The laptop power supply is a unique device that provides computer equipment Without battery or when it is completely discharged. It is the power supply that provides correct operation computers and laptops in any case, and this device also allows you to charge the battery in order to be able to work outside the premises.
Unfortunately, in some cases the power supply may fail, so the user will be faced with the problem of either repairing the device or purchasing a new one. Since a new power supply is accompanied by a considerable amount of money, it is recommended that you initially take actions aimed at carrying out independent repair work. To do this, it is, of course, important to figure out how to disassemble the laptop power supply in order to identify the cause of the problem and try to fix it.
To identify the cause, it is very important for the user to penetrate into the “heart” of the power supply, so initially it won’t hurt to thoroughly familiarize yourself with the recommendations of computer gurus on how to open a laptop power supply, especially since the opening process itself for different models laptop may vary.
Standard attack algorithm
If you examine the power supply carefully, you will find that it contains a narrow seam that encircles the device around its entire perimeter. It is on this seam that you should focus your attention, but before that, prepare tools that will allow you to disassemble the power supply without causing serious problems. For these purposes, in most cases you will need a scalpel, a soldering iron and a screwdriver.
Holding a scalpel in your hands, you should carefully make cuts along the entire seam. Despite the fact that the internal elements of the power supply are accompanied by additional protection from mechanical damage, which manifests itself in the form of a special metal casing, experienced users strongly recommend performing each action slowly.
The size of the seam differs for different laptop models, so the duration of such an opening can be completely different.
In the instructions on how to open a laptop power supply, you can find recommendations aimed at using physical force. In particular, experts advise using small hammers to tap on the scalpel. Indeed, the use of a hammer in some cases is justified, but it is only important to correctly calculate your own forces so that each blow with a hammer is aimed at destroying the seam, but at the same time it should not provoke damage to the metal casing inside.
Experienced specialists use special drill attachments to speed up the process of disassembling the power supply. Of course, this will significantly speed up the process, but at the same time the risk of damage to the device during opening increases significantly, so this method can only be used by those who have already become proficient and have sufficient experience in this area.
After the seam has been cut, a screwdriver is inserted into it, which is then used as a lever. By slightly prying with a screwdriver, you will be able to completely open the laptop's power supply.
It may happen that the user discovers a “groove-tooth” type connection, then it will be enough to pry off the places of such connections, after which the power supply housing will easily separate into two halves.
Rules for disassembling the power supply on a computer
The power supply of a laptop and a computer are even different appearance, therefore, the process of assembly and disassembly is accompanied by some characteristic features. For this reason, the PC owner should delve into another algorithm, how to disassemble the computer power supply.
Algorithm for disassembling the computer power supply
The computer power supply can be disassembled not only when a situation arises indicating its inoperability. This device may be subject to heavy dust, and dust, as you know, is the most important enemy for computer equipment. Timely cleaning of the power supply unit from dust contributes to the long-term operational performance of the PC.
Initially, you should unscrew all the screws with which the power supply is connected to the system unit. After this, the rectangular metal structure can be removed onto a flat surface. It is easy to find several screws on the power supply housing, which are also important to unscrew.
After performing these steps, the fan cover will be easily removed. There is now nothing stopping you from cleaning the fan, which is a device in the cooling system.
When cleaning any components, experts recommend avoiding direct contact of the parts with human hands, since greasy areas attract more a large number of dust. For this reason, the power supply will become dirty faster.
Assembling a computer power supply is not difficult, since all the actions performed initially are carried out again in exactly the same way, but only in the reverse order.
So, everyone who has become the owner of computer equipment can, if desired, not only successfully use all of it functionality, but also, if necessary, independently “reanimate” your favorite computer. To do this, you just need to carefully study the recommendations of experienced gurus, who described step by step how to open the power supply of both a laptop and a computer.
The adapter is an external power supply for a laptop, monitor or other equipment. This device used to charge the battery or directly power the device. In some cases, if it breaks, it becomes necessary to disassemble the adapter.
You will need
- - towel;
- - hammer;
- - scalpel.
Instructions
After a few months of use, the laptop adapter may become unusable, and it itself, as a rule, is almost unreplaceable. From this article you will learn how to disassemble the laptop power supply, what tools you will need and other aspects of repairing the gadget.
Prepare the following:
- a broken power supply or a training one that you want to try;
- knife, a scalpel is suitable for opening the block;
- dry wipes, gauze or fabric scarves;
- glue and syringe;
- Screwdriver Set;
- soldering iron and solder.
