Dell Vostro 1520 Power Plug Replacement

This dell vostro 1520 notebook came in after it had been dropped. The laptop ran on battery power until that was gone. The dc jack itself was physically broken and needs replacement.
The vostro 1520 uses the standard nine pin, circular barrel dc jack that dell has been using for years.
The dc jack is located on the motherboard and needs to be desoldered properly then a new power jack soldered on.
After a new dc jack is installed the laptop powers up and charges the battery.

hp G71 Power Jack Replacement

The G71 hp laptops are a 17" inch notebooks with Windows 7 installed.
This G71 came in with the no life whatsoever to the laptop. A small white light should illuminate when plugged in and that was out too.
The g71 uses a cable style that plugs into the motherboard dc jack vs. the traditional soldered onto the motherboard style power jack.
After the cable dc plug is installed the laptop powers on and charges the battery.

Gateway MA8 MT6723 DC Jack Replacement

This gateway notebook came in with the classic symptom of once being able to hold the back of the power cord when plugged in in just the right position to power on. Usually this is a progressive problem that gets worse over time and the dc jack will need to be replaced.
The MA8 laptops are almost identical to the MA2, MA3, and MA7 series gateway laptops. The difference is the MA8 has upgraded hardware and newer technologies.
Once inside the power jack voltage pin looks oxidized and loose. This dc jack will need to be desoldered and a new jack soldered back on.
After the dc plug is replaced the laptop works like new again.

Acer One D150 DC Jack Repair

This Acer One D150 laptop came in with the symptom of being able to hold the power cord tip in just the right way to power on/charge.
The Acer D150 differs from the D250 with a smaller length cable and different tip that plugs into the motherboard.
The acer d150 does use a cable style dc jack that plugs into the motherboard vs. a plug thats soldered directly on the motherboard.
After the new power cable is installed the laptop powers up and charges the battery.

5 Myths About Laptop DC Jack Repair/Replacement

1. “If you have a dc jack problem the motherboard needs to be replaced”.

This is the number one quote I hear from users looking for dc jack repair. Many computer repair centers and large companies (dell, gateway, acer, Toshiba, etc.) will tell you the only way to fix a dc jack is to replace the entire motherboard. This is very costly and simply untrue. The dc jack can be safely and successfully removed and new power plug installed.

2. “Can I repair the dc jack myself?”

This is a pretty common question I get asked. It’s not impossible to do this yourself but you need the equipment such as quality soldering iron (and tips), desoldering braid or pump, and a steady hand. I’ve heard people say, “soldering is easy”. Soldering can be easy but desoldering is usually the tricky part for most people. Also knowing where to pry and how to properly remove cables without breaking retention devices is a must. Lots of laptops that people have attempted the repair themselves can’t get the old solder out and or broke the connections on the motherboards for things like touchpads and keyboards.

3. If the dc jack gets repaired once it will fail again.

This is true and false. A quality dc jack repair can last for the life of the laptop. At the same time it can go bad again. Some laptops have poor design or design flaws that can’t be changed and are likely to reoccur.

4. Epoxy and epoxy like substances should be used to reinforce the dc jack.

The problem with epoxy is it suffocates surrounding circuitry causing motherboard failures. Components on a motherboard (voltage regulators, capacitors, power filters) heat up due to voltage running through them and should not be covered by epoxy products. Sometimes dc jacks fail due to cold solder joints and epoxy will do nothing to combat that problem except make it harder or impossible to get the dc jack off safely.

5. All laptops with dc jack problems are repairable.

If your laptop is displaying the dc jack symptoms it might not be the power jack or a symptom could be another different problem. For example, I get inquiries stating the laptop won’t charge the battery. I also find out the laptop does work when plugged in. This means the dc jack is working but something else on the motherboard has failed. Another example would be sometimes when the laptop is disassembled I find out the motherboard is burnt near the voltage pin. This is a pretty common occurrence on gateway laptops and replacing the dc jack won’t help. The entire motherboard would need to be replaced in this case.

Gateway M-6339u DC Input Repair

This gateway M-6339u (M Series) laptop came in completely lifeless. Holding the power cord tip in any direction wouldn't get the laptop to charge or power on. I see this frequently on gateway models using the standard six pin, 2.5mm tip dc jack.
Once taken apart the dc jack looks and feels solid but due to the cold solder joint problem on these models gets replaced anyway.
After the old dc connector is de-soldered off the motherboard a new power jack is soldered on.
When the laptop is put back together it powers on and charges the battery. Assuming no one has attempted a jack replacement this type of repair comes with a one year warranty.

