AC adapter plug falls out of jack!

that power adapter is just a standard pa-12.  it's the same one that my lattitudes take. mine fit nice and tight.  if there is a problem with the jack on the laptop, don't let it get out of warranty before you get it fixed because it is very expensive to fix. that jack only costs 3 bucks but it is soldered on the motherboard.  the machine has to be totally taken apart to unsolder the old one and solder a new one back on. it's almost cheaper to buy a new motherboard than to try an attempt the repair.  the repair costs between 100 bucks and 150 bucks and the tech has to know what he is doing.

Thanks, topmahof, but my warranty has been out for about a year.  No way will I pay a $100 bucks to have it replaced when it might fail again in 6 months.  If I could get the little part that fell out of the jack, I would think I could find a way to make it stay in.   I am using  a tiny, ponytail holder for a gasket now and it helps a lot.  I think I will try getting a second one and see if it works better.  I will keep trying things until it completely fails, then I will buy a new HP.

Nix on the pony tail ring for a gasket.   It is about the right size unused but stretches out over time.

ok, how about this. you know the plastic tubing that aquarium pumps have?  they sell that tubing in different sizes in hardware stores and lowes.  how about cutting a small pc of it and sticking it on the back part of the pc that plugs into the laptop.  if you take your adapter with you, you could stick it into various sizes of tubing and find the right size.  it would have to be pretty thin walled. 

Okay. I finally found a solution that didn't cost me too much money, but a few hours of time.  I ordered just the adapter jack from a small company I found googling and took the laptop completely apart (found instructions by googling.) and replaced the jack.  It works fine now.  I wouldn't recommend doing it yourself unless you feel comfortable taking computers apart and know how to saulder.

The problem with my jack ( on a Dell Vostro 1510) was that a little black in the center of the jack that holds the plug pin in place somehow came out.  It is a very tiny part that holds three pins in the jack in place and also holds the plug pin in and against them.  That is why tape, tubing and such wouldn't help much.  Just a poor design for a jack, or poor construction of the design.  I don't know if I am allowed to give links here, but if you email me I can give more info.

Thanks for all of you help,

Ron

HOSSCOMP

Thanks for invite to email

I am having same problem as you

Do you have the info about socket change?

Please email to cramsden@ntlworld.com

Thanks

Chrisra

I found a solution after playing around with all kinds of methods-even Velcro.  Velcro worked for a while but wore out.  My latest invention for my XPS is a piece of an old spring shaped into an omega symbol.  On the XPS the power cord is right next to the lock down slot.  I place the cord into the loop of the spring and compress the spring and insert the spring tips into this slot.  This really works out fantastic.  But again it might only work on the XPS.

THANK YOU!!  That is perfect - using the lockdown slot to tie the cord in close!  I used easily pliable bailing wire (yes, I live on a ranch) and it worked great.

I have been so frustrated with this issue of the power cord falling out of my new XPS (12/2011).  It is a problem on several of my previous Dell laptops as well. My only laptop that did not have this problem was a Studio 15 which had the jack on the left side instead of the back.

I see posts on this problem since 2006!  WHY haven't they fixed this??

Thanks again!  Amanda

Mine does the same things. It is terrible. I have had it about exactly one year. What a piece of <ADMIN NOTE: Profanity removed as per TOU> . I am now out of warrenty. The XPS is supposed to be a premium machine. It is hard to believe that whey you deal with something like this.

I am not saying this will work for others--- my Vostro 1500 jack just seemed too lose to hold the power adapter plug in place. Put small piece of electrical tape (.3 cm wide around the adapter metal piece that fits into the jack. It held fine. If it gets too thin & gets lose, I just replace the tape. Figure that fix costs less than a penny a month. Again, others may be experiencing a more serious issue.

The problem is still going in January 2016! I only use the cord when the laptop is low in power. It isn't like I keep it plugged on all of the time.

It is infuriating!!  I've actually considered gluing the bloody thing into the socket!

While it is a temporary solution, it is cheap and lasts between 1 month and 3 months.

I cut up a balloon into 1" pieces and popped a hole in the center. Don't cut it, use a small paper hole punch (the one I used was a 1/8" hole punch). 

Pull the rubber over the plug end, the 1/8" circle will stretch over the end. You want it to stretch not tear.

This creates a sort of gasket, I suppose.

I found that you must keep the rubber close to the end of the plug and as you push it into socket, the rubber will move down and then grab into the socket.

Like the hair rubbers, which I have read will work as well, this balloon gag isn't a permanent solution, but it is better than the bloody thing constantly falling out.

Check on eBay and look for power cord tension retainer, I use this on my laptop

Hope this helps

Check on ebay, there is a new product to help hold the cord in.

 It is called a Power Cord Tension Retainer by Zinscot