This guide will explain how to repair a failed or loose DC power jack on a laptop computer yourself. Here’s my previous post related to DC power jack related issues.
Disclaimer: I’ve made these instructions only for people experienced with soldering and repairing computers. If you don’t feel comfortable doing this job, please do not open the laptop or you can permanently damage your computer. Take your laptop to a professional repair shop instead.
Use this repair guide at your own risk. 
First of all, you’ll have to disassemble your laptop and remove the motherboard. Here you’ll find disassembly instructions for some major laptop brands such as IBM, Dell, HP, Compaq, Toshiba. If your laptop is not on the list, you’ll have to figure out yourself how to take it apart.
For this repair you’ll need the following tools.
1. Soldering iron or soldering station. I use Weller WES51 soldering station and for this job I set temperature to about 800-850°F.
2. I use high-tech rosin core silver-bearing solder from Radioshack with diameter 0.022″ ( Catalog #: 64-013 ). I think standard rosin core solder will work just fine.
3. Desoldering pump for removing solder around component leads. I use Edsyn Soldapullt pump, model DS 017.
4. 99% isopropyl alcohol and tooth brash for cleaning the motherboard from flux.
5. A new DC power jack, you can find a cheap one here.
Laptop DC power jack repair guide.
As you see on the following picture, the solder drop on the positive terminal looks different than on other three contacts. That’s where the problem is. The positive pin is not making a good contact with the motherboard and because of that power to the laptop cuts off when I move the power plug inside the power jack.
I’m going to desolder the power jack from the motherboard, clean contacts on both power jack and motherboard and then solder it back in place – this is the proper way fixing the power problem.
Start desoldering process with adding some new fresh solder to all three contacts. This will make old solder more flowable, easier to remove.
While heating one of the contacts, remove the solder from this contact using the desoldering pump. Repeat the same steps with all power jack contacts until you remove as much solder as possible.
Grab the power jack and carefully try removing it from the motherboard. Most likely you will not be able to remove the power jack the first time because there will be some solder bridges left between the contacts and traces on the motherboard. Carefully wiggle the power jack without applying any significant force and at the same time heat up all contacts one by one. This will help you to remove the power jack.
The DC power jack is almost removed from the motherboard.
Be careful. Inside the positive hole there is a copper sleeve witch connects the terminal on one side of the motherboard with the traces on the other side. If you are removing the power jack with force, you can pull the sleeve from the hole. You don’t want to do that.
UPDATE: If you accidentally removed the internal sleeve, check out this post: How to fortify damaged power jack connection.
So, do not apply any force and make sure the solder is melted when you are removing the power jack. I hope you understand what I’m talking about.
After the power jack is removed, clean all oxidized contacts with a knife.
Apply a fresh coat of solder to all contacts on the power jack.
The power jack terminals will look dirty because of melted flux.
You can remove the flux using the tooth brash and alcohol. It’s not necessary but it will make your job looking clean.
Apply a fresh coat of solder to all power jack terminals on both sides of the motherboard.
This side has been coated.
And this side has been coated too.
Now you can install the power jack back on the motherboard. Put something under power jack so there is no gap between the jack and the motherboard. Now you are ready to solder the jack back in place.
Solder all power jack pins.
The job is done and the laptop DC power jack is fixed. B-E-A-utiful!
Now just install the motherboard back into the laptop and you are done.
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May 2nd, 2009 at 7:29 am
Hello
OH GOD NOT THE SCREWS!!
Yes I am in over my head and I do admit it but I have been trying to get my computer fixed for nearly a year now and it is upsetting. Went to best buy they sent me to a “small shop around the corner” charged me $170.00 to “fix” the problem. all they did was charge my battery the jack was still loose! took it back and they said no refunds and no warrenty after 24 hours; recommended by best buy, what a joke. I sent it into toshiba after warrenty and $380.00 later it was sent back with a new battery and plug but still a broken jack and does not work and said “could not fix problem” please try these…they charged me for them and won’t take them back…I was in the hospital when it came home and by the time I got around to even looking at it I was over the 15 DAYS SORRY return policy. no new warrenty and no repair there this is a never ending joke. my charge card is maxed and my computer is still broken.