This gateway MD7820u laptop came in with a very loose power port and slight burn around the actual dc jack. It's a pretty common model I'm starting to see come in for plug repair.
Now that Acer bought gateway they are using the acer style dc jack. In my opinion it's the same poor quality used by gateway but a different style. It uses a five pin, 1.65mm tip jack that I've been working on for years.
Once disassembled the old dc jack needs to be de-soldered directly off the motherboard and a new power receptacle soldered back on.
After the dc jack is replaced the laptop powers up great and charges the battery.

Toshiba A355D Power Input Repair

The A355D Toshiba laptops aren't common ones I work on but are the same as newer toshiba laptops due to the cable style dc jacks (L455, L355, L505, A305).
This A355D laptop had a cable style dc jack that was pushed back inside the laptop. This is the classic symptom for these newer toshibas.
Once torn down the dc jack is fine but the bottom plastic of the laptop that holds the jack into place is broken. This usually happens due to excessive force to the dc socket or lots of plugging and unplugging of the power cord.
Fortunately in this case the plastic is still there and can be glued back into place with a special glue. It takes atleast 24 hours to dry but when done the dc plug is rock solid and can be used like new again.

Dell Inspiron 1545 Notebook DC Connection Replacement

The dell 1545 laptops are common ones we work on and as the one year dell warranties are up I'm seeing more and more for ac dc connector repair/replacement.
This 1545 came in with the power plug pushed back slightly inside the laptop. Once inside the circuit board wasn't damaged and the dc jack was de-soldered and a new dc jack installed. Sometimes the damage is severe enough the entire circuit board where the receptacle is located needs to be replaced.
Once put back together the laptop powers on and charges the battery.

Compaq CQ60 DC Jack Repair

This Compaq CQ 60 laptop (CQ50, CQ60, CQ70) came in with the dc jack pushed back inside the laptop. It uses a cable style dc jack that plugs into the motherboard vs. a soldered onto the motherboard power plug.
Once inside I discovered the cable jack was fine but the plastic on the base of the laptop that holds the jack into place was broken. This can be remedied by using a special glue to hold the jack safely into place.
Once dried the jack is rock solid and holds into place nicely.

Acer One D250 DC Jack Repair

The Acer One series laptops are common ones we work on and now I'm seeing this D250 model. This D250 Acer is different because instead of the traditional soldered onto the motherboard dc jack it uses a cable style dc jack that plugs into the motherboard.
I received two around in the same week and both felt pretty solid and I couldn't wiggle the power cord tip in just the right way to get them to power on. I decided to go for it and install the jack anyway and to my surprise both laptops powered on. The voltage wire had come undone causing a break in the connection.
After the new cable jacks were installed the laptops powered right up!

Averatec 6240 Power Jack Repair/Replacement

The Averatec 6240/6200 series laptops are pretty common ones we work on and I see them about once a month or so. It uses the same common dc plug that many averatec laptops use such as 3200, 3250, 2200, 7000, and many more.
This particular 6240 had the dc jack pushed back inside the laptop. It uses the standard five pin, 2.5mm averatec dc jack.
The dc jack is located on a small circuit board that can be access when the laptop is completed taken apart. The first step is de-soldering the old broken jack off this separate circuit board. When the jack is off and the contacts clean and properly de-soldered it's ready for a new dc jack.
Once the jack is installed the laptop is put back together and it powers on/charges the battery.

Emachines M6809 DC Jack Repair

This Emachines M6809 came in with the classic symptom of being able to hold the power cord tip in just the right angle/location to get it to power on. Assuming you have a known working power cord this is a great way to tell if you have the power plug problem.
The emachines M6809 is a six pin, 1.65mm dc jack that similar gateway mx7000 and W series laptops use.
When the emachines laptop was torn down to the motherboard the voltage pin had oxidized and almost looks slightly burnt. Like all repairs the dc jack is de-soldered and removed, then a new dc jack is soldered on.
After the input jack is replaced the laptop powers up!

