OT: Laptop PCB repair?

Tom Gardner · 2011-06-13T02:43:53+00:00

This Dell D600 laptop had a funky power jack. It was given to me with two others with "issues". I get a lot of used laptops that I fix-up and donate to people that don't have or can't afford a computer. A cousin of mine works for a nearby suburb and directed their garbage men to save all laptops they find. I also get a bunch, like I did this D600, from customers that upgrade their office equipment.I was using this one in my family room while watching TV. I knew the power jack was cracked and loose, I was just careful with it until one day with a bit of side pressure on the plug it poofed a bit of that familial smelling magic smoke. Oops. Now it won't run on AC or charge the battery but will work on a charged battery. So, I take it apart with the intention of finally replacing the power jack. Here's what I find: is right by the power jack. Amazingly, I found the chip! Any ideas how to repair this? It looks like it just exploded off the PCB taking the pads with it. I assume it's a current limiter of some sort but the silk screening closest to the component looks like an "L-something-something" Whatâs an âLâ? I assume resisters are prefixed with an "R" and caps with a "C" so I don't know what the part really is or does. Why canât manufacturers just put a replaceable fuse in?I was seriously thinking of just connecting the traces going to the chip with conductive paint or maybe try to install a discrete component. The part is TINY! It's less than 3/32" long. A used board is $30+s&h or more and the laptop is a bit long in the tooth. I hate to sink money into it. I have another D600 that might have the same problem, it won't charge but works on battery.I did breakdown and actually bought a âNEWâ laptop! Itâs a refurb HP G56 from Newegg. I had to do some minor surgery on the too-stiff touchpad buttons but I like it and I can play my âHidden Objectâ and puzzle games.

Jun 13, 2011 22 Replies

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Cydrome Leader 15 years ago

Ha, you beat me to it. I keep thinking they were made in singpapore or something like that. I liked how the caps lock LED could fall out of the keyboard as it was just pressed into a socket.

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. 15 years ago

=_NextPart_000_000F_01CC2952.34F23F50

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Josepi 15 years ago

Don`t like it... Get a decent newsreader that has some features or don`t read it.

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