I am on my own
however so far everything is going well except my dog…yeah I know the dog ate it…..sat on it.
I took out all my screws and the manuel was awesome to take apart my laptop. I received my weller in the mail and all the other parts I have never seen or used before and began to sit down to practice…..my papillion sat down too. ON THE SCREWS. After chasing him for nearly 1/4 hour I pulled the screws out from his tail and went around the house on my hands and knees looking for all the rest.
I read about 60 of the notes before I gave up and decided to admit my mistakes. The obvious question I have is; does anyone have a guide as to what screws go where. I have a bit of time as I am now juust going to practice on the weller today and attack the DC jack tomorrow. then come monday I will have to try and put the screws back. I can follow direction, a good schmatic will do just fine.
If anyone can help I appreciate it.
April 30th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
Using this guide I replaced the jack on my grandson’s HP/Compaq nx 9020. Thanks. It starts up fine, but the battery is not charging, the charge light is still blinking after 24 hours. Any ideas if I did something wrong?. Also the fan never seems to run, should I be concerned about that? It does not seem overly hot, however. Many thanks again. You helped me save his computer.
April 21st, 2009 at 10:23 pm
[...] are instructions for removing and replacing laptop power jack. [...]
April 21st, 2009 at 7:56 am
This is a really good write-up. It’s good that you put that disclaimer in there about the DIYers having soldering experience. I’ve seen plenty of broken jacks where the owner or another ‘tech’ tried to fix it only to make an ugly mess of things.
April 20th, 2009 at 11:47 am
I have a laptop that wiggling the plug on the back will allow it to charge, but the plug gets extremely hot. Probably too hot to hold your fingers on. I only charge it in very short increments. It’s my understanding that the incontinuity in the jack is likely causing the heat. Is this a correct assumption?
April 19th, 2009 at 9:15 am
JUST CHANGED THE JACK ON A HP ZV5000 USING YOUR INFO. THIS WAS VERY HELPFUL.GETTING DOWN TO THE MOTHERBOARD WAS HARDER THAN THE JACK REPLACEMENT. NOW MY LAPTOP WORKS GREAT. ONLY TOOK ME ABOUT 2 HRS. THANKS FOR THE INFO.
April 16th, 2009 at 6:17 am
Very helpful post. Thanks to all who made it possible. I have never disasembled a notebook and was pleasantly supprised that my notebook started write up after having it in so many pieces. This and other posts gave me the confidence to attempt repair. It took approximately 4 hrs total. Not bad for a newby. Thanks again. Thomas Tucker, Saratoga Springs NY.
April 15th, 2009 at 9:18 am
Agree with that 100%.
If you suspect that your problem is memory or socket related, here’s what you can try to troubleshoot the problem. I assume you have two modules installed and both modules are removable.
Remove memory modules one by one. Test the laptop with each module installed into each slot. Find the right combination when it works.
If the laptop works fine with both modules installed into Slot1 but fails when both modules installed into Slot2, apparently the Slot2 is damaged.
If the laptop works fine with one module in both slots, but fails with the second module in both slots, apparently the second memory module is bad.
April 13th, 2009 at 5:17 am
I’ve seen this occur when memory sticks aren’t properly seated. Double check that they are, its an easy thing you can check off your trouble shooting list. Its also possible that one of your memory sticks is dead due to ESS or that while unsoldering the jack you somehow damaged the memory sockets.
April 12th, 2009 at 1:06 pm
David Sl,
It’s likely but I cannot tell you what is wrong without testing the laptop.
Does it start with video? If it does, maybe you forgot to connect the cooling fan and the laptop shuts down because of that? Just a guess.