Alternatives to Clevo for barebones without the 4 pin power connector.

Hi.

Been a Clevo owner for a few years with a 770-DM model. It's been a nightmare. The rest of the notebook seems great powered with a desktop processor and decent (for the day) video card, but the product has a serious design flaw in the power connector.

The 4 pin power connector has made using it as a daily machine a constant struggle. It simply does not mate securely. Early on in the notebook's life, it fell out constantly. Despite trying to bend and shape the metal ring on the back to make it more snug, it continues to disconnect and now I think it has developed a fault internal.

Instead of falling out and me getting notification, it shuts down immediately now.

Probably time to scrap the shell and try to sell off as many of the components as I can.

I like the idea of a barebones that I can add a desktop processor to. Any suggestions for another brand. Clevo has a lot going for it, but this power connector is a showstopper for future purchases.

 

The connector will change for the x170.

 

Thanks for the heads up Meaker. Any ideas for timeline?

 

you'll have to wait like we all are

 

You can just replace the DC-IN connector, if you dont know how to solder, or dont have a soldering iron, get it done at a shop, or at a nearby hackerspace if there is one..
Smells like you had a faulty dc-in connector from the start..
And if it now shuts down it now either makes a short circuit or your battery is dead, so once the charger disconnects the laptops just shuts down due to lack of battery power.

 

+1

Swapped the 4-pin connector on my Clevo as well, but only because they need an unusual plug and so changed it to the more common 4-pin type (Kycon). It does need a lot of heating power since you're warming up a very copper-dense area; all the watts must travel through this part of the pcb after all.

There's not a lot of reports here of failing connectors on the Clevos, so guess you were just unlucky. Might also be due to the plug itself if the plastic is a bit worn or simply wasn't properly molded at the factory. A different adapter could rule that out. One of the Toshiba Qosmio models used the same plug and makes for a cheaper alternative: 180W Qosmio adapter. Should suffice for charging and light use, so if it works you could keep it as a travel adapter.

 

soon (tm)

 

The mobo connector is fine and solid. The problem is that they metal ring around the outside is the only mating the connector has. There is no lock in this design. The ring wore fairly quickly leaving only the pins for friction.

 

I see and agree; the pin depth is also rather shallow and since it is not an angled connector you have to be rather careful in positioning the laptop and plug.

Hope they choose this type next:

• It is one the few alternatives that can handle the same power load as the 4-pin.
• It has quite a bit of surface area to contact with the plug (more friction).
• Rather shallow design, so it sits flatter to the board; hooking up the plug does not exert as much force to the soldering pins as with a more 'higher-up' model.

Anyway, you could pad the metallic ring all around with a bit of superglue. Use a very small amount, let dry and test. Then add more if required and so on until you have it all Goldilocks.

 

I'm hoping for a D38999 series I shell size 9 or similar quarter turn circular connector. . . . Not holding my breath. I seriously considered converting my bricks and laptop to those a while back.

 

I've never had an issue with mine but the machines these go into don't tend to worry about thickness of connectors to be fair.

 

This is the wrong gender, right?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/DC-POWER-J...rentrq:a2ddee4b1740a9cb8b4d12d9fffa294c|iid:1

 

Yes, if the photo is accurate then it is the wrong model (Kycon brand). Clevos (and the Qosmio) use a male connector at the motherboard end and these are only made by Singatron.

I'm guessing the single buyer so far won't be very happy upon receiving this item. More so considering it's about $2.25, so the markup is pretty steep.

 

Ouch, that's some increase of digikey.

 

When asked to show a picture of the pins straight on, he sent what looks to be a different (also not compatible) part.

(This site does not allow uploads of photos evidently to show.)

 

Just press upload a file, and you can upload photos.

 

Or use something like Imgur.

 

Hey! What do you think about this one!

https://clevo-computer.com/en/spare...r-socket-dc-power-jack-clevo-p170-p177-series

 

That is the correct part . And the price isn't bad either.

 

Shipping is a killer though to the US.

Here it is again. Higher price and they want $20 to ship a 2oz part domestically.

https://rjtech.com/shop/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=30779

 

Probably just too make it worth their time as they mostly do things like barebones.