# Laptop won't charge, and had electrical odor



## Toyeboy (May 28, 2008)

So i was on the internet using my Gateway laptop (M-6843) it was hooked up to the ac adapter, I start to smell and electrical odor, thought it was charging but nope get a low battery message...so eventually it shuts down b/c it doesn't have any power source. So the electrical smell is centered at the Internal power jack, and the tip of the ac adapter. I took it to my local repair shop, they tested the AC adapter, it tested fine. 

The tech smelled the power jack port and said "oh it burnt a capacitor" and all you can do is replace the motherboard." he didn't even open it up and look at it. so i've researched and i read it's common for Internal Power jacks to come loose/ go bad, and they can be replaced. maybe the burnt smell was soldier or plastic? I ordered a new power jack, i will just have to get someone to install it for me, better than a total loss. 

If a capacitor was burnt up, or the motherboard was fried, wouldn't it totally stop working? it ran for a good 30 mins on battery power after the adapter stopped charging it.


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## night_shift (Sep 8, 2009)

Hi Toyeboy and welcome TSF

Go for the loose jack, I have smelled burning from a loose jack before and replaced it and this cured the problem. 

Hope this helps quell the motherboard scare story at the moment :grin:


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## willin (Nov 8, 2008)

Thanks for the post!! Tech support at HP was of no help. Told me it was the battery and tried to get me to purchase a new battery and charger. Which by the way is OUTRAGEOUSLY expensive through them! 

Appreciate the help!!


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## Toyeboy (May 28, 2008)

night_shift said:


> Hi Toyeboy and welcome TSF
> 
> Go for the loose jack, I have smelled burning from a loose jack before and replaced it and this cured the problem.
> 
> Hope this helps quell the motherboard scare story at the moment :grin:


Yep I have ordered the part and am going to have a professional repair it... I will definitely be making a phone call to that repair shop that didn't even bother looking at it, just smelled it with his magical nose i guess? lol


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## Toyeboy (May 28, 2008)

It turned out to be the power jack, It was burnt up really bad around the power jack area though and I'm lucky I found a very good tech with electrical experience. Cost me $90


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