Disassembling the laptop power supply
The laptop has a small-sized battery, which not only consumes less energy, but also has a simple structure. It is worth noting that if you decide that the lack of charging on the laptop is a consequence of a broken power supply, then double-check this using the appropriate program. The most common reasons include: looseness of the nest; power interruptions on the cable; the cord breaks right at the junction with the charging source.
To replace the cord, it is also necessary to disassemble the power supply, although most often it is a compressed model without the possibility of opening and deformation.
Option 1. External power supply.
How to disassemble the power supply from a laptop? It is the external adapter that is the most common option, but not the easiest to diagnose. The difficulty lies in the absence of noticeable screws or screws. The adapter is designed for opening only in specialized conditions, and not at home. Proceed according to the following instructions:
Step 1: Open the case and remove the board
- Open the power adapter case using a thin screwdriver, you can use a knife or scalpel. Press the battery case slightly and try to lift (disconnect) the plastic and open the case.
- The next step is to draw a line along the edge to finally detach the plastic. You can use the same screwdriver or use a knife.
- Some adapters have a "strap". It is located on the long side of the block and will detach itself after opening the case.
- The case will be opened in a few minutes, just open the side panels. If everything worked out for you, then the block is now divided into 2 plastic parts, inside you will find a battery. Check it for scratches, external damage and move on to the next step.
- It is necessary to carefully remove the board (metallic color) from the case. It is not attached to anything, try to keep it in its original form.
Step 2. We take out and disassemble the board
- The next step is to turn the board on its side and bend the 2 holders. They give in easily, as they are made of soft metal.
- Now try to bend the widest part of the board as carefully as possible, holding the latches.
- To remove the entire shell and free the board, use a soldering iron. If desired, you can simply bend it and solder it in the future. In addition, you will have to remove the entire lower part if the problem turns out to be in the cord.
Step 3. Board inspection and soldering
- If you noticed darkening or areas of discoloration (yellowing) on the board, then do not worry - these are changes caused by unbalanced influence of current.
- Damage to resistors. Bottom line for a non-working adapter or improper charging. In order to fix this problem You must have knowledge of the electrical part of the equipment.
- The wire. If there are breaks in the wire, replace it using solder and a soldering iron.
- Check the operation of the device using a multimeter, then close the side latches, lift the bottom panel and glue the case together. Don't forget about the special plug that is attached to the board! It needs to be soldered.
Option 2. Internal power supply
The option is more complicated, because the internal adapter of the laptop is not only difficult to reach, but also dangerous for its operation. The following instructions:
Step 1. Removing the bottom panel (by unscrewing the screws).
Step 2. Disabling the board, diagnostics
- It is necessary to remove the cable from motherboard from the corresponding connector. You will also have to do the same with other adapters; as a rule, they are smaller than the main one (their number in each laptop varies, from 1 to 3).
- The next step is to remove the screws. Use a Phillips screwdriver.
- Remove the board by moving the fasteners away. If it is located near other connectors, carefully disconnect them.
- If you want to replace the wires yourself, be careful! You may damage the entire laptop. To finish the job, install the board back in the same order.
Repairing a power supply is not easy. To begin with, you should practice on non-working elements, and only then move on to working batteries. You can do it thanks to the instructions provided!
Video about how to disassemble a laptop power supply
Falls, shocks, power surges in the network, inappropriate behavior of animals and unplanned water procedures lead to power supplies moving to a landfill, and their former owners are forced to make unexpected expenses. DIY repair chargers relatively simple, in most cases you will only need soldering equipment, inexpensive parts and your own hands. But these last ones are often omitted: how to disassemble the power supply of a laptop when there are no screws, bolts, or even plastic fasteners on its case?
In fact, the body only seems like a monolithic brick. Turn the affected power supply in your hands: a narrow seam runs along the side edges, covering the entire perimeter. It can be wide or barely noticeable, and can be covered with manufacturer stickers on top. Next we will cut, almost like surgeons. There is no need to be afraid of this: under the plastic case there is a metal casing designed to shield radiation and protect the electronic filling. To accidentally damage it, you have to try very hard, and our efforts will be aimed at repairing it.
There are many ways to disassemble a laptop power supply, and they differ mainly aesthetically. Well, or according to the tool used: you can use what you have at hand. All the diversity comes down to one thing: the body must be divided along the seam, for which it will either have to be cut along this line or separated with force. In most models, the halves are glued together, but not too firmly, or they are assembled using the “groove-to-tab” principle and are also glued together.