Dell Inspiron 1545 DC Power Jack Repair

The dell inspiron 1545 (Inspiron 15 or i1545-004st) is dells entry level laptop. Great price points for the student or budget user. At the time of this writing dell specs out a $399 system with 2.2GHz Celeron, 2GB ram, 250gb hard drive, and 15.6” HD LCD. Add double the ram, hard drive, and faster Pentium dual core cpu for $619.

Due to the attractive price and features this is a laptop I see more often in our shop for dc power jack repair. Some of the main symptoms are people tripping over the cord or dropping the laptop which causes physical damage to the dc jack.

So far I’ve seen a single style of standard nine pin, octagon shaped dell dc jack from Foxconn. This is different than the circular barrel other dells are using including the 1525 Inspirons that are commonly in for dc plug repair.

The best part of this laptops design is that the dc jack is located on a separate circuit board that attaches to the motherboard. If the laptop is dropped and the circuit board is ruined the entire motherboard doesn’t need to be replaced which helps keep costs down.

The cost for a dell inspiron 1545 dc jack repair is $85 which includes parts, labor, and return shipping. If the separate circuit board needs to be replaced due to damage the cost is an additional $75 on top of the $85.

FAQ

How do I know if my dell 1545 needs a dc jack repair?

The dc jack is damaged or connection feels loose. Sometimes holding the tip of the ac adapter in just the right way will get it to power on.

Will I lose the data on my hard drive?

No. The laptop should still work on battery power if it’s charged and Windows most likely won’t be corrupted.

Do you fix or replace the dc jack?

Every laptop that comes into our shop gets a new dc jack installed.

Do I need to send the power cord with the laptop?

Yes. We need to test the power cord you’ll be using with the laptop.

Does the repair come with a warranty?

All dc jack repairs come with a standard one year labor warranty.

Asus Z96F DC Jack Repair

I received three of these from a school district. They are core duo, 15" widescreen laptops. The use the traditional four pin, 2.5mm dc jack that many hp, gateway, and others use.
They all had the classic symptom of being able to hold the power cord in just the right way to power up. Once taken apart two of the voltage pins were oxidized and all three needed to be replaced.
After dc jack replacement the laptops power on again!

Averatec 3260 DC Jack Repair

The 3260 is one of many 3200 series averatec laptops. This one came in with the symptom of holding the power cord in just the right way to get it to power up. If you let the power cord go the laptop would instantly shut off like in the video below.
It uses the standard averatec five pin, 2.5mm dc jack.
After the jack was replaced the laptop powers up and charges the battery. The picture shows the cracked and broken dc jack.

Acer Aspire 4720z broken power jack port

This Acer aspire 4720z came in with the dc jack pushed back inside the laptop. The 4720 laptops use the same problematic dc jack acer has been using for years so it isn't a surprise.
It uses a six pin, 1.65mm dc jack that's soldered onto the circuit board. Below is a before and after picture of the repair. The jack is replaced and the laptop powers on/charges the battery.

Toshiba A35 Power Jack Repair/Replacement

This toshiba A35 came in with the classic symptom of powering off when you touched the power cord plug and would only stay on when held in the right direction.
The A35 use s a six pin, 2.5mm dc jack that toshiba P35 also uses among others.
The dc jack was replaced and the laptop powers on and charges.

Gateway MX6450/MA3 DC Jack Replacement/Repair

This gateway mx6450/MA3 came in with the almost the same symptoms of almost every MA gateway laptop that comes in. The jack feels pretty solid but the laptop simply won't power up. When disassembled the jack looks pretty good and doesn't show any signs of oxidation or failure.
After the jack is replaced the laptop powers up and charges the battery.

Gateway NX570X/MA7 DC Jack Repair

The gateway MA series laptops are ones I see all the time in the shop. MA2, MA2A, MA3, MA7, and now MA8 are all problematic with the power jacks.
They use a seven pin, 2.5mm dc jack and either 19v, 3.42a or 4.74a power cords/ac adapter.
This MA7 didn't show any signs of life when plugged in and I couldn't get it to power on before the repair.
Once the jack was replaced the laptop fired up at the board level and when put back together.

Gateway AJ2/md7818u dc jack replacement

This gateway md7818u came in with the dc jack pushed back inside the laptop. The md7818u is one of gateway's media style laptops.
The 7818 uses the same six pin, 1.65mm dc jack that many acers use.
The laptop is fairly easy to get apart and needs to be completely disassembled down to the motherboard to get to the dc jack.
The old jack was de-soldered and a new one soldered on. The laptop powers up and charges again.

