DCPower Jack

br00ksintexas · Jul 19, 2005, 05:41 AM

OK. I have a new problem with my HP zx5190us. It's 15mos. old (So, just out of HP's WORLD Class!! (note sarcasm) warranty) I was away for the weekend and I came home to an essentially dead laptop. I'd left it on, as usual, but when I got back, I found it off, battery dead, but still plugged in. Upon further inspection, I found that if I removed then re-inserted the power cord into the DC Jack enough times eventually it would make contact with it, and charge up. I contacted HP for some info about the problem. I wanted to call, but it's funny how their numbers don't actually go to cust. service anymore. I ended up doing the java chat with some jackass tech via their website. The tech said the problem was a "loose DC Jack" after I had already told her dumb ass that it was a loose dc jack, lol. She atleast pointed me in the direction of a company that sells them, but of course, she couldn't offer me ANY type of schematic help for complete dissassy and reassy of the laptop ( gotta take it down to the mobo, of course.) . When I googled the problem, I found out that many are in the works for a class action lawsuit against HP/Compaq for this problem on most of their models of laptops. The company she reffered me to for parts sells the jack for 59.00 (US Dollars). I found others that charge from 6.99 US to 9.99 US. I also found places that charge from 89.00US to right around 200US to do the complete jack swap out. The funny thing about the repair is, they're (HP) actually charging customers well over 600US for this SAME repair, although they're lazy, and change the entire 1000 dollar mobo instead of solder on a simple 6 dollar DC Jack. How retarded is that??

My question is this. Has anyone on this forum, HP, Compaq, Toshiba, Sony, etc. done this repair themselves? If so, how hard would you consider it? I've built my own pc before. I've also got a mechanical/electrical background, as well as a hella wicked Weller Soldering Station in my Snap-On tool box. I'm 99%positive I can do it, but there's that 1% that's telling my ass to ship it off and pay the 89 bucks to have it done professionally. Oh, and BTW, all the people who've posted on the other forums about this problem, have typically had to have them repaired more than once. Most of the techs at the repair shops are saying that it's most laptops in todays market that do it, minus most IBM's and a few Sony's. So, it's just a matter of time.
(Also, to anyone having this same problem. techs say that if not fixed within a reasonable amount of time of noticing the failure, it'll eventually ruin the mobo due to internal arcing. Isn't that a nice thought? Shelling out a grand or so to repair something that somejackass of a laptop designer/engineer couldn't done right in the beginning with a better part for only a dollar or two more per unit.)

Thanks in advance for any replies.
Kev

br00ksintexas · Jul 19, 2005, 09:27 PM

OK. It's 2:23pm and I've got the laptop stripped down to the mobo. I also just got back from Radio Shack (PC Solder) and Comp USA (Arctic Silver 5). The dissassembly wasn't TOO bad, although, without the schematic and proper dissy. sequencing, I never would've figured it out. Luckily, with enough digging through Google and the HP site I found the service manual I was looking for. Off to do the repair (re-solder the loose connection at the positive lead of the dc jack). I also read of a ghetto fix to help strengthen it, so I'm gonna try that too. Since it's apart, I'll also b putting Arctic Silver on the CPU and the heat sink. Peace til later.
*fingers crossed*

br00ksintexas · Jul 20, 2005, 12:05 AM

It's 5:01 pm. I'm DONE!!! BAM!!!! It's working like a champ so far. I resoldered the jack, and strengthened it with a plastic and superglue brace. (Backed by a cast aluminum cover) I had to modify the case about 1mm where the male jack goes into the female, due to the bracing slightly shifting the jack. If anyone does this on an HP, expect some broken screw bosses (knurled brass threaded pieces). I couldn't believe how poorly this thing was constructed, but it was a learning experience and I should be able to see how well this mod goes long term. I also put artic silver on the cpu and the gpu where they touch the heatsink.