Cut…
To cut the plastic body of the block, you can use any cutting tool with a thin blade; A knife or scalpel will do just fine. In this case, you will need to use impact force: placing the blade on the seam line, lightly hit it with a hammer (you intuitively feel how to hit it in order to pierce the plastic and not damage the metal underneath). Once we have a cut of several centimeters, we move the blade to its beginning so that we end up with a continuous line. “Sawing” with a knife is dangerous primarily for your fingers, but if you are more used to it, you can try it.
If you have a rich arsenal of tools at hand, then you can cut the body faster and safer - using a disk attachment on a drill. In this case, the entire procedure will take a couple of minutes, and the cut will be relatively smooth. True, you will have to more carefully control the depth of immersion of the cutting disc: the risk of cutting through metal increases. In the “Modding Workshop” the process of such disassembly was captured with very detailed comments:
...or open
When there is no desire or opportunity to sit with a scalpel over every centimeter, then you can try to simply separate the halves of the body. To do this, one small cut is made along the seam, the tip of a flat-head screwdriver is inserted into it and, with slight turns, it turns into the most ancient tool - a lever. Usually, the glue that holds the plastic together flows easily, the gap grows, and after one side is freed, you can grab the body with your hands - it’s faster.
The same principle - lever - can be applied if you want to quickly, and external damage to the device is nothing, an everyday matter. In the upper and lower halves of the body (above and below the seam), closer to the corner, small holes are drilled with a conventional drill - such that the jaws of the pliers can be inserted. We move our hands apart - the seam comes apart, and all that’s left to do is use a flat screwdriver or a knife to help the seam come apart completely.
If you can’t leave marks on the case, but you can dispose of everything else as you like (for example, in the warranty department), then it’s permissible to use radical surgery. We cut off the cable through which the laptop should be charged, right up to the outlet hole, so that not a tail is left. In this hole we use the lever available to us (the most convenient is the same pliers). The hands were separated - the halves fell apart (if not completely, then it’s not difficult to help). It doesn’t take long to solder the wire; it will only become shorter by a few centimeters.
There are also extremely exotic ways to break the power supply case into two halves: slam it against the wall, hit it with a hammer, press in a vice until the seams burst, inject solvent into the seam with a syringe. True, after such experiments, along with the plastic that fell on the floor, the performance of the device may also drop.
Assembly
We dealt with the most difficult part - the body was removed. Underneath is a metal casing that protects the environment from electronic radiation and the electronics from damage. No more frills are required: it is simply secured with technical tape or electrical tape. It is enough to peel it off or cut it to get to the insides.
So, disassembling the power supply from the laptop turned out to be not scary, not long and not expensive. After all the repair procedures, all that remains is to put it back together. Many, without further ado, simply wrap the casing on top with electrical tape, since it usually lies somewhere on the floor next to the outlet anyway. Aesthetes, on the other hand, can return their device to an almost factory appearance if they disassemble it carefully. To do this, you will need any dark-colored adhesive: epoxy resin, dichloroethane, rubber glue, silicone. Just remember that power supplies get very hot, so the composition must be heat-resistant. The edges of the halves are cleaned of any irregularities left by the knife, coated with glue, the body is assembled, excess glue is removed, and the surface is sanded. Who will now say that the power supply was disassembled?
An ordinary laptop power supply is a very compact and fairly powerful switching power supply.
If it malfunctions, many simply throw it away and, as a replacement, buy a universal power supply for laptops, the cost of which starts from 1000 rubles. But in most cases, you can repair such a block yourself.
We will talk about repairing the power supply from an ASUS laptop. It's also an AC/DC power adapter. Model ADP-90CD. Output voltage 19V, maximum load current 4.74A.
The power supply itself was working, which was clear from the presence of a green LED indication. The voltage at the output plug corresponded to what is indicated on the label - 19V.
There was no break in the connecting wires or breakage of the plug. But when the power supply was connected to the laptop, the battery did not start charging, and the green indicator on its case went out and glowed at half its original brightness.
You could also hear the unit beeping. It became clear that the switching power supply was trying to start, but for some reason either an overload occurred or the short circuit protection was triggered.
A few words about how you can open the case of such a power supply. It is no secret that it is made hermetically sealed, and the design itself does not require disassembly. To do this we will need several tools.
Take a hand jigsaw or a jigsaw blade. It is better to take a blade for metal with a fine tooth. The power supply itself is best clamped in a vice. If they are not there, then you can contrive and do without them.
