Sometimes you can repair a bad cell phone power supply.
A cell phone power supply plugs into a wall socket and your phone to charge its battery. When it works, the phone should indicate that the battery is charging a few seconds after plugging it in. If a good battery is properly installed and the phone doesn't show that it's charging, the power supply needs repair. Some repairs require soldering skills.
Defective Pins
The plug that inserts into the cell phone can be one of many styles, but all have two pins that make a positive and negative voltage connection to the battery. Corrosion, dirt or broken pins can cause the battery not to charge. Closely inspect the pins for damage and cleanliness. Use a needle of knife point to carefully scrape off corrosion. Clean the pins with a cotton swab soaked with isopropyl alcohol with a purity over 90 percent. Dry the connections before plugging the charger in to test it.
Broken Wires
Cell phone power supplies are often subjected to rugged use, being packed in briefcases, backpacks and suitcases. Sometimes the wires get crushed or broken. Check the cord for damaged sections. Use scissors or a knife to cut out the bad sections and strip off the outer covering and insulation from the wires. Twist the copper conductors together to splice them. Wrap the connections with electrical tape to replace the insulation. Most cell phone chargers use red and black wires. Be careful not to cross the connections and not to pull the spliced wires apart when using or transporting the charger.
Opening the Connectors
The end of the charger that plugs into the wall contains the circuits that change the AC voltage to DC to charge the battery. Some have screws to hold them together, but most snap together. Use a knife or small screwdriver to pry the sections apart and look for broken wires. You may need to re-solder wires to their connections. Some use molded end connectors that can't be taken apart and must be replaced if they have a broken wire inside. In many cases you can splice ends from two bad chargers together to make one good one.
Voltmeter Tests
A voltmeter makes testing easier. Plug the charger in and touch the probes to the two pins on the end plug to see if voltage is present. Look at the battery in your cell phone to find the correct voltage, which is usually between three and six volts. If no voltage is present, unplug it and open the charger end. Plug it in again and touch the voltmeter probes to the red and black wire output connections. If no voltage is present, unplug it and look for broken wires inside. If voltage is present, replace the cord or the end connector.
Testing Molded End Connector
If voltage is present on the charger when plugged in but not at the end that has a molded connector, unplug the charger and cut off the molded connector about six inches from the end. Strip the wires coming from the charger a quarter of an inch and plug the charger in. Touch the voltmeter probe to the exposed wire ends. If voltage is present, unplug the charger and splice on a new connector. Look in second-hand or charity outlet stores for discarded chargers to use for spare parts.
Tags: voltage present, cell phone, present unplug, voltage present unplug, broken wires, cell phone
