and can use either a 65w (PA-12) or 90w (PA-10) ac adapter.
The laptop needs to be completely torn down to the motherboard to access the dc jack receptacle.
The power plug was replaced and the laptop powers on with no problems.
The only thing I wish the Inspiron family came with is a docking station.

How to ship a laptop

2008-12-06T15:35:00.003-06:00

This has been a common question and is very important when using us for our dc jack repair services. Never put your ac adapter on top of the LCD. This will shatter the LCD.
The best way ship is through Fed Ex. They offer a special laptop shipping that uses foam cutouts to properly fit any size laptop from 12"to 17". The box includes foam cut outs, anti-static bag, slot for ac adapter, and extra foam padding to put where you choose. It's also a nice option because if any damage happens to your laptop you're using their box and insurance and the claim process will go very smooth. These boxes cost $10 and sure beats trying to find a box, packing peanuts, etc.
If you don't have a Fed Ex store available UPS also offers a special laptop shipping box.
If you want to use your own materials than you need to ship it properly.
1. Make sure the box your shipping in is adequate. Those small shipping boxes you get from free from the post office, UPS, and Fed Ex are NOT ok. They don't provide enough room for adequate packing materials and should never be used. Is your laptop worth risking to save $10? I don't think so.
2. Use lots of bubble wrap!! You need atleast two inches of bubble wrap covering the whole laptop. Use packing peanuts or paper for under and above the laptop in the box.
3. Do not using Styrofoam. It's a decent packing material but explodes all over the box during shipment and can expose your laptop to damage.

If you still own the original box the laptop was shipped in that is a good option. Please use common sense and more is better when shipping a laptop.

Remvong a CPU form a laptop heatsink

2008-11-11T12:32:00.004-06:00

When taking a laptop apart you will most likely get to the point of removing the cpu.
Most of the time you simply unscrew the heatsink and or fan and the cpu is removable.
Sometimes when you remove the heatsink the cpu is still stuck to the heatsink.
As shown in the pictures taking a small flathead screwdriver and insert under a corner of the cpu and lift up.
Don't give it a lot of force because you could damage the cpu.

ZV5000 ticking problem

2008-11-10T13:34:00.002-06:00

Yet another ZV5000 on my bench with dc jack problems. Unlike most others when you wiggle or position the ac adapter you can hear a "ticking" noise coming from the dc jack area.
If the laptop will stay powered on for at least 20-30 seconds a dc jack repair will most likely fix the problem.
This ZV5000 would power on for a split second then shut off no matter what angle I held the adapter plug.
When the laptop was fully disassembled I noticed an "epoxy like" substance that some use to hold the dc jack in place and try to prevent the dc jack problem from happening again. The problem with this is you cover vital circuitry that also goes into powering a laptop.
After the jack was replaced the laptop was doing the same thing after the repair. I believe putting epoxy like substances on the motherboard is what caused the failure.

hp dv4000 DC Jack Repair

2008-11-10T11:21:00.002-06:00

This hp dv4000 came in with no signs of life. I couldn't wiggle or position the ac adapter plug in any way to get it to charge or power on.
It uses a less common five pin, 1.65mm dc jack.
When the laptop was completely taken apart I could see a separation where the voltage pin meets the motherboard. This would explain why I couldn't get it to power on using the wiggle trick.
After de-soldering and re-soldering a new dc jack on the motherboard the laptop powered on with no problems.

Asus W3000

2008-10-30T15:10:00.007-05:00

This laptop came in with a physically broken dc jack. It was bent to the left and when torn down was halfway off the circuit board.
The dc jack is attached to a small circuit board that plugs into the motherboard.
It uses the same five prong, 2.5mm dc jack that many Averatec laptops use. The chassis of the laptop is very similar to some Averatec models I've worked on.
The dc jack was replaced and the laptop powers on with no problems.

Toshiba M35X

2008-10-30T12:37:00.005-05:00

The Toshiba M35X has come through the shop many times over the years for dc jack repair. It uses the same problematic dc jack as the A75, hp zv5000, and ZD7000 which are all common models with the power plug issues.
This M35x had the dc jack broken off inside the laptop (See pic 1) and the older solder would need to be de-soldered.
After installing the new dc jack we make sure to apply plenty of solder to help this from ever happening again.

Averatec AV3225HS / 3200 Series

2008-05-28T20:12:00.003-05:00

This Averatec Av3225HS (3200 Series) came in with the classic wiggle of the ac adapter to get it to charge and power on. The 3200 laptops are very common ones I see and fall under the $65 flat rate.
This one uses a three pin, 2.5mm dc jack that's soldered on an small circuit board separate from the actual motherboard. This is nice because if it burns the circuitry or if you drop it the actual motherboard doesn't get damaged.
The dc jack was replaced and the laptop powers on and charges the battery again.

