laptop power connectors the weakest link

I suspect the power connector is the biggest source of faults on
laptops. It must certainly be in the top ten. A question for Barry
Watzman here.

But why is this? And what is the nature of the fault?

Is it mechanical stress due to constant insertion and removal?
Heat stress, because of the high current carried?
Mechanical, because the barrel connector is frequently knocked?

What is the nature of the breakdown?
1) The connector on the laptop side makes poor contact with the motherboard?
2) the pins and contactors get deformed
3) other?


I am surprised that manufacturers solder the connectors directly onto
the motherboard. I would have thought that would increase the risk of
breakdown. Surely a better solution would be to have the connector
separate, connected to the motherboard by flexible leads. It would be
easier to replace and less liable to break down - but I suppose it also
adds a few pence to the cost of manufacturing the laptop.

Clearly the problem is mechanical stress, but insertion and removal is
only one aspect of it. A bigger issue, I think, is abuse. The power
plug "sticks out" ... and so if you tilt the notebook (to retrieve a
piece of paper that slid under it, for example) the entire weight of the
notebook can end up on the plug (and thereby transferred to the socket).
And if someone pulls forcefully on the power cord, the pull may be not
"out of the socket" but sideways (for example, someone tripping over the
power cord).

Re: "I am surprised that manufacturers solder the connectors directly
onto the motherboard"

They don't, always. For example, in the Toshiba 1400 and 2400 series
laptops, the power socket SLIDES into a set of "ridges" in the case
bottom and has a short (about 4 inches long (100mm)) "cord" to a socket
on the motherboard.


Salvador Freemanson wrote:
> I suspect the power connector is the biggest source of faults on
> laptops. It must certainly be in the top ten. A question for Barry
> Watzman here.
>
> But why is this? And what is the nature of the fault?
>
> Is it mechanical stress due to constant insertion and removal?
> Heat stress, because of the high current carried?
> Mechanical, because the barrel connector is frequently knocked?
>
> What is the nature of the breakdown?
> 1) The connector on the laptop side makes poor contact with the
> motherboard?
> 2) the pins and contactors get deformed
> 3) other?
>
>
> I am surprised that manufacturers solder the connectors directly onto
> the motherboard. I would have thought that would increase the risk of
> breakdown. Surely a better solution would be to have the connector
> separate, connected to the motherboard by flexible leads. It would be
> easier to replace and less liable to break down - but I suppose it also
> adds a few pence to the cost of manufacturing the laptop.
** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

:>Salvador Freemanson wrote:
:>> I suspect the power connector is the biggest source of faults on
:>> laptops. It must certainly be in the top ten. A question for Barry
:>> Watzman here.
:>>
:>> But why is this? And what is the nature of the fault?
:>>
:>> Is it mechanical stress due to constant insertion and removal?
:>> Heat stress, because of the high current carried?
:>> Mechanical, because the barrel connector is frequently knocked?
:>>
:>> What is the nature of the breakdown?
:>> 1) The connector on the laptop side makes poor contact with the
:>> motherboard?
:>> 2) the pins and contactors get deformed
:>> 3) other?
:>>
:>>
:>> I am surprised that manufacturers solder the connectors directly onto
:>> the motherboard. I would have thought that would increase the risk of
:>> breakdown. Surely a better solution would be to have the connector
:>> separate, connected to the motherboard by flexible leads. It would be
:>> easier to replace and less liable to break down - but I suppose it also
:>> adds a few pence to the cost of manufacturing the laptop.
:>** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

On Fri, 08 Aug 2008 12:00:08 -0400, Barry Watzman
<WatzmanNOSPAM@neo.rr.com> wrote:

:>Clearly the problem is mechanical stress, but insertion and removal is
:>only one aspect of it. A bigger issue, I think, is abuse. The power
:>plug "sticks out" ... and so if you tilt the notebook (to retrieve a
:>piece of paper that slid under it, for example) the entire weight of the
:>notebook can end up on the plug (and thereby transferred to the socket).
:> And if someone pulls forcefully on the power cord, the pull may be not
:>"out of the socket" but sideways (for example, someone tripping over the
:>power cord).
:>
:>Re: "I am surprised that manufacturers solder the connectors directly
:>onto the motherboard"
:>
:>They don't, always. For example, in the Toshiba 1400 and 2400 series
:>laptops, the power socket SLIDES into a set of "ridges" in the case
:>bottom and has a short (about 4 inches long (100mm)) "cord" to a socket
:>on the motherboard.

The Toshiba 5000 Series (5000/5100/5200) were done that way also.

me/2

On Fri, 08 Aug 2008 20:21:53 -0700, me/2 <null@127.0.0.1> wrote:
>:>
>:>They don't, always. For example, in the Toshiba 1400 and 2400 series
>:>laptops, the power socket SLIDES into a set of "ridges" in the case
>:>bottom and has a short (about 4 inches long (100mm)) "cord" to a socket
>:>on the motherboard.
>
>The Toshiba 5000 Series (5000/5100/5200) were done that way also.

I've had about 6 laptops have their external power connectors fail on
the motherboard. Most likely due to the stressing of use while
plugged in.

On a couple that were out of warranty what I did was open the case and
remove the jack by desoldering it from the motherboard. Then I
soldered in some simple zip cord (2 wire) about 8" long and ran it out
the hole in the back of the case. To the end I soldered an inline
female connector that would accept the plug from the power adapter.
Works like a charm and no more stress point.

Now - one of these was replaced with a new MacBook and they've finally
gotten smart. The power adapter connection is magnetic. It merely
STICKS to the case via embedded magnets. I believe the connection is
inductive (but I can't be sure). I hope that this technique is
carried across to other manufacturers because when the slightest
stress is placed on the connection it simply breaks away (not really
breaking - just separating).

Just a couple of cents worth. BTW - I current have two Acer notebooks
where the charging circuits have failed so the batts won't charge.
They still work fine with the AC adapter plugged in. I'm not about to
try to repair these.

Salvador Freemanson wrote:
> I suspect the power connector is the biggest source of faults on
> laptops. It must certainly be in the top ten. A question for Barry
> Watzman here.
>
> But why is this? And what is the nature of the fault?
>
> Is it mechanical stress due to constant insertion and removal?
> Heat stress, because of the high current carried?
> Mechanical, because the barrel connector is frequently knocked?
>
> What is the nature of the breakdown?
> 1) The connector on the laptop side makes poor contact with the
> motherboard?
> 2) the pins and contactors get deformed
> 3) other?
>
>
> I am surprised that manufacturers solder the connectors directly onto
> the motherboard. I would have thought that would increase the risk of
> breakdown. Surely a better solution would be to have the connector
> separate, connected to the motherboard by flexible leads. It would be
> easier to replace and less liable to break down - but I suppose it also
> adds a few pence to the cost of manufacturing the laptop.

I always thought some genus can make tons of money by making fake
batteries with a DC jack. Thus if the original one breaks, you can buy a
fake battery with a jack. It wouldn't take a whole lot of electronics to
make it work. Of course, the laptop would think it is always running
from a battery when it really isn't.

--
Bill
Gateway Celeron M 370 (1.5GHZ)
MX6124 (laptop) w/2GB
Windows XP Home SP2 (120GB HD)
Intel(r) 910GML (64MB shared)
** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **