Charging Port Problem on DV7-3079wm

[sharpshooter96]

Hi everybody.  I have searched the forum for this issue and other places and I think I probably know what the problem is but I wanted to make sure before I go ahead with trying to fix it and get some opinions on my specific problem.

I have a HP Pavilion DV7-3079wm running Windows 7 64bit.  I am having problems with charging the laptop.  I have already replaced the battery to rule that problem out but I  needed one anyways because the old one wasn't holding a charge anymore.

So the problem is when I plug in my AC adapter most of the time it doesnt even recognize I plugged it in.  No charge light on the side or the front.  So then if I slowly wiggle it out or try to angle it to one direction or the other eventually it will catch a connection and then 1 of 2 things happens.  Either it charges the laptop as long as I don't move the charger from whatever position its in OR it pops up a message saying "Smart AC output Adapter is too low for this computer." and then either proceeds to charge the laptop or it just says "plugged in, not charging".  

I don't know if my problem is the AC adapter or if the port inside the laptop is messed up, which from what I have read on other forums requires either a new motherboard or tearing my laptop down and re-soldering a new charge port onto the motherboard.  

I hate to buy a new AC adapter if thats not the problem.  Also other than this problem I am very happy with my laptop and was actually planning to max out the memory and upgrade it to a SSD but I dont want to sink the money into it until I get this problem resolved.  Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

[DeadGuy]

If wiggling the wire works, then definitely a faulted charger's cable, which means you need a new charger, and you'll need to be careful folding the new one's cable. If wiggling the jack at the end of the charger's cable, then you need to check both the jack and the socket and see if any of those is damaged/loose, if it's the jack, then charger again, if it's the socket, then you'll need to get a replacement. If you don't wanna buy a new AC charger before you're 100% sure that you need a new one, then find a friend with the same laptop and borrow their charger and see how it goes.......

[Huffer]

And worst case the charging jack is modular and can be replaced without any soldering if that turns out to be the issue. I don't agree that if you can wiggle the plug in the socket and make it charge, that means it has to be the charger. I think you should take your charger to an electronics store like Radio Shack and see if they will check the output with a Multi-Meter. If the adapter checks out OK the next thing to check is the jack.

[sharpshooter96]

Its not the actual wiggling of the wire itself, what I meant was when I plug the end of the ac adapter into the socket of the computer it doesn't seem to ever make a connection until I move the end of the ac adapter ( in circular motions or left, right, up, or down, all while slowly pulling it back out of the socket).  When it does catch a connection I will try to leave the ac adapter wire in that position and set something up against it so that it doesn't move outta that position and it works fine.  Until it gets bumped outta position or I have to unplug it.  That kinda seems to me like the socket is malfunctioning or like it is loose and only works when i get it positioned just right so that it makes a connection again.  Maybe I'm wrong tho and it is the AC adapter.  I will see if I can find anyone that will let me borrow theirs so we can try to rule that out.

[sharpshooter96]

@Huffer. That would be awesome if the socket is modular and doesn't require soldering. From what I have read everyone always says you have to solder. Do you happen to know what part# and where I could get that part? I have access to a multimeter so I could test my ac adapter. I will have to google what voltages to look for though and the actual procedure to do that. I will also still try to borrow a friends ac adapter as well.

[Huffer]

You want the Service Manual:

Manual Download

(8a) Power connector cable (also spared separately) 538085-001

Look on Page 3-2 it is item 8a. You can buy the cable as part of the whole cable kit 516328-001 or under the part # above, separately.

Here it is on eBay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Genuine-for-HP-PAVILION-DV7-3080US-DC-Power-Jack-Harnes-Cable-538085-001...

There is a nice picture so you can see what it looks like. 

[sharpshooter96]

So I tested the Ac adapter with a multimeter.  It is a 90w power supply and says the output should be 19volts.  I put the negative lead against the ouside of the plug and put the positive inside.  Certain spots on the inside jump around in voltage all over the place and some settle on 19.6.  Some spots stopped on 14-15.  Some spots even read 0.0.  I know anything around 19 is correct but the lower numbers are throwing me off.  Could this be a bad ac  adapter?  I am still hunting for someone that has one that I can borrow to try out.  

If it turns out to be the port though kudos to Huffer for the info on the part I need.  I have it saved in my favorites if and when i need to order it. 

[Huffer]

If you want to give Kudos click on the Kudos icon and you will give Kudos, but hey I appreciate the shout out anyway.

[DeadGuy]

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@sharpshooter96 wrote:

So I tested the Ac adapter with a multimeter.  It is a 90w power supply and says the output should be 19volts.  I put the negative lead against the ouside of the plug and put the positive inside.  Certain spots on the inside jump around in voltage all over the place and some settle on 19.6.  Some spots stopped on 14-15.  Some spots even read 0.0.  I know anything around 19 is correct but the lower numbers are throwing me off.  Could this be a bad ac  adapter?  I am still hunting for someone that has one that I can borrow to try out.  

If it turns out to be the port though kudos to Huffer for the info on the part I need.  I have it saved in my favorites if and when i need to order it. 

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Sounds like a bad jack to me, try and see if there's "rust" like spots on it (Either the exterior part or the interior one), if so, try cleaning it out.

Reading your last post, I'm 90% sure that it's just a bad charger's jack.

Good luck!

[Huffer]

I would keep trying to find another adapter to check it out.