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97875
Loose power plug problem on Inspiron laptop
I bought a Dell Inspiron 1520 in 2008 that has been plagued by a loose a/c power cable plug that is always falling out of the back of the laptop.
I had dell replace the power supply twice as well as the motherboard. The three solutions failed to help.
Amazing because the problem is obviously a bad design problem. The power plug diameter is a too small for a snug connection with the motherboard jack!
Instead of owning up to the problem they just keep on replacing the power supplies and motherboards which can't resolve the loose connection problem!.
Has anyone been able to solve this annoying problem using a makeshift workaround to hold the plug decurely to the back of their laptop??
Thanks for any help!
dkyrtata
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June 19th, 2013 10:00
I too find it annoying that the plug keeps pulling out. Poor design. Why isn't anyone else complaining about this? Anyway, this is what I tried to tighten it up. But I do not know if this is a good idea. Basically I made the whole of the power supply jack smaller with tape so that it wedges into the computer more snugly.
I cut two strips of duct tape 1/4 inch long by 1/8 inch wide. On opposite sides of the inner hole of the jack I stuck each one in the inner wall of the hole while letting part of it stick to the outer side of the jack. That way, if I want to remove the tape, I can reach it to pull it off. Since the tape makes the hole smaller it wedges more snugly into the computer. Be careful when you plug it in on the first attempt. The jack contains a thin wire in the center (like a cable TV wire). It needs to be aligned with the hole it slides into on the computer. If the tape affects the alignment of the jack, the wire may not be centered to plug into the hole, causing it to bend to the side (and possibly break. Then it's finished)
This solution works, but I am afraid that without the tape, the plug will be looser than before. What a poor design!
Another option would have been to squeeze the jack into a slight oval shape, but one you start bending things, it may not be possible to bend them back to the same shape they were in.
Proceed with caution, if at all!
zinscot
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March 6th, 2016 21:00
Check on eBay for a "Power Cord Tension Retainer" this will hold it in for you. I have had one on my Dell laptop for quite awhile. Hope this helps you out