Replace The DC Power Jack Inspiron 600M

[Melville High School]

Replace The DC Power Jack Inspiron 600M

I have been Googing for 2 hours but I cannot find the photos of steps to
remove and heat gun a new DC Power Jack for an Inspiron 600M Laptop.

Can you point me toward a site?

Southerners can never resist a losing cause.

 

[Paul]

Replace The DC Power Jack Inspiron 600M

I have been Googing for 2 hours but I cannot find the photos of steps to
remove and heat gun a new DC Power Jack for an Inspiron 600M Laptop.

Can you point me toward a site?

Southerners can never resist a losing cause.

There is some basic info here. Use the "Back to Contents" link at the
top, to see some of the other pictures.

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins600m/en/sm/sysboard.htm#1000473

The motherboard is pictured here. As near as I can tell, the power jack is in
the upper left of the photo, to the right of the vent hole for cooling. It is
a metal can, with the plastic jack component inside it.

http://www.parts-people.com/images/products/5u857.JPG

There is a company here, selling a replacement part for a ridiculous price.
This is what you might look for in a replacement. The jack is made by
Foxconn.

http://www.notebooksolutions.ca/zc/bmz_cache/0/0cc0e2b24653ab64b06a0ccb80b7a03d.image.577x433.jpg

On Ebay, someone is selling 10 jacks for about $32 or so. I guess
selling them individually is too difficult.

http://images.marketworks.com/hi/72/72457/dellside2-10.jpg

To find them on Ebay, try

inspiron 600m power dc

You can see in that picture, the jack has four solder tabs
for the metal box. Those hold the metal box to the PCB.
The rest of the contacts may be electrical, and I can't tell
from the picture how they're connected.

When something is secured with so many solder points, if
the thing broke, chances are the PCB material underneath the
jack may be cracked. Normally, you'd just unsolder the jack
and replace it. But if there is damage underneath, that is
going to be harder to repair.

In terms of tools, you could use a roll or two of 0.050" solder
wick. And if you were feeling particularly extravagant, some
ChipQuik can be melted onto the contacts, to reduce the melting
point of the existing solder. That may help with the task of
removing the jack. If the unit was taken to a shop, they may have
a vacuum desoldering station, to aid in the cleanup. Solder
wick is what you use, when you cannot afford a proper set of
tools (which is why I have several rolls).

Paul

 

[SC Tom]

There is some basic info here. Use the "Back to Contents" link at the
top, to see some of the other pictures.

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ins600m/en/sm/sysboard.htm#1000473

The motherboard is pictured here. As near as I can tell, the power jack is
in
the upper left of the photo, to the right of the vent hole for cooling. It
is
a metal can, with the plastic jack component inside it.

http://www.parts-people.com/images/products/5u857.JPG

There is a company here, selling a replacement part for a ridiculous
price.
This is what you might look for in a replacement. The jack is made by
Foxconn.

http://www.notebooksolutions.ca/zc/bmz_cache/0/0cc0e2b24653ab64b06a0ccb80b7a03d.image.577x433.jpg

On Ebay, someone is selling 10 jacks for about $32 or so. I guess
selling them individually is too difficult.

http://images.marketworks.com/hi/72/72457/dellside2-10.jpg

To find them on Ebay, try

inspiron 600m power dc

You can see in that picture, the jack has four solder tabs
for the metal box. Those hold the metal box to the PCB.
The rest of the contacts may be electrical, and I can't tell
from the picture how they're connected.

When something is secured with so many solder points, if
the thing broke, chances are the PCB material underneath the
jack may be cracked. Normally, you'd just unsolder the jack
and replace it. But if there is damage underneath, that is
going to be harder to repair.

In terms of tools, you could use a roll or two of 0.050" solder
wick. And if you were feeling particularly extravagant, some
ChipQuik can be melted onto the contacts, to reduce the melting
point of the existing solder. That may help with the task of
removing the jack. If the unit was taken to a shop, they may have
a vacuum desoldering station, to aid in the cleanup. Solder
wick is what you use, when you cannot afford a proper set of
tools (which is why I have several rolls).

Paul

This works very well, and is cheap enough from Radio Shack. They used to
sell replacement tips, but I haven't needed any for so long, I don't know if
they still do or not.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062745&CAWELAID=107595528

This one works even better, but one must be careful since it gets quite hot.
I find it works great in areas such as the power section of the board and on
larger traces that won't be as easily damaged as the smaller traces. I've
used it with success to remove chips that had long enough leads sticking out
to where I didn't have to put it directly on the trace for too long.
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062731

Like Paul, I can't afford the nice desoldering stations (well, I guess I
could, but I can't justify even to myself spending that much on something
I'd only use a couple times a year at the most ), but we had one where I
retired from that was very nice- filtering, temperature control, and
everything to prevent damage to the board, traces, and surrounding
components. It was very similar to this, and ran about $900.
http://www.action-electronics.com/grc/wewrs1002x.jpg

SC Tom

 

[Malke]

Mr. Smith wrote:

Why ask here? This question has nothing to do with the OS (you did
notice those two little letters X and P preceeding the word hardware
in the group title, right?).

