Question about fixing that weird laptop power issue

For the longest time, when a laptop wouldn't charge, I'd just swap the whole DC jack. Last week, a client brought in a Dell with the same problem, but I found a YouTube video from a tech in Austin showing how to check a tiny fuse on the board first. I tested it with my multimeter, found it was blown, and replaced it for $2 instead of ordering a new jack. Anyone have a go-to source for those little board-level fuse specs?

3 comments

3 Comments

phoenix_singh2526d ago

Swapping the whole jack is still the better move most of the time. Those tiny fuses are a pain to source and replace, and half the time the fuse blows because the jack itself is already worn out. You fix the fuse, it just blows again in a week when the customer wiggles the cord. The jack replacement fixes the root cause and gives the customer a reliable repair. Board-level work on cheap Dells is often more trouble than it's worth.

davis.olivia26d ago

Oh man, my buddy tried the fuse fix on his old laptop and it totally fried the board a week later lol. Just swap the jack.

miller.thomas26d ago

Fuse repairs are such a temporary band-aid, aren't they? Phoenix_singh25 is right about the worn jack being the real problem. Just swapping the whole part saves everyone a headache later.