Dell Latitude 100L DC Plug Repair

The dell latitide 100L is a business laptop from dell. It is identical to the inspiron 1150 so it will have the exact power issues as that common model I see.
This 100L showed no signs of life and wouldn't power up before the repair. After I got the laptop apart I could see the dc jack was fine but the power filter next to it was bad. Adding solder to the power filter is like reconnecting the link in a chain. If it's broken it can't power up, but once solder is added the flow of electricity is restored.
The laptop now powers up and charges the battery.

hp dv7 laptop jack replacement

The dv7 is hp's 17 inch lcd media notebook/laptop/desktop replacement. Features like hdmi, e-sata, and beautiful 17" LCD make it one nice looking and performing laptop. This dv7 came in my shop with no signs of life. Plugging in the power cord and manipulating it in any direction would not get it to power up but the owner reports it worked on battery until that drained.
The dv7 uses a cable style dc jack that plugs into the motherboard vs. the traditional soldered on jacks.
After replacing the jack the laptop powers up and charges the battery!

Dell Inspiron 6000 DC Plug Replacement

Yet again, another dell inspiron 6000. This is an exteremly common model in here over the last three years. I'm sure dell made thousands and thousands of these popular 15" laptops so that could be part of why I see so many.
This one had the classic hold the power cord in just the right way or it would shut off or not come on in the first place.
It uses the standard circular dell nine pin jack they still use today.
Both of the voltage pins on the jack were oxidized a blackish color and the jack needs to be replaced.
The video below is the symptom of being able to hold the power cord in just the right way to get it to power on. As soon as it's moved the laptop shuts off. I could barely get this one to power up.

Acer Aspire 5330

This 15.4" acer aspire 5330 laptop came in with the jack pushed back inside the laptop. It uses the typical six pin, 1.65mm dc jack that acer has been using for years.
It's a fairly easy laptop to get apart but the jack isn't easy to de-solder without the proper tools.
After replacing the jack the laptop powers up and charges the battery.

Acer Aspire 5920 Power Plug Repair

The Aspire 5920 is a 15-inch multimedia Santa Rosa based on Acer’s new gemstone concept. There are many new and interesting aspects to the Aspire such as 3D surround sound system and touch-sensitive media buttons. Featuring an impressive specification, but weighing almost 7 pounds with battery, this notebook is most suitable as a desktop replacement. The 5920G primarily targets gamers and power users with no desire to break the bank.
This 5920 wouldn't power up unless you held the power cord plug in just the right direction. The acer 5920 uses a cable style dc jack that plugs directly into the motherboard. The laptop still needs to be completely disassembled to access the power jack.
After replacing the cable the laptop powers up and charges the battery!

Gateway M-6333 Power Jack Replacement

The gateway M-6333/SA1/M Series is a laptop we're seeing more and more of. It's about a couple of years old and off the factory gateway one year warranty.
The customer reported the laptop simply doesn't power on. When plugged in the laptop showed no signs of life and wouldn't power up. When I got it disassembled the jack area had some solder already added to it by the customer.
Like every repair we do, the jack needs to be de-soldered and replaced. After replacing the jack the laptop powered up at the board level. After getting it put back together the laptop powers on and charges the battery.

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Dell Studio 1737 Power Jack Repair

The dell studio 1737 is dell's 17 inch media laptop. With a fast intel dual core cpu and 4gb ram it will handle pretty much anything you throw at it besides heavy gaming.
This laptop came in with the dc jack intact but no power at all. Because the jack wasn't loose or broken I ordered the whole circuit board the jack is located on.
It's a fairly easy laptop to get apart and with this separate circuit board, requires no soldering.
After replacing the board the laptop powers up flawlessly.

Dell Vostro 1510 Power Plug Repair

The dell vostro 1510 laptops are dells solution for small businesses in released in 2008. I like the sleek light look of these.
They still use the traditional nine pin dc jack that has been around for years.
This vostro 1510 came in with a physically broken dc jack. On a good 1510 the jack should look circular and solid. The jack was smashed and frayed inside the laptop. No question on what it needs!
Adding a little solder really helps the jack come out smoothly and applies for lots of different laptops. The silver content is a little higher than previous generations of dells and seems to last longer.
After a new nine pin jack is installed it's cleaned up with some electronics cleaner and ready to re-assemble.
The battery now charges and powers up!