In order to replace the power jack in your laptop you’ll have to remove the jack from the motherboard as I explained in the previous post: Replacing DC power jack.
While removing the jack you can accidentally pull out the internal copper coating (I’ll call it a sleeve) from the inside of the “+” terminal as it shown on the picture below.
The internal copper sleeve has been removed and cannot be installed back. If you solder the power jack back on the motherboard without this sleeve it might work but the connection between the “+” lead and motherboard will not be reliable.
In the following guide I explain how to fortify a damaged power jack connection. You can use this repair technique in some laptops with similar power jacks.
You can remove the copper sleeve from the power jack with a soldering guy and through it away. You cannot install this sleeve back into the terminal on the motherboard.
Find a small resistor or capacitor with thin leads. Cut off one of the leads. I’m going to use it to fortify the connection between the power jack and motherboard.
Shape the lead as it shown on the picture below.
Put the lead on the “+” connector on the power jack.
Solder the lead to the power jack.
Now I’m going to modify the “+” terminal on the PCB. Even though on the picture below it looks normal, it’s damaged inside (the internal coating has been removed).
Carefully scrape off green varnish around the whole on the “+” terminal on the PCB. You can use a small flathead screwdriver.
If the whole is not big enough for your modified power jack, you can widen it with an awl.
As you see on the picture below the whole on the terminal has been widened. Apply a fresh coat of solder on the clear area of the trace.
Install the power jack assembly on the motherboard. Make sure there is no gap between the jack and motherboard.
Here’s a view from the top side of the PCB.
Solder all pins except the modified “+” pin.
Now, when the power jack is secured, you can shape the lead as it shown on the picture below.
Solder the lead to the terminal. Remove excessive flux with an old tooth brash soaked in 99% alcohol.
Here’s a view from the bottom side of the motherboard.
Be very careful. Doing this modification you can damage the motherboard and make it unusable. Proceed on your own risk.
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March 16th, 2009 at 9:36 am
This is probably the best tip on this site. I keep seeing mostly Gateways that have this problem, but I’ve also seen Toshiba’s with a ripped out connection.
March 13th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
This repair worked great, I did how ever pull out the sleeve and did not want to attempt the fortification so instead I scaped off a lttle bit of the board on both sides and cleaned the area up. Then after I soldered the other pins on, I kind of pushed the positive pin as close to the edge as possible and used a nice amount of solder. Has been working good so far. Also, Radioshack sells a nice de-soldering tool, it’s a combination soldering iron with a bulb type suction tool built in on top. This really saved me some time compared to the traditional type
March 11th, 2009 at 9:21 pm
Dustin,
To make a better contact between the power jack and motherboard. To make the connection stronger.
March 11th, 2009 at 8:25 pm
I hate to ask such a simple question, but what’s the reasoning behind scraping off the green varnishing and applying a coat of solder in it’s place?
March 9th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
First let me say this site has been wonderful. This is the 2nd DC Jack I have replaced. The first went perfect but this one did not. I followed the instructions on how to fortify damaged power jack connection in a laptop but ran into 1 issue that I think is causing my overall problem now.
After scraping the board, I tried and tried but could not get a fresh coat of solder on the board. How do you get solder to stick to the motherboard? It just wouldn’t adhere to the board.
So I thought if I put enough solder on “+” terminal extension it would seal properly. I finished and put the laptop back together. Now when I plug the power up to it, the adapter’s green light goes off and it beeps. Unplug from the computer and the adapter stops beeping and the light turns back green.
I’m assuming this Is a grounding issue.
So, my 2 questions are:
1 – How to you get solder to adhere to the motherboard?
2 – What is causing the adapter to act like this?
Again thank you
February 24th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
Bodinator,
I’ve done it already in this post: DC power jack repair guide. Do-it-yourself instructions.
February 24th, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Could you do a quick post about what you’ve got in your soldering kit? Like just a picture of the stuff on a towel and a description of what each item is? I’m looking to get one and I can’t find any guide’s around about what to get/what to look for, etc.
I’m a laptop tech, most of this stuff I know but the soldering I never quite got the hang of.
January 30th, 2009 at 8:47 am
Peter Caines,
Thank you for the instructions. Really good advice.
January 30th, 2009 at 5:40 am
EASIER WAY — PLEASE READ
There is a much easier way to repair the dc socket if the copper sleeve has come off –
All you need to do is order a small sheet of copper from ebay for a few pound.
then with the copper sheet cut a small piece 8mm / 4mm
then use you finger and thumb to roll it into a small tube that will fit on the dc pin where the copper sleeve came of
once on solder the copper tude to the dc socket at the end nearest to the plastic part of the dc plug so the copper tube does not slide on the pin
once secured use some pliers and gently press the copper sleeve around the dc pin.
once happy solder the dc power jack back on to the mother board.
Hope you understand the instructions as it got me out of a pickle.
Any comments or advice email me at pcaines_AT_yahoo.com
January 27th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
Thank you very much indeed for your fast ,welcome and reassuring response c/2600. I will heed the extra tip aswell.
Old! you should see my Desktop PC !.