ToughBook DC Input Jacks Reconsidered

Toughbook cases are tough. Their motherboards are not extraordinarily tough. Supporting DC input jacks by their motherboards seems a design flaw because those DC sockets could be a case-mounted. Electrical connection between input jack and motherboard is not improved by being mechanically rigid. Flexible insulated wires could electrically join input jack to motherboard while eliminating that direct mechanical connection.

Consider the following DC input jack options offered through eBay:
Ebay 120182098992
$2.99 + $2.99 = $5.98 quantity 2

Those are the units I'm currently considering to replace the early-style
EIAJ RC-5320A Type 5 connector by vendor Hosiden Vendor whose
part number is HEC3900-01-010 supplied on Toughbook CF-72 Mark 4.
If I find a suitable case location, future motherboard damage from input-jack physical loads will become highly unlikely instead of being a failure-prone area.

Those who experience these failures who are not prepared to consider trying to improve on this weak design area might consider these replacement jacks:
Ebay 300135831113
$1.99 + $1.25 = $3.24 quantity 1
$3.98 + $1.50 = $5.48 quantity 2

I'd like to hear other's thoughts about this replacement issue before I order a pair of replacement jacks. I have no interest in duplicating the original odd-ball input jack. It has two tiny center pins inside a non-circular exterior hole. That non-circular hole is intended to prevent plug rotation by locking into its original non-circular plug. Connecting with late-style round barrel-type plugs risks bending those tiny pins. That's exactly what occurred after repeatedly connecting into this 1.6 ghz CF-72 with one of my later-style Toughbook DC power supplies. Surprisingly, the late-style power supply plug accepts those two tiny pins. Eventually, the barrel-shaped plug was accidentally rotated inside the non-circular hole, bending those center pins together. Not only did this damage the DC input jack but it also rendered the laptop inoperative. After separating those pins, it no longer boots. I hear the disk drive spin but the screen doesn't illuminate.

Thanks for your considered input,
John

 

I hear ya about the less-than-tough power jack design.. But surprisingly, I can only recall one or two power jack failures in the dozens of toughbooks I've owned. Now the AC adapter is a different story.. I've mutilated a couple of them myself. Nothing rugged at all about them.. just an ordinary consumer-grade adapter.

Anyway your concept is a sound one, but do you really have enough vacant real estate on a 72 for that jack? There's absolutely nowhere on a 28 that you could mount a 1/2" locknut.

 

John -

Do yourself a favor and seek out a different panel mount power connector. One of my service contracts is for a line of custom kiosk terminals for gift registry; they used that very connector as power for the LCD. They look rugged, but the plastic they're made of becomes brittle very quickly, or perhaps simply has poor tensile strength.
All I know for sure is last year we had to retrofit that entire line of kiosks because the jacks would split apart at the threads under the nut then short out against the chassis of the LCD, presenting a fire/shock hazard. These units were all 1-2 years in service.

mnem
Electrons are lazy; they'll go wherever it's easiest to go, even if they have to carry fire along with them...

 

Thanks for the excellent responses.
"seek out a different panel mount power connector. One of my service contracts is for a line of custom kiosk terminals for gift registry; they used that very connector as power for the LCD. They look rugged, but the plastic they're made of becomes brittle very quickly, or perhaps simply has poor tensile strength.
All I know for sure is last year we had to retrofit that entire line of kiosks because the jacks would split apart at the threads under the nut then short out against the chassis of the LCD, presenting a fire/shock hazard. These units were all 1-2 years in service."

Your response prompted me to go back to the eBay offer and carefully examine the enlarged photograph. Visible near to top of the male threaded section is a small area where the black plastic has broken away. Failure-mode analysis provides information about how specific materials behave under various high-stress circumstances. Your comment indicates that the plastic of which these mountable sockets are made is brittle and subject to separation failure. This photograph clearly supports your multiple-failure observations.

We have a lot of eyes seeing potential candidate case-mountable DC sockets. When I was a kid, a friend had a Zenith Royal 500D transistor radio the case of which was formed of black nylon. It was wonderfully tough and despite repeated impacts including a fall into traffic from a bicycle, that case never cracked. Hubble, a manufacturer of tough-duty electrical connectors selected nylon as their material for cord connectors which seem able to survive being run over by forklift trucks.

I think black nylon would be an ideal material choice. Does anyone know of any suitable really tough and durable but small chassis/case-mountable DC sockets for those who'd like to replace failing motherboard-mounted DC sockets?

If we don't find a candidate, I'll suggest creating such a socket to Hubble. I think future Toughbooks should be made with case-mounted rather than motherboard-mounted DC input sockets.
John

 

If only Panasonic reps could visit this forum more often and see what people really want in a toughbook...

I agree with Gravitar though, the DC input isn't too bad. I've had 4 toughbooks now and none of them have broke the input yet, and I'm pretty rough on my stuff. The AC adapter needs a huge overhaul though and should be hammer proof... though most people don't have it plugged into power while they are doing stupid things with their laptop.

 

I think the jacks are fine as they are. Weaknesses can be exploited on just about anything made... Even the Toughbook. I agree that the AC adapters should have been a little more rugged. I don't know about hammer proof but certainly a little more rubber around the corners.

 

In that case, I better set down my hammer then...

 

*Hands Modly a BFW to use instead of his BFH*:wink:

mnem
Attitudes adjusted...get your attitude adjusted RIGHT HERE WHILE U WAIT!!!:twitcy:

 

Heh... I can see TB glueing LCD corner rubbers to his shiny new Kensington AC Adaptor even as we speak...:smile:

Hey TB - didn't I tell you it LOOKED like it belongs with a ToughBook?:laugh:

mnem
*Tries to UN-SNORT all that glue from his youth*:twitcy: