[Absubtle]

my 13-month-old laptop refuses to charge from AC (well AC to DC by Dell's power cable). I can wiggle the plug in the laptop and sometimes get lucky and it will charge. It charged for like 10 minutes tonight and then, it seemed like the computer didnt recognize it was hooked up to AC voltage.

I need to know an alternative... replicator (docking station), or fixing the [bleep] thing.

Absubtle
PA

Edited by Absubtle, 29 November 2005 - 09:02 PM.

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I would suspect that there is a problem with either the connector or the power cable. THe cable can often be damaged if you coil or bend it too tight.

If you have a volt meter (cheap from Harbor Freight), you can attach the meter to plug and slowly and carefully bend the power cable to see where the break is or if the power cable is ok and that the problem is with the connector in the machine.

Often the break is right at the plug though, so that means getting another plug and I am not sure of how available that is. A docking port would work or getting a new power adapter.

If the power works when the cable is straight, you can use electrical tape or heat shrink tubing to keep it from bending, but that is just a short term fix since the connection still will not be good.

[Kemasa]

I would suspect that there is a problem with either the connector or the power cable. THe cable can often be damaged if you coil or bend it too tight.

If you have a volt meter (cheap from Harbor Freight), you can attach the meter to plug and slowly and carefully bend the power cable to see where the break is or if the power cable is ok and that the problem is with the connector in the machine.

Often the break is right at the plug though, so that means getting another plug and I am not sure of how available that is. A docking port would work or getting a new power adapter.

If the power works when the cable is straight, you can use electrical tape or heat shrink tubing to keep it from bending, but that is just a short term fix since the connection still will not be good.

[oedor]

Dell has some more faulty Motherboards.. they have a faulty power port designed..a recall is needed..it will make you power bounce back and forth between battery and cord and sometimes not charge.. I have 3 inspiron notebooks not yet a year old...and the power ports are shorting out power on and off on all 3..Huge amounts of people are complaining about his problem.. just check out some of the few links at the bottom of this post or do a search online, its not going to get better or go away.. its a very bad design for the ac power port on the motherboard.. no support around it to protect it! its a laptop/notebook, its going to be traveling..the the cord being moved at all is too much for the tiny solder that holds the power port to the MOBO... we as consumers of Dell products are stuck with laptops/notebooks we CAN NOT use..as long as they don't stand behind their products and the only way to make it better is a better design.. replacing the motherboard just starts you all over with the same type ac port problem... the design will be the same..and resoldering the ac port to the motherboard still wont fix the problem cause eventually it will also begin to break loose.... the motherboard ac port needs to be redesigned.. it needs serious support around the port to hold it steady there...because you plug a power cord right there.. I have been a good customer to dell.. I have bought $$$$$ so much equipment from them.. is this how good customers are treated?...DELL RECALL THESE MOTHERBOARDS and redesign the power port
.. I contacted Dell and they told me that I would have to pay for 3 more motherboards on notebook computers that are not yet a year old..
http://forums.us.del...scending&page=1
http://forums.us.del...essage.id=37275