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pab1953 · Forum Regular Joined: 10 Nov 2005 Posts: 13

Well, I got a new power connector ... but now I've got a new problem: in removing the old one, one of the pins broke off. So the old connector is gone but a piece of a pin is left in one of the holes ... soldered.

There's no end to grab. But even if I could, there's the solder. How do you melt the solder without burning the board? Any suggestions?

Thanks.

stargazer257 · PRO Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 65

Wow, that's a bummer. I'm not an instrument tech by trade, just a hobbiest/hack. But the things that come to mind are to either drill it out with a TINY drill (dremel?) or to heat up the joint in the board (may have to apply a bit of solder to get the heat to conduct into the board) and try to shove a more intact piece of one of the remaining pins back through, pushing the broken one out (or use a mini screwdriver in lieu of one of the pins, they will possibly just bend).

Either way, you could probably use an extra set of hands. I did with mine, one of my pins were really in the board and I needed someone else to pull on the tab while I heated and held the board.

Definitely get other advice than mine, from someone who has experienced this problem in real life. And good luck man!

Mark · Guest

The problem is irritating, but not insurmountable. The trick is to have
at hand a technique that will get the job done without having to heat
the solder pad for an excessive amount of time. I'll propose two
methods; a combination of the two will probably be the most effective.
If you can get help, so much the better, but here's what I'd do if
I could be there:

First off, you need to be using a proper soldering iron. A small one
(say 15 watts) that would be appropriate for the smaller circuitry
elsewhere would take to long to heat this larger joint; on the other
hand, too large an iron could quickly overheat the board (as you have
been concerned) and cause the soldering pads to lift right off the
board! Something around 30 or 40 watts should be about right. (For
example, a 140-watt soldering gun would be out of the question!)

Since there's nothing to grab, I'd heat the joint and poke the
broken stub out with something. The "something" can be anything
that will itself fit thru the slot without either catching on fire or
becoming soldered into the slot itself. I've often used the
appropriate diameter of one of my cheap set of jeweler's
screwdrivers, or even the "back" end of a small drill bit. You can
pick the right tool by testing it on one of the already-open slots. (It
needs to be something fairly small so that it will not "soak up"
too much heat and inhibit the process.) You'll have to heat and poke
simultaneously by applying the soldering iron tip to the solder at the
side of the slot, so you can run your "poker" thru as soon as the
solder becomes flowable. Since the broken terminal may have become a
bit club-footed on the top, I'd work and poke from the bottom side of
the board, as the terminal may not pass through going the other
direction.

The other approach is to remove nearly all the solder so that there is
little to retain the terminal stub. This could be done with a number of
solder-removal devices, but the simplest is merely a copper braid used
to wick-up molten solder. The material is laid over the solder you wish
to remove, and then the iron is applied to the braid which draws the
molten solder away by capillary action. It may take a few applications
of "fresh" sections of braid in succession to get all the solder.
The most common product variety is called "Solder-Wick". Radio
Shack stocks a product they call "desoldering braid".

Doing a bit of the solder wicking action may make the first method
above go more easily by making the stub easier to see and poke at, or
it may even be effective all by itself. Each problem is a bit
different, but it can be overcome. You're almost there! it may help
to visualize and practice (with the iron off) how you might best hold
what without burning yourself so you'll have a technique in mind once
you actually start. Good luck!

crazykid55555 · Member Joined: 25 Nov 2005 Posts: 2

There are different type of jacks on Ebay for Compaq Presarios. Can someone confirm if http://cgi.ebay.com/Compaq-Presario-DC-Power-Jack-1000-1200-XL-XF-XZ-HP-ZE_W0QQitemZ6824420651QQcategoryZ80203QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem is the right jack for a Compaq Presario 2100US? Thanks in advance.

crazykid55555 · Member Joined: 25 Nov 2005 Posts: 2

I have another question. Do I have to have any contact with the bottom side of the motherboard? I don't want to remove the motherboard from the case because that will be a bit annoying. I just have to solder the new piece from the top right?

stargazer257 · PRO Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 65

stargazer257 · PRO Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 65

venkatfilms · Contributor Joined: 26 Nov 2005 Posts: 5

Hi all..

I have a compaq presario 2100 model laptop. My ac jack is found to be the problem. As discussed, i have thought of buying a docking station for that. But, the latop i have doesnot have the docking connector (bottom side of the notebook).

I just see a rectangular marking on the back side. WHat should i do?

1. buy a new backside case? or
2. is it possible to just mount that docking connector to my existing backside case

Please gimme suggestions...

Also, how much does it cost just for docking connector or new backside case...