Gateway MX6440 DC Power Jack Repair

2008-05-26T21:07:00.003-05:00

This Gateway MX6000 series came in with no signs of life. The ac adapter tested out fine but no amount of wiggling or positioning of the ac adapter would make it power on.
When it was all taken apart I could see the center pin on the back of the dc jack had completely snapped, unable to give any power to the motherboard.
The gateway MX6000 uses a six pin, 2.5mm dc jack that's soldered onto the motherboard.
After a new dc jack was soldered on the laptop powered up without any problems.

Compaq TC1000 Tablet DC Power Jack Repair

2008-05-23T11:54:00.002-05:00

The TC1000 compaq tablet is a small 12.1" lcd that's about four years old.
It came in with the dc jack problem symptoms and you could wiggle the ac adapter plug to make it shut off. The dc jack looked worn and loose.
It uses a five pin, 1.65mm dc jack that's soldered into the motherboard.
Soldering the new jack on fixed the problem and the laptop powers on with no problems.

Acer 3680 DC Power Jack Repair

2008-03-29T15:14:00.002-05:00

This Acer 3680 came in with the center pin hanging down and very loose. When it was all torn down the center pin had been completely pushed off the back of the jack and was making any contact with the motherboard.
This five pin dc jack is the same jack the hp zt3000 and many other Acer models use. The dc jack center pin is 1.65mm.
De-soldering the dc jack and re-soldering a new one on did the trick. The laptop powers up with no problem and is charging the battery again.

Emachines M6805 DC Power Jack Repair

2008-03-25T19:20:00.002-05:00

The emachines 6805 is pretty much the same thing as the gateway 7000 series laptops but with the emachines logo.
This 6805 came in with the classic positioning of the ac adapter plug to get it to charge/power on.
When it was all torn down the voltage pin on the dc plug had broken up and wasn't making proper contact with the board.
Replacing the dc jack fix all the battery charging problems.

Dell Inspiron 700M DC Power Jack Repair

2008-03-05T15:53:00.002-06:00

The dell 700M uses the same nine pin dc jack as the popular Inspiron 6000, 1150, 5150, 9200, 9300 as well as the 1505, 1705, and Latitude D Series laptops.
I see all the above laptops mentioned with the dc jack problem.
This 700M can in with the dc jack already broken off the motherboard.
Soldering a new dc jack on fixed the problem.

Compaq 2200 Series DC Jack Repair

2008-02-28T15:47:00.001-06:00

The 2200 Compaq laptops are the updated version of the 2100 laptops. They improve cooling by using Celeron M processors instead of a hot Athlon XP.
The 2200 uses a 1.65mm, five pin dc jack. On this 2200 the voltage pin's heat had broken up the solder and wasn't making proper contact with the board.
Simply replacing the dc jack fixes that problem and is a lot better than the factory compaq solder job.

Acer 4010 Series DC Jack Repair

2008-02-28T15:43:00.002-06:00

This acer came in with the classic symptom of being able to wiggle the ac adapter to make it charge. The voltage pin simply isn't making proper contact with the motherboard and needs to be replaced for longevity.
The 4000 Acer laptops are very similar the 3000 series I frequently work on. They use the popular 1.65mm, six pin dc jack that the hp zt3000 and compaq X1000 laptops use.
The dc jack was replaced and the laptop now powers on and charges with no problem.

HP NX6110 DC Jack Repair

2008-02-28T15:36:00.003-06:00

I keep seeing the NX6110 hp laptops come on with broken center pins. This business hp laptop was no different.
They are relatively simple to get apart and require a hex style screwdriver to get apart.
The dc jack is a rare seven pin jack that I've only used on these hp business laptops.
You need to be very careful when desoldering the dc jack because you can easily damage the board when trying to get it off. Just be patient and make sure all the solder is gone before you attempt to take it out.
When the dc jack was replaced the laptop powered on and charged fine again.

Averatec 2100 Series DC Jack Repair

2008-02-28T15:31:00.001-06:00

The Averatec 2100 is an updated version of the 3200 series of laptops. They feature a 12.1" wide screen and Turion 64 cpu vs. the older standard screen and Athlon XP line of processors.
This laptop came in with no dc jack. Someone had attempted to remove the dc jack and do the repair themselves.
I de-soldered the left over solder but one of the traces was damaged. Thankfully the solder took and the laptop charges and powers on after the repair.
The 2100 uses a five pin, 2.5mm dc jack.

Toshiba A105 DC Jack Repair

2007-12-18T00:36:00.001-06:00

The Toshiba A105 series laptops use a cable style dc jack unlike the traditional dc jacks that have pins soldered onto the motherboard. Nine times out of ten when someone thinks they have a dc jack problem on a model like this it's a bad ac adapter.
The ac adapter checked out but I wasn't able to get the laptop to power on. I tried to wiggle and position it in every way with no luck.
With the A105 you can remove the memory cover and see where the dc jack cable plugs in. I simply unplugged the old one and plugged in a new dc jack and the laptop powered on. I tore down the laptop and installed the new dc jack. The laptop now powers on and charges the battery.