Example 1.

Laptop shuts off when AC adapter unplugged.

When you move the cursor arrow over the battery icon while the laptop is connected to AC adapter, it show the remaining charge and says “charging”.

The power meter utility (if available) also shows that battery is connected and charging.

But… as soon as you unplug the AC adapter, the laptop shuts off completely.

Possible problems:
1. The battery not seated correctly. Try reconnecting it.
2. The battery contacts got dirty or oxidized and it’s not making good connection with the motherboard. Apply some electronic contact cleaner on the contacts.
3. If reconnecting the battery doesn’t help, most likely it’s bad and has to be replaced.
4. If you replaced the battery but the problem still exists, this is motherboard related failure. Apparently the charging circuit on the motherboard failed. In this case the whole motherboard has to be replaced (or repaired on the component level).

Example 2.

The battery not detected by the laptop.

There is a red cross on the battery icon.

If you move the cursor arrow over the battery icon, it says “no battery detected”.

Possible problems:
1. Most likely the battery is bad. You have a very good chance to fix this problem by replacing it with a new one.
2. If replacing the battery doesn’t help, this is motherboard related failure. The motherboard has to be replaced (or repaired on component level).

Example 3.

The battery discharges very quickly after it reaches some critical point.

The battery detected by the laptop and charges properly to 100%.
When you unplug the AC adapter, it take normal time to discharge until some critical point (let’s say 80%) but after that the battery discharges very quickly to 0%.

Possible problems:
This is battery failed. It has to be replaced with a new one.

Example 4.

The battery charges only if the power plug positioned correctly.

You have to wiggle the power plug in order to charge the battery. After you find the right position, it charges properly.

Possible problems:
1. AC adapter failure. The AC adapter power cable is damaged. Here’s how to test your AC adapter.
2. If the AC adapter works fine, most likely this is power jack (connector where you plug power adapter) failure. In this case the power jack has to be replaced.

Let’s troubleshoot this problem and figure out if this is DC jack related failure or the AC adapter is defective.

First of all, I tested the laptop with the battery removed. It turns on and runs properly from the AC adapter but as soon as I start moving the connector inside the jack the laptop shuts off and it loses power immediately.

If you have a problem like that, most likely it’s related to the AC power adapter or the DC jack.

First of all, I tested the adapter with a voltmeter. The power didn’t cut off no matter how badly I wiggled the cord. I was reading 15.45VDC all the time. It helped me to make a conlcusion that there is nothing wrong with the adapter connector or cord and most likely there is a problem with with the power socket inside the laptop.

The next step was the DC jack inside the laptop.

In order to access the jack I had to disassemble the laptop and remove the top cover assembly with the display.

You can find disassembly instructions for most laptops in their service manuals.

In my case the DC jack was attached to a cable and I easily disconnected it from the motherboard. I tested it with the voltmeter as it shown on the following picture.

When the adapter cord didn’t move, I was reading 15.45VDC.

But as soon as I started wiggle it, the voltage dropped to 0VDC.

The DC jack harness is defective and had to be replaced and the new one fixed the problem.

In some models the DC jack is soldered to the motherboard.
If the battery stops charging when you move the adapter plug, test the AC adapter first. If it pass test, replace the jack.