Why are laptop power connectors so fragile?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the fragility of laptop power connectors, exploring personal experiences, potential design flaws, and suggestions for improvement. Participants share anecdotes about their laptops and power connectors, as well as considerations for future purchases.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express frustration with the fragility of laptop power connectors, citing frequent breakage and the need for replacements.
  • One participant suggests that their handling of laptops may contribute to the issue, while others share experiences of long-lasting connectors.
  • There are mentions of alternative laptop brands, such as Mac, which some believe have more durable designs.
  • Participants discuss the idea of using right-angle connectors to prevent damage from cables sticking out, indicating a desire for more practical solutions.
  • Concerns are raised about the design of specific connectors, with one participant noting that the construction of the jack can lead to breakage under pressure.
  • Another participant shares a DIY solution involving a spring to reinforce the power cable, indicating a hands-on approach to addressing the issue.
  • There is speculation about whether the fragility of connectors might be a design feature rather than a flaw, raising questions about the trade-offs in laptop design.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the causes of fragility in laptop power connectors. Some attribute it to user mishandling, while others point to design flaws. Multiple competing views remain regarding the durability of different brands and models.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention various brands and models, indicating that experiences with power connectors may vary significantly based on manufacturer and design. There are unresolved questions about the implications of connector design on overall laptop durability.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals considering laptop purchases, those experiencing issues with power connectors, and users interested in DIY solutions for laptop maintenance may find this discussion relevant.

airborne18
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Why is it that laptop power connector jacks are so fragile. Or am I just the brute who mishandles my laptop?

I get a laptop every 18 months or so, and I can only remember two of them in 20 years where the power connector has outlived the laptop.

With my latest toshiba I have drawn the line. When the jack broke I would not be beaten. I actually went to radioshack and bought a generic power jack and ripped apart the laptop and broke out the soldering iron.

I know with my next laptop I am buying the warranty that covers dropping it. And if the jack breaks, my laptop will suffer a very violent drop. And then I will ship it back.
 
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You should get yourself a mac: this is an ingenious little invention that has not only saved the jack from being destroyed, but also saved my laptop from taking a tumble after I've tripped over the cable.
 
cristo said:
You should get yourself a mac: this is an ingenious little invention that has not only saved the jack from being destroyed, but also saved my laptop from taking a tumble after I've tripped over the cable.

Hey that is cool. Really. I might actually consider a Mac for my next system. My only issue is the price. Though technically I am a student. I wonder if Mac student discounts are as good as they were 15 years ago.

I might actually go back to a desktop for most of my work. Running mathematica on a laptop is not ideal. And the prices for the Intel 8?0 chip have dropped significantly.
 
Aside from ripping the plug out of the jack when forgetting that "things are still connected" -- the brain-dead equivalent of tripping over the cord -- running a machine tool over the wire, and having my bunny chew through a couple, I've not had any trouble with the power connectors on my laptops. Some are going strong at close to 8 years of service. So I guess I would have to go with "the brute who mishandles..." explanation.

Fire-wire connectors are, however, a different issue. Oh...I also crossed up the motor supply ground on a servo system I was poking at with my USB attached 'scope and blew up both the USB input and the scope box, fortunately not the whole notebook -- but that's an electrical problem.
 
To try to avoid destroying a laptop I'd like to find "right angle" connectors on cables or at least on adapters for power, cat5 network cable and usb cable so the cables would lie along the edge of the laptop. One laptop here has all three of those rigidly sticking out from the sides of the laptop like wings and just begging to get snapped off and turning the laptop into trash.

Has anyone seen a source for something like this?
 
airborne18 said:
With my latest toshiba I have drawn the line.

I think this is your problem. You will have better luck if you buy from a reputable manufacturer. On most of the notebooks I've owned, I don't think I could break the power jack even if I tried.
 
Power cables on my Dell drive me nuts too. Last Dell, I went through about six.

For me, they get "crimped" right behind the plug.

I whipped up a solution a la this, using the spring from a clicky ballpoint pen:

31DzoqclSOL._SL500_AA300_.jpg
 
Topher925 said:
I think this is your problem. You will have better luck if you buy from a reputable manufacturer. On most of the notebooks I've owned, I don't think I could break the power jack even if I tried.

My sony vaio was good, but the little sony mini-notebook was crap.

Well my new jack that I put in will not break, that is for sure. Though I had to make the jack opening larger for it to fit, it is solid metal. And the toshiba is none the wiser.
 
airborne18 said:
My sony vaio was good, but the little sony mini-notebook was crap.

Well my new jack that I put in will not break, that is for sure. Though I had to make the jack opening larger for it to fit, it is solid metal. And the toshiba is none the wiser.

The question is raised:

If not the power cable, what part will give way next time it's yanked?

Is it possible that is a design feature, not a design flaw?
 
  • #10
Dave,

The power cable can still come free. It is that the power jack on the laptop side won't get damaged. The problem with the toshiba was that the metal jack was clipped into a thin plastic flange. Any pressure on the jack would end up splitting the flange and the metal clip. Destroying the jack.

The power cord is still the weakest link in this now, but I can buy replacement power adapters. It is the jack inside the laptop that is an expensive repair. ( Even to buy the raplacement jack from Toshiba is expensive, for the part ). I paid 4.00 at Radioshack.

Of course I had to completely disassemble the laptop and make modfications to the housing. But at least is kept me off the streets at night.
 
  • #11
airborne18 said:
Any pressure on the jack would end up splitting the flange and the metal clip. Destroying the jack.

Oh.

Bleh.
 

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