Jul 19, 2005, 05:41 AM	#1
br00ksintexas DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: May 2005 Location: Watauga, Texas (Just N. of Ft. Worth and S. of Keller) Posts: 119 Rep Power: 0	DCPower Jack OK. I have a new problem with my HP zx5190us. It's 15mos. old (So, just out of HP's WORLD Class!! (note sarcasm) warranty) I was away for the weekend and I came home to an essentially dead laptop. I'd left it on, as usual, but when I got back, I found it off, battery dead, but still plugged in. Upon further inspection, I found that if I removed then re-inserted the power cord into the DC Jack enough times eventually it would make contact with it, and charge up. I contacted HP for some info about the problem. I wanted to call, but it's funny how their numbers don't actually go to cust. service anymore. I ended up doing the java chat with some jackass tech via their website. The tech said the problem was a "loose DC Jack" after I had already told her dumb ass that it was a loose dc jack, lol. She atleast pointed me in the direction of a company that sells them, but of course, she couldn't offer me ANY type of schematic help for complete dissassy and reassy of the laptop ( gotta take it down to the mobo, of course.) . When I googled the problem, I found out that many are in the works for a class action lawsuit against HP/Compaq for this problem on most of their models of laptops. The company she reffered me to for parts sells the jack for 59.00 (US Dollars). I found others that charge from 6.99 US to 9.99 US. I also found places that charge from 89.00US to right around 200US to do the complete jack swap out. The funny thing about the repair is, they're (HP) actually charging customers well over 600US for this SAME repair, although they're lazy, and change the entire 1000 dollar mobo instead of solder on a simple 6 dollar DC Jack. How retarded is that?? My question is this. Has anyone on this forum, HP, Compaq, Toshiba, Sony, etc. done this repair themselves? If so, how hard would you consider it? I've built my own pc before. I've also got a mechanical/electrical background, as well as a hella wicked Weller Soldering Station in my Snap-On tool box. I'm 99%positive I can do it, but there's that 1% that's telling my ass to ship it off and pay the 89 bucks to have it done professionally. Oh, and BTW, all the people who've posted on the other forums about this problem, have typically had to have them repaired more than once. Most of the techs at the repair shops are saying that it's most laptops in todays market that do it, minus most IBM's and a few Sony's. So, it's just a matter of time. (Also, to anyone having this same problem. techs say that if not fixed within a reasonable amount of time of noticing the failure, it'll eventually ruin the mobo due to internal arcing. Isn't that a nice thought? Shelling out a grand or so to repair something that somejackass of a laptop designer/engineer couldn't done right in the beginning with a better part for only a dollar or two more per unit.) Thanks in advance for any replies. Kev

Jul 19, 2005, 09:27 PM	Thread Starter #2
br00ksintexas DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: May 2005 Location: Watauga, Texas (Just N. of Ft. Worth and S. of Keller) Posts: 119 Rep Power: 0	OK. It's 2:23pm and I've got the laptop stripped down to the mobo. I also just got back from Radio Shack (PC Solder) and Comp USA (Arctic Silver 5). The dissassembly wasn't TOO bad, although, without the schematic and proper dissy. sequencing, I never would've figured it out. Luckily, with enough digging through Google and the HP site I found the service manual I was looking for. Off to do the repair (re-solder the loose connection at the positive lead of the dc jack). I also read of a ghetto fix to help strengthen it, so I'm gonna try that too. Since it's apart, I'll also b putting Arctic Silver on the CPU and the heat sink. Peace til later. fingers crossed

Jul 20, 2005, 12:05 AM	Thread Starter #3
br00ksintexas DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: May 2005 Location: Watauga, Texas (Just N. of Ft. Worth and S. of Keller) Posts: 119 Rep Power: 0	It's 5:01 pm. I'm DONE!!! BAM!!!! It's working like a champ so far. I resoldered the jack, and strengthened it with a plastic and superglue brace. (Backed by a cast aluminum cover) I had to modify the case about 1mm where the male jack goes into the female, due to the bracing slightly shifting the jack. If anyone does this on an HP, expect some broken screw bosses (knurled brass threaded pieces). I couldn't believe how poorly this thing was constructed, but it was a learning experience and I should be able to see how well this mod goes long term. I also put artic silver on the cpu and the gpu where they touch the heatsink.