Crap! Switch not working

black06stang · 10-28-2006, 02:40 PM

I recently soldered 1 power wire to one of the correct legs on my laptop's power switch. I soldered another wire to the ground on the laptop. I put the laptop back together and pressed the wires together. Nothing happened. The computer still works when I depress the button like normal.

I checked with a multimeter, and when the power button is deppresed I put the 2 leads from the multimeter on the 2 wires and the circuit was completed. Everything is functioning, except the two wires pressed together does not turn on my laptop.

Does anyone have any idea whats going on?

blafrisch · 10-28-2006, 03:17 PM

I'm guessing it's because the laptop switch is meant to me momentary. Have you tried just touching them together real quick then separating them?

black06stang · 10-28-2006, 03:23 PM

yup, I have already tried that. I just dont get it.

Sidewalksalvage · 10-28-2006, 04:01 PM

Is there any continutity between the wires when the switched is not depressed?

Also, what happens if you touch the wires together and then press the button.. does it power up?

Where do you have the ground soldered? If its not at the switch and rather some arbitrary point, it may not complete the proper circuit to activate the switch. If you have it grounded at the point where the switch is, then check if there may be a second line that it connected. Sometimes the power switch is a two way switch and can complete two circuits at once.

black06stang · 10-28-2006, 04:09 PM

Nevermind, I didn't try connecting the two wires when the screen is up. The laptop apparently has a sensor in the hinge, so it will only start when the screen is up. Thanks guys!

Sidewalksalvage · 10-28-2006, 04:14 PM

AHHHH that would do it.....

if this is going in the car...you may need to disable that switch....

black06stang · 10-28-2006, 04:33 PM

Yeah, I am going to take apart the laptop again and disable this function. I really appreciate everyone's help with soldering on this forum.

gospeed.racer · 10-28-2006, 05:17 PM

careful with running the lappy with the screen closed. Some use the keyboard area for cooling, and it will overheat if the screen is down. Not all..but some.

ludikris · 10-28-2006, 06:56 PM

what if your switch is part of the mobo ? how do you intercept it to power up the laptop ?

Sidewalksalvage · 10-29-2006, 02:00 AM

usually a switch can be shorted or unsoldered from the board, theres almost no way its completely integrated into the board. I did a similar mod to a flip down screen that I made none flip down...

jeep642 · 03-23-2007, 03:22 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by black06stang

Nevermind, I didn't try connecting the two wires when the screen is up. The laptop apparently has a sensor in the hinge, so it will only start when the screen is up. Thanks guys!

Same here!!! I had my laptop opened on my backseat floor for month....
got sick of it gor a real carputer...solved the problem!!!