DC jack problems
How to identify if the dc jack is damaged :
- The battery is not charging properly or stays at half charge despite that you have been using the power adapter.
- The screen flickers (the brightness is changing) while the power cord is plugged in. This is caused by the laptop switching between DC power (screen is brighter) and battery power (screen is dimmer).
- The laptop fails to start
- The DC plug gets hot after a few minutes of use and may even smell of burning.
- There are “scratching” sounds coming from the DC jack.
- The connection feels loose when you plug the power adapter
- You have to fiddle with the dc jack to adjust it in a certain position
CAUTION
: If you have to wiggle and move the dc jack, fix it ASAP because it can cause further damage! If your laptop does not start without the battery, if it has problems charging the battery or with the actual battery, power problems, a loose dc jack or charger issues our technicians at CSD can identify, troubleshoot and fix any power/charging related problems with your laptop.
Except for the fact that the laptop does not start or that the battery does not charge, having problems with the dc jack connection can also cause motherboard problems due to the risk of a broken pin making a short on the motherboard. In cases like this, the motherboard will possibly have to be repaired or replaced if the damage is too big. Taking your laptop to a professional computer shop will help you get rid of any future headaches. Better to be fixed when the problem is only with the dc jack than to pay for a more expensive motherboard repair.
How to prevent damaging the dc jack:
- Do not let the power brick hang from the laptop. The weight of the box in the middle of the cord causes stress on the DC Jack.
- If you need to move the laptop, remove the plug. If you cannot do this because of a bad battery, hold the power brick so that there is no tension on the DC Jack.
- If the DC Jack is at the back of the laptop, do not tilt the laptop backwards, if it is at the side, do not tilt it towards that side. If you need to see underneath, lift the laptop up or remove the plug from the DC Jack before tilting it.