HP spectre x360 13” is not charging, no charging light nor booting

[Screamm]

AC Adapter is fine (meassured it)

It seems I also have the known motherboard capacitator issue with HP Spectre x360.

Charging light wont come on and laptop not booting up.

Was hoping mabye a HP representative could help me out?

Burnt capacitator

Kind regards 

David

[CherylG]

@Screamm

Sorry to hear about your Spectre. In the past HP has offered repairs to some but I'm not sure they can even still get motherboards for that age Spectre. You "might" be offered a credit toward cost of a new laptop-may get nothing. I have no idea other than seeing other owner's posts.

A couple members have used this service and reported good results. If he doesn't have your specific model listed he says to contact and he will create a listing. Just click on any of the Spectre pages and then use "Contact Seller" is how, I assume, that works.

https://www.ebay.com/str/computerspartsrus?_pgn=5&rt=nc

Good luck with your Spectre!

[Screamm]

CherylG, Thank you for the reply!

I was hoping maybe HP would help since its a known design error of the product and not a wear&tear matter.

I have just opened the Spectre x360 and can confirm that there is atleast one burnt circuit where everyone else is having the same issue. (photo attached where you can see it has burnt through the white sticker)

 

[CherylG]

@Screamm

Yes, that is the same defective capacitor others with Spectre 4xxx series have had. Problem is-HP doesn't do capacitor repairs,afaik. They replace the motherboard and pretty sure they can no longer get a 3yr old board from the factory that built them for HP. Production moves forward to newer models. If you can find a local repair shop like the Ebay guy who can do unsolder/capacitor removal and solder a new one you should be back up and running.

[Screamm]

If i could just get a couple correct capacitators I could most likely solder them myself. Not sure what specs the capacitators have through. Do you happen to know CherylG?

[CherylG]

@Screamm

Sorry, I don't have any idea. Can you see any markings on them?

Might even turn up something if you do a google search for Spectre capacitors.Such as this:

https://www.reddit.com/r/spectrex360/comments/8aged1/dead_laptop_burnt_motherboard_possible_fix/

[David_J_W]

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@CherylG wrote:

@Screamm

Yes, that is the same defective capacitor others with Spectre 4xxx series have had. Problem is-HP doesn't do capacitor repairs,afaik. They replace the motherboard and pretty sure they can no longer get a 3yr old board from the factory that built them for HP. Production moves forward to newer models. If you can find a local repair shop like the Ebay guy who can do unsolder/capacitor removal and solder a new one you should be back up and running.

---

Spares availability will probably rely on storing a predetermined percentage of boards during the production life of the system. Once the production life of the system is over, it is near certain that no more new boards will be made.

I don't know what HP's policy is about component level repair of defective system boards, but even if as many defective boards as possible are repaired, the typically rather energetic failure mode of a tantalum capacitor often does the kind of physical damage to the board that a component level repairer might be able to patch back together but would never allow a manufacturer like HP to repair and release the board as manufacturer refurbished.

@IF the information at the Reddit link @CherylG posted is correct, the design engineers chose 25V tantalum capacitors, which may well be in specification for a 19V DC input (it depends on the ripple experienced in circuit and the tolerances of the various components including the power adapter) but have relatively little margin compared to the more cautious values often chosen for tantalum capacitors. In retrospect, I am sure they the engineers wished they had specified these components more cautiously to improve long term reliability - but they cannot go back now.

No matter how careful HP are in managing the dwindling supply of spares when a long term reliability issue like this arises, the time comes where there are no spares left. Moreover, any spares will likely have the same weakness in those capacitors with the attendant risk of failure. If I was reworking this board I would attempt to replace those capacitors with some of the same type and capacitance but a higher voltage rating. However, components with a higher rating may well turn out to be physically larger and unable to fit on the board.

The information at the Reddit link should, if correct, be sufficient for someone who knows what they are doing to attempt to repair their board. The first link on that page takes you to an annotated circuit diagram extract.

If the DC input has been shorted for a while, it is difficult to know how much damage the system has suffered. The Reddit poster had to replace the MOSFET used to switch the power input and chose to replace the charging controller IC as well (it is unclear whether this was simply an act of caution in light of the blown MOSFET or whether there was an issue with that chip). They also had an issue with a bad cell in their primary battery. Power adapter damage is possible, too, especially if the power adapter had been shorted for some time.

@any attempted component level repair is at your own risk, @Screamm, and you must make your own decisions about test procedures, repair techniques and component selection. If it is just one or more capacitors to replace I would consider an attempt with desoldering tweezers. The use of hot air on such a densely populated and expensive board is potentially troublesome, though there may be no other way. Good ESD practices are especially important with a board like this.

[Screamm]

Thank you for the reply @David_J_W and all great info and feedback!

Its a longshot but Im hoping maybe HP have one or a few motherboards in a secret hideout stored away for a rainy day like this  🙂

Ive had many HP laptops during the years and also ordered quite a few at work, but this is actually this first one that has broken down for me, so overall very good statistics even if you´d always want 100% working electronics for the duration you´ll be using the device.

/David

[CherylG]

@Screamm

While I  sympatize with your situation and  understand the hope of HP having a few boards "stored away" I just don't think that is realistic. I saw quite a few owners of this model get a board replaced in the past year. However, the stash evidently is depleted. In the last few months most posters have replied back that no replacement was done and they received an offer of discount coupon on a new laptop.

[Screamm]

@CherylG

I would be satisfied with a discount coupon, as long as I have a can have a working ultrabook.

Kind regards

David