Laptop power connector repair service

How is the power socket repaired?

When using this service the faulty power connector is replaced with a stronger one different from the original. The motive for that is simple. If a broken jack is replaced with one of the same type it is likely the problem to reoccur in the future. The photos on this web site are real snapshots taken of repaired connectors and not just pictures downloaded from the Internet. Many of the pictures illustrate comparison of the power jack before and after the repair process. Easy is to notice the replacement socket is different from the original as there is a visible nut outside. This type of connector proved to be more solid and robust. Large part of the contact surface is made of metal. Yet the greatest advantage of this solution is that the socket mounts to the case of the laptop. This way the pressure applied when plugging in or unplugging the power is taken by the stronger chassis instead by the weaker motherboard. With this method is eliminated the problem often seen on many laptops (Packard Bell especially) where the whole socket dislocates and comes of the board without being broken.

This method also allows repairing laptops in situations where replacing with an original connector is very difficult or impossible. As the link between the socket and the motherboard is flexible it allows fixing in cases where the conductive track on the board had come off or if small pieces of the board around the jack had chipped off or burned out.

In some cases when repairing the connector using this method the plug on the laptop power adapter needs to be replaced as well in order to match the new socket.

There are models of Dell and HP that require dual supply. These can easily be recognised as they have socket and matching plug as pictured on the left. On these laptops replacing the jack with stronger one is not easy and still the most aesthetic and economical fix is replacing the connector with new one of the same type.

How and why power jacks fail?

1. The socket breaks into pieces.
2. The pin in the centre of the jack: dislocates, becomes loose, breaks and goes inside the laptop and moves free or become stuck in the plug on the power adapter and comes out when unplugging
3. The whole connector comes off the motherboard
4. Bad quality (dry) solder joints or fractured joints between the jack and the motherboard
5. The positive contact at the back of the socket (which is the continuation of the visible pin in the centre) breaks or melts.
6. Occasionally when the connector fails it might also inflict damage to the motherboard. Cases are encountered where part of the circuit board around the socket fractures and even breaks off (chips off). Sometimes the conductive copper tracks (paths) come off the board or melt. In other cases the insulating material is burnt, which also release distinctive burnt smell. That also may lead to the board being short-circuited.

1. Most often it happens without a visible reason. After years of normal usage the pressure applied when plugging in or unplugging the DC power plug cause the connector to loosen.
2. Applying sudden excessive pressure on the connector - after harshly plugging in or out, or if the laptop is moved around while plugged and the power lead is stretched or if people (or pets) trip over the power cord, or if the laptop is dropped and especially if it falls on the jack when plugged
3. Poor design by the manufacturer - on some laptops while used on mains it can be felt the power lead and the plug of the ac adapter heat up. For one or more reasons the whole laptop may overheat. On some laptop models the power connector is next to the heat sink on the CPU. If the contact joints between the power jack and the board heat up they become weaker and then it is more likely and easier to dislocate the jack when unplugging
4. Using incompatible and third party power adapters that do not fit properly might also cause overheating. According to UK Trading Standards statement hundreds of thousands of chargers sold in the shops and on the Internet are unsafe, did not pass a proper safety test before being sold and tests have shown that some chargers can overheat or cause electrocution.