trying to replace a power jack on a laptop (bottom of laptop indicates 19v, 3.4a device), seem to have found one that is the right size (as far as the hole and center pin), but im worried about several things.
1. original power jack was a small cubish plastic thing, new one is (here http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&product%5Fid=274-1583) twice as long and will make internal wiring a pain. although it will be much more rugged from an external day to day use perspective (since the jack itself will rest in the hole in the plastic casing of the laptop, and stick out a little bit from the laptop, the jack itself would be secured to the plastic casing, which would take most if not all the stress of plug/unplug, instead of the soldered contacts taking the stress and eventually breaking as likely happened to this laptop originally)
2. the current this jack can handle. should i be worried about what level of volts/amperage this jack can handle? it doesnt say whats its rated for
3. do i need to worry about negative ground vs positive ground polarity as far as the jack?
4. the original jack and the new jack seem to have both used 3 connections. i assume positive, negative, and ground. unfortunately im not sure which was which. the original jack had 3 little legs (one on each side and one in the center) on the bottom and has a tiny "-+ AMP" inscription on the top (when viewed from the back), and i assume that tells me the side on which + and - (- on left, + on right) was with the center being the ground. the contacts on the motherboard are also arranged in a triangle like fashion similar to the legs, and i again assume the center one is the ground, but im not sure. the coax jack gives no indication of which is which except for a diagram on the back of the packaging which informs you which is the "center plug" on the left (which i assume is the hot or positive contact) and "shell" (which i assume is ground) again in the center. so that only leaves the third unlabled contact on the right which i assume is negative. so left and right, + and - seem to be switched from the two jacks, or im guessing wrong, or there is no standard for left and right?
5. the packaging also says there is an on/off switch, but i see no such device, it all seems to be metal and plastic. perhaps i am misinterpreting "switch" ?
6. the same diagram also indicates that there is a "normally closed switch contact" between "shell" and the unnamed contact. this seems to be related to #5. if its normally closed that seems to imply you can open it, but again i dont see any mechanism to do so. perhaps this is simply referring to how you would choose to install the jack, with an open or closed circuit...? or refers to what you would solder it to? it seems it would nicely fit a relay
7. since this jack is bigger then the previous one, it comes very close to some electronic components that the previous one did not. with the current going through these contacts, should i be worried about the electric field interfering with other parts of the computer? i was planning to insulate the contact anyway to prevent accidental shorts
8. what gauge wire should i use to carry the needed current from the jack contacts to the board contacts?
9. the packaging also shows what seems to be the a clock with a J at 6 oclock, the 3 missing from 3 oclock, and some strange symbol at 12 oclock, whats this mean?
10. in general, my question is, would this be the right jack (or rather, would it do the job?) to use with a notebook, can i get it working? or is this completely the wrong idea
thanks
~Zippy!
1. original power jack was a small cubish plastic thing, new one is (here http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&product%5Fid=274-1583) twice as long and will make internal wiring a pain. although it will be much more rugged from an external day to day use perspective (since the jack itself will rest in the hole in the plastic casing of the laptop, and stick out a little bit from the laptop, the jack itself would be secured to the plastic casing, which would take most if not all the stress of plug/unplug, instead of the soldered contacts taking the stress and eventually breaking as likely happened to this laptop originally)
2. the current this jack can handle. should i be worried about what level of volts/amperage this jack can handle? it doesnt say whats its rated for
3. do i need to worry about negative ground vs positive ground polarity as far as the jack?
4. the original jack and the new jack seem to have both used 3 connections. i assume positive, negative, and ground. unfortunately im not sure which was which. the original jack had 3 little legs (one on each side and one in the center) on the bottom and has a tiny "-+ AMP" inscription on the top (when viewed from the back), and i assume that tells me the side on which + and - (- on left, + on right) was with the center being the ground. the contacts on the motherboard are also arranged in a triangle like fashion similar to the legs, and i again assume the center one is the ground, but im not sure. the coax jack gives no indication of which is which except for a diagram on the back of the packaging which informs you which is the "center plug" on the left (which i assume is the hot or positive contact) and "shell" (which i assume is ground) again in the center. so that only leaves the third unlabled contact on the right which i assume is negative. so left and right, + and - seem to be switched from the two jacks, or im guessing wrong, or there is no standard for left and right?
5. the packaging also says there is an on/off switch, but i see no such device, it all seems to be metal and plastic. perhaps i am misinterpreting "switch" ?
6. the same diagram also indicates that there is a "normally closed switch contact" between "shell" and the unnamed contact. this seems to be related to #5. if its normally closed that seems to imply you can open it, but again i dont see any mechanism to do so. perhaps this is simply referring to how you would choose to install the jack, with an open or closed circuit...? or refers to what you would solder it to? it seems it would nicely fit a relay
7. since this jack is bigger then the previous one, it comes very close to some electronic components that the previous one did not. with the current going through these contacts, should i be worried about the electric field interfering with other parts of the computer? i was planning to insulate the contact anyway to prevent accidental shorts
8. what gauge wire should i use to carry the needed current from the jack contacts to the board contacts?
9. the packaging also shows what seems to be the a clock with a J at 6 oclock, the 3 missing from 3 oclock, and some strange symbol at 12 oclock, whats this mean?
10. in general, my question is, would this be the right jack (or rather, would it do the job?) to use with a notebook, can i get it working? or is this completely the wrong idea
thanks
~Zippy!
