PC Workshops workload always includes laptops with a broken DC Jack which unless repaired renders the laptop useless.
With the movement of laptops and net books, and constant plugging in and unplugging plus people tripping over wires, the power jack ports in the side of the machines can be damaged or develop a loose connection with the motherboard. Symptoms include no power when the machine is plugged in or having to wiggle the plug to get the machine to charge up. We always test the power adapter when a machine is brought to us to make sure that’s not where the fault lies.
Does your laptop have a broken DC power jack?
Symptoms of a broken DC power jack:
The laptop only operates when you hold the power cord in a certain direction.
The laptop only runs on battery power.
The laptop gets no power at all.
The laptop will not charge the battery.
The laptop switches from AC power to battery power intermittently.
The laptop suddenly shuts off.
Sparks come out of the back of the laptop. (This is always bad)
How a DC jack breaks?
The power jack on most models of laptops do not have enough reinforcement within the structure of the casing and motherboard to handle the stress caused by movement of the power plug.
Some power jacks simply fail under normal operation of your computer. After a year or two of usage, parts just come loose on certain models.
Sometimes the laptop gets dropped and the cord yanks the DC jack loose.
People, pets and vacuum cleaners trip over laptop power cords and break the power jack.
The laptop is moved around a lot. After the DC jack is moved back and forth enough times, it comes loose.