Next, using a hand jigsaw, we make a cut 2-3 mm deep into the body. in the middle of the body along the connecting seam. The cut must be done carefully. If you overdo it, you can damage the printed circuit board or electronic filling.
Then we take a flat screwdriver with a wide edge, insert it into the cut and split the halves of the body. There is no need to rush. When the housing halves separate, a characteristic click should occur.
After the power supply case is opened, remove the plastic dust with a brush or brush and take out the electronic filling.
To inspect the elements on the printed circuit board, you will need to remove the aluminum heatsink bar. In my case, the strip was attached to other parts of the radiator with latches, and was also glued to the transformer with something like silicone sealant. I managed to separate the strip from the transformer with the sharp blade of a pocket knife.
The photo shows the electronic filling of our unit.
It didn’t take long to find the fault itself. Even before opening the case, I made test switches. After a couple of connections to the 220V network, something crackled inside the unit and the green indicator indicating operation completely went out.
When inspecting the case, a liquid electrolyte was discovered that had leaked into the gap between the power connector and the elements of the case. It became clear that the power supply stopped functioning properly due to the fact that the 120 uF * 420V electrolytic capacitor “slammed” due to the operating voltage in the 220V power supply being exceeded. Quite an ordinary and widespread malfunction.
When dismantling the capacitor, its outer shell crumbled. Apparently it lost its properties due to prolonged heating.
The protective valve in the upper part of the housing is “swollen” - this is a sure sign of a faulty capacitor.
Here is another example with a faulty capacitor. This is a different power adapter from a laptop. Pay attention to the protective notch on the top of the capacitor housing. It burst open from the pressure of the boiling electrolyte.
In most cases, it is quite easy to bring the power supply back to life. First you need to replace the main culprit of the breakdown.
At that time, I had two suitable capacitors at hand. I decided not to install the 82 uF * 450V SAMWHA capacitor, although it was the perfect size.
The fact is that its maximum operating temperature is +85 0 C. It is indicated on its body. And if you consider that the power supply case is compact and not ventilated, the temperature inside it can be very high.
Prolonged heating has a very bad effect on the reliability of electrolytic capacitors. Therefore, I installed a Jamicon capacitor with a capacity of 68 uF * 450V, which is designed for operating temperature up to 105 0 C.
It is worth considering that the capacity of the native capacitor is 120 µF, and the operating voltage is 420V. But I had to install a capacitor with a smaller capacity.
In the process of repairing laptop power supplies, I encountered the fact that it is very difficult to find a replacement capacitor. And the point is not at all in the capacity or operating voltage, but in its dimensions.
Finding a suitable capacitor that would fit into the cramped housing proved to be a challenge. Therefore, it was decided to install a product that was suitable in size, albeit with a smaller capacity. The main thing is that the capacitor itself is new, of high quality and with an operating voltage of at least 420~450V. As it turned out, even with such capacitors the power supplies work properly.
When sealing a new electrolytic capacitor, you must strictly observe polarity connection of pins! Typically, the PCB will have a "" sign next to the hole. + " or " - ". In addition, the minus may be marked with a thick black line or a mark in the form of a spot.
On the capacitor body on the negative terminal side there is a mark in the form of a strip with a minus sign " - ".
When you turn it on for the first time after repair, keep your distance from the power supply, since if the polarity of the connection is reversed, the capacitor will “pop” again. This may cause electrolyte to get into your eyes. This is extremely dangerous! If possible, wear safety glasses.
And now I’ll tell you about the “rake” that it’s better not to step on.
Before changing anything, you need to thoroughly clean the board and circuit elements from liquid electrolyte. This is not a pleasant job.
The fact is that when an electrolytic capacitor slams, the electrolyte inside it bursts out under high pressure in the form of splashes and steam. It, in turn, instantly condenses on nearby parts, as well as on the elements of the aluminum radiator.
Since the installation of the elements is very dense, and the housing itself is small, the electrolyte gets into the most difficult to reach places.
Of course, you can cheat and not clean out all the electrolyte, but this is fraught with problems. The trick is that the electrolyte conducts well electricity. I was convinced of this from my own experience. And although I cleaned the power supply very carefully, I didn’t desolder the inductor and clean the surface under it; I was in a hurry.
As a result, after the power supply was assembled and connected to the mains, it worked properly. But after a minute or two, something crackled inside the case, and the power indicator went out.
After opening it, it turned out that the remaining electrolyte under the throttle closed the circuit. This caused the fuse to blow. T3.15A 250V via 220V input circuit. In addition, in the place of the short circuit everything was covered with soot, and the wire at the inductor that connected its screen and the common wire on the printed circuit board had burned out.
The same throttle. The burnt wire was restored.
Soot from a short circuit on the printed circuit board directly under the throttle.
As you can see, it was a big hit.
The first time I replaced the fuse with a new one from a similar power supply. But when it burned down the second time, I decided to restore it. This is what the fuse on the board looks like.
And here's what's inside. It itself can be easily disassembled; you just need to press the latches at the bottom of the case and remove the cover.
To restore it, you need to remove the remains of the burnt wire and the remains of the insulating tube. Take a thin wire and solder it in place of the original one. Then assemble the fuse.
Some will say that this is a "bug". But I don't agree. When there is a short circuit, the thinnest wire in the circuit burns out. Sometimes even the copper traces on the printed circuit board burn out. So if something happens, our homemade fuse will do its job. Of course, you can get by with a jumper made of thin wire by soldering it to the contact pads on the board.
In some cases, in order to clean out all the electrolyte, it may be necessary to dismantle the cooling radiators, and along with them, active elements such as MOSFET transistors and dual diodes.
As you can see, liquid electrolyte may also remain under coiling products, such as chokes. Even if it dries, it may cause corrosion of the terminals in the future. A clear example is in front of you. Due to electrolyte residues, one of the capacitor terminals in the input filter completely corroded and fell off. This is one of the power adapters from the laptop that I had for repair.
Let's return to our power supply. After cleaning the remaining electrolyte and replacing the capacitor, you need to check it without connecting it to the laptop. Measure the output voltage at the output plug. If everything is in order, then we assemble the power adapter.
I must say that this is a very labor-intensive task. First.
The cooling radiator of the power supply consists of several aluminum plates. They are fastened together with latches and are also glued together with something resembling silicone sealant. It can be removed with a pocket knife.
The top radiator cover is attached to the main part with latches.
The bottom plate of the radiator is fixed to the printed circuit board by soldering, usually in one or two places. Between her and printed circuit board an insulating plate made of plastic is placed.
A few words about how to fasten the two halves of the body, which we sawed with a jigsaw at the very beginning.
In the simplest case, you can simply assemble the power supply and wrap the case halves with electrical tape. But this is not the best option.
I used hot melt glue to glue the two plastic halves together. Since I don’t have a hot-melt gun, I used a knife to cut off pieces of hot-melt glue from the tube and put them in the grooves. After that, I took a hot-air soldering station, set the degrees to about 200~250 0 C. Then I heated the pieces of hot-melt adhesive with a hairdryer until they melted. I removed excess glue with a toothpick and once again blew it on the soldering station with a hairdryer.
It is advisable not to overheat the plastic and generally avoid excessive heating of foreign parts. For example, the plastic of the case began to lighten when warmed up strongly.
Despite this, it turned out very well.
Now I’ll say a few words about other malfunctions.
In addition to such simple breakdowns as a collapsed capacitor or a break in the connecting wires, there are also such as a break in the inductor output in the line filter circuit. Here is a photo.
It would seem that it was no big deal, I unwinded the coil and soldered it in place. But it takes a lot of time to find such a malfunction. It is not possible to detect it immediately.
You've probably already noticed that large-sized elements, such as the same electrolytic capacitor, filter chokes and some other parts, are covered with something like a white sealant. It would seem, why is it needed? And now it is clear that with its help large parts are fixed, which can fall off due to shaking and vibration, like this very throttle that is shown in the photo.
By the way, initially it was not securely fastened. It chatted and chatted, and fell off, taking the life of another power supply from the laptop.
I suspect that such trivial breakdowns end up sending thousands of compact and fairly powerful power supplies to landfills!
For a radio amateur, such a switching power supply with an output voltage of 19 - 20 volts and a load current of 3-4 amperes is simply a godsend! Not only is it very compact, it is also quite powerful. Generally, the power of power adapters is 40~90W.
Unfortunately, in case of more serious faults, such as failure of electronic components on a printed circuit board, repairs are complicated by the fact that it is quite difficult to find a replacement for the same PWM controller chip.
It’s not even possible to find a datasheet for a specific microcircuit. Among other things, repairs are complicated by the abundance of SMD components, the markings of which are either difficult to read or it is impossible to purchase a replacement element.
It is worth noting that the vast majority of laptop power adapters are made of very high quality. This can be seen at least by the presence of coil parts and chokes that are installed in the network filter circuit. It suppresses electromagnetic interference. Some low-quality power supplies from stationary PCs may not have such elements at all.