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 19th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
I have a compaq presario R3000 and have a power jack issue and it seems that it just becomes unsoldered everytime i repair it although i’ve never cleaned the surface after removing the jack. Coul that be why or is there another explanation for my problem? Please let me know some ways to PERMENETLY fix my problem.
May 3rd, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Hi. How do you know when you have to replace the DC jack or not. The center pin which goes inside the jack is a little loose I can feel it a bit. Should it be replaced or is this normal? This is the second time I tried to fix this. I admit I did not take out the jack the first time but just took off the old solder and put new on. It worked for awhile but then got loose again. I didn’t see my power lite come on at all just the battery and the ‘on’ lite. Why is that? Should I be using some sort of glue as well. I noticed that there was some on it.
April 25th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
Follow-up. Cleaned up the board, burnished the contacts on the port, and drew solder down them so that it looked like they were twice as long as they were. I smeard the bottom of the port with 2-stage epoxy, put it in place, and clamped it in place with a spring clothespin. After it had cured an hour, I hit the solder on the contacts with my soldering iron, so that it melted down and formed a good contact. Using a toothpick, I worked a little more epoxy around the front edge, and not the whole thing is set up like a rock!
April 24th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
I did this over the weekend, and the jack is coming loose again. I admit, I didn’t try to work solder onto each side of the holes, afraid of plugging them as others have mentioned. But, it’s already coming loose again. There doesn’t seem to be enough for the solder to grab onto to make a strong mechanical connection. I’m considering super glue for the mechanical hold, and soldering for the electrical connect. Anyone have better ideas or comments?
April 23rd, 2008 at 10:06 pm
jose,
did you test the power adapter? Maybe this adapter is bad? You can test it with a voltmeter, make sure it outputs correct voltage.
Also, make sure your new adapter matches laptop requirements. The adapter must output the same voltage. Amperage on the adapter can be the same or higher.
April 23rd, 2008 at 5:33 am
Hi,
I have an ASUS notebook with the following problem:
The notebook only works with battery power.
As soon as I turn ON the notebook, and the external power is connected, the notebook switch automatically over to battery power. It does not work anymore with external power. I cannot use the notebook with external power anymore.
The problem appeared when an other external power supply adapter (not from asus) was connected. The polarity os this power adapter was inverted, so something inside burned out.
Does anyone have an idea what could be damaged in the power circuit line?
Thanks a lot
April 12th, 2008 at 4:24 am
Thanks for the pictrorial instructions they have helped me tremendously. I must say though, removing the old jack and cleaning the terminals is a lot more difficult for the unskilled than you make out, especially the positive post (or the one furthest from the edge) there is very little solder to anchor to. Nonetheless, I am thankful for your instructions.
I just hope I can put all the straps and screws in the right places. No doubt I’ll have one or two over.
April 1st, 2008 at 4:35 am
Hi there,
I have a Toshiba satellite P20 laptop that while working well for five years, after a few weeks of disorders in time and date, now it is completely blank (BIOS is not running). It seems that its RTC battery is dead now. Thanks to http://www.irisvista.com, I’ve already take out mother board but couldn’t find and recognize RTC battery or anything like it on the board and aroud. Could anyone help me with location of the CMOS RTC backup battery.
Thanks in advance
March 28th, 2008 at 6:16 pm
Hi am in the process of doing this with my presario 2500. I was unable to cleanly get the power jack off so there are still pieces of metal in the holes in the motherboard. I was wondering if you had any suggestion as to getting this metal out? My new power jack is coming in the mail soon so if anyone has any suggestions.
email me at cbutterfi@comcast.net
March 23rd, 2008 at 11:33 pm
Thanks for the pictures!! It helped out a lot.