m15x: Power supply problem...

what to do?

is that just insulating cables I'm seeing there? hopefully they're not electrified....

 

if you could get me a cleaner picture (not so blurry) I can tell ya. Should be okay though. that bendy stuff there is just for stress relief. I've seen that happen a few times actually, but, if you don't fix it, it will cause problems. contact Alienware for a replacement. In the meantime, I would go to Radio Shack and get some cherry tape to repair that. Not electrical tape. Cherry tape is what it is called. Electrical tape is sticky. Cherry tape leaves no residue. They should know what your talking about. I'll try to research some for you.

Well, it's only called Cherry Tape in the military. I have no idea what's it's called out in the real world. Basically it's non adhesive insulating tape. I think it's the same stuff you use in automobile harness wraps. Actually pretty sure of that. Autozone may have something similiar.

 

excellent suggestion, however radio shack doesn't exist anymore... I'll be getting a better picture very shortly.

After I saw the posting I kind cringed at the quality. soon soon.

 

Hey Mystik,

I had that on my newly shipped m15x, no wonder they have outsourced all the manufacturing of these parts to China. They are loosing the quality - making real money. Even the smart bay battery and smart bay cage has Made in China written onto it.

I fixed it with non-adhesive tape, as I cannot send this back to States for repair or replacement.

 

Cool. I do see two copper leads, well, at least bright shiny things. If they are indeed the copper leads, then you run a high risk of arcing. If they are still insulated, you should be okay. Oh, and btw,

http://www.radioshack.com/home/index.jsp

 

ahaa... steady hand this time same as mine.... fix it with non-adhesive tape. That's what I call it. try to push the coating inside the adaptor as much as you can, do not apply too much force. Then fix it with tape.

 

they are not copper leads but just the protective cover for the wires.

 

yeah, you should be fine. Seems the internal wires are still intact. I wouldn't worry. Just get some of that tape I was referring too, or electrical tape (it's just messy as hell) and reinforce. Good luck

 

I would consider opening it up and just trying to move the cable over so that it's properly shielded (even if it required a bit of retouching on the solder)... I once cut a heavily frayed keyboard cable (Logitech Elite), and resoldered the connections for the USB line directly onto the keyboard's circuitry... never had another problem with that keyboard until it's retirement (about 2 months ago)... I think I had it for nearly 8 years... maybe longer.

However, if I do, would it void my warranty? if I had a major problem with my m15x, would they just blame my "modded power supply"? and if the power supply actually burned out, would they replace it after I've tampered with it?

I'm thinking I should just bite the bullet, send it back and have it looked at... I really don't want to have to go without my laptop during the school year (it's my primary source of entertainment and note-taking during this time), especially for as long as it will take them to actually examine all the problems... though, I'm thinking most of them don't have answers. it's just "the way it is"...

Christ, I sent back my Multimedia remote control last week because the battery swelled up and it wouldn't fit into my expresscard slot anymore... what more could possibly go wrong? (don't get me wrong, I love my m15x... I just wish everything was a little more durable and worked as expected.)

 

... and I don't see a single store in ontario.

... thanks... for nothing.

p.s. when I say a store no longer exists, it's gone. finito. in fact, I believe radio shack can't come back in ontario as "the source" still owns the copyrights to the name.

 

If you open it, it will probably void your warranty. Not only that, if you don't know how to discharge the capacitors inside the pwr supply, you might just shock the sh*t out of yourself.

 

Ahh, and you probably don't have a fry's or anything do you. Try an automotive store for the tape, should be able to find it there, as it's the same stuff they use in wiring harnesses.

 

thanks man!

as for taking the PSU apart, I'd leave it connected to the laptop, and unplug it from the wall... that'd probably discharge all the voltage in it...

 

No problems there..

It's just the shield you see, all these type off cables have a shield mostly wire 1e layer, and the 2e layer mostly metal or copper or plastic it's called EMC protection.

Just like findvikas was telling, try to push it back.. fix it with a cable tie from inside the PSU, or a cable clamp..

PS: don't use cheap cable tie's but with alu lock inside
you lock it for the rest of your life with that... heat resistant etc...etc..

 

Thanks, I wasn't planning on dismantling the PSU though... there's no screws... if there were, I would consider it...

I just don't have a bonding agent to re-seal the unit, else, I'd consider it.

thanks to everyone for the affirmation. I figured it was only shielding, but I wanted a second (or fifth) opinion.

 

I have the same exact problem... Anyone else?

 

I have exactly the same issue.

I sent the laptop back with a long list of issues this being one, when i finally got the laptop back this was one of the issues overlooked.

i think i'll go with the electricians tape option though as im not losing the use of my laptop while the powersupply sits in a warehouse for three weeks waiting to be looked at.

 

Maybe you can get them to send you a new power supply and when you receive it, you can send the broken one back and you won't get charged for it.

That's what they did with my replacement keyboard.

 

but the "new" PSU is going to end up with the same problem eventually... at this point, I'd rather find some type of plastic bonding agent, crack it open, fix it myself, then just buy a new one if it ever fails in any significant way.

not a big deal... the PSU is what? $40?