Have you ever had to twist and turn your charging pin just so your laptop will charge? If you’ve ever lost progress on an important task due to a faulty power jack, you’ll know how frustrating it can be to have your power flicker on and off.
If your power jack is broken, you may be wondering if it’s possible to fix it without soldering.
Here’s what you should know:
There is no one way to fix a DJ power jack.
The solution will depend on how the DC jack is connected to the motherboard.
If the DC jack is connected to the motherboard with a wire, it is possible to repair the damage without soldering. However, if the power jack is soldered on the motherboard, it is impossible to repair completely without soldering.
The good news is that making the fix with a soldering iron is straightforward –– you don’t even need the help of an electrician.
Keep reading to find three easy ways to fix a laptop power jack without soldering.
Table of Contents
What does a laptop power jack do?
The DC power jack is a vital part of your laptop, allowing you to charge your battery and provide a steady power source. If it’s faulty, your laptop will lose power, and you won’t be able to turn it on.
What are the causes of power jack damage?
To successfully solve your power jack issue, you need to identify the cause of damage and type of damage:
Common causes of power jack damage
- Not enough reinforcement within casing and motherboard, causing stress to the system
- Loosening of parts over time
- When the charger is dropped or pulled
- Power jack was not soldered well
Types of power jack damage
- Internal pins of power jack are damaged
- Entire jack is damaged
- DC-in jack generates sparks or gets hot
- DC jack came out of the laptop
- Loose pins on charger
- Connection between jack and circuit is burnt
What are the signs that my laptop power jack is bad?
Since there are many types of power jack damage, you’ll find that there are also many symptoms of DC power jack failure.
- Power flickers on and off
- Switching between battery power and adapter
- Need to wiggle or support the charging cable in the socket
- DC power jack only works at a certain angle
- Battery won’t charge
- Unable to run the laptop on AC power
- Produce sparks after inserting the adapter into the power jack
- Laptop shuts down suddenly
You must solve these problems immediately because these power jack symptoms can result in a serious electrical issue.
Can I repair a laptop power jack without soldering?
Repairing a power jack is only possible if it’s connected to the motherboard with a wire connector.
However, if the power jack was soldered directly into the motherboard and it came loose or broke off completely, you cannot fix it without soldering.
3 Solutions to Fix Laptop Power Jack Without Soldering
Now that you know there isn’t one answer to repairing laptop power jack damage check out how you can figure out the problem and fix it.
Power Jack Problems due to Physical Damage
If your power jack’s pin or the entire part is damaged, it is impossible to fix it. The only solution is to replace the entire power jack.
If you’re looking for a quick and easy solution when you’re out of town or on a business trip, you can attach the power jack temporarily with a glue gun.
Solution 1: If the power jack breaks off
However, make sure that you replace it with a new power jack when you get the chance. Loose power jacks and adapter pins don’t provide a steady flow of electricity, causing sparks or heat. It can even damage your charger pin or damage the motherboard.
Check out this video on how to attach a power jack with a glue gun:
Find a compatible power jack for your laptop is simple, look up “[your laptop model] dc power jack]’ on Google or Amazon.
Here’s one of the top-selling power jacks for the Dell Inspiron 15.
Power Jack Problems due to Motherboard, Pins, or Wires
If the power jack seems physically sound, there are two ways to repair it and restore power to your laptop, depending on how the jack is attached to the motherboard.
Solution 2: If the power jack has a separate connector
First, check the power jack voltage.
- Unplug the power jack connector from the motherboard.
- Attach the adapter to the DC jack
- Check the power jack voltage. It shouldn’t have the expected voltage.
Now get started on repairs.
- Reattach the power jack while applying pressure.
- Attach heat shrinking tubes as reinforcement.
- Recheck the voltage, and it should appear.
- Reconnect and reassemble the laptop.
Solution 3: If the power jack is soldered on the motherboard
This solution will require a bit more technical skill since you will be dealing with the motherboard. If you’re a bit wary of proceeding, it might be better to hire a technician.
There are two types of situations that can happen:
Wobbling power jack
Dry welding causes this issue to worsen. You will need to do some soldering to fix this problem.
- Apply flux to all the pins.
- Solder the jack to protect it.
Motherboard track is burned, or pins are damaged.
Making a wrong connection with the pins can make your laptop irreparable, so practice caution before proceeding:
- Identify which track is burnt: +VE, GND, or sensing signal?
- Solder the wire directly from the jack pins to where the track will reach.
- Apply hot glue or epoxy mixture to reinforce the connection to the motherboard.
Conclusion
Laptop power jacks encounter many problems, and not all fixes will apply to your laptop.
If the power jack is physically damaged, you can replace it entirely without soldering in some models.
If your power jack is connected to the motherboard with a wire, it’s possible to fix the issue by reattaching it to the motherboard and reinforcing it with a heat shrink.
If your soldered power jack is wobbling or has damaged pins, you will have to use solder to fix the issue.
Let us know if these tips were helpful to you!