Off your meds again I see. Do you really think changing your name disguises
you? Hint: it doesn't. You are pitiful and need real world intervention. If
you have any friends or family, you should ask them to help you instead of
wasting electrons by posting drivel in newsgroups.

Malke

 

[Bill in Co.]

Mr. Smith wrote:



Off your meds again I see. Do you really think changing your name
disguises
you? Hint: it doesn't. You are pitiful and need real world intervention.
If
you have any friends or family, you should ask them to help you instead of
wasting electrons by posting drivel in newsgroups.

LOL.
Was he or she ever on meds?

 

[Melville High School]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for the INFO and the fast response. I know you don't believe it but
I dismantled the Inspiron 600M and put it back together with a 2nd used MB
and it turned on, but I am bringing the original MB to have a DC Jack
soldered on tomorrow at a Computer Shop.

For all your help come by and eat Gumbo at our School Reunion:
http://melvillehighschool.org

"Imagination...is the irrepressible revolutionist."

 

[Melville High School]

Hi SC Tom,

I may let me son practice with the gun.

Thanks for the INFO and the fast response. I know you don't believe it but
I dismantled the Inspiron 600M and put it back together with a 2nd used MB
and it turned on, but I am bringing the original MB to have a DC Jack
soldered on tomorrow at a Computer Shop.

For all your help come by and eat Gumbo at our School Reunion:
http://melvillehighschool.org

"Imagination...is the irrepressible revolutionist."

 

[Melville High School]

I received a lot of links in email. This guy has photos and all.

This guide will explain how to repair a failed or loose DC power jack on a
laptop computer yourself. Here's my previous post related to DC power jack
related issues.

http://www.laptoprepair101.com/laptop/2007/12/06/dc-power-jack-repair-guide/comment-page-20/

 

[SC Tom]

Hi SC Tom,

I may let me son practice with the gun.

Thanks for the INFO and the fast response. I know you don't believe it
but I dismantled the Inspiron 600M and put it back together with a 2nd
used MB and it turned on, but I am bringing the original MB to have a DC
Jack soldered on tomorrow at a Computer Shop.

For all your help come by and eat Gumbo at our School Reunion:
http://melvillehighschool.org

"Imagination...is the irrepressible revolutionist."

I have no reason to disbelieve you. Most things like this can be
accomplished with a little foresight and a lot of patience.
And if I was in the area, I would probably stop by. Ain't much better than a
bowl of gumbo, a pan of cornbread, and a bottle of hot sauce.

SC Tom

 

[Anteaus]

Hi SC Tom,

I may let me son practice with the gun.

I dunno, these Americans start with their firearms at an early age. Wonder
there are any of them left. <g>

Seriously my usual approach is to carefully 'chew' the plastic of the socket
away with a small, sharp pair of cutters. This causes a lot less strain to
the board than desoldering. It is then easy to pull each of the tags out by
heating the tag itself with the iron.

For a replacement, if possible I use a metal-framed type that bolts into the
case hole. You need to see if this type will fit the available space, but if
it will it's a much stronger repair than the boardmounted type and should
last the life of the computer.

 

[Adrian C]

For a replacement, if possible I use a metal-framed type that bolts into the
case hole. You need to see if this type will fit the available space, but if
it will it's a much stronger repair than the boardmounted type and should
last the life of the computer.

I've done this. Good idea.

Couple of points.

If choosing an alternative to the manufacturer's connector, think of the
current that may be pulled for a completely flat battery. Some DC jacks
I've seen have so little metal in sufficient mechnical contact that the
result from arcing & heating is a requirement to go and replace the
connector again. Some of these cheap DC barrel connectors were designed
for transistor radio applications - handling an Amp or two at most, and
not withdrawn/replaced as often.

Also, make sure the body of the metal frame electrically connects
directly (very short wires, mm) or is preferably bolted into the metal
internal framework of the laptop (if ground circuit compatible). These
things (unlike the plastic jacks) stick out slightly and could catch a
static discharge from contact with the user and his/her other travelling
about paraphernalia.

 

[Melville High School]

Here is the Deep South we take all the Mr and Mrs Smith's alligator
hunting... it is not our fault so many fall overboard