Replacing a power input jack

Question

I have a Dell laptop Latitude 110L that’s out of warranty. The AC input jack on the back is shot. I figured out how to open the laptop from above and got to the motherboard with little trouble. I was, however, afraid to remove the motherboard itself but might do so if I had instructions for that. I've since found that Dell has some good "how to" descriptions for replacing various things, like the keyboard etc.

I have a professional soldering iron and have experience with de-soldering and soldering.

I have these questions.

(1) Is this something I should attempt myself? If so:

(2) Does Dell have instructions for replacing the jack or at least for removing the motherboard?

(3) Where should I order the part?

If I should -not- attempt this myself:

(4) Where is a reputable place to send my laptop? I live in Iowa.I really don't want to pay for a whole new motherboard.

Thanks!

Tom

Mr._Pseudonym · Accepted Answer

:^/ I've done that on a different model from an earlier age. It was at a yard sale for one dollar, both because it wasn't working and because it once belonged to the seller's boyfriend years earlier.

I disassembled the laptop and soldered the power jack back into place and a couple of other things to get it working.

My advice? It's certainly possible for an individual to fix such a thing on his own, but if you personally don't feel comfortable disassembling the laptop all the way down to the motherboard by yourself, you probably shouldn't attempt the repair. Instead, get someone you trust to do it for you, such the fellow at a repair shop, or an aquaintence who's more of a gear head than you are.

husky0894 · Answer

Attempt this only if you have the proper tools and expertise (NOT a handheld soldering iron), or can afford to replace the mainbord if the install fails. For this model, you're likely to find that the cost of a pro repair is on par with the cost of a mainboard (about $200-250), so you may not want to bother with the repair.

jackshack · Answer

You are a very brave soul to wish to attempt this on your own. The main board is multi-layer so careful soldering is a must. If you really wish to try, study this first: Latitude 110L Service Manual.

<ADMIN NOTE: Broken link has been removed from this post by Dell>

Afraid there is nothing about replacing components, however. Dell generally just replaces the main board.

SlamX · Answer

I have soldered power jacks on laptop motherboards and it is delicate work but was not hard for me.

However if you search on ebay there are laptop repair techs who will do the repair for $50 + shipping costs to them.

The part itself you can also get on ebay for about $5.

I'd suggest you do the ebay thing.

Does the laptop run ok on the battery...no other problems?

Iowa Tom · Answer

Thanks everybody for your advice. I think I'll try to get somebody else with experience with this sort of repair to do it. I thought about making a battery charger and just using the battery. Tom

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Replacing a power input jack

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