*Vanity* Laptop power cord or jack problem

Me

[mom4kittys]

I have to jiggle my power cord at the jack in order to get power or to charge my battery. It is very annoying because it moves every time I breathe if it is in my lap. How do I determine if it is the cord or the jack (or both) and if it is the jack, how is it repaired?

Does anyone else have this problem? I've been through several cords, but maybe there is a problem with the jack as well.

[JenB]

I had this problem with an HP laptop a few years back. The power jack had come detatched from the motherboard. I ended up getting a docking station for the laptop, it connected differently and avoided the broken power jack. It worked, anyway.

[randog]

If you've gone through several cords then the problem is probably at the jack.

[Robert A Cook PE]

Try the same cord on an identical laptop (which might not be easy to find, granted). Wiggle the laptop - as if you were using it the way you do now.

Then try THAT person's power supply cord in your laptop. See where the failure. Could be both ends.

[mom4kittys]

I've been trying to do some internet research but I'm not sure what keywords to use. I read something about a port replicator--do you know what that is? Would that help?

[mom4kittys]

Is that an easy repair? How is that done? I don't want to send it off anywhere.

[aft_lizard]

I actually had the same problem with my mouse dock, I took it apart and resoldered the wires at the jack and slightly crimped it to make a tighter connection. I would reckon its a similar problem with your jack.

[flashbunny]

Is it a direct, original cord made for the laptop, or one you bought off brand as a replacement?

Is it a single barrel DC plug? Is the plug male or female?

[mom4kittys]

I replaced the cord about 6 months ago because I had a cord problem, but that one had an obvious short (could smell the electrical burn) that's why I'm not sure if I am having cord or jack problems. I know that is not the problem with this cord. I seem to have to twist it just right to get it to work and then when I breathe it moves and I lose power. What is the normal life of these cords?

[mom4kittys]

The jack is male and yes, the replacement is from the manufacturer.

[Pox]

Hold the jack steady in the port and wiggle the cord near the base of the jack. If you still get intermittent connectivity, it's likely the cord. Another cord is called for, or a repair of the current cord if the open is far enough away from the jack, although that isn't really a great idea unless you simply can't afford a new cord.

If you get no change in connectivity, it's likely the port in the laptop. Some power ports on laptops will simply be a female receptacle that has a few wires running from it to a PCA inside the laptop, but typically, the solder joints on the port connect to the motherboard (or another PCA that the port is attached to) and have become cracked or separated from the PCA itself. This is a problematic issue that can sometimes be repaired by touching up the joints with a soldering iron and maybe a little more solder, but that also depends upon the design of the board itself. Tearing down the laptop to get to that port is no small task and you can easily damage your laptop further just from disassembly. More often than not, the board the port is on needs replaced.

Not a fun problem to resolve.

[mom4kittys]

Wish I knew how to do that!

[JenB]

Port replicator = docking station. It's a piece of plastic you set your computer in, plug the cords into the docking station, and the station sends everything to the computer. Mostly it's used to let you easily connect and disconnect your laptop to a monitor and external keyboard.

Google the computer's model, the maker, and the words "port replicator" or "docking station". If the computer's a few years old, your best bet is Ebay. Otherwise check the maker.

[djf]

re: port replicator

Nope. That's just to give you serial, parallel, and USB ports that you can plug into one of your current ports.

I have exactly the same problem with my laptop. Dog got excited and kicked the cord when it was plugged in. It's not the cord (I've tried multiples). So it is somewhere in the vicinity of where it gets plugged in.

If you are handy with a soldering iron and have a good set of jewelers screwdrivers, you MIGHT be able to fix it yourself. But having taken apart and fixed numerous laptops, it can be a pretty daunting task.

[Wings-n-Wind]

Had the same symptoms -- twice...

First time they sent me a new adapter -- was ok for a short while...

Second time in for factory depot maintenance they fixed it -- no probs since...

[mom4kittys]

I don't know how to do that--darnit. I don't want to have to send it in for a fix though.

[mom4kittys]

I guess I will try ANOTHER power cord---***sigh***
It's very annoying!

[mom4kittys]

Do you know if there is an adaptor that will fit on the back where it plugs in to keep it more secure?

I don't think I really need the port replicator setup.

[mom4kittys]

So, I guess that means if I'm not handy or dating enough to try myself, it means sending it in to the manufacturer? Don't want to hear that.

[Equality 7-2521]

I have this problem periodically with my Toshiba laptop. A few times, I've been able to remove the motherboard and simply resolder the post (in my case, it's always the post that goes to the +VDC, but yours could be different). A few times, I've had to locate replacement jacks on Ebay and solder new jacks in place. Next time, I'm going to probably run a pigtail out of the back to a jack with some kind of strain relief to keep it from pulling free from the motherboard.

It's quite a hassle.