DC Connector Replacement

[benrybin]

What tools are you guys using for removing and replacing dc connectors? I am using a soldering gun but sometimes it can be a real pain to get the old connector off. Just wondering if there is a better tool for doing that kind of work.

 

[angry_geek]

8 lb sledge hammer works well.

Seriously, though, I think that's about the best you can do

 

[14049752]

Hot air is far and away better than a soldering iron.

 

[arrow_runner]

Hot air is far and away better than a soldering iron.

I haven't bought/used one yet. How much control do you have over the heat? I'm thinking of how some Dell boards have resistors almost in between the solder joints of the jack. I'd hate to be using the hot air iron and have that resistor accidentally fall off.

 

[14049752]

You can use a very small tip with the hot air gun. I know the power jacks you're talking about and it's never been a problem with desoldering something you don't want to.
With a good rework station, you can control the amount of airflow and the temp.

 

[AtYourService]

i use a solder iron and a solder sucker, melt some fresh solder to the old and suck it up

 

[Simmy]

Yep - it's definitely worth investing in a hot air station, if only to save your sanity. Removing jacks with just a soldering iron would drive me nuts sometimes. But with a hot air station, old jacks can be removed within a minute usually without any damage/burns to surrounding components.

This is the one I use and it's been great so far. And at only £110, it had paid for itself after 2 DC repair jobs.

 

[thor999]

Hey Simmy any videos available for this task? I have the 2702a, picked it up for reflowing 360's but would like to use it on dc jacks as well.

 

[usacvlr]

A good weller soldering station beats hot air anytime. I can remove and replace any jack in under 5 minutes. It's easy but I've done about a thousand of them so... sorta like brushing one's teeth at this point. I do use a solder removing tool as well but won't say which one.

Here are a couple pictures of a typical 'computer tech' attempt at a jack repair. As I recall this was an HP. Guy used a soldering gun apparently read GUN not iron or station!

 

[abe]

i love those pic's do you have any more

 

[usacvlr]

This is what happens when joe blow customer tries to plug his video cable back in after getting his laptop partially apart and realizing he's in over his head. I actually didn't see this at first because the cable was plugged in securely but no video then I saw what he'd done. He fessed up over the phone. They were charged extra for fixing this connector. Notice that there is a bent pin as well as a second pin that has become pushed out the button of the connector, stripping it's contact point from the board. This thing was ultra tiny. Used the magnifying glass to see the damned thing to touch it up. Some guys know when to quit fortunately and know their limitations. If they break a connector off the board they don't do anything more, just send it to me. Soldering is not as simple as it sounds when you're dealing with teeny tiny pins and pads.

 

[usacvlr]

What's wrong with this picture? These I have to heat up a bit, and with additional solder 'melt' them back into position.

 

[usacvlr]

Something's missing here...

 

[Simmy]

This is one I got on Friday from a customer who claimed he hadn't tried a DIY repair.

That's nothing compared to some of the other pics on here though!

 

[Simmy]

On a side note - does anyone know of a website that lists the DC part number for every make/model of laptop? e.g. HP NX6325 = PJ30

I need to find a replacement DC jack for the above part, but have been unable to so far. To replace the entire DC jack pcb will cost in excess of £40!

 

[AtYourService]

ebay is your best friend for dc jack repair

http://shop.ebay.com/items/_W0QQ_nkwZHPQ20NX6325Q20jackQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZ

I've had 1 bad experience with a jack from ebay (somehow it was manufactured wrong and power touched ground) luckily it didnt short the board

but for the prices you cant go wrong $5-10$ with free shipping

meditechny is my goto guy because everytime i look for one hes always the person that has it http://myworld.ebay.com/meditechny/

hes got your jack for $4.50 with free shipping
http://cgi.ebay.com/DC-Power-Jack-f...5|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318|301:1|293:1|294:50

 

[LunchBox]

A good weller soldering station beats hot air anytime. I can remove and replace any jack in under 5 minutes. It's easy but I've done about a thousand of them so... sorta like brushing one's teeth at this point. I do use a solder removing tool as well but won't say which one.

QUOTE]

Is it a trade secret

I actually had another tech refer a dc jack replacement. I had never done one and I did not want to do my first one on a client. I actually got my hands on an old laptop with a bad jack for practice on but I cant make time for that yet.

It has been a long time since I had to solder anything so I have a good idea on how to (at least I am hoping) on how to do it. Needless to say I had to discourage the person by wanting me to take care of it by stating that I do not do work like that unless its at my work bench. I was upset because to me that is failure on my part by not knowing how to do it. Well, I cant say I dont know how because I know how to solder (although its been years) and I have been watching many youtube videos on the matter.

I just don't want to be one of those techs that caused problems like the ones on the pics.

 

[Simmy]

Sorry, that HP was a bad example - I wasn't looking for a place to find that particular one. I do buy all of my DC jacks on ebay as they're super cheap and it's usually easy to find the correct part. One I can't find for example is a DC Jack for a GATEWAY W340UA, but I can only find the £40 DC boards! I was hoping there was a website that would tell me the DC Jack type/model for that Gateway laptop.

 

[bitznpcz]

Sorry, that HP was a bad example - I wasn't looking for a place to find that particular one. I do buy all of my DC jacks on ebay as they're super cheap and it's usually easy to find the correct part. One I can't find for example is a DC Jack for a GATEWAY W340UA, but I can only find the £40 DC boards! I was hoping there was a website that would tell me the DC Jack type/model for that Gateway laptop.

Slightly cheaper one but with board again- http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Gateway-W340U...14&_trkparms=72:1690|66:2|65:12|39:1|240:1318

 

[usacvlr]

That's just the standard 2.5 mm square. Either of these two should fit their adapter fine and both will fit the board. In a case where there are four pins and only two holes you can safely just bend two of the pins up and flat against the casing and vice versa. A four ground pin jack is replaced just fine with a 2 pin.
http://www.dcpowerjacks.net/catalog...id=58&osCsid=b444b9467555293c59e305e069559b40
http://www.dcpowerjacks.net/catalog...id=59&osCsid=b444b9467555293c59e305e069559b40