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 are service manuals for some known laptop brands. Here are more Toshiba guides. 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 brush 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 which 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 brush 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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November 24th, 2011 at 5:41 pm
Shwan,
It look like the DC jack attached to the power cable which can be unplugged from the motherboard.
Instead of buying just the jack and soldering it to the cable, I would suggest buying the DC jack harness (DC jack with the cable). In this case you’ll be able to replace the harness without soldering.
I think this DC jack harness fits your laptop.
November 23rd, 2011 at 1:13 pm
I have a Compaq Presario C712NR and my battery has stopped charging and the connection with the AC adapter is loose (blue light goes on and off). I was hoping you could help me if you knew if this kind of Jack installation requires soldering anywhere (I did not see anything but wires attached to the DC jack when i Had the laptop apart)and if it has wires attached do they need to be soldered or just plugged onto the back of the new jack? Thanks for your help and thank you for the forum and sorry for my bad english.
November 21st, 2011 at 3:14 pm
@ EMIRATES,
In IBM ThinkPad T43 the DC jack is not soldered to the motherboard. It’s attached to the power cable.
If the jack failed, it’s necessary to disassemble the laptop, disconnect the DC jack harness and replace it with a new one.
You can search for a new DC jack on eBay. Just search for “ThinkPad T43 jack” and you’ll find it.
Here are two different service manuals for ThinkPad T43. Choose one depending on the laptop model number.
ThinkPad T43 (1871, 1872, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876)
and
ThinkPad T43, T43p (2668, 2669, 2686, 2687)
The service manual has laptop disassembly instructions.
November 21st, 2011 at 1:38 pm
pls how do i fix DC jack for ibm thinkpat t43? I need help please.
November 16th, 2011 at 7:33 pm
Have you suffered from an accidental drop and have cracked your Laptops LCD Screen? Don’t worry; it’s repairable for less than the cost of a new laptop computer. If your AC adapter is in good condition and your DC jack looks perfectly normal, but the AC power light flicker when you wiggle the AC adapter connector, is an indication the DC jack is faulty
November 7th, 2011 at 6:23 pm
@ Jorge,
It depends on how bad the damage is.
I’ve seen some laptops charging batteries while being in turned off, but as soon you start the laptop, it stops charging the battery. Usually it happens when the DC jack still connected to the motherboard but the connection is bad.
I don’t get this part of the description.
November 7th, 2011 at 5:17 pm
Does computer can charge the battery although the input power jack is defective? My computer can charge the battery but as soon as I connect to the power supply it shutdown. The procedue seems to be good but I’ll like to be sure the input power jack is bad. Appreciate your feedback. Hoping top hear from you soon
Thanks
October 11th, 2011 at 4:09 pm
Thanks for the detailed instructions. They worked great. While the connector was cracked and clearly problematic, it turns out the power cable was damaged at the 90° bend… shoulda checked that first! Also, the wires for the power switch connector are very fragile. Someone had been in this thing before and spliced it. One of the wires was broken near the connector, so I had to get creative with it, and MAN those cables and connectors are tiny and difficult to work with!
October 8th, 2011 at 5:50 pm
Just wanted to say thanks. With these instructions, I was able to replace the DC jack on my Dell Inspirion 9300.
October 4th, 2011 at 3:16 pm
Listening your advice in this page I have repaired my old notebook Acer Travelmate 2700 famous all over the world and all over the net for the same problem that I had. I have been very satisfied, because I am a beginner in this kind of reparation for notebook and I am new especially in the field of the soldering.
You had forgot to say just one simple thing, after unsoldered the power jack (p.j)on the motherboard (add this) you can remove the p.j. using a cutter like a lever, this allow you to have a strong and delicate lever at the same time, if you have removed almost all the lead, this operation will be easier.
Thanks a lot for this amazing website ! Sorry for my english ! I am Italian !