Power connection 'wiggles', can I solder it?

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northyen.dk · #1 Post by **northyen.dk** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 2:29 pm

My trusty ole T42 is starting to show some signs of age, specifically the power connection seems to allow so much wiggle room, and it goes off and on AC power. But only if I move about the LCD, and it doesn't occur that often again.

Anyhoo, to be prepared about the task ahead of me- firstly is it possible to resolder the power socket firmly to the systemboard (if that is the problem, I'm not sure yet). I only got a low grade solder iron for that.

What about a picture of the connection, anybody here to happen to have one? I'm mainly interested in seeing how tiny the soldering spots are, so any picture that can show me that, would be appreciated.

#2 Post by **richk** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 2:53 pm

IT is held to the frame with a screw. First remove the keyboard, touchpad and keyboard bezel for access. THe screw is right on top. If you need to replace the jack, you need to do a complete disassembly. You need a gode Phillips screwdriver, size 00. The service manual is here:

ftp://ftp.software.ibm.com/pc/pccbbs/mo ... 192_01.pdf

aaa · #3 Post by **aaa** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 3:01 pm

To be clear, the jack is not soldered to the system board, it plugs in to a connector. See here.

Nick Y · #4 Post by **Nick Y** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 3:50 pm

northyen.dk wrote:My trusty ole T42 is starting to show some signs of age, specifically the power connection seems to allow so much wiggle room, and it goes off and on AC power. But only if I move about the LCD, and it doesn't occur that often again.

Anyhoo, to be prepared about the task ahead of me- firstly is it possible to resolder the power socket firmly to the systemboard (if that is the problem, I'm not sure yet). I only got a low grade solder iron for that.

What about a picture of the connection, anybody here to happen to have one? I'm mainly interested in seeing how tiny the soldering spots are, so any picture that can show me that, would be appreciated.

Sounds like the problem I had on the T41. Try 'T41p Battery not charging -Interesting Cause' at
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.ph ... +connector
for details of how I fixed it. I hope this helps you.

sjthinkpader · #5 Post by **sjthinkpader** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 6:27 pm

richk wrote:... You need a gode Phillips screwdriver, size 00...

Almost all models uses #1 blades. Only a few screws uses #0. Haven't seen any #00 screws.

#6 Post by **carbon_unit** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 8:05 pm

Sometimes when the power cord gets yanked around the socket gets loose and won't hold the plug in tight. Then you get the intermittent power connection.
To fix it you need to flatten the end of a small paper clip and bend a "L" in the end. Then work the flat part up behind the metal strip in the side of the socket. Pry and pull on the paper clip to bend the metal strip out in the middle so it contacts the barrel of the plug firmly again. Don't bend it too much, just enough to get good contact. No need to disassemble for this repair.
The screw holding the socket in place is under the ribbon cable going to the display. It doesn't really matter if the whole socket moves a little.

john518 · #7 Post by **john518** » Tue Sep 16, 2008 8:54 pm

I look at the e-bay site mentioned by AAA. I do not think that plug fits a t42. In one of the pictures of the mother board for a t42 it shows it soldered not plugged.

northyen.dk · #8 Post by **northyen.dk** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 6:53 am

Wah, that was a lot more simple than I thought- and clever solution too, as it prevents the breaking of the soldering points.

I've checked my laptop, and it seems the screw is slightly loose, so I just need to tighten it a bit up.

Thanks a bundle!

Nick Y · #9 Post by **Nick Y** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 2:46 pm

carbon_unit wrote:It doesn't really matter if the whole socket moves a little.

Unless it moves enough to break the solder joint of one of the two pairs of wires at the back of the connector -as on the T41P.

#10 Post by **richk** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 4:02 pm

The way it sits in the frame, you would need to break the motherboard and the magnesium frame in order to move the jack far enough to break the solder joints.

#11 Post by **carbon_unit** » Wed Sep 17, 2008 5:57 pm

Yes, the socket sits in a somewhat boxed in part of the magnesium frame. You slide it straight in towards the rear of the laptop and the screw keeps it from pushing out towards the motherboard. The frame keeps it from moving very much. That is why you have to remove the motherboard in order to get the socket out.
The mention of broken wire in this thread is the only time i have ever heard of it. Usually it gets replaced because the plug is loose but anything can happen.

Nick Y · #12 Post by **Nick Y** » Thu Sep 18, 2008 2:36 am

Well Lenovo UK did replace the motherboard a year or so ago, but then it was fine until July this year. (Whoever did the repair managed to break part of the palmrest, because they did not remove a screw first... Not only that, but they did nothing to repair their damage.) It surprised me that both wires had come off the central pin, but that is what they did and the socket was quite loose. Must have been poorly soldered to start with during manufacture.

krcmd · #13 Post by **krcmd** » Sat Sep 20, 2008 4:01 pm

I've been having boot time and DOS crashes. No problems once XP launches.

Could this be related to my loose socket?

northyen.dk · #14 Post by **northyen.dk** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 2:58 pm

Ah, I never got around finishing this story, after I finally got my act to together and fixed the problem.

In fact, the problem occured because I never did get around securing that power socket firmly to the case. One day it finally gave up, no matter how much wiggling I tried, it didn't seem to connect to the socket.

Alas even when I tried tightning the screw holdning the socket, it still didn't connect to the power, so I had to completely disassemble the laptop.

And after doing that I found the cause, the wires connecting from the socket to the systemboard had broken off the solder points. Presumeably this happened because I let the socket be loose for too long. After a resolder, and firmly securing the socket to the case, it worked again.

So me ole T42 lives on, hooray.

Power connection 'wiggles', can I solder it?

Power connection 'wiggles', can I solder it?

Re: Power connection 'wiggles', can I solder it?

power plug

Loose Socket

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