On Fri, Jan 29, 2016 at 01:59:55AM -0800, Keith Lofstrom wrote:
> John, do us a favor and do NOT surf Chinese websites during
> times of heightened international tension! 

Forgive me - this is plug, not plug-talk, and I should say
something marginally germane to the original question.
Even if the question is not about Linux, it is about 
laptops that support Linux very well.

The yellow power sockets on Thinkpads have a tendency to
crack if the adapter plug is stressed sideways.  The short,
large diameter socket is less prone to this than the tiny
diameter connectors on many other laptop types, but there
is always a breaking point, and it always happens to the
socket before the power cord pulls apart.  That leads to
poor compression and contact.

Fortunately, the 20V power sockets are typically on a 
pluggable wire harness.  Aftermarket replacements are ≈$5. 

Unfortunately, on many thinkpads, you must remove close
to 100 screws to get at the socket to replace it.

Fortunately, there are PDF hardware maintenance manuals
(HMM) for most of the earlier thinkpads.  If you are 
careful about organizing the parts and the screws when
the machine is stripped to tiny little bits, you can
reassemble it correctly.  You will need some fine-tipped
jewelers sized pliers and #0 and #00 philips screwdrivers
for most of this, and you Will Void The Warranty.

With a couple of well-anchored egg cartons (or a
compartmented plastic box for you vegans) you can keep
all the little metric screws separated, step by step.
Make lots of notes - the manual does not indicate which
sized screws fit which hole.   I like to number the
subassemblies with post-its.

The adapters themselves are cheap, not too much new from
Lenovo.  I find them at Goodwill from time to time and add
them to my hoard.  If you follow me around, I may forget
one and you can grab that (hence the hoard).  There are
also ≈$10 aftermarket AC adapters on eBay.  I have a few. 

Someday I will take one apart to see if it has the smart
control circuit.  It may be frying my cheap aftermarket
batteries, which may also lack smart control circuits.

Keith


-- 
Keith Lofstrom          [email protected]
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