Bye

Mark · Guest

venkatfilms wrote:

ikenfixit

Not all of the 2100's/2500's have the full featured board design w/docking station capabilities. On another note? Quit feeding E-bay and go to Digi-key.com or Mouser.com for the jacks? I can get these for a whopping 60C per and man I hate to see people getting ripped by the E-bay scammers selling at 500% profit margins. (I know I started there buying and selling inop laptops) If anybody needs how-to help or info feel free to contact us also. We do these for 89.00 parts and labor plus a whopping 14.00 for return ship if you cannot do the job. Also good posting on the genteman offering info on the desoldering braid and other options! (We have to tell people this every day via phone).. But 40 watts is a min ammt need for the iron to get it to flow w/ wick involved on the negative side for these. Good luck all.
_________________
Ken LaDere, Owner
www.ikenfixit.com
www.howtofixlaptops.com
postmaster@ikenfixit.com
8750 West Stutsmanville.
Harbor Springs, Michigan.
49740
231.242.1190

pab1953 · Forum Regular Joined: 10 Nov 2005 Posts: 13

Here's an update from HP Power Connector Hell ...

When last we spoke, children, Uncle Phil had a piece of the old connector stuck in the motherf%&#&^board. Well, in desperation and with not a little good luck, the heated soldering iron judiciously rammed into the offending piece eventually made it yield and come free.

I installed the new connector purchased on eBay, did some really ugly soldering (my first attempt in this life), and everything worked.

And, lo, there was joy in the land!..

... For 10 days.

After 10 days of working just fine, the new connector went on the fritz. Or at least the HP recognized the power cord being plugged in less and less. Finally, it didn't recognize it at all. And then finally the battery drained -- and all was dark in the land, and has been for several days (and with another mess of work stranded on the laptop -- I fought furiously against the dying battery to burn a CD with this new content, but I lost the battle, the CD wouldn't burn).

Now an expert at dismantling a 2100 -- I can almost do it in my sleep -- I've taken the beast apart two or three times scouting for clues to the latest dilemma. The new connector is rock solid (held with solder and Gorilla glue). Don't know what the problem is. Any ideas?

One other thing. When I took the machine apart, an mb component fell off -- a half inch square by quarter inch gray block below the right arm of the cooling fan "brace." There are two of these "blocks" present, with this on them: 1206-OR5 / TMP 336T. Any idea what they are and how they affect my sorry equation? I Gorilla-glued on the one that fell off and it held fine.

Also: will it affect start-up if the antenna connectors on the underside of the mother are not connected. Didn't seem to, but they were too fiddly, so I left them.

BTW Thanks for everyone's help and advice. And I look forward appreciately to the next batch in the hope you can help bail me out of the present mess.

pab1953 · Guest

Here's an update from HP Power Connector Hell ...

When last we spoke, children, Uncle Phil had a piece of the old
connector stuck in the motherf%&#&^board. Well, in
desperatation and with not a little good luck, the heated soldering
iron judiciously rammed into the offending piece eventually made it
yield and come free.

I installed the new connector purchased on eBay, did some really ugly
soldering (my first attempt in this life), and everything worked.

And, lo, there was joy in the land!..

... For 10 days.

After 10 days of working just fine, the new connector went on the
fritz. Or at least the HP recognized the power cord being plugged in
less and less. Finally, it didn't recognize it at all. And then
finally the battery drained -- and all was dark in the land, and has
been for several days (and with another mess of work stranded on the
laptop -- I fought furiously against the dying battery to burn a CD
with this new content, but I lost the battle, the CD wouldn't burn).

Now an expert at dismantling a 2100 -- I can almost do it in my sleep
-- I've taken the beast apart two or three times scouting for clues
to the latest dilemma. The new connector is rock solid (held with
solder and Gorilla glue). Don't know what the problem is. Any ideas?

One other thing. When I took the machine apart, an mb component fell
off -- a half inch square by quarter inch gray block below the right
arm of the cooling fan "brace." There are two of these "blocks"
present, with this on them: 1206-OR5 / TMP 336T. Any idea what they
are and how they affect my sorry equation? I Gorilla-glued on the one
that fell off and it held fine.

Also: will it affect start-up if the antenna connectors on the
underside of the mother are not connected. Didn't seem to, but they
were too fiddly, so I left them.

BTW Thanks for everyone's help and advice. And I look forward
appreciately to the next batch in the hope you can help bail me out
of the present mess.

stargazer257 · PRO Joined: 04 Nov 2005 Posts: 65

pab1953,

Things "falling off the MB" doesn't sound good. Can you post/link some pictures? I don't have the 2100 I was repairing anymore (it was my sister's) to compare with.

SG257

stargazer257 · Guest

pab1953,

Things "falling off the MB" doesn't sound good. Can you post/link
some pictures? I don't have the 2100 I was repairing anymore (it was
my sister's) to compare with.

SG257

Mark · Guest

pab1953 wrote: