[SOLVED] Toshiba laptop MB repair for charge control

tubbster · 12-24-2008, 10:02 PM

Hi all.
I have extensive experience repairing/building audio equipment, but nada for computer motherboard work. I have a problem with a Toshiba a135 that has charge/power issues. The unit sometimes does not recognize that the ac is plugged in, or if it does, it does not charge. I do not think it is the power jack, does not act like a loose connection. Sometimes it will work correctly for hours, then acts up for a while. I see a couple ebay retailers offering repairs for this type of problem, mentioning the charge control or power router chip.
I have yet to take the unit apart. Is the chip easy to change, easy to get, and what do you suppose the probability of success is here?
For all I know it may be a cap or something nearby also.
I see this is a *very* common problem, and thus am a bit disgusted by Toshiba at this point.

**TriggerFinger** · 12-26-2008, 10:23 AM

Does it work well with a fully charged battery and AC adapter unplugged?

tubbster · 12-28-2008, 10:07 AM

Yes, it does. In fact, this is really the way I can still use it. When it is running, it will rarely charge. If I unplug either the a/c at the mains, or at the computer, it will show a charge for a few seconds, and then quit.

When I shut it off, it may or may not start to charge. I sometimes have to recycle it many times to get it to stay charging. It does not seem to be a loose connection at power jack however.

tubbster · 12-28-2008, 10:59 AM

To add to the first paragraph, I meant to say, it would quit charging. It seems incapable of charging while running, and barely capable of charging when it is not. Gotta catch it "in the mood".

tubbster · 12-28-2008, 12:44 PM

More: Today, it would not start with the battery in. Removed it, and tried just on a/c. It got about 10 seconds before screen/unit went dead.
Reinstalled battery, and now it fires up. (Without charging of course. the icon on the lower right says 82% available, plugged in, not charging).

Does this sound like a common failure mode?

**TriggerFinger** · 12-30-2008, 10:45 AM

With battery removed and ac adapter plugged in, try wiggling the DC jack while plugged in the DC jack connector. See if you get power at certain positions.

tubbster · 01-04-2009, 05:37 PM

Well, I took the whole thing apart, and noticed the connections from the jack (it is pigtailed to the board w/ 4" of wire) looked cold. I know because of the rohs solder it may look cold, but these connections had NO solder on the pad. I reheated and flowed it.

Seems to work so far!

**TriggerFinger** · 01-05-2009, 10:41 PM

Thanks for sharing the information. Kindly mark this thread as SOLVED if everything is OK now.

tubbster · 01-08-2009, 05:39 PM

I would, but can not figure out how to do that! What looks like a hyperlink to do that, is not????

12-24-2008, 10:02 PM	#1 (permalink)
tubbster Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 6 OS: vista sp2	[SOLVED] Toshiba laptop MB repair for charge control Hi all. I have extensive experience repairing/building audio equipment, but nada for computer motherboard work. I have a problem with a Toshiba a135 that has charge/power issues. The unit sometimes does not recognize that the ac is plugged in, or if it does, it does not charge. I do not think it is the power jack, does not act like a loose connection. Sometimes it will work correctly for hours, then acts up for a while. I see a couple ebay retailers offering repairs for this type of problem, mentioning the charge control or power router chip. I have yet to take the unit apart. Is the chip easy to change, easy to get, and what do you suppose the probability of success is here? For all I know it may be a cap or something nearby also. I see this is a very common problem, and thus am a bit disgusted by Toshiba at this point.

12-26-2008, 10:23 AM	#2 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,802 OS: Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: Toshiba laptop MB repair for charge control Does it work well with a fully charged battery and AC adapter unplugged? __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Disk Copy HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE

12-28-2008, 10:07 AM	#3 (permalink)
tubbster Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 6 OS: vista sp2	Re: Toshiba laptop MB repair for charge control Yes, it does. In fact, this is really the way I can still use it. When it is running, it will rarely charge. If I unplug either the a/c at the mains, or at the computer, it will show a charge for a few seconds, and then quit. When I shut it off, it may or may not start to charge. I sometimes have to recycle it many times to get it to stay charging. It does not seem to be a loose connection at power jack however.

12-28-2008, 10:59 AM	#4 (permalink)
tubbster Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 6 OS: vista sp2	Re: Toshiba laptop MB repair for charge control To add to the first paragraph, I meant to say, it would quit charging. It seems incapable of charging while running, and barely capable of charging when it is not. Gotta catch it "in the mood".

12-28-2008, 12:44 PM	#5 (permalink)
tubbster Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 6 OS: vista sp2	Re: Toshiba laptop MB repair for charge control More: Today, it would not start with the battery in. Removed it, and tried just on a/c. It got about 10 seconds before screen/unit went dead. Reinstalled battery, and now it fires up. (Without charging of course. the icon on the lower right says 82% available, plugged in, not charging). Does this sound like a common failure mode?

12-30-2008, 10:45 AM	#6 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,802 OS: Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: Toshiba laptop MB repair for charge control With battery removed and ac adapter plugged in, try wiggling the DC jack while plugged in the DC jack connector. See if you get power at certain positions. __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Disk Copy HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE

01-04-2009, 05:37 PM	#7 (permalink)
tubbster Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 6 OS: vista sp2	Re: Toshiba laptop MB repair for charge control Well, I took the whole thing apart, and noticed the connections from the jack (it is pigtailed to the board w/ 4" of wire) looked cold. I know because of the rohs solder it may look cold, but these connections had NO solder on the pad. I reheated and flowed it. Seems to work so far!

01-05-2009, 10:41 PM	#8 (permalink)
TriggerFinger Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: USA Posts: 11,802 OS: Vista SP1, XP SP3, PCLinuxOS2007	Re: Toshiba laptop MB repair for charge control Thanks for sharing the information. Kindly mark this thread as SOLVED if everything is OK now. __________________ DBAN - Memtest86+ - BartPE - Linux LiveCD - ImgBurn - HDD Diags - Disk Copy HOW TO BURN AN ISO FILE

01-08-2009, 05:39 PM	#9 (permalink)
tubbster Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 6 OS: vista sp2	Re: Toshiba laptop MB repair for charge control I would, but can not figure out how to do that! What looks like a hyperlink to do that, is not????