Power Adaptor connection

[twomules]

My adaptor/power cable is not providing power to my S7. I've checked the cable and it's fine, chucking out 15.5v, so it's obviously a problem with the connection inside the machine.

I'm not at all keen on taking it to pieces, and nor is my husband - despite being an electrical engineer - he doesn't want to risk my wrath, I think!

Do I have to go to Psion to get it fixed, or is it likely that a PC repair shop would have to do it? Or would POS be able to fix it?

All advice welcomed!

Sarah

[E}|{]

i've fixed the power connection inside my nB myself, so i think any kind of PC repair shop could do it (i'd only advise you to print the photos that could show the experts from this shop HOW to get to the point -- you can find 'em here (http://www.symbcity.com/featureshow.php3?featureid=100015) or here (http://mypsion.ru/library.php?aid=975) -- with Russian comments, since the author's page (http://www.netwinder.org/~craign/netbook/insides/) doesn't answer for me now).

sending it to Psion or to POS would be just too expensive (so expensive that you could probably find another S7 or nB on ebay for such sum).


good luck!

[donkeyontheedge]

One other option is to buy a docking station which will power the machine from underneath. The last one on eBay went for £50 - a lot cheaper than a repair!

John

[twomules]

Originally posted by donkeyontheedge
One other option is to buy a docking station which will power the machine from underneath.

John,

I've been looking at the details of the docking station - do I need to connect it to a PC to power the S7? I don't have one at the moment (which is why I want my psion working again!). If I can connect it directly to a plug socket, what sort of adaptor would I need?

Thanks for the advice - I have no problems with software, but I just don't get hardware...!

Cheers,

Sarah

[donkeyontheedge]

The docking station simply has a power supply port and a serial port. You would plug your normal psion power supply into this, as well as a serial cable if required. You can then simply and quickly connect / disconnect the psion without having to worry about all the fiddly cables.

John

[E}|{]

:)) just to mention -- i've fixed power adaptor connection once again today -- for a friend of mine: i haven't opened netBook for ~2 years and nevertheless it took ~40 min to fix the problem. and i'm not even an engineer :) -- it's really very-very simple. all you need -- just to be accurate.

good luck :).

[RainKap]

I was *very* happy to find this thread - I have a Series 7 with the same problem of a dicky power connector on the motherboard (ironically, a couple of months back I had to buy a replacement power plug, because the original one died...). I have bid for a docking unit on ebay, but the auction doesn't close until Sunday night, so I don't know whether I'll win the auction. If I *do* win, I'll just tuck the instructions on opening up the Series 7 behind my metaphorical ear, but if I *don't* win, they will be used somewhat sooner!

Thanks very much.

Ian Park

[RainKap]

The price of the docking station on ebay rapidly climbed to ludicrous levels, so I downloaded the pages from the SymbCity site (thanks very much for the pointer to that, E}|{), spread out my laptop (to look at the pictures while I was working), the Psion and a selection of tools on the kitchen table and got to work (*after* backing up all the data from the RAM to a CF card ;) ). About an hour and a half later, I'd dismantled the Series 7, removed and resoldered the power input connector (the problem was a dry solder joint), put on a couple of blobs of quick-setting epoxy to add some mechanical strength, and re-assembled it - all fine! I can heartily recommend the pictorial guide; my eyesight isn't what it was, but with the aid of a head-mounted light and a watchmaker's eyeglass I was able to save myself a good deal of money (and the Series 7 was out of use for a lot less time than if I'd had to send it away for mending). If you can use a fine soldering iron and jeweller's screwdrivers, it's well worth having a go.

Thanks again, E}|{ (BTW, what is the semantic of that user name?)