DC-in cable (AC adapter jack)

[Steve D]

Bit of a problem getting powered on, the ac adapter was yanked out and now the jack into the laptop is very loose. So it won't power up or charge the battery. Plus it is out of warranty....

I believe the loose connector is called a "DC-in cable" (it is the yellow jack that the AC adapter plugs into).

IBM maintenance parts catalog shows two similar parts: the 14W "44C9986" ($11) and the 15W "44C9987" ($65).

FWIW, the associated AC adapter is P/N 92P1214. And the laptop is an SL400 Thinkpad 2743 CTO.

Can anyone tell me which cable I need? the 14W or 15W?

Anyone attempt this kind of repair before? Thanks

[Harryc]

You want 44C9986. The other part is for an SL500.

[akorn]

Steve D,
have the same problem with my SL500. Can you tell me how easy it was to fix it with the right spare part? Disassemby complicated? Soldering needed?
Thanks for any pieces of info!

[Steve D]

I found the part on eBay for much cheaper than other online sources. $34 shipped ($19 + $15 shipping).

NEW IBM ThinkPad SL400 SL400C Power DC Jack 14W 44C9986
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0459638732

I followed the FRU repair videos on:
http://www.lenovoservicetraining.com/ion/

It took me about 1.5 hours to disassemble and about an hour to reassemble. One time/effort saver was that I did not completely remove the display. I only loosened it from the posts so I could get under the corner to the jack. That way I didn't have to mess with routing all the wires that otherwise would have to be removed.

I also taped each set of screws onto each part as I removed it to help keep track for reassembly. I am fairly handy but not a technician. I used an anti-static wrist band and mat and a small screwdriver. Some of the internal ribbon cables are tricky for my fat fingers and near-sightedness.

The videos are a great asset. Step by step with only a few minor differences from the model I own. The laptop is up and working like new.

[akorn]

Thanks, Steve D, for the prompt infos with links and all, great service! Contacted the ebay China-based sellers to see whether they can also supply the SL500 cable.
For the moment, my problem is less severe in the sense that I still get power. But the jack sits very loose inside the chassi. From your description it sounds as if it is the jack that broke, not the socket/chassi holding it. Is that how Lenovo deliberately built it? Or can the jack slip inward upon too large a force exterted such that I could just put it back to its original position?
I guess I may have to open the computer to see whether or not a little glue might solve my problem. The videos will certainly help in doing so. Cheers!

[Steve D]

akorn, the power jack is a small plastic block that has wires (you can see a photo in the e-Bay link of the earlier post). In my machine, the block was loose and one of the wires actually broke. So the laptop would not power up at all and the battery would not charge.

If you are still getting power, then your wiring is intact. The block is held in place by small plastic ridges molded into the body of the laptop. These ridges break, allowing the block to move around. I believe that the movement eventually caused one of the wires in my machine to break.

The new power jack block in my machine still moves a little, so now I am trying to be extra careful picking it up, etc. when it is plugged in.

It is definitely poor design to put the jack in the back of the laptops and only support them by little plastic ridges around the jack-block. When the laptop is open (display up), I tend to pick it up by lifting the front edge, thereby putting strain on the jack. So my rough handling is at fault, too!

In hindsight, I should have used some epoxy or something to hold down the jack-block when I was inside the machine.

If you are getting power, it will not help you to replace the power jack. But you may want to try to anchor the block somehow. I wouldn't risk opening up the whole laptop just to do that. I disassembled mine only because it was otherwise dead and gone.

good luck!