laptop charger pin won't stay connected to the port
March 28, 2018 1:07 PM Subscribe
I have an Acer Chromebook laptop. It's a few years old. Last year even when plugged in the battery wouldn't take a charge. Given my pathetic income, my next step was to use it when it was plugged in and ignore the battery issue. This worked for awhile until it would intermittently shut off even when plugged in. My next step was to bend, twist and hold the pin into the port with tape just so I had use of the computer. Welp, that's rarely working now.
Even though a new Chromebook is relatively cheap I'm trying to get a sense of whether I can simply have someone replace the port and pay for the service. The internet is all over the place on the range of costs I could be looking at for service and parts. Any thoughts on whether it'd be cheaper to just buy a new Chromebook? I'm living in a spot where it's quite a distance to travel to a computer repair shop to get an estimate.
Even though a new Chromebook is relatively cheap I'm trying to get a sense of whether I can simply have someone replace the port and pay for the service. The internet is all over the place on the range of costs I could be looking at for service and parts. Any thoughts on whether it'd be cheaper to just buy a new Chromebook? I'm living in a spot where it's quite a distance to travel to a computer repair shop to get an estimate.
Response by poster: oops, forgot to add that I looked into fixing this model myself and directions via videos. Most state that I have to open the computer and replace the motherboard along with the port. Far as I can tell I'll need a soldering iron and the skill to use it. I have neither, Typically I pride myself of fixing what is broken but I'm wildly dependent on this computer. I'm quasi-homeless and actively seeking work. It's my lifeline right now so I can't risk breaking this sucker. Hopefully someone here has recently paid for a similar service and can give me a sense of what is really necessary. For instance, all you computer oriented people out there, does it make sense that the motherboard would also have to be replaced? I've seen prices range from $60 to $200.
posted by pipoquinha at 4:36 PM on March 28, 2018
posted by pipoquinha at 4:36 PM on March 28, 2018
It's entirely possible it's the plug, not the socket on the computer that is at fault, though less likely. That said, anyone experienced with repairing electronics should be able to replace the port without replacing the entire motherboard. It does take more time, though.
posted by wierdo at 5:02 PM on March 28, 2018
posted by wierdo at 5:02 PM on March 28, 2018
does it make sense that the motherboard would also have to be replaced?
With many laptops the port is attached only to the motherboard, not to the case, so it’s physically supported by the motherboard itself. Repeatedly plugging and unplugging flexes the board back and forth and eventually it cracks. That’s why you have to replace the whole board.
The cheap fix is to cut the end off the power cord and solder the cord right to the motherboard. It can’t be unplugged anymore but that can keep you going for a while if done properly. This is the kind of job a professional won’t want to do, though, since it’s temporary and not guaranteed to work, plus you still pay for all the labor of taking it apart and putting it back together. If you can find someone handy with a soldering iron they may give it a shot as a favor.
posted by pocams at 7:54 PM on March 28, 2018
With many laptops the port is attached only to the motherboard, not to the case, so it’s physically supported by the motherboard itself. Repeatedly plugging and unplugging flexes the board back and forth and eventually it cracks. That’s why you have to replace the whole board.
The cheap fix is to cut the end off the power cord and solder the cord right to the motherboard. It can’t be unplugged anymore but that can keep you going for a while if done properly. This is the kind of job a professional won’t want to do, though, since it’s temporary and not guaranteed to work, plus you still pay for all the labor of taking it apart and putting it back together. If you can find someone handy with a soldering iron they may give it a shot as a favor.
posted by pocams at 7:54 PM on March 28, 2018
Do you have any sense of whether it's the plug or the port? I've found that the most common point of failure for these things is the plug; they never seem to make the strain reliever robust enough, and eventually the connection between the cord and the plug goes wonky.
When your charger doesn't work, what feels wrong? Does it stop working if the cord gets jiggled? Does the plug feel loose inside the port? Does the port itself feel like it's no longer solidly anchored within the body of the computer?
If it's the plug, you should be able to just get a new (possibly third-party) charger for not too much money. If it's the port, it sounds like you might be in a bit of a bind unless you have a friend who is handy with these sorts of things.
If you can describe the behavior around your laptop's problem a little more, it might help us guide you. It might also help to know exactly what model of chromebook we are talking about here. That would go a long way toward being able to figure out what your most cost-effective route to having a functional laptop again is.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 4:09 AM on March 29, 2018 [1 favorite]
When your charger doesn't work, what feels wrong? Does it stop working if the cord gets jiggled? Does the plug feel loose inside the port? Does the port itself feel like it's no longer solidly anchored within the body of the computer?
If it's the plug, you should be able to just get a new (possibly third-party) charger for not too much money. If it's the port, it sounds like you might be in a bit of a bind unless you have a friend who is handy with these sorts of things.
If you can describe the behavior around your laptop's problem a little more, it might help us guide you. It might also help to know exactly what model of chromebook we are talking about here. That would go a long way toward being able to figure out what your most cost-effective route to having a functional laptop again is.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 4:09 AM on March 29, 2018 [1 favorite]
With one laptop I rigged up a crazy system of paperclips, loops of aluminum foil, rubber bands, and garbage-bag twist ties, anchored around a hinge and some vents and other crevices, which served to always firmly press the connector into its socket. It actually worked pretty well for several years with the occasional replacement or re-tensioning of a rubber band needed. The major problem was that because the connector was fixed and couldn't rotate, the charging cable would get twisted as I moved the laptop around and I had to periodically unplug (from the other end) and unwind it.
posted by XMLicious at 5:00 PM on March 29, 2018
posted by XMLicious at 5:00 PM on March 29, 2018
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posted by a3matrix at 3:19 PM on March